Sunday, January 27, 2013

What jobs can I get with an MD degree?

By Allie Mettler


It really is not a secret that becoming a doctor is a extended procedure, but getting into medical school is quite possibly the steepest hurdle that you will have to face on your journey to develop into a medical professional.

Even applying to medical school calls for planning, because you will need to take the proper courses as an undergraduate if you want to have any realistic chance at a successful medical school admission.

Usually most medical school applicants have completed college-level Biology with Laboratory (one year), Inorganic Chemistry with Laboratory (one year), Organic Chemistry with Laboratory (1 year), Physics (1 year), English (1 year), Calculus, Biochemistry, and Anatomy.

Acquiring a good score when you take the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, is an additional important element to getting into medical school.

The exam measures your understanding in different science courses and it also tests your verbal and writing abilities.

The MCAT has 4 sections: Biological Sciences (Biology & Organic Chemistry); Physical Sciences (Physics & Inorganic Chemistry); Verbal Reasoning, and Writing.

The MCAT is only administered in April and in August, so be sure to take it during your junior year of college so that you will be ready to apply to medical schools.

Usually college students who would like to go to medical school are ready to start the application process at the end of their junior year of college, as longas they have good grades and that their MCAT scores are high.

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) has a standard application form that most medical colleges use.

This application asks for your personal information, college transcript, letters of recommendation, MCAT scores, and a personal statement or essay.

If your application form is completed and submitted properly, the next step is waiting to be contacted regarding an interview.

Medical schools usually only interview applicants that they are considering for admission, so this is really a very hopeful sign.

The interview can be a very important part of the application process because it gives you a chance to speak with members of the admissions committee in person and to distinguish yourself from all other applicants.

Be sure to prepare yourself so that you will be able to speak confidently about your background and your goals as a medical student.

And remember to take the opportunity to talk to current students and faculty members while you're visiting the campus.

If you're accepted as a med school student, you'll find yourself facing 4 years of challenging lectures, labs, and other activities.

First year medical students focus on learning about the human body's functions and development.

Typical first year medical school curriculums include Physiology, Histology, and Embryology.

Second year medical students advance to learn about illnesses and diseases including their treatments and symptoms.

Standard courses include Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, and Immunology.

During your second year you'll also begin working with patients, learning how to take their medical histories and conduct initial physical examinations.

And during students also take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE-1 given by NBME) to show that they are growing to be competent medical practitioners.

Medical students in the third year are focused on getting clinical experience by completing a series of rotations in several medical specialties.

Some examples of medical specialties include Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and many others.

And during your fourth and final year you'll gain more experience with another set of rotations and decide which sub-field of medicine you are thinking about practicing in so that you'll be able to apply to a residency program for further training after you receive your MD degree.




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