Hospitalist
What They Do
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Hospitalists aim to reduce the confusion of a hospital stay and guide patients through their treatment. Although they are physicians, hospitalists don’t have an office practice. Instead, they serve as the single point of contact for a patient moving through the hospital, from admittance to discharge—and beyond.” Duties include, yet are not limited to:
Perform medical procedures
Design treatment plans
Communicate and coordinate with patients and hospital staff
Qualifications
Hospitalists are physicians, so they must attend 4 years of medical school after getting their bachelor’s degree. After earning a medical degree, they complete a hospital residency program, which may last 3 to 8 years. Some residency programs have started developing instructional tracks to address issues that are specific to hospital medicine, such as quality improvement or hospice care.
What They Make
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not collect data specifically on hospitalists. Instead, it includes this occupation among other physicians, such as general internists, family and general practitioners, and general pediatricians.
BLS data also show that, in 2019, physicians and surgeons, all other, earned $208,000.
Where They Work
Hospitals
Career Outlook
The Society of Hospital Medicine estimates that there will be a 4% increase in job opportunities between 2019 and 2029.
Source:
Physicians and Surgeons : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
Updated February 2021
