5 answers
Opeyemi
Student
Ukiah, California
1
Question
Asked
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How can I study medicine?
I really am interested in medicine, I'm in 10th grade
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5 answers
Karin P.
Lecturer
378
Answers
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Opeyemi,
To become a medical doctor you need to go to medical school. You first need to earn an undergrad degree in any discipline. Many choose biology or biochemistry, but it can really be anything as long as you earn a bachelors (4 years).
You also need to take certain pre-requisite math and science courses.
Every medical school has slightly different requirements, so make sure you check with the schools you would consider what their current rules are. You also need to take the MCAT before you apply to medical school.
You'll be in med school for 4 years. The first 2 years are mostly classroom. The last 2 years are clinical. You'll rotate through several specialties. After passing exams you will be an MD or an DO depending on the path you chose.
Next, you'll choose a specialty to do your residency in, i.e. get further training. Residencies can last between 3 and 7 years depending on the specialty.
Getting into medical school is very competitive. You need to start early to prepare. Obviously, you need a good GPA and a high MCAT score. In high-school, you should take AP or IB or double enrollment (whatever advanced program your school offers), focussing on math and science courses. You should also start to volunteer or job-shadow in a medical environment, e.g. a hospital. Medical schools expect you to have medical experience and demonstrate your dedication to medicine and giving back to the community.
You'll also need letters of recommendation and a personal statement/essay. You might be invited to an interview as part of the selection process. So, start early to get all your ducks in a row.
I left some links for the requirements and admission process for Harvard Medical School as an example. You need to look up similar information for schools you would consider.
I hope this helps! All the best on your path to become an awesome doctor!
KP
https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/admissions-before-you-apply
https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/admissions-eligibility-requirements
To become a medical doctor you need to go to medical school. You first need to earn an undergrad degree in any discipline. Many choose biology or biochemistry, but it can really be anything as long as you earn a bachelors (4 years).
You also need to take certain pre-requisite math and science courses.
Every medical school has slightly different requirements, so make sure you check with the schools you would consider what their current rules are. You also need to take the MCAT before you apply to medical school.
You'll be in med school for 4 years. The first 2 years are mostly classroom. The last 2 years are clinical. You'll rotate through several specialties. After passing exams you will be an MD or an DO depending on the path you chose.
Next, you'll choose a specialty to do your residency in, i.e. get further training. Residencies can last between 3 and 7 years depending on the specialty.
Getting into medical school is very competitive. You need to start early to prepare. Obviously, you need a good GPA and a high MCAT score. In high-school, you should take AP or IB or double enrollment (whatever advanced program your school offers), focussing on math and science courses. You should also start to volunteer or job-shadow in a medical environment, e.g. a hospital. Medical schools expect you to have medical experience and demonstrate your dedication to medicine and giving back to the community.
You'll also need letters of recommendation and a personal statement/essay. You might be invited to an interview as part of the selection process. So, start early to get all your ducks in a row.
I left some links for the requirements and admission process for Harvard Medical School as an example. You need to look up similar information for schools you would consider.
I hope this helps! All the best on your path to become an awesome doctor!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Abiola Egunjobi
Physician
3
Answers
San Diego, California
Updated
Abiola’s Answer
Glad to hear that you are interested in medicine Opeyemi. After high school, you will need to get a bachelors degree in (real) any field but most medical students have major in biology, chemistry, biochemistry etc. The university also have what is called a pre-medicine track to ensure that you have all the science courses to gain admission to medical school.
Terica Johnson
Experience Senior Manager
28
Answers
Atlanta, Texas
Updated
Terica’s Answer
Enroll in fundamental science courses such as anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, and pharmacology. These will provide you with a solid foundation in medical knowledge. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to learn essential patient care skills, such as conducting interviews and performing examinations. Typically, students undertake four or five diverse courses concurrently.
Furthermore,
Select a pre-med major that genuinely captivates your interest.
Investigate the specific admission requirements of your desired medical schools.
Establish a robust academic record that extends beyond just your GPA.
Begin your preparation for the MCAT well in advance.
Compose a personal statement that distinguishes you from other candidates.
Equip yourself for personal interviews.
Furthermore,
Select a pre-med major that genuinely captivates your interest.
Investigate the specific admission requirements of your desired medical schools.
Establish a robust academic record that extends beyond just your GPA.
Begin your preparation for the MCAT well in advance.
Compose a personal statement that distinguishes you from other candidates.
Equip yourself for personal interviews.
Mark Fehr
Neurologist
4
Answers
Bethesda, Maryland
Updated
Mark’s Answer
Hi Opeyemi:
I would like to ask you a different question. Why are you interested in medicine and have you looked into if it something you want to do for the rest of your life? This would include getting an internship or shadowing a doctor and a nurse for a day or week or two, seeing what they do, not just the stuff you read about etc. If you are still interested, then I would move forward with college and an eye toward premed. You can take a major that is not a pre-med major, which can sometimes be better in the long run. Again, I think before you take all of the above very interesting and helpful comments, I would ask you what is interesting about medicine and make sure you want to go down this long, hard but fulfilling road.
I would like to ask you a different question. Why are you interested in medicine and have you looked into if it something you want to do for the rest of your life? This would include getting an internship or shadowing a doctor and a nurse for a day or week or two, seeing what they do, not just the stuff you read about etc. If you are still interested, then I would move forward with college and an eye toward premed. You can take a major that is not a pre-med major, which can sometimes be better in the long run. Again, I think before you take all of the above very interesting and helpful comments, I would ask you what is interesting about medicine and make sure you want to go down this long, hard but fulfilling road.
Scott Adler
Physician (recently retired)
32
Answers
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Updated
Scott’s Answer
Hi Obeyemi! "Medicine" is a very broad term. There are clinical pursuits (hands on care), scientific research oriented careers and business aspects of medical care. It can mean anything from being a medical technician (someone who performs tests or draws blood in a doctor's office) to being a brain surgeon or running a hospital and many other fields as well (physical therapy, occupational therapy radiology technician, etc...). Talking to people you know such as your doctor and the employees in their office (possibly nurses, medical technicians) would be a convenient source of information. If you know anyone else in a health-related field, they could be helpful as well. Perhaps you can speak to a guidance counselor to see if there are any vocational programs that can provide information. If you are planning to go to college you will have the opportunity to take classes that can give you a taste of what different fields may be like and you will have the opportunity to interact with professors who often have had real-life experience in their fields. As you are still young, I agree with what Mark said above and encourage you to keep your options open and explore different ideas to find where your interests truly lie. If you choose to become a doctor, it generally requires 4 years of college to get a bachelor's degree, followed by 4 years of medical school and then at least 3 years of post-medical school training depending on the type of doctor you become. Additional training would be necessary if you decide to specialize even further. I wish you the best of luck!