How to Become a Doctor

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Doctors make people healthier. When people get sick, doctors figure out why. They give people medicine and other kinds of treatment. They also give advice about diet, exercise, and sleep. Doctors use science to figure out what is making people sick. Doctors examine people, listen to them describe their health problems, and do tests to see what is wrong. If you want to become a doctor you should be willing to help people and be dedicated in your career and be willing to study a lot.

Steps

Be prepared to put in a lot of time. Becoming a doctor requires more training than most other jobs. It usually takes at least 11 years to become a doctor: 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 3 years working in a hospital (residency training). For some specialties, doctors may have to work in a hospital for up to 8 years before they can practice.
Start early. In high school, study a lot of science including biology, chemistry, and physics. Math courses including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus are also useful. English is also essential in becoming a doctor. Volunteering at a local hospital or doctor's office will help to start recognizing medicine and diseases.
Keep on task. In college, maintain a high grade point average. The competition for medical school is intense. Students in college must study a lot of science, including organic and inorganic chemistry, math, English. Studying humanities and social sciences in college are also useful.
Take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
Go to medical school. You'll spend your first two years studying lots of science courses. You'll also learn to take medical histories, examine patients, and diagnose illnesses. In your last two years, students work with patients under the supervision of experienced physicians in hospitals and clinics, learning acute, chronic, preventive, and rehabilitative care.
Enter your residency training period in a hospital setting in which you earn a salary while you are trained. Residency typically lasts about three years. Some specialties may require as much as eight years of residency training before they are licensed to practice.

Tips

Have a backup plan. Sadly not everyone who wants to be a doctor will make it. There are still lots of careers in the health field, such as registered nurses, vocational nurses, etc. But note that many applicants had to apply more than once to get accepted.
Competition to get into medical school is intense so a lot of community service, volunteering, and experiences that allow you to learn and display leadership are important in high school and college to set you apart from other applicants.
Research experience in medicine or the basic sciences is a another important component of a strong application that will set you apart from others - especially if you get published in a medical journal or present at a medical conference.

Warnings

Be prepared to work long and irregular hours in your career. Over one third of doctors in 2007 work over 60 hours a week.
Be prepared to repay an enormous loan since becoming a doctor is very expensive. (*Sometimes once you begin practing, the hospital or employer you work for will pay off your loans.)
Be prepared to take frequent refresher courses throughout your career.

Things You'll Need

Good communication skills and the ability to deal with the emotions people have for their family and friends.
Dedication, top grades and lots of work experience.
A good positive attitude towards people.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

http://www.Become-a-Doctor.com

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