UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE CHIRIQUI
FACULTY OF MEDICINE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
ENGLISH 120ª
EXPLORING A MEDICAL CAREER QUESTIONNAIRE
Instructions: Answer the questions in complete sentences using the text Exploring a
Medical Career to answer.
1. What things should you consider about your personality to know if the
medical career is for you?
Answer: To find out if a career in medicine is for you need to know:
 What kind of resources has for me in the future?
 To have challenges and the opportunity to make a difference?
 To have an inquisitive mind?
 Does
being interested
in
science and how
the
body
works?
Worry deeply about others, their problems, and pain?
 What I like helping people with my skills and knowledge?
 What I like to learn and gain new knowledge? What I like to delve into a
subject that requires my teacher? Does understanding the value of
learning beyond good grades?
 Does being interested in how the human body? Being intrigued by the types of
drugs that can be used to improve life?
2. What does it take to become a physician?
Answer: To becoming a doctor requires a serious educational commitment. It
takes 11 to 16 years to complete education. Also obligated to maintain
licensure and certification and be committed to continuing education to keep up
with developments occurring in the field.
3. What are the characteristics of the medical career?
Answer: The characteristics of medical career are:
 Service: Allows you to help people and advance knowledge.
 Action: Doesn't tie you to a desk all the time.
 Respect: Your work and contributions are an important part of your community.
 Security: Enables you to earn a good living with a secure future.
 Mobility: Your skills and knowledge are in demand, wherever you choose to
live.
 Flexibility: Offers you lots of career options.
4. What is the main job of a physician?
Answer: The main task of a physician is to diagnose illnesses and treat
people suffering from injuries or diseases and keep up with advances
in medicine and work as part of a team of health care every day in
communities around the country.
5. What is the difference between a primary care physician and a specialist
physician?
Answer: The difference between a primary care physician and a specialist is
that primary care physicians provide medical services for life for the whole
family.General internists, family physicians and general pediatricians and
therefore are considered primary care doctors. Since they are the first
doctors that people consult for medical care. And they are trained to provide the
wide range of services, and children need adults. When the needs
of specific health patients require further treatment, primary care physicians are
sent
to see
a specialist.
However medical experts differ as he focuses on treating a particular system or
body part. For example, surgeons treat injuries, diseases and deformities by
performing surgical procedures, neurologists treat disorders of the brain and
spinal
cord,
cardiologists treat heart
and
blood vessels, and treating ophthalmologists and other eye. They work together
with primary care physicians to ensure that patients receive treatment
for specific medical problems, and as complete and comprehensive care for life.
6. What else besides caring for people`s health can physicians do?
Answer: Besides caring for the health of people doctors can also do many
other things. For
example, medical
researchers working
today in
the
development of new treatments for cancer, genetic disorders and infectious
diseases like AIDS, academic physicians share their knowledge and
wisdom by teaching medical
students and
residents, other
working with
organizations of health maintenance, pharmaceutical companies, medical device
manufacturers, insurance companies, or companies who run the health and
safety programs.
7. What are some of the rewards of being a physician?
Answer: Some of the rewards you can have a
intellectual and economic.
doctor are personal,
8. What is the average salary for physicians in the US and what does that
salary depend on?
Answer: The average salary of doctors in the U.S. is about $ 160,000 a year, but
this amount depends on where physicians live and what type of medical
specialty practice.
9. How many hours may physicians work a week?
Answer: Physicians work 60 hours a week.
10. Why is medical school a challenge?
Answer: It is a challenge for a reason If you are going to take responsibility
for the health of people and well being, you have to be committed to learning.
11. Describe the medical school in the US.
Answer: The school usually lasts four years and is conducted as follows:
 During the first two years studying basic science, anatomy, biochemistry,
physiology, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology and the behavioral
sciences. Also begin to learn the fundamental techniques of medical history and
examination of patients.
 Then he leaves the hospital and various clinics to observe and work
with experienced doctors and start learning how to care for patients. At this
time you begin to explore the wide variety of careers in medicine, such as family
medicine, internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, and
pediatrics.
 In the third year, you gain experience with patients in the hospital, clinic
and office settings in the fields of internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics,
obstetrics and gynecology, surgery and psychiatry.
 The fourth year and is a mixture of mandatory and elective courses in which you
gain additional experience for the care of patients.
12. Why is Medical School tough?
Answer: Medical school is tough because it requires the student, both in the
volume of information that is expected to master and the rate at
which he expected to learn. Since you will get good study habits and time
management skills and a strong academic background. Also because you have
to take into account and exploit the enormous support of guidance
and mentorship for teachers and staff at the medical school offered to help us to
succeed.