To Become a Doctor
Content
1.Begin your medical training in high school; don't wait until you graduate from
college or even high school. Children as young as middle school can begin preparing
for their careers in the medical field. Volunteering in a hospital is a great way to gain
hospital experience before you begin your training. High school students should also
take high-level biology, chemistry and other science and math courses. If possible,
high school seniors should take college-level science and math courses, which will
alleviate some of the heavy course load that will come with your undergraduate
courses.
2. Find an undergraduate program and work hard. Not all aspiring doctors need to
enter a premed program in order to get into med schools. While top med schools
look for students with a solid background in science and math, you can obtain this
education at almost any college or university throughout the country. If you choose to
get your undergraduate degree in something other than pre-medicine, make sure it's
something science- or math-based. Take as many relevant courses as you can and
keep your grade point average high.
3. Apply to a medical school after at least three years of undergraduate education
(most complete a bachelor's degree and many have additional education). Medical
schools, especially the top ones, are very competitive. You should have not only
near perfect grades, but should be able to present your character, work ethic and
educational abilities through personal essays and recommendations.
4. Go to medical school. You'll spend the first two years of medical school in a
classroom/lab setting. You will learn topics ranging from anatomy to microbiology
and everything else you'll need to be succeed as a doctor. You'll learn basic medical
practices such as examinations, diagnosing and taking medical histories.
You will typically spend your last two years working under the supervision of
experienced physicians in teaching hospitals or clinics. By rotating through different
areas such as family practice, obstetrics, pediatrics, surgery and internal medicine,
you'll discover which area you would like to specialize in.
5. Find a residency program. Upon completion of medical schools, you enter a
residency program. You'll enter a 12-month internship before a residency lasting two
to six years. This time allows you to become comfortable with anything and
everything you will encounter on your own as a doctor. This also gives you more
time to discover your specialty areas and even work alongside experienced doctors
in those areas.
6. Become licensed. The requirements to become a licensed physician vary by state.
However, most states require that you graduate from an accredited medical school,
complete one to seven years of graduate medical education and pass a licensing
exam.
7. Become board certified, which is required in certain fields. The American Board of
Medical Specialists (ABMS) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) both
require you to go through specific training and education in order to become board
certified. The ABMS covers 24 different medical specialties and the AOA covers 18.
You'll tkae additional examinations and in some cases, spend additional time as a
resident.
college or even high school. Children as young as middle school can begin preparing
for their careers in the medical field. Volunteering in a hospital is a great way to gain
hospital experience before you begin your training. High school students should also
take high-level biology, chemistry and other science and math courses. If possible,
high school seniors should take college-level science and math courses, which will
alleviate some of the heavy course load that will come with your undergraduate
courses.
2. Find an undergraduate program and work hard. Not all aspiring doctors need to
enter a premed program in order to get into med schools. While top med schools
look for students with a solid background in science and math, you can obtain this
education at almost any college or university throughout the country. If you choose to
get your undergraduate degree in something other than pre-medicine, make sure it's
something science- or math-based. Take as many relevant courses as you can and
keep your grade point average high.
3. Apply to a medical school after at least three years of undergraduate education
(most complete a bachelor's degree and many have additional education). Medical
schools, especially the top ones, are very competitive. You should have not only
near perfect grades, but should be able to present your character, work ethic and
educational abilities through personal essays and recommendations.
4. Go to medical school. You'll spend the first two years of medical school in a
classroom/lab setting. You will learn topics ranging from anatomy to microbiology
and everything else you'll need to be succeed as a doctor. You'll learn basic medical
practices such as examinations, diagnosing and taking medical histories.
You will typically spend your last two years working under the supervision of
experienced physicians in teaching hospitals or clinics. By rotating through different
areas such as family practice, obstetrics, pediatrics, surgery and internal medicine,
you'll discover which area you would like to specialize in.
5. Find a residency program. Upon completion of medical schools, you enter a
residency program. You'll enter a 12-month internship before a residency lasting two
to six years. This time allows you to become comfortable with anything and
everything you will encounter on your own as a doctor. This also gives you more
time to discover your specialty areas and even work alongside experienced doctors
in those areas.
6. Become licensed. The requirements to become a licensed physician vary by state.
However, most states require that you graduate from an accredited medical school,
complete one to seven years of graduate medical education and pass a licensing
exam.
7. Become board certified, which is required in certain fields. The American Board of
Medical Specialists (ABMS) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) both
require you to go through specific training and education in order to become board
certified. The ABMS covers 24 different medical specialties and the AOA covers 18.
You'll tkae additional examinations and in some cases, spend additional time as a
resident.
