Alternative Medical Careers

If you're not sure residency is the right path for you, there are alternative options. The resources below can help you explore other pathways.

Title	MD/DO degree required	Residency required	Additional degree (optional)	Industry setting
Academic Medicine	Preferred	Preferred	Master’s degree in higher education administration, curriculum design	Undergraduate or graduate medical education: teaching, administration, assessment, support services
Clinical Informatics	Preferred	Preferred	Master’s degree and/or fellowship	Hospital, insurance, corporate
Clinical Simulation	Preferred	Preferred	IT, engineering	Hospital, undergraduate or graduate medical education
Entrepreneurial Work	No	No
Medical Advertising, Public Relations, Social Media	No	No	Marketing/communications	Hospital, insurance, organized medicine
Medical Chart Review	Preferred	Preferred		Insurance, legal review
Medical Consultant	Yes	Yes		Law
Medical Writing	No	No	Journalism
Organized Medicine	Preferred	Preferred	MBA	American Medical Association, state medical societies
Other Teaching Positions	No	No	Master’s or doctoral degree	Higher education (college or university)
Physician Executive Careers	Yes	Yes	MBA	Hospital administration, insurance (health/life), corporate
Public Health	Preferred	Preferred	MPH	Military, Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service
Public Policy and Government	Preferred	Preferred	MBA, MPH, MHA	NIH, CDC
Research	Preferred	No	doctoral degree	Pharmaceutical, technology
Utilization management	Yes	Yes		Hospital, corporate

Non-Clinical Careers for PhysiciansNon Clinical Careers

Careers in consulting | Careers in MedicineCareers in Medicine

Settings and Environments | Careers in MedicineCareers in Medicine

Other options | Careers in MedicineCareers in Medicine

Careers in pharmaceutical research | Careers in MedicineCareers in Medicine