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Few fields offer a wider variety of opportunities. Most doctors€™
professional lives are filled with caring for people and continuously learning
more about the human body. Every day in communities around the country,
doctors work in neighborhood clinics, hospitals, offices, even homeless
shelters and schools to care for people in need. But physicians also do
many other things. Physician researchers are at work today developing exciting
new treatments for cancer, genetic disorders, and infectious diseases like
HIV and AIDS. Academic physicians share their skills and wisdom by teaching
medical students and residents. Others work with health maintenance organizations,
pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, health insurance
companies, or in corporations directing health and safety programs. People
with medical skills are in demand everywhere.
-Association of American Medical Colleges
Education
Medical School is a four year program consisting of two years of basic sciences
and the remaining two years of rotations at teaching hospitals in the respective
area. A list of medical schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto
Rico can be found here.
Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Programs
Post Baccalaureate programs are programs offered by many institutions that
allow students to complete their pre-requisites or improve their academic
records. Most of these programs are one year in length, and many have specific
requirements similar to those of entry to college.
For example: A minimum MCAT score.
Application Process
The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is an eight hour long exam usually
taken on a Saturday. The test is divided into four (4) sections: Verbal
Reasoning (VR), Physical Sciences (PS), Biological Sciences (BS), and Writing
Section (WS). The Verbal Reasoning section consists of reading and comprehension
with an average of 6-7 questions per passage and about 8 passages in total.
The topics range from Greek Mythology, Peter Pan, Napoleon, Cystic Fibrosis,
Stock Market, and more. Though the MCAT is used to analyze your scientific
knowledge, it is also used to measure what you know in other academic areas.
The Physical Sciences section examines knowledge similar to that of Physics
I and II as well as Chemistry I and II. The Biological Sciences section
deals with Organic Chemistry I and II, Immunology, Physiology, Microbiology,
Genetics, Molecular Biology, and some Biochemistry. For more information
on the MCAT exam, please visit the AAMC website.
American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)
A service of the AAMC, the American Medical College Application Service
is a centralized application processing service for applicants to first-year
entering classes at participating U.S. medical schools. To complete the
application should have your personal statement, list of schools, and college
transcripts to fill out the application. The application process is costly
once you start applying, so appropriate preparedness is crucial at the beginning
stages of applying.
Secondaries
Secondary applications are what the schools personally send to fill out
and find out more about the interested student. Usually there is a deadline
and an additional fee, so be adequately prepared. Secondaries should be
completed as soon as they arrive, since they tend to pile up.
Interview
If the Admission Committee thinks you have what it takes, they will invite
you for an interview. The interview occupies an entire day; one full of
mini sessions and a faculty or medical student interview.
Good Ways to Finance your Training
Health Professions Scholarship Program (US Army, Navy, Airforce)
Getting yourself in a lot of debt with loans
Scholarships
Parentals
For more information about all the packaging that comes with choosing a
medical career, visit studentdoctor.net. Here you will find forums, and
information about the application process, medical schools, MCAT, etc; from
those who lived it.