How to Become a Doctor

It appears so easy on ER, but there is a lot of work to becoming a doctor. If you ever wondered how to become a doctor, this page will break down all the steps for you.
Becoming a Doctor Tips
1. Volunteer at a hospital for experience.
2. Gather letters of recommendations at every level.
3. Get involved in as many research experiences as you can.
4. Study for the MCAT months in advance.
5. Choose schools that are right for you.

Introduction
- Deciding to become a doctor is a big decision, especially since it will take a great deal of time and money to do so. To become a doctor, you will be required to attend college for four years, attend medical school for four years and spend three to eight years in residency training.
Step 1: Start in High School
- While it is not required, you will be better off if you start preparing for medical school while you are still in high school.
1. Get good grades. Your grades will help you get into a good college, which will eventually help you get into a good medical school.
2. Take as many science (biology, chemistry and physics) and math (algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus) courses as you can.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
3. Volunteer at a hospital, doctor's office or nursing home. It will help you get the basics as well as look good on your applications.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
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Step 2: Get a Bachelor's Degree
- Before you even graduate high school, you will be asked to start considering colleges. However, which college you choose is not nearly as important as what you do while you are at college.
1. Apply and get accepted to the right college. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) gives a list of questions you should ask about each college you are considering.Association of American Medical Colleges: Making the Decision to Study Medicine
  - Visit Mahalo's How to Get Into College, How to Write a College Application Essay and How to Get a Student Loan for additional information.
2. While in college, take at least one year of biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and English, which are required by most medical schools. Some also require a year of math, calculus, physics, general chemistry and biochemistry.
  1. There are no required majors for acceptance into medical school, however the most common major is biology.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
  2. You should take as many science, math, English, humanities and social sciences classes as you can while in college. They will help you later on in medical school.
3. Maintain a grade point average between between 3.5 and 4.0.EducationPortal: Requirements To Become A Doctor, Degrees to Become a Doctor, Medical Schools Requirements
4. Complete tasks listed on AAMC's application and admission timeline.Association of American Medical Colleges: Application and Admission Timeline
5. While in college, continue volunteering and try to get research experience.
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Step 3: Take the Medical College Admissions Test
- The Medical College Admissions Test, or MCAT, is a standardized test that measures knowledge of scientific concepts and principles, problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis and writing skills. It is required for admission to almost all medical schools.Association of American Medical Colleges: Welcome to the Official Medical College Admission Test Web Site.
1. Almost all U.S. schools require the MCAT.
  1. Most medical schools that do not require the MCAT are located outside the United States, such as in the Caribbean (American University of Antigua; SABA University School of Medicine; Medical University of the Americas; and Xavier University, Aruba).
  2. A few U.S. schools do not require the test, but they do recommend it. For example, Dartmouth states, "Students who choose not to submit MCAT scores will be at a disadvantage."Dartmouth Medical School Admissions: M.D. Admissions
  3. Some U.S. schools, such as Brown's Alpert Medical School, do not require the MCAT if you have attended their pre-med program.
2. The MCAT is broken down into four major sections: Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences and Writing Sample. The first three are scored on a scale of 1 (low) - 15 (high). The writing sample is scored on a scale of J (low) - T (high).Stanford Premedical Association: MCAT FAQs
3. Most students begin preparing for the MCAT about 2 to 3 months in advance.Stanford Premedical Association: MCAT FAQs A good place to start is the AAMC's practice test site for the MCAT online.Association of American Medical Colleges: MCAT Practice Online
4. Students can take the MCAT at any time, however a year of biology, physics, general chemistry and organic chemistry are considered prerequisite courses for the MCAT.The Princeton Review: Deciding When to Take the MCAT
Step 4: Apply to Medical Schools
- Getting accepted to medical school can be very difficult. Of the 42,315 students who applied to medical schools in 2007, only 17,759 were accepted.Association of American Medical Colleges: MCAT Scores and GPAs for Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools, 1996-2007 Deciding on the right medical school is mainly a personal choice.Association of American Medical Colleges: Deciding on the right medical school The Princeton Review: Which Medical School is Right for You?
1. There are several medical school application services, including:
2. Two major factors to admission into medical school are your GPA and your MCAT scores. StudentDoc offers a search program that allows you to see how your MCAT and GPA compare to students who have been accepted to various medical schools.StudentDoc: Medical School Search: Are your MCAT scores competitive?
  1. The mean GPA for students who were admitted was 3.59 for science classes, 3.73 for non-science classes and overall GPA of 3.65.Association of American Medical Colleges: MCAT Scores and GPAs for Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools, 1996-2007
  2. The average MCAT scores for students who were admitted into medical school was a 9.9 on verbal reasoning, a 10.3 on physical sciences, a 10.6 on biological sciences and a P on writing sample.Association of American Medical Colleges: MCAT Scores and GPAs for Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools, 1996-2007
3. Other admission factors include letters of recommendation, research experience and volunteer work.6YearMed: How To Become a Doctor (Without Even Trying) (February 12, 2008)
M.D. or D.O.
- There are two types of medical schools: allopathic and osteopathic. Allopathic medical schools are considered "traditional" because they offer students a doctorate of medicine (M.D.). Osteopathic medical schools offer students a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.).
1. M.D.s and D.O.s are more alike then different. Both are medical doctors, practice in hospitals or medical centers and require state licensing examinations.University of Rochester Medical Center: Primary Care: Types of PCPs
2. A D.O.'s approach to medicine is different than an M.D.'s approach. A D.O. will focus on treating the whole person and preventative care rather than treating illnesses and symptoms.HealthLink: Is a D.O. an M.D?
3. Consider carefully which one is right for you.The Princeton Review: D.O. or M.D.? Issues to Consider
The Second Application and the Interview
- When a medical school is interested in you, they will send you a secondary application and an invitation for an interview.BestPreMed: Medical School Interview
1. The interview can be one of the scariest portions of the application process. Go to the Student Doctor Network Medical School Interview Feedback to get an idea of what interviews are like at different medical schools.Student Doctor Network SDN's Medical School Interview Feedback
2. Preparation is essential for a successful interview. This includes dressing right as well as rehearsing some possible questions.MomMD: Medical School Interviews
3. The interview will also give you a chance to ask your own questions.Association of American Medical Colleges: Thirty-One Questions I Wish I Had Asked
Step 5: Complete Medical School
- Completing medical school will take you approximately four years: two years of class work and two years of rotations.
First and Second Years
- Your first two years of medical school will be spent primarily in the classroom taking science courses such as microbiology and medical ethics.Medical Help Network: Medical School
1. Your first year will be spent taking science courses about the body such as anatomy, physiology, histology, biochemistry, embryology and neuroanatomy.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
2. Your second year will be spent focusing on disease and disease treatment with courses such as pathology, pharmacology, microbiology and immunology.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
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United States Medical Licensing Examination
- The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three part examination.United States Medical Licensing Examination: Examinations The USMLE is also referred to as "The Boards" because it is administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners. States will use the USMLE when determining whether or not an applicant is competent enough to be granted a license to practice medicine.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
1. Step 1 is taken during the second year of medical school. It tests how well you understand and can apply scientific concepts to the practice of medicine and patient care under supervision.United States Medical Licensing Examination: Step 1
2. Step 2 is taken during the fourth year of medical school. It tests your medical knowledge of patient care without supervision.United States Medical Licensing Examination: Step 2
3. Step 3 is taken during the first year of residency. It tests your ability to apply your medical knowledge in providing unsupervised medical care, with an emphasis on patient management in ambulatory settings.United States Medical Licensing Examination: Step 3
Third Year
- In your third year of medical school, you will complete 1-2 months working in various major medical specialties which usually include pediatrics, surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology and psychiatry.Family Medicine Interest Group: Surviving the Third Year of Medical School These are more commonly known as rotations.
1. Elective rotations are available for students interested in other areas such as ophthalmology, neurology, radiology, emergency medicine and family medicine.
2. Rotations are graded based on reviews by attending physicians.
Fourth Year
- In the fourth year, more clinical rotations with a higher level of responsibility are completed and a decision about which field of medicine, or specialty, you are going to practice is made. Knowing which specialty you want to practice will help you choose your electives.
1. It may help to do an "Away" rotation, which is a rotation at another hospital.Medical Help Network: Medical School This rotation must be approved by the dean of the medical school. It allows you to explore a residency program at another hospital as well as impress people at the hospital you are interested in.
2. One of the most important things you will be doing during your fourth year is applying to residency programs.Family Medicine Interest Group: Surviving the Fourth Year of Medical School
Step 6: Complete Residency Training Period
- The residency is an additional training program focusing on a medical specialty. The length of residency training varies depending on the type of specialty you choose.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works American Academy of Family Physicians: Types of Residency Programs
1. The first year of residency is referred to as the internship or PostGraduate Year-1 (PGY-1). Any years spent pursuing a subspecialties is referred to as a fellowship.HowStuffWorks: How Becoming a Doctor Works
2. Here is the average length of residency for various programs:
- - Anesthesiology: 4 year residency.
  - Dermatology: 4 year residency or 3 years followed by 1-2 years in another type of training program such as dermatopathology.
  - Emergency Medicine: 3-4 year residency.
  - General Surgery: Depending on which specialty you choose, you will either complete a 1-2 year general surgery residency (option 1) or a 5 year residency program (option 2), followed by 1-5 years in an additional program.
    Option 1 is for specialties such as neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, plastic surgery and urology and will require 3-5 years of additional residency.
    Option 2 is for specialties such as vascular surgery, cardio-thoracic surgery, pediatric surgery, colon and rectal surgery and requires 1-4 years of additional residency.
  - Internal Medicine: 3 year residency. Subspecialties will add 2-3 years to this residency and include cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatrics, hematology, oncology, infectious diseases, nephrology, pulmonary and rheumatology.
  - Neurology: 4 year residency.
  - Obstetrics and Gynecology: 4 year residency.
  - Pathology: 4 year residency.
  - Pediatrics: 3 year residency. Subspecialties will add 2-3 years to this residency and include pediatric cardiology, pediatric endocrinology, pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric infectious diseases, pediatric critical care, neonatology, pediatric nephrology, pediatric pulmonology and pediatric rheumatology.
  - Psychiatry: 4 year residency.
  - Radiology: 4-5 year residency. Subspecialties will add 1-2 years to this residency and include neuroradiology, vascular and interventional radiology and pediatric radiology.
Finding a Residency Program
- Once you have decided on a specialty, it is time to find a residency program and apply. Once you have decided upon a residency program you like, it is important to visit and schedule an interview there. There are three programs that will help you find and apply to residency programs.
1. The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) will transmit residency applications, letters of recommendation, transcripts and other credentials to fellowships, internships and residency programs.Association of American Medical Colleges: Electronic Residency Application Service
2. The Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA) provides information about 8,200 medical education programs as well as 200 specialty programs.American Medical Association: Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database
3. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) is a not-for-profit corporation which helps match applicants to residency programs. Basically, students submit a list of programs ranked in order of preference. Residency programs submit a list of students ranked in order of preference. The NRMP then matches each of them with their highest possible preference.National Resident Matching Program: National Resident Matching Program The day they release their matches is known as Match Day and is usually during the third week of March.
Step 7: Get a Medical License
- After completing a residency or fellowship, you must obtain a medical license so that you can practice medicine. Each state has its own individual rules. You will need to contact your state medical board for more information.Federation of State Medical Boards: Directory of State Medical Boards
1. The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), a national non-profit organization representing medical boards of the United States, offers a list of state-specific requirements for initial medical licensure.Federation of State Medical Boards: State-specific Requirements for Initial Medical Licensure
2. Expect at least a 60-day period from the time they submit a completed application for license before licensure is granted.American Medical Association: Getting a License: The Basics
Conclusion
- That's it. Sure, you have sacrificed 15-20 years and about $200,000, but the next time someone shouts "Is there a doctor in the house?" you can raise your hand. Of course, there is the added benefit of spending the rest of your life saving lives.
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Additional Resources for How to Become a Doctor
- Official Site: Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
- Official Site: American Board of Medical Specialties
- Blog: The Clinical Years
- United Progressive Alumni: My Advice to Medschool Applicants