5 Non Clinical Specialties That Doctors Can Do

Medical doctors can work in many specialities, not limited to clinical field only. Other specialities with a medical background are feasible for medical doctors to provide their expertise in. Areas in public health, management or academia can be choices for specialities, here are some examples:

1. Public health specialists

Medical doctors who are specialized in public health can serve in health-related departments within the public sector (eg. Ministries of Health or Local Health offices), International organizations or specialized institutes. They can gain a degree in public health (eg. Masters) or enter a speciality training in public health or community/society medicine as named in some countries.

2. University professors

Medical doctors can teach in medical schools or other health related schools. They can start as teaching assistants in universities in any of the medical specialities. Ideally after completing the speciality training or a PhD in the subject one can be a professor within universities and university hospitals.

3. Manager

Doctors can be a health facility manager (eg. Hospitals or health centers), or in an administration position within the governmental health departments. This may need some degree in management (eg. An advanced course or a diploma).

4. Health economist

It’s a field between medicine, health and economics. Health economists can work in areas related to efficiency, effectiveness, value and behaviour in the production and consumption of health and healthcare. Doctors need a degree of health economics, and that can be gained through a master degree or a post graduate diploma.

5. Health policy official

Such specialist can work on different health policies and formulate guidelines to address special health problems. Qualification in this area can be made through gaining knowledge in special topics like public health policy in general or a specialized area like primary health care, health economics, infectious diseases, ..etc.

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