What is the med school like?

Med School.. What is it like?

• I am a psych major and am interested in the possiblity of going to med school after graduation in order to become a psychatrist. I am trying to figure out whether or not I would like to go for psychatrist or just become a psychologist and get my PHD. What is medical school like? What kind of things do you need to know BEFORE you are in medical school? Like do they start you out with basics and stuff or what? Anything you can tell me about med school would be great!

• Answer:

  Before you go to medical school, you need to take the undergraduate coursework required by the medical schools you might like to attend. See the book Medical School Admission Requirements for details. These courses usually include a year of biology, two years of chemistry, and a year of physics. The first two years of medical school cover the basic medical sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, neuroscience/neuroanatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, etc.) and introduce students to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases (medicine, physical diagnosis). During the second two years of medical school, students rotate from one medical specialty to another so that they get some training in medicine, surgery, psychiatry, obstetrics, pediatrics, etc. Junior year rotations are usually required but during senior year med students get to choose some electives to study. While on rotations, the students are at the hospitals or clinics for long hours, working with real patients and their families, under the supervision of staff physicians and residents.