True to its name, family physicians are qualified to treat most ailments and provide comprehensive health care for the entire family, from newborns to the elderly. These family physicians or general practitioners boast the right mix of specialized skills and knowledge, which enables them to provide continuing and comprehensive medical care, as well as preventive, promotive and rehabilitative services to each member of the family, regardless of sex, age and gender. These specialists are well equipped to assess symptoms, diagnose and treat chronic conditions, offer preventative care, and let people know when they need to see a specialist. If you are looking to enter this vast and diverse field of medicine, here are a few most rewarding subspecialties to consider.
Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine
A family physician who specializes in adolescent medicine are fully equipped to deal with various healthcare, emotional, psychological and social issues and challenges that adolescents face. Adolescent medicine physicians cater to the unique healthcare and medical needs of people between the ages of 10 and 24. Physicians in this field strive to create a safe space where adolescents can open up and discuss sensitive topics, such as eating disorders, issues with their sexual identity, peer pressure, reproductive health, etc. and offer guidance and support to ensure their physical and emotional well-being during this critical period in their lives. While salaries vary from physician to physician, depending on their area of practice, years of experience and expertise in the field, the estimated annual salary for adolescent medicine physicians is $255,423.
Geriatric medicine
A geriatric physician caters to the healthcare needs and unique challenges faced by adults aged 65 years and above, and take care of them in their homes, offices, and long-term care facilities and hospitals. Geriatricians work as part of a team of healthcare professionals, including nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and others, to provide comprehensive care for older adults, and ensure prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation of health ailments that affect the elderly, such as dementia, osteoporosis, falls, frailty, polypharmacy (multiple medications), incontinence, and more. Practitioners of geriatric medicine work to enhance the quality of life for their older patients, while also addressing the mental, emotional, and social aspects of aging. Keeping in mind the global surge in aging population, this field is gaining importance in healthcare systems, with salaries ranging from range from $206,000 to $375,000 per year.
Pain medicine
Pain medicine specialists are experts in diagnosing, treating, and managing patients experiencing problems with acute or chronic pain, as well as discomfort related to cancer. These specialists work with patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and often collaborate with other specialists to develop comprehensive, long-term treatment plans tailored to individual patient needs. These specialists leverage specialized diagnostic tools to better understand the nature, intensity, duration, and underlying causes of a patient’s pain, before administering various medications (analgesics, anti-inflammatories, etc.), interventional procedures, physical therapy, psychological therapies, acupuncture, and more to manage pain and enhance their quality of life. The average salaries of specialists in this field of family medicine range from $202,000 to $377,000 annually.
Sleep Medicine
Clinical conditions that affect your sleep patterns, quality, and duration, such as sleep apnea, parasomnias, restless legs syndrome, and circadian rhythm disorders, can pose long-term health risks – like anxiety and depression, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. This is where sleep medicine specialists can help you achieve restful and restorative sleep. Sleep medicine specialists conduct comprehensive evaluations, including clinical assessments, sleep studies, actigraphy using wearable devices to monitor sleep patterns, and other diagnostic tests to get to the root cause and severity of sleep disturbances. These specialists may suggest lifestyle modifications, behavioral therapies, medications, oral appliances such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and other interventions tailored to improve your quality of sleep and help you overcome sleep challenges. With an estimated annual of $367,407, this subspecialty of family medicine is a highly rewarding field.
Hospice and Palliative Medicine
This field of medicine focuses on providing compassionate and comprehensive care and support for individuals with serious or life-limiting illnesses. These physicians provide personalized care that respects the goals and preferences of the patient and their family, and work to manage pain and other distressing symptoms, offer emotional support, provide support and guidance to family caregivers, and assist with complex decision-making. Hospice and Palliative Medicine professionals also provide comfort and support to patients in the final stages of life, typically when the prognosis is limited, and curative treatment is no longer pursued. The annual salary in the field of hospice and palliative medicine comes down to $220,285.
If you feel that the inclusive and impactful realm of family medicine is the right fit for you, begin your journey at our Caribbean medical school and become one step closer to achieving your dreams.
