If you want to have a career in medicine, then there are many things you need to know. Starting in undergrad, you should start thinking about your potential medical career.
What to Take into Consideration When Choosing Medicine as a Career Path
When it comes to the field of medicine, being a doctor is one of the most glamorous jobs around the globe. However, there are things that individuals who want to become a doctor should take into consideration. There are other things, such as stress and sacrifice, that should be considered.
Individuals who are considering becoming doctors should also be aware that it is not as glamorous when you are going through medical school and completing an eight-year residency. And even then, your education is not over because there are some certifications you need to renew a couple of times during your career, PALS certificate being one of them. Other stressors that a potential medical student and future doctor should be aware of are the time and financial commitments that are associated with attending becoming a doctor.
What Is Your Purpose for Choosing a Career in Healthcare
When an individual is going to pursue becoming a doctor, they should have a genuine attitude of loving and caring for people. The individual should do a self-evaluation before deciding on starting medical school or even pursuing an undergraduate degree to enter into medical school. They should ask themselves, do I want to help people, or is money my motivating factor? Am I a good student when it comes to math and science. The reason why these questions should be asked because sometimes these are the questions that will keep you motivated in those tough times that you may have while going through med school and a residency. After med school and completing your residency, your passion for becoming a doctor must be high because you may make a lot of money, but with this job, you have to have a great deal of commitment, hard work, and endurance.
Steps to Become a Doctor
The needed steps that can prepare an individual for med school and for becoming a doctor is first to complete an undergraduate degree in chemistry, physics, biology, or biochemistry. All of these undergraduate courses or degrees should be taken with a lab as well. It is also recommended that if you are taking a biochemistry course or getting a biochemistry degree, it should be with an emphasis on the MCAT.
The reason why this is important is because the medical college admission test is the test that you have to pass before you are accepted into med school. After completing your undergraduate degree, the next step will be to study for the medical college admissions test. Then the individual would have to find out what are the MCAT registration dates. The MCAT registration dates may be found on the Association of American Medical Colleges website as well as other test-prep sites.
When you are going to take the MCAT, you must make sure that you are on time and do not miss your appointment. If you do miss your appointment, there is a possibility that your admission into med school may be delayed because this test is only given 14 times a year. After you have taken and passed the medical college admissions test, the next step will be to apply to the med school of your choice. In most cases, individuals apply to more than one med school. Lastly, once you accepted into med school now, it is time to go forward with your journey to becoming a doctor.