How to Become a General Practitioners

General practitioners treat a variety of patients.

General practitioners, also called family practitioners, treat patients of all ages and sexes. Considered the gatekeepers of the medical profession, these doctors diagnose and treat a variety of diseases and disorders, referring patients to specialists as necessary. As the United States population ages, there will be a growing need for doctors who can provide primary care. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects are expected to be very good for doctors willing to specialize in such high-demand specialties as family practice.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• SAT or ACT scores
• MCAT scores
• Medical license

1. Apply to colleges and universities with well-regarded premedical education programs. Make getting good grades in science and math courses a priority while you are in high school. Colleges and universities look for students with good high school grades and high Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Testing Program (ACT) scores.

2. Excel in your classes during college or university and try to maintain a particularly high grade-point major in your science and math classes. Find out what classes are required as a prerequisite to medical school acceptance and be sure to take those classes well in advance of your projected graduation date.

3. Register for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) when you are a university junior. The MCAT includes sections on verbal reasoning and the biological and physical sciences. Information on registering for the MCAT can be found on the organization's website.

4. Apply to medical schools during the first semester of your senior year of college. It's unlikely that you will be accepted to every school, making it important to apply to a variety of schools. Ask a friend or relative to proofread your application for errors before you submit it.

5. Research family-medicine residency programs during your final year of medical school, and apply to those programs that interest you. Although you can apply to each program directly, you may also want to register with the Electronic Residency Application Service and National Resident Matching Program.

6. Take a few weeks off after medical school graduation, then begin your residency. Family medicine residencies usually last three years. During the residency, you will serve clinical rotations in such areas as pediatrics, family medicine, cardiology, obstetrics, emergency medicine and orthopedics.

7. Pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination after completing your residency. You must pass the test in the state or jurisdiction in which you would like to practice before receiving your medical license.

8. Apply for jobs with existing medical practices, clinic or hospitals. If you have the money to invest in a new business, you may want to open your own general practice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for family medicine practitioners may be high in rural and low-income areas.

Tips & Warnings

• Volunteer at a hospital or nursing home or with a community health program when in high school or college. Volunteering will allow you to work with medical professionals and give you a good idea if you are well-suited to a career in general practice medicine. The experience will also be viewed favorably on your college or medical school application.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• American Medical Association
• Medical College Admission Test

Resources

• Electronic Residency Application Service
• National Resident Matching Program
• United States Medical Licensing Exam