What steps does one need to become a doctor?
- Friday Dec 4,2009 12:00 PM
- By diddy
- In Others
How many years of college and med school does one need? How about internship and residency? What courses should a person take in high school and college to become a doctor? What kind of college degree do you need?
College Degree, Internship, Med School
One Comment
The first and foremost requirement is a passion for science. Although the med schools don’t require a science degree for acceptance, in order to pass the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), you will need to take College Biology 111 & 112; College Chemistry 111 & 112; Molecular and Microbiolgy; Organic Chemistry (the grade that will either make or break you); at least Calculus 1; and at least Algebra-Based Physics 1. I would recommend taking Calculus 1 first before Physics because the Physics concepts will be much easier to understand with Calculus knowledge under your belt. These grades are CRUCIAL. If you get anything less than a B in ANY class, I would recommend that you retake the class. Unless they have changed the policy since I was in college, if you retake the class(es), your previous lower grade will just show up on your transcript, but only the new higher grade actually counts toward your GPA. Try to get as many As as possible. You will also need English Comp. to pass the Writing and Verbal Reasoning sections of the MCAT.
For an impressive application, I would recommend that you take some 1st year medical school classes during your senior year, such as Biochemistry. It will be an excellent test to see what the med school curriculum will feel like as well as impress them that your academic level is higher than what is required.
It’s a shorter curriculum if you major in science, because by the time you get done with all those science classes, you will just be a few credits away from graduation. If you major in other areas, it will take longer.
During your summers, as extracurricular activities, volunteer at your local university hospital/medical school to do science research projects. This not only makes you look good, but you can also network with some of the top researchers and medical school professors to write you the letters of recommendation. So use those opportunities to your advantage. These volunteer positions are highly coveted, which is another essential reason for you to maintain as high of a GPA as possible in order to compete for entry.
During school years, participate in academic competitions (such as writing contests), volunteer to be the Teacher Assistant for the Science and Math departments, student government, and other clubs you feel passionate about.
Be sure to maintain a GPA of at least a 3.8, because when I applied, almost all of the other applicants I competed with had a 3.8 or higher. That way, you have a bit of leverage if you get a lower MCAT score.
MCAT scores:
The maximum composite score is a 15. You will need at least a 10 for acceptance, with the average acceptable score to be an 11. And if your GPA is in the lower range of 3.7s, aim for a 12. The med school admissions also look at how many times you took the MCAT and factor the "average" score of how many times total you took it.
Lastly, be prepared with an outstanding admission essay, addressing the questions, "Why do you want to be a doctor?" and "What qualifies you to be a doc?" Most applicants dryly brag about their high GPA, passion for science, how they want to help people, and Honors classes they have taken. Make yours stand out by telling what life-changing experiences that were the pivotal moments that made you want to become a doctor. Then incorporate your volunteer and extracurricular activities. After all, almost all competitors already have a similar range of high GPA and took similar classes, it’s the significant life experiences that will differentiate you from the crowd.
INTERVIEW
Be professionally prepared as if you were going on an employment interview: wear a suit, be on time, and be sure to maintain eye contact. Don’t be nervous. It’s just the usual questions: why you chose their school, why you want to be a doc, how you feel about managed care, what’s your view on various ethical issues, and so on. And ALWAYS send hand-written (not the typed, memo-style) thank-you cards to the staff who interviewed you. Be sure to get all of their names so you can address each card correctly.
Once you’re in med school, the 1st 2 years curriculum is just academics: fast-paced & tons of memorization. The last 2 years are clinical rotations, in which you spend 6 weeks in each department, such as ER, OR, pediatrics, internal medicine, neurology, family medicine, and so on. If you’re assigned to smaller clinics, be willing to do other "extra" duties, such as playing nurse and receptionist if necessary—-in order to get the higher grades and further network for letters of recommendation into residency programs (for the more specific fields you wish to enter). Although med schools’ grading system is just pass/fail, these clinical rotation grades (it’s all in the "comments") are even more crucial than the first 2 years of academics, because they weigh heavy enough on these residency applications; otherwise your residency can get split up, with 1st year at one place and not knowing where you’ll be next. You’ll need those great "comments," which are more open-ended, on your performance, from the licensed physicians during the rotations and those letters of recommendations. I had a classmate, who was not "humble enough" to do other duties (when other employees, such as nurses or receptionists, called in sick) and she flunked most of her rotations due to her "attitude problem." So she barely got accepted into the 1st year residency, with not-so-hot letters of recommendation, and then she had to apply again for subsequent residency positions.
By the end of the 2nd year, everybody must take the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) Part 1, administered by the NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners). It tests all the basic knowledge of medical sciences. During the 4th year, we took the USMLE Part 2, which tests application of medical knowledge in patient care under supervision. Then the USMLE Part 3 is taken during the 1st year residency, testing the application of medical knowledge in providing unsupervised medical care. After that, there is no national board exam, but rather state licensing board exams, as each state has its own exam.
In essence, DO NOT feel discouraged (especially don’t give up!) due to some family problems that hindered you a bit on this journey. The med school journey is tough, indeed, but having dealt with those family problems only made you a stronger candidate than most of the other applicants. Even briefly mentioning those specific side challenges will highlight your tenacity and more efficiently present you as a whole person, not just an academically-focused student. So retake some classes if you need to, maintain a high GPA, and do those extracurricular activities as your networking stepping stones. With focus and determination, you CAN do it!!
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Leave a reply