What are the steps of becoming a Medical Doctor after High School?

What are the steps to becoming a doctor/surgeon?

• This probably sounds very general, but I am very interested in becoming a Cardiothoracic Surgeon. What are the steps (like what do I do when I am a senior to achieving this goal...) to becoming a doctor/surgeon in general? Also, would you recommend me, or anyone, becoming a doctor with all of the Health Care situations taking place? I am only a Freshman in high school, but I have my heart set on this dream and want to know how to make it a reality.

• Answer:

  Becoming a surgeon isn't the easiest of tasks; they won't let just anybody cut into people. Make sure it is what you really want to do before you commit the next 11 - 16 years becoming qualified. If that hasn't detered you yet, these are the steps you must go through to become a surgeon: 1. The first step is going to undergraduate school. There, you must take a certain number of required courses with that emphasize biology and chemistry. These courses are very difficult, and really don't have much to do with medicine, but they weed out people that may not be academically qualified to practice medicine. These courses also prepare future doctors for the MCAT, a standardized test medical schools use as a qualification. 2. When preparing for the MCAT, it is a good idea to take a prep course available from companies like the Princeton Review or Kaplan. These courses teach you what you need to know for the MCAT, as well as strategies for test taking. 3. After taking the MCAT, you need to apply to medical schools. This can be very expensive, application fees can be over $100 for each school. Most schools also require an interview, so you must incur costs of traveling to each school. 4. Once accepted into a medical school you face four years in a enuous, competitive academic environment. The first two years you will take classes and begin to examine some patients. In the second two years you will gain more real life experiences. Upon completion of medical school you will spend up to six years in residency learning your specialty. 5. After completing your residency requirement, you must pass a licensing exam in whatever state you wish to practice. 6. Usually you will have to become board certified in whatever specialty you choose, for example nuerosurgy, which requires more exams. 7. Hopefully you've networked throughout the process of becoming a surgeon, and now it is time for you to find a job! Note: Going to medical school is extremely expensive, look into obtaining financial aid through FAFSA or other sources that help fund education.