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What courses must I do in order to pursue health science to become a doctor, and what qualities or abilities do I need to succeed in this field?

I'm a senior in High School, who wants to become a doctor. I'm enrolled to study an AA in Biology.

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John’s Answer

Well, I suppose the first question I have is, what kind of doctor do you want to be? Do you want to study and find new treatments and cures diseases, or maybe help people learn to walk again, or teach people to speak again, or maybe you want to prescribe antibiotics for children when they get sick?

Scientists with PhD's do the vast majority of all research and discovery in health and medicine, Biologists, Chemists, myself am a Neuroscientist. Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPT) work with people who get injured, athletes, some performers to help improve strength and fitness and even help with motor related disorders like Parkinson's disease.Audiologists and Speech and Language Pathologists help with auditory related disorders, the later only needs a masters degree to practice while Audiology is doctorate (AuD). If you want to prescribe medicine and work with children you would want an Medical Doctorate (MD) or Doctorate of Osteopathy (DO).

There are many different types of doctors. a PhD mean Philosophy Doctorate and is the one "true" doctorate. Meaning that in order to obtain this degree, you need to contribute something new to the field you are practicing in. All of the other doctorates are what we call "porofessional or clinical doctorates." You receive them for being competent to practice in a specific field , Doctor of Chiropractice (DoC), Doctor of Dental Surgery, (DDS) Psychology Docotorate (PsyD), Audiology Doctorate (AuD), Education Doctorate (EdD). Most doctorates are completed in 3-4 years with the exception of the Ph.D. which can take 6-12 years, 6.1 years average for a science based PhD in fields of biomedical research before post doctoral studies. I hope this helps,because "i want to be a doctor" means so manby things. It sounds like you want to be a physician, or someone to prescribe medicine which would be an MD, or DO or Phjsycian Assisstant or Nurse practitioner which are masters level positions.
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John recommends the following next steps:

Figure out what you want to do, research, laboratory work, professor, dental surgeon, physical therapist
then there are different paths, masters only, master before doctorate, stright from undergrad into doctorate. These degrees all have mandatory internships and licensure hours after you receive them too, so add another 3-10 years before you really start your career with a doctorate.
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Tyler’s Answer

Each college usually offers a unique course plan, so it's tough to compare them directly.

To succeed, focus on building a solid academic base, especially in science, math, and communication. Also, work on important soft skills like empathy, teamwork, and critical thinking. These abilities will really help you shine!

Tyler recommends the following next steps:

I'd recommend in your first semester to meet with your assigned college advisor and be clear on your vision and goals. With that information, they can plan a path with required courses.
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