Trying to get into medical school is kind of like trying to get good seats
for a high-profile show or sporting event. It's difficult and it may cost
you a lot. But it's not totally impossible.
In the U.S., you can choose from over 120 accredited medical schools,
according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Most medical students spend their first two years studying the science
of medicine through lectures and laboratory work. Courses cover subjects like anatomy,
biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology.
Third- and fourth-year students rotate through the main medical subfields
-- internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry
and others -- in a series of clinical clerkships.
After they finish medical school, students begin a hospital residency.
They learn and study their specialties. A residency could last up to seven
years, depending on the specialty.
But it takes a lot of work to get that far. One of the biggest hurdles
is getting into medical school first.
Most, but not all, schools want you to take the Medical College Admission
Test (MCAT). It tests your knowledge of the basic sciences, your reading
and writing skills and your problem-solving skills. Your odds of being accepted
rise if you do well on the MCAT.
But your MCAT score is only one of many variables medical schools consider. Your
undergraduate courses, marks, extracurricular activities and personal characteristics
also matter.
You should take university courses in biology, mathematics, chemistry,
physics and English. But don't focus entirely on the natural sciences.
Round out your education with courses in the humanities and the social sciences.
"Students need to have demonstrated, during college, that they can master
a subject area and...apply their knowledge to new situations," says Ann Diggins.
She is the director of recruitment at the University of Nevada's medical school.
Join clubs and volunteer -- preferably in some kind of medical environment.
Note, though, that a lot of medical school applicants volunteer at hospitals.
You may want to do something that makes you stand out in a crowd.
Some medical schools allow you to apply after only two years of undergraduate
studies. But many students apply only after they are done with their undergraduate
degrees.
High school students cannot, of course, directly apply to medical school.
But they can prepare themselves.
"In high school, students should take four years of math, science courses
and English courses to give them the best preparation for college," says
Diggins.
Going to medical school is a significant financial investment. Be
sure that medicine is the right field for you.
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For information related to this field of study, see: Physicians
and Surgeons
Applying to Medical Schools
Explains the process
How Becoming a Doctor Works
A detailed explanation of becoming a doctor