The process to become a concierge doctor is similar to the method of becoming any other type of physician, and can vary from one country to another. You have to typically complete an undergraduate degree and then attend medical school. Most concierge doctors in the United States have an internal medicine specialty, though many are general or family practitioners as well. Once you have your medical license, you can either become a concierge doctor right away or spend time at a hospital or in a traditional practice. A concierge doctor typically needs to be licensed to practice medicine, retain malpractice insurance, and follow any other requirements that other physicians have to.
If you have not yet begun your schooling, you may choose to tailor it towards the goal of becoming a concierge doctor. You can often take care of many medical school prerequisites while obtaining an undergraduate degree. Once you are in medical school, you may want to focus on becoming an internist or a general practitioner. In medical terms, internists have an internal medicine specialty that involves diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. A specialty in family medicine may be a good choice as well, since as a concierge doctor you may want to treat children in addition to adults.
After you have finished schooling, you typically must be licensed by the local authority before you can become a concierge doctor. In the United States, this means you must pass an examination offered by the state board, after which you may be licensed to practice medicine. You can become a concierge doctor immediately after that, though many people choose to gain experience elsewhere first.
A practicing physicians may become a concierge doctor at any time. If you think that this might be a career path for you, then you may want to consider factors such as where you will get your clientele from and what specific regulations your area has for concierge medicine. A doctor that already has an established practice may find many clients among his current patients, though some people will choose to find a new doctor rather than pay a yearly retainer.
Another way to become a concierge doctor is to join an existing practice or align yourself with a larger group of direct care physicians. Either of these methods can help you built a patient list. There may be various barriers to joining an existing practice, such as your experience or reputation. This is one reason that working for a while in a hospital or traditional practice is often a good idea.
