What Is the Education Requirement for a General Practitioner?

A general practitioner, or GP, is a medical doctor who treats a wide variety of patients and conditions. GPs do not specialize in any particular area of medicine and will refer patients to specialists if their medical condition requires more intensive diagnosis and treatment.

College

Future general practitioners start their educational requirements by taking undergraduate courses that include math, physics, biology, chemistry and anatomy.

Medical School

Getting into medical school requires a college degree or having taken the required science classes and passing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Studies

Medical school students spend two years studying biochemistry, microbiology and other subjects. Students spend two more years working with licensed doctors to train in various areas of medicine, such as family practice.

Postgraduate

After graduating, GPs begin a two-year residency of on-the-job training. After residency, they take a licensing test, which is required in all U.S. states.

Certification

General practitioners can complete another three years of training and pass another exam to be certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Salary

General practitioners earn an average of $145,000 per year. GPs making the highest salary earn about $160,000 per year, while the lowest paid earn around $70,000 annually.

References

• Health Info Channel
• E-learn Portal

Resources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics