What are the different medical grades?

Question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant_(medicine)

I think those are the medical grades for the UK, however, I live in the US and was curious to know if it is the same over here? What are the different levels? GP? Consultant? Are there others? What would you call someone who oversees everyone in the ER in a hospital? Do you make more money as you advance in grade? What if you have a PhD? I am completely lost.

Answer 1

Very simply in the US after you go to medical school you have an MD (or DO) degree, then after one year of any residency you take a test to be a licensed physician.  This is also know as a general practitioner.  If you complete a residency and pass another test to be board certified in a certain area (pediatrics, emergency medicine, surgery etc.) this is the next step you can go on to a more specific residency referred to as a fellowship.  There is typically another test to be board certified in this specialized area.  You will typically begin making money the first year you are a resident.  This not very much and for those that do not complete a residency (GP or general practitioners) they will tend to make less than board certified physicians.  As you go up in the process you will tend to make more money, more education, more specialized more time, more money, but not always more money.  After you are board certified MD (or DO) than your responsibility and money are pretty much based on your experience and what you can negotiate or bill.  If you want to be the director of a ER you will typically do more "administrative" work and less patient work and they tend to get paid more than the physicians that practice in the ER.  But you have more headaches so you need the money to sleep at night (just kidding...sort of)  Then there are some physicians who go to grad school while they are going to med school, and the get a PhD in an area, this will help you get a position in research.  Ph D's are research oriented (even for non-physicians)  But it may also help you get an administrative position, but definitely great for getting a research position.  Hope this helps.