The Pulmonologist salary is among the top 15 best paid health workers, with salary between $145,521 – $368,993 per annum. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistic, the pulmonologists salary starts at $41 – $61 per hour while the top-tier earners received between $58 – $87 per hour. While the Medscape compensation report of 2015, puts the salary at $296,000.
The salary is expected to grow at the rate of 15% per annum, with data gotten from the past at 15% growth annually will give us the expected current salary average. The wages of employees across the United States is influenced by several factors which might make the conditions and pay vary from one individual to another.
A Pulmonologist is a sub specialty of internal medicine, they are physicians who specialize in the treatment and care of the lungs and the breathing channel. They work with patients of any age, from young children suffering from asthma or other breathing defects or diseases to adults and seniors suffering from lung disease, cancer, or emphysema.
Pulmonologist Salary
The pulmonologist salary is one of the most attractive in the health sector, it is also one of the fastest growing wages in the health sector. The profession is a sub specialty and professionals in these field are consultants who have garnered enough experience. The compensation for a pulmonologist is between $145,521 – $368,993 per annum.
The average pulmonologist salary is put at $296,000 according to the medscape compensation report, recent findings also shows that they earn $58 – $87 per hour. There are several places a pulmonologist work, they can be found in private practice, hospitals, academic environment, laboratory and research centers.
The employer is a critical factor in determining the pulmonologist salary, others include location, skills, training, experience and credentials. Most pulmonologist believe they should earn more for the work they do, the best salary in this field might be up to $450,000 per annum mostly from private practice.
Pulmonologist Job Description
The pulmonlogist job description is associated with the lungs and the breathing channel, associated diseases they treat include, bronchitis, asthma, choking, cancer and other lung diseases. Most prevalent challenges come with the treatment of lung rupture or puncture as a result of the damage caused by smoking and pollutant.
The breathing channel include the mouth, diaphragm, blood vessels, hearth, lungs, nose, and trachea
- Perform procedures to test and understand pulmonary function and the factors affecting it.
- The pulmonologist obtains test reports, conducts physical examination, diagnoses and treats the diseases of the respiratory tract.
- Recommend changes to diet, exercise, and home to reduce allergies, improve oxygenation and other concerns.
- Examine patients to diagnose and treat ailments and disorders relating to the lungs.
- They use monitoring systems to check the patients condition and analyse data gotten from it.
- Prescribe medications, inhalers, oxygen therapy, or mechanical ventilation.
- They treat conditions like lung cancer, acute complications of respiratory failure, pneumonia, bronchitis, cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, etc.
Pulmonologist School and Education
The training of a pulmonologist take between 13 – 16 years, they are first trained in internal medicine and the sub specialize in pulmonology. However pediatricians can also sub specialize in pulmonary pediatrics. The steps to become a pulmonologist are;
- Graduate from high school
- Complete a 4 years undergraduate degree program – Science field graduate will have more edge here, you should have taken, Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology during your undergraduate program or in a science related field.
- Take and pass the MCAT exam – The Medical College Admission Exam (MCAT)
- Enroll into an accredited medical college for a 4 year program – During this period you will take general medical courses in the first 2 years and the last 2 will be focused on clinical, specialty courses and advanced medical courses.
- Pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination
- Start a residency program in an accredited institution, this may take between 3 – 8 years.
- Complete a fellowship program in pulmonogy.
- Apply for ABIM- American Board of Internal Medicine, certification courses.
Throughout the career of a pulmonologist, education is a continuum and a lifelong activity. The information on the Pulmonogist salary, job description and education is bought to you by Patmos Edu.