Comparison Between Teacher and Doctor Professions
A profession is a career for a person who wishes to become part of society and is competent in their chosen career path through training and continuous professional development. Just like any other profession, doctors and teachers serve essential roles in society. Various similarities and differences between the two careers in terms of code of ethics, training, societal expectations, and professional conduct and expectations towards the people they serve.
Similarities between teacher and doctor profession
Ethical conducts towards the people doctors and teachers interact with in a professional setting makes the two career paths similar. Teachers seek to foster virtues in their students like a sense of responsibility, diligence, cooperation, respect for human life, the law, as well as respect for themselves and others (Johnson & Terence, 51). Professional teachers also discipline students according to federal regulations and school policy without discrimination on any bases. Teachers also provide counseling to students and are obligated to protect any confidential information about a student. Educators also work to ensure that their students are protected from health and safety hazards when students are under their care. Doctors are obliged to provide the same care and ethical conduct toward their clients by upholding professionalism and honest interactions with patients.
The two professions focus primarily on helping others through providing care to the individuals they are held responsible for. Doctors and teachers participate in activities that contribute to the betterment of the community welfare, like providing educative and medical services. Both professions involve dealing with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, working as a team, and adhering to the established system of practices and conduct.
Both doctors and teachers require training and licensing before they can actively engage in their professional endeavours. In order to become a teacher or a doctor, one is required to complete the established educational requirements and obtain a license for the practice. Both professions also offer opportunities for career advancement and specialization if one is willing to pursue further studies (Carper, 197). Doctors hold Annual Practice Certificates, which is given when they continue with training and advancing their skills.
Both teachers and doctors play educative roles in the lives of the people they interact in a professional setting. Doctors can act as educators to their patients by teaching them how to manage their healthcare and educate them on how to maintain the best health standards and lifestyles (Carper,190). Teachers also educate their students on life skills and virtues like maintaining their health, respect for the law. Teachers also teach students a vast set of skills and practices which promote the welfare of the students and society in general. Both need to understand some subjects like cultural differences, which are core in both practices.
Differences between teacher and doctor professions
The two professions, however, differ in various aspects like educational requirements, training, commitments, salary, and professional and societal expectations. To become a teacher, one has to complete a minimum of a four-year bachelor’s degree in education from an accredited institution (Miller et al., 250). One may also be required to complete a master’s degree, which lasts for one to two years. To become a doctor, one has to take a six-year medical program in an accredited institution. After completing the six-year medical program, one is also required to work for another year under full supervision before being registered as a doctor. After being registered, one is allowed to operate as a general practitioner. To specialize in a field such as a surgeon, cardiologist, or any other medical field, one has to train for another four to five years (Carper, 200). On the other hand, teachers can practice immediately they complete the four-year program.
The amount of dedication and commitment required in the two professions make teaching and medical practice different. Doctors have a responsibility to serve any individual equally under any circumstance or environment (Johnson & Terence, 45). A doctor cannot see an injured person in the street and pass without helping the individual. On the other hand, teachers are only responsible for individuals within a school setting. A teacher has no responsibility to take a person he finds in the street to school since that is not his responsibility.
Another difference lies in accountability for the outcomes of teaching or medical practices. Teachers are held responsible for the student’s results and performance. Teachers’ competence and qualifications can be measured in terms of how well their students understand concepts and perform in various tests. Doctors, on the other hand, cannot be responsible for the outcomes of treatment unless negligence was detected (Miller et al., 249). For instance, a doctor is not responsible for a patient’s failure to maintain a certain level of healthcare standards.
The duration of practice and remunerations for doctors and teachers also make the two professions different. The length of teaching practices varies globally. Studies estimate that most teachers are likely to quit their teaching careers after around five to twenty years (Miller et al., 249). On the other hand, most doctors continue with the practice until retirement. The salaries also differ widely among beginners. Most teachers start on approximately USD 45,000, while doctors have a minimum of USD 60,000 as the starting salary. Teachers are also not compensated for working overtime hours while doctors are paid for working overtime.
Another difference between the two professions is in the working hours and the work setting. Teachers typically work during school-day schedules and an academic year with two to three breaks. Doctors, on the other hand, work all-year-round, and sometimes on holidays, weekends, and at night (Carper, 190). Teachers usually work during the day, and they rarely work on weekends or holidays. Therefore, practising medicine can be very demanding in terms of time and commitment.
The two professions are also monitored and regulated by different bodies, which ensure that they practise within legal and ethical expectations. Major regulatory agencies for doctors in the USA include the CMS, FDA, and CDC (Johnson & Terence, 37). State regulatory bodies like public health departments and non-governmental organizations like the Joint Commission play a supervisory role over the healthcare department. On the other hand, education regulatory bodies regulate teachers.
In conclusion, the doctor and teacher profession differ in various aspects, such as their responsibilities, commitment, training, and working environment. The two professions are also regulated by different regulatory bodies and codes of conduct. The professions are also similar in that they both require training and licensing to practice, and both teachers and doctors can also act as educators. Both professions focus on improving the wellbeing of others through providing care to the people they interact with. Despite the differences, the two professions go hand in hand. For one to become a doctor, one should be served by a teacher, and at the same time, teachers need doctors to solve their health and medical issues. My most appealing profession is teaching because of the vital role teachers play in moulding every individual for any career.
Works Cited
‘Compare and contrast teaching and the medical profession.’ Study Moose, 2016
https://studymoose.com/compare-and-contrast-teaching-and-medical-doctor-proffesion-essay
Carper, James. “The development of identification with an occupation.” Sociological work. Routledge, 2017. 189-202.
Johnson, Terence J. Professions and Power (Routledge Revivals). Routledge, 2016.
Miller, Cynthia J., and Michael J. Metz. “A comparison of professional-level faculty and student perceptions of active learning: its current use, effectiveness, and barriers.” Advances in physiology education 38.3 (2014): 246-252.