The path to becoming a physician isn't completely rigid, especially if you're interested in other biological and physical science careers. You don't have to think about all these steps at the same time.
In your third year, you'll start working with patients in a medical setting (under a supervisor) within different medical specialties. This helps you gain hands-on experience as a physician, but, perhaps more importantly, you'll learn more about what sort of specialty you may be interested in.
Once you're in medical school, your peers will be thinking about (and worrying about) the same things—there's no way you'll forget any important steps! Becoming a doctor is definitely not for everyone—getting into medical school is really tough, and you still have a lot of training to complete even after you graduate.
Here are the core classes that most medical schools require : Two semesters of biology with laboratory Two semesters of inorganic chemistry with laboratory Two semesters of organic chemistry with laboratory
Step 2: Get into a great college . Step 3: Take the MCAT (and get a good score) Step 4: Apply and get into medical school.
Your transcript will be a very important part of your med school applications, so your academic performance should really be your #1 priority as you work your way through college.
Current percentiles indicate that around 50% of test takers score 500, and 74% score 50 8, or what MCAT-Prep.com calls a "good" MCAT score. As such, the new MCAT encourages admissions officers to look favorably upon students who score around 500 or above.
Having some research experience under your belt is a big plus for med school applications , especially if you can squeeze in a publication or two. Working in a biology or chemistry lab would probably be most helpful for medical school.
Be prepared for some hefty expenses— it costs $320-$375 to register for the test depending on how far in advance you sign up.
The job growth rate for psychiatrists is expected to be a well-above-average 12% in the next ten years, but specialties such as obstetricians, surgeons, internists, and pediatricians are expected to shrink slightly.
You send in your primary application by June the year before your first year of med school. Most med schools use AMCAS, which is like a Common Application for med schools.