How to Begin a Career as a Doctor
Becoming a doctor is one of the most challenging of all career paths, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS. It requires training and education that extend a minimum of eight years past high school and include several years of internship. Patients expect a doctor to not only help diagnose and treat their disease or trauma, but also to be kind and courteous, often referred to as a good bedside manner.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Receive your high school diploma. Your high school diploma is the start to any career you choose. If you choose to become a doctor, a high school education is a necessary platform for college and medical school.
-
2
Attend college. Receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited college. Many students who are pursuing medicine as a career take classes and work towards a degree in the sciences and humanities. Minimum coursework required to continue your pursuit of a career as a doctor includes one year each of biology, physics and English, and two complete years of chemistry, including organic chemistry. (See Resources 1)
-
-
3
Sit for the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT. The MCAT is a standardized test designed to evaluate a person's problem solving and critical thinking skills. It also tests your basic knowledge of science, which will be necessary for success in medical school and in your career as a doctor. (See Resources 2)
-
4
Apply for medical school. Medical school is extremely competitive. Exceptional academic marks and excellent test scores certainly can help. However, medical colleges also judge applicants on volunteer work and general personality. Some even require a personal interview. Acceptance to medical school is an honor and an accomplishment worthy of celebration. Your journey to becoming a doctor has just begun.
-
5
Complete required internships. Internships are completed during the final two years of medical school under the supervision of a licensed physician. They allow medical students to experience different areas of the medical practice and expertise. These areas include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry and surgery.
-
6
Complete residency programs. Residency programs provide additional training and education beyond medical school and internships. Residency programs are available in the same areas studied during internship. Completion of residency training results in a graduate degree in the specialty studied.
-
1
