How Much Schooling Is Required to Become a Medical Doctor?

Training and education for a physician continues for the length of his career.

Medical doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions and illness in individuals. The training required to become a medical doctor can take a student 12 years or more to complete after high school. Medical doctors may specialize in a particular type of medicine such as cardiology or a particular population such as pediatrics or geriatrics. A physician's education takes place in the classroom, laboratory and in hospitals or clinics under the supervision of a trained doctor.

Undergraduate Degree

Students seeking a career as a medical doctor must complete an undergraduate degree before entering medical school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical school may require three years of undergraduate education to apply, but more students complete an undergraduate degree to increase the chances of getting into a good program. The coursework for entry to medical school should include biology, math, physics, chemistry, English, humanities and social science courses.

Medical School

Medical doctors complete four years of medical school training for a career as a physician. The first two years of medical school consist of classroom and laboratory education with courses such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, psychology, pharmacology, medical ethics and pathology. The final two years of medical school education consist of rotations in hospitals and clinics working with patients in obstetrics, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry and family practice under the supervision of trained physicians.

Residency Program

A residency program takes place after medical school and offers physicians training in a medical specialty. Residency is a form of graduate education, but physicians are paid for the training as they work with patients in a medical specialty. A residency program may last longer than six years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Physicians seeking board certification must complete a residency program to qualify for the certification examination.

Continuing Education

All states require licensure to practice medicine. The requirements for a license to practice medicine vary from state to state, but some also require the physician to earn continuing education credits to qualify for renewal. Board certification may also require continuing education to maintain certification in the specialty. Continuing education ensures the medical doctor is up to date on the latest advancements and techniques in medicine. Medical doctors may continue their education beyond medical school to train in a fellowship program, which is an additional one to three years of training in a subspecialty such as gastroenterology, according to the American Medical Association.

References

• American Medical Association: Requirements for Becoming a Physician
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicians and Surgeons