2 answers
Abigail
Student
Kokrobite, Greater Accra Region
2
Questions
Updated
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What is the career pathway in becoming a medical doctor?
Senior high school ,Reading,playing football and watching videos on medical history
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2 answers
Laura Bankston
2
Answers
Harrogate, Tennessee
Updated
Laura’s Answer
Hey Abigail!
When you go to college, major in a science focused degree such as biology, chemistry, physiology, kinesiology, etc. Join organizations and jobs (preferably those with medical focus). Volunteer like crazy and connect with professors. A lot of universities have premedical advisors. Meet with them like crazy and be vulnerable. Study for the MCAT around your junior year and take it during your senior year OR take a gap year after your senior OR do a masters bridge program (super helpful)
When you go to college, major in a science focused degree such as biology, chemistry, physiology, kinesiology, etc. Join organizations and jobs (preferably those with medical focus). Volunteer like crazy and connect with professors. A lot of universities have premedical advisors. Meet with them like crazy and be vulnerable. Study for the MCAT around your junior year and take it during your senior year OR take a gap year after your senior OR do a masters bridge program (super helpful)
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, Mentor
1209
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Abigail,
It's great that you found an interest in a medical career. If you want to be a physician, you need to go to medical school and then specialize in one field (e.g. pediatrics or ob/gyn or surgery etc) during your residency.
In order to become a medical doctor, you first need to earn a bachelors degree (4 years) in any field. Next you take the MCAT before you can apply to medical school. Medical school is another 4 years and you'll earn your MD or DO. You then decide on a residency where you specialize and ultimately take the board exam for that specialty. So, it's a long journey, and each step is competitive. You'll need excellent grades and a high MCAT score as well as medical experience and volunteer hours.
Since you are still in high-school, you should take all the science and math classes you can get (biology, chemistry, physics, math) to be well prepared for college. If your high-school offers classes related to health such as psychology or anatomy, you should take those as well. It's good to take on challenging classes like AP to boost your GPA. You can also consider a dual enrollment program to earn college credits if it is available.
In order to get into a good undergraduate program and later into medical school, you also need to start getting experience in medical settings and volunteering in the community. People get medical experience in a variety of ways. You can look for shadowing opportunities if you want to consider different medical specialties. You can look for internships, volunteer opportunities or small jobs in e.g. hospitals or with doctors (even if it is just as a receptionist). There are also certifications such as CNA, EMT or phlebotomy that would allow you to work medical jobs while you are in school. Some people also work in a medical job for a few years before they go for a bachelor degree.
You can major in any field for your bachelors degree. Consider your interests, your career goals but also look at your undergraduate degree as a backup plan in case medical school doesn't happen (because life happens). Many students opt for a biology, chemistry or biochemistry major because it would cover most if not all of the science pre-requisites. Just be aware what the pre-requisites are and that, should you opt for a non-science major, you might need longer to graduate because you might need to take extra classes. Look up medical schools that you would consider and check their admission criteria and pre-requisites so you have the correct information. I left a link for Harvard medical school as an example below.
During your undergraduate studies, you should also get in more medical experience and (if possible) research experience. It doesn't have to be medical research, but being in any science department certainly helps to get involved in meaningful projects.
Before you can apply to medical school, you need to study for and take the MCAT. You can take the test during your junior or senior year. Many students also take a gap year after their bachelors to study for the MCAT and get some more work experience, either clinical or in research. If you opted for a non-science major, a postbac program to complete the science pre-requisites is an option.
If you get admitted to medical school, you'll study general medicine for 4 years. There is no need to know from the start which specialty you want to go for. The first 2 years are mostly classroom learning while the last 2 years are clinical and include rotations through different specialties. You'll then decide on a specialty that you want to pursue and apply for residency in that specialty hoping to "match". Typically, residencies last between 3 and 7 years depending on your specialty. Some people do a fellowship following residency to further specialize.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://hms.harvard.edu/education-admissions/md-program/admissions
https://hms.harvard.edu/education-admissions/md-program/admissions/preparing-apply/prerequisite-courses
It's great that you found an interest in a medical career. If you want to be a physician, you need to go to medical school and then specialize in one field (e.g. pediatrics or ob/gyn or surgery etc) during your residency.
In order to become a medical doctor, you first need to earn a bachelors degree (4 years) in any field. Next you take the MCAT before you can apply to medical school. Medical school is another 4 years and you'll earn your MD or DO. You then decide on a residency where you specialize and ultimately take the board exam for that specialty. So, it's a long journey, and each step is competitive. You'll need excellent grades and a high MCAT score as well as medical experience and volunteer hours.
Since you are still in high-school, you should take all the science and math classes you can get (biology, chemistry, physics, math) to be well prepared for college. If your high-school offers classes related to health such as psychology or anatomy, you should take those as well. It's good to take on challenging classes like AP to boost your GPA. You can also consider a dual enrollment program to earn college credits if it is available.
In order to get into a good undergraduate program and later into medical school, you also need to start getting experience in medical settings and volunteering in the community. People get medical experience in a variety of ways. You can look for shadowing opportunities if you want to consider different medical specialties. You can look for internships, volunteer opportunities or small jobs in e.g. hospitals or with doctors (even if it is just as a receptionist). There are also certifications such as CNA, EMT or phlebotomy that would allow you to work medical jobs while you are in school. Some people also work in a medical job for a few years before they go for a bachelor degree.
You can major in any field for your bachelors degree. Consider your interests, your career goals but also look at your undergraduate degree as a backup plan in case medical school doesn't happen (because life happens). Many students opt for a biology, chemistry or biochemistry major because it would cover most if not all of the science pre-requisites. Just be aware what the pre-requisites are and that, should you opt for a non-science major, you might need longer to graduate because you might need to take extra classes. Look up medical schools that you would consider and check their admission criteria and pre-requisites so you have the correct information. I left a link for Harvard medical school as an example below.
During your undergraduate studies, you should also get in more medical experience and (if possible) research experience. It doesn't have to be medical research, but being in any science department certainly helps to get involved in meaningful projects.
Before you can apply to medical school, you need to study for and take the MCAT. You can take the test during your junior or senior year. Many students also take a gap year after their bachelors to study for the MCAT and get some more work experience, either clinical or in research. If you opted for a non-science major, a postbac program to complete the science pre-requisites is an option.
If you get admitted to medical school, you'll study general medicine for 4 years. There is no need to know from the start which specialty you want to go for. The first 2 years are mostly classroom learning while the last 2 years are clinical and include rotations through different specialties. You'll then decide on a specialty that you want to pursue and apply for residency in that specialty hoping to "match". Typically, residencies last between 3 and 7 years depending on your specialty. Some people do a fellowship following residency to further specialize.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps: