Who is the doctor and what do they do? The doctor’s task is to treat people and to prevent the development of their diseases. The doctor’s work is always a specialised role (general practitioner, paediatrician, intern, orthopaedic surgeon, paediatrician, gynaecologist, geriatrician, pathologist, anaesthetist, and so on). According to the type of work they do, doctors may be divided into those working in outpatient or community facilities, and those who work in the hospitals or healthcare establishments.
What are the activities of the job? As a rule, the work activities of doctors in outpatient facilities include: Examining patients and diagnosing possible disease – prescription of appropriate medicines, or some other therapeutic intervention – in case of need ensuring a further special examination by another doctor – record keeping on each patient – evaluation of any further disease development – planning the control of patient’s condition – vaccination of children and adults – examination of children, and providing advice to their parents. As a rule, the work activities of a doctor in a hospital include: Initial general examination of patients and writing up the case history – establishing a working diagnose – and ensuring special examinations in other departments, or consultations by specialists at the patient’s bedside – making the final diagnosis – and deciding treatment which may or may not involve an operation – doing the doctor’s round to visit patients – regular follow-up of the patient’s condition until his/her state allows them to be discharged for outpatient care.
Where is it done and under what conditions? In general practitioners’ surgeries or clinics and in hospitals; it will involve shift work, often long hours while still a junior doctor, and some contact with chemicals should be expected. The amount of contact with people may vary widely according to the type of specialism the doctor has.
What tools/equipment do they use? Common examples are stethoscopes, electrocardiographs (devices for recording electrocardiograms), ultrasound and X-ray pictures, as well as further measuring and diagnostic equipment (they differ according to the specialisation). Last but not least, a doctor uses the spoken word addressed to the patient.
What do you need to succeed? You need to have graduated from a medical school, have positive attitudes to people, reliability, concentration, precision, a quick reaction and judgement, patience, good memory, the ability to organize one’s own work, a talent for improvisation. In certain specialisations (e.g. in surgery) manual skill, physical fitness, and good eyesight are important.