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College Selections :: Education Needed to Become a Doctor

Education Needed to Become a Doctor:

Understanding the Education and Schooling Needed to Become a Doctor




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The education needed to become a doctor is lengthy and arduous. With medical programs stretching out to six or seven years including residencies, it’s a long road to becoming a doctor.

To learn more about the education needed to become a doctor and whether the medical profession is for you, keep reading.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of a Medical Career

The medical profession lets you combine service with a job that’s action-filled and respected by your community. Being a doctor also lets you live and work where you please since the skill set is in such high demand.

However, despite being exciting, the medical profession also involves a high amount of stress. People’s health and lives are in your hands and this can often be an overbearing responsibility.

Income Rates for Doctors

The average doctor earns about $160,000 a year in the United States. This amount will vary depending on a doctor’s geographic location and specialization, but this is the national average.

The Requirements for Medical School

The first type of education needed to become a doctor is an undergraduate degree with courses in programs like biology, mathematics, physics, English and chemistry.

Medical schools often look for doctors with well-rounded experience and an academic history that shows an interest in how the world works. They also like to see students who have volunteer ad extracurricular experience.

Finally, most medical schools will require that you complete the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). This test is designed to test your knowledge of the sciences, problem solving skills and fundamental writing and reading capabilities.

For more information on each medical school’s specific requirements, you can consult the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR).

This document is published annually by the Association of American Medical Colleges and details the entry requirements of every Canadian and U.S. medical school.

It would also be helpful to tap into the MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements), put out by the Association of American Medical Colleges - it offers the requirements for admission for all Canadian and US-based medical schools.

The chances of gaining admission to medical school (the education needed to become a doctor) will depend on your
  • Grade point average
  • Completion of required undergraduate courses
  • MCAT performance
  • Extracurricular activities and volunteer work
  • Letters of recommendation from your former professors, and
  • Your medical school entrance interview
Length of Medical School

The basic education needed to become a doctor is typically 4 years of medical school followed by three to seven years of residency where an aspiring doctor works under an attending physician.

During medical school and their residency, doctors may apply for their license and certification. Of course, ongoing or continuing medical education (CME) is a critical part of the education needed to become and remain a doctor.



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