Becoming a US medical doctor

College (undergraduate)

Students apply for college during their senior year of high school. Traditionally, college takes four years (ages 18-22), although this time range varies. Medical schools do not require a particular undergraduate major but instead have premedical course prerequisites spanning the humanities and the sciences, for example English and biology.1

Applying to medical school

Many college graduates take 1-2 years off for activities such as research or travel before applying for medical school. The average age of matriculating US medical students in 2004 was 24.2

Common requirements

• Medical College Admissions Test: A standardised national exam3

• College grades and courses

• Extracurricular activities and postundergraduate activities.

Most medical schools require students to submit an initial application to the American Medical College Application Service, a centralised application service4; secondary supplementary applications; and letters of recommendation before deciding whom to invite for interviews. Combined programs such as MD/PhD, MD/JD (law), or MD/MBA (business) have additional requirements.

The application process is involved, expensive, time consuming, and competitive. Duke University's 2004 acceptance rate was 3.9% because applicants vie for a limited number of positions across the country.5 In 2004, 16 648 matriculants but 411 151 applicants.6 People often aim for highly ranked medical schools to improve their chances for a more competitive residency. US News & World report rankings are a popular way to determine top ranked schools.7

Medical school

Medical school lasts for four years. The first two years usually consist of basic science courses. Once completed, students take the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 which tests knowledge of the basic sciences.8 This score is important because it is used in the residency application. …