Endocrinologist Career Summary

Duties and Responsibilities of an Endocrinologist

An endocrinologist is specifically concerned with hormones. They treat hormone imbalances. An endocrinologist works with patients suffering from many conditions including diabetes, thyroid diseases, osteoporosis, hypertension, cholesterol disorders and cancers of the endocrine glands. The endocrinologist will diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment. They counsel patients on diet, hygiene and care in dealing with their condition. Most endocrinologists also have a research aspect to their career. They may perform basic research to learn the way glands work or clinical research to learn new methods for treating patients. Some positions have a teaching component as well. Following are examples of job descriptions for endocrinologists that were excerpted from careerbuilder.com postings:

• 'Endocrinologist will have the opportunity to provide care to a wide range of patients and to work in a multi-disciplinary office practice.' --HealthCare Partners Medical Group
• 'The candidate will have an appointment at the assistant or associate professor level to the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the Pediatric Endocrinology Division. The emphasis in this position will be on patient care, specifically on managing children's obesity and diabetes.' --University of Mississippi Medical Center

Job Requirements for an Endocrinologist

To become an endocrinologist you must successfully complete medical school, spend three or four years in an internship and residency program and another two or three years learning the diagnosis and treatment of hormone conditions. In total, an endocrinologist will go through about ten years of training. An endocrinologist must also be board certified. Additional traits include the desire to serve patients, self-motivation, the ability to survive long hours under pressure, a good bedside manner, emotional stability and the ability to make emergency decisions. Many endocrinologists are expected to take on research or teaching roles as well. Examples of job requirements are illustrated in the following job postings from monster.com:

• 'Ideal candidate will have an interest in clinical practice and in the teaching of medical students. Consideration will be given to more established candidates with funded programs who are interested in dividing their time between clinical activity and extramurally-funded established research.' --Kalypxo
• 'We currently seek a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist with a pediatric diabetes focus. Candidate must have a strong clinical, academic and research mission.' --Winthrop University Hospital

Job Outlook for Endocrinologists

Employment in the medical field continues to grow due to the continued expansion of the health care industry, the demand for physician services by the aging population and consumers who continue to demand high levels of care using the most up-to-date technologies, diagnostic tests and therapies. An endocrinologist can advance in the field by developing a reputation for excellence amongst both peers and patients, starting their own practice, teaching or advancing to supervisory and managerial roles. According to payscale.com, median salaries for endocrinologists with one year's practice range from just over $79,000 to over $176,000.