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I want to be a pediatrician and go into the medical field

What do I need to major in and what steps do I need to pursue to reach my goal? #pediatrician #pediatrics #medicine #doctor #hospital-and-healthcare

pediatrics pediatrician hospital-and-healthcare
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Suman’s Answer

Hello! This link is a bit wordy but contains good information:


https://www.healthcaresystemcareersedu.org/pediatrician-career/


In particular:


"The overall journey to becoming a practicing pediatrician involves four years of undergraduate studies, four years of medical school and three years of residency."


If you decide to specialize in a certain kind of pediatrics (cancer treatment, for example), that may involve a couple more years. Specialization programs after residency are called "fellowships".


Good luck!


p.s. as an undergraduate, you can major in anything, as long as you complete your pre-med courses and do well in them!
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Rachel’s Answer

I would say major in whatever field interests you and will allow you to maintain an excellent GPA. I majored in Spanish literature and had no trouble with my med school applications. You do need to complete the pre-med requirements that vary from school to school. As stated above, these include at least a year of biology, 1 year inorganic chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry + labs, physics, calculus, and biochemistry. Your junior year, you will need to take an MCAT study course prior to taking the MCAT. With a solid GPA and MCAT score, you should be a competitive applicant.
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Richard’s Answer

In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree. Any 4-year university should suffice.

Pick a college that suits your personality and a major that interests you. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.

Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.

Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters

Pick a summer during college to self study for the MCAT or take a MCAT prep course.

Take the MCAT and apply to medical school. You will be invited to on-location interviews to choose a school.

Next, four years of medical school. And the application process starts over for residency.

After 3 years of training in pediatric residency you can enter practice.
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