Medicine lecturer
Also known as: lecturer in medicine, medicine lector, clinical lecturer, medicine docent, higher education teacher of medicine, university medicine lecturer
About this occupation
Medicine lecturers are subject professors, teachers, or lecturers, and often doctors who instruct students who have obtained an upper secondary education diploma in their own specialised field of study, medicine, which is predominantly academic in nature. They work with their university research assistants and university teaching assistants for the preparation of lectures and of exams, for grading papers and exams, for leading laboratory practices, and for leading review and feedback sessions for the students. They also conduct academic research in their respective field of medicine, publish their findings and liaise with other university colleagues.
A specialisation of higher education lecturer.
Essential skills and knowledge
- liaise with educational support staff
- give constructive feedback
- medicines
- teach medical science
- apply intercultural teaching strategies
- curriculum objectives
- perform classroom management
- guarantee students' safety
- assist students with equipment
- apply teaching strategies
- write work-related reports
- medical terminology
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (O*NET 25-1042.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
- Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Supervise students' laboratory work.
- Typical education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Investigative, Realistic
Top skills: Speaking, Learning Strategies, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing
US median pay: US$84,620 a year (2025), 50,190 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyExtremely important (5.0)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.4)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (4.2)
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryVery important (4.1)
- Environmental ScienceO*NET: Biology + GeographyVery important (4.0)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsVery important (3.8)
- Media StudiesO*NET: Communications and MediaImportant (3.1)
- GeographyO*NET: GeographyImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
- Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
- Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
- Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
- Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
- Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.