Most people feel that working in the healthcare sector is their calling. While it takes hard work and dedication, some people feel overwhelmed when they learn about its requirements. If you treat it as a step-by-step process, then your goal of becoming a doctor can become a reality. Here are the most important steps to becoming a doctor.
Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree
You need a bachelor’s degree for entrance into medical school. Medical schools are looking for applicants who have a solid educational background as well as knowledge of healthcare and natural settings. While a specified major is not mentioned, medical school applicants should complete a course in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics.
Students can gain experience while studying for their bachelor’s degree by volunteering at clinics, hospitals, or other healthcare environments. This is one way for students to ensure that they want to become a doctor before applying to medical school.
Take the MCAT
The Medical College Admissions Test is otherwise known as the MCAT. High scores are demanded by all of the medical schools across the nation. The standardized exam covers a wide variety of content such as biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics.
It’s used to demonstrate one’s problem solving, verbal reasoning, and writing skills. Students who want entrance into medical school can take the MCAT up to three times within a year. If you pass, then you’ll receive entrance into medical school. Look into how you can take the MCAT by looking into MCAT registration.
Earn Your Medical Degree
Medical degree programs last four years. The first two years involve classroom and laboratory work, while the last two years require students to work under the supervision of licensed doctors. A medical degree program covers topics in anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. Students also learn legal issues and the practice of medicine related to healthcare.
The clinical studies that students take part in during their third year cover a wide variety of topics, such as medicine, neurology, and radiology. This gives students a chance to find out which residency to pursue after graduation. After graduating from medical school, you can start a residency program.
Complete a Residency Program
Residency programs give students the chance to work directly with patients in a specialty area such as holistic care. Some of those specialty areas include anesthesiology, emergency medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry.
Residency programs involve a wide variety of activities, including compiling medical histories, developing problem lists, and performing physical exams. A residency can last from three years to seven years, depending on the specialty area. Most students complete their residency programs in hospitals.
Obtain State Licensure
All states require doctors to become licensed before practicing medicine. An additional requirement for licensure is graduation from an accredited medical school. Candidates should also pass their exams and finish their residency training program.
One of the exams is the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), which is a three-step exam for aspiring doctors. The other exam is the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX-USA). To find out more about licensing and exams, students should contact their state’s medical board.
Licenses must also be renewed on a regular basis. Doctors must complete 50 hours of continuing education before taking the license renewal exam. Since each state has its own licensing requirements, it’s important to know about those requirements as soon as possible.
