How many times do you think that it is appropriate to shadow a doctor in order to get in to med school?
960101
i work closely with a medical school admissions office.  what we are looking for is that you KNOW that medicine is what you want to do.  There is no minimum, but if you have only been involved in the medical community a short time, be prepared to be questioned about it in your interview.  I would suggest a reasonable amount of time would be to volunteer in a hospital setting or shadow a doctor somewhere between 40 and 80 hours.  \n\nYou can easily do 10 4-hour shifts a semester and pull this off.
758252
Doing well in school and on the MCAT is a good start of course, but what I think really helped me get my acceptance was the experience I had with health care prior to applying.  \n\nThere are two really good benefits of getting some exposure to health care before applying to med schools.  First of all, you will find out if its really for you.  Secondly, when it comes time for interviews, you can more easily convince the interviewer that you know this is the right path for you.  How do you know?  Because you've already been involved.  \n\nVolunteering at a hospital or shadowing a physician is probably the most common kind of experience people look for, but anything that is health care related (ie; involves doctors) works.  For me, I had been a substance abuse counselor at a medical model treatment facility, so I'd had a lot of interaction with patients and had worked with doctors.  \n\nAlso, you want to be able to demonstrate that you are compassionate, and want to help people.  It's easy to say it, but its better to do it.  Any kind of volunteer experience is good; I had volunteered at a homeless center for several years and my interviewer was clearly impressed by that.\n\nThe MCAT and GPA will get you the interview (maybe); the experience you collect will help you get the acceptance.\n\nGood luck!  It's a long road, but its totally doable if you have the right vision for it.
443118
4 years of college\n4 years of medical school\n2-4 years of plastic surgeons school\n2 years of residencies
594726
It depends on what type of doctor you want to be.  You are looking at four years of undergraduate (pre-med, bio, chem, etc.) plus three years of medical school, plus a year of being an intern.  That gets you your M.D.  After that, you have a residency and depending on what type of doctor you want to be, depends on how long the residency is.  Surgery varies by specialization and fellowships, most residencies are three years for non-surgery medical paths.
423727
It depends on what you want to do.  I have a friend whose dad has at least 5 masters (personally, I would never do that-but to each his own!)
952328
Premed - 4 years\nMed (DO) school : 4 years\nFP residency : 3 years\n\nThere are a lot of good DO schools.\n\nTo get into any graduate med school (DO/MD), you have to do VERY well in your premed courses. For MD school, you need the MCAT exam, I'm not sure about DO school.
662353
Becoming a doctor in the United States is very difficult yes.  You must attend a four-year college and take pre-requisite classes.  Some medical schools don't require that you graduate but all prefer that you do.  If your GPA drops below 3.0 you won't stand a shot and to be competitive, you should carry a 3.5+.\n\nThen you have to take the entrance exam, or MCAT (medical college admissions test) to be admitted.  Last set of statistics I saw was that 60,000 people take it yearly for 17,000 spots.\n\nIf you're lucky enough to get in, you have 2 years of very intense studying, followed by the first in a line of three exams.  This test is called the USMLE (united states medical licensing exam).  This may be the hardest test ever devised by man.  the next two years are clinical rotations that will definitely test your mettle.\n\nwhen you finish the 4 years of medical school (and the other stages of the USMLE (some people call this test the Boards), you are a doctor, but still not ready to practice on your own.  now you have anywhere from 5-10 years (depending on your area of interest) of internship and residency and perhaps even more depending on specialty.\n\nall of this takes a lot of studying and some brains.  if you just want to get into medicine, then you can become a lab technician pretty easily.  most technical schools hand those diplomas out as if it were toilet paper.
14774
I know they look at the MCAT the hardest. Then they look at your science GPA. I have been told many times a 3.0 GPA will get you into med school. You of course need to take alot of sciences (biology, gen chem, organic chem, and biochem, physics) to prepare for the MCAT. \n\nI am currently in my junior year at UAB (university of alabama at birmingham) and am taking the MCAT in 2006 after I finish with my last physics semester in Spring 06. My GPA is 3.4 and have had 2 years of MD (CP200) shadowing from Burn Unit, STICU, ER and OR. I also have a big family history of physicians. Also its not a bad idea to shadow a MD who is actually on the board of the med school you are applying to. Also the interview is one of the most crucial parts. Don't have a interview and say you are doing it for the $$$. Medical school is not about book knowledge. It's about being able to work in a group and working with all kinds of patients. You will never be able to learn everything, it's all experience. I want to go into Neurosurgery or Cardiothoracic surgery. I need to go into 4 years of college, 4 years of med school, and then 3 years of specializing. You still will not know everything there is, and the only way you can learn is by having years of experience. I have heard that it takes of 10 years just for neurosurgeons to experienced enough to be experts in their field. This is why most of the good physicians are pretty old. EXPERIENCE!\n\nAlso, do not limit yourself to one or two med schools. Apply to every med school you know. You never know when a school decides to give someone a break and try them out. Good luck.\n\nI hope this helped you.
894946
While the MCAT is very important, it is not the end-all-say-all for medical school admission.\n\nHere are some helpful tips for building a strong medical school application:\n\n1. Volunteer at a local hospital. Medical schools are placing more and more emphasis on getting clinical experience while studying as an undergraduate. It tells the medical schools that you have spent time in a hospital, have observed doctors working, and that you are sure medicine is the right career for you. It also allows you to portray yourself as a compassionate person and gain a sense of accomplishment by volunteering your time to help others.\n\n2. Do well in your medical school prerequisite classes. Ideally, you want to get an "A" in every class you take. That  is not possible for everyone, however. It was not possible for me! Make sure you concentrate the majority of your time and effort on the classes that really matter: biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, math, and physics. While getting an "A" in your history class is nice, it does not mean much when it is sitting next to a "C" in organic on your transcript. On your medical school application, they have a spot for your total GPA and your science GPA. Schools like to see a high science GPA. Doing well in your science classes (aka actually learning the material rather than cramming for exams) will really pay off when you take the MCAT. Schools also look at your performance in specific classes on your transcript. For example, there is a moderate correlation between your performance in organic chemistry classes and your performance in medical school courses. Think about this while studying as an undergraduate. Also, make sure to TAKE ALL OF YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL PREREQUISITES AT A FOUR YEAR SCHOOL! Community college is fine for general education classes, but medical schools like to see you taking your important classes at a four year school. \n\n3. Start studying early for the MCAT. If you take the April test, start studying November. Spend something like 30 minutes a day studying, and it will pay off in the long run. It is also helpful to take an MCAT prep course, specifically for the full-length simulated practice exams. It is not the material on the MCAT that is difficult. It is the amount of material covered and the length of the exam (about 8 hours). Practice exams let you know what areas you need to devote more time to and get you acclimated to taking an 8 hour exam. I received a 24 on my first practice MCAT and received a 35 on the actual test. Prep courses do help, if you are willing to shell out the dough (took mine through Kaplan).\n\n4. Get to know your professors. Most medical schools require three letters of recommendation from class room professors. The more personal your letters of recommendation are, the better off you will be. The best way to get to know a professor is to undertake a research project or work in their lab. Many schools have honors research programs or job listings for labs. It is also a good idea to enroll in some classes with a smaller number of students. If you actively participate, professors will remember you.\n\n5. Work on your writing skills. Medical school applications require you to complete endless essays. If you can put together an articulate and well-organized essay, you will be a more appealing candidate. While what's in your essay is important, how it is written will also go a long way. When you are writing your essays, head over to your college's English department. Many departments will have a free student writing center. You could also seek the help of an English graduate student or professor.\n\n6. Get involved in activities you are passionate about. Research, volunteering, student organizations, intramural athletics, clubs, etc. You do not need a huge list of activities to impress admissions committees. What you do need are a handful of activities that you really enjoy and are passionate about. Many essays
531241
If you arent dedicated enuff to go to school for the 11 years, then you shouldnt be a pediatrician. If it was something you wanted to really do, it wouldnt make a difference how long it took to complete.
31541
not enough.  med school is tough
967350
With my many chronic illnesses, probably at once a month. So at least 12x a year. But my pharmacy asks me every time I fill a prescription new or old, whether I have any questions. And I go to a smaller pharmacy, so the pharmacist is always available for questions.
500391
How many times are you going to ask this question?
587852
Totally.\nTo get into Medical school you need 2 semesters with lab of Organic Chemistry\n2 semesters with lab of General Chemistry\n2 semesters of Math\n1 semester of English\n2 semesters with lab in Biology.
621358
Yes, it's so hard to become a doctor. \nBut i think if you try your best you can do it and become a good doctor!! IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING!!
555554
No, some of the most successful and helpful doctors are those who waited to enter med or vet school.  It tends to make you more aware of life and the suffering of others, whether human or animal.
924919
12 years\n4 years for undergrad/pre-med, Degree-BS, majors include biology,  biochem or chemistry. Some univ. offer courses esp. for pre-med students. To get accepted into a good medical school you need to get good grades during your under years.\nAfter you are accepted into a medical school, depending on your own effort and courses you choose, generally speaking, it may take about 5 years to get your Doctor of Medicine degree (ranges 4-6). But if you want to be a heart surgeon you'll need another 2-3 years of training, total about 12 years. Residency does not count as schooling except for the part you do for a specific class. During residency you are a doctor (unexperienced, though).