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Training to Become a Medical Doctor

Medical doctors usually begin their education by completing 4 years of college and receiving a bachelor's degree (baccalaureate) at an accredited college or university. They then attend 4 or more years of medical school. During medical school, students take classes in the cause, treatment, and prevention of diseases. Medical students learn how to assess a patient for a disease, plan and implement treatment, and evaluate the outcome of their intervention. After completing medical school, students earn the degree of medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO).

Most medical doctors then complete at least 3 years of a specialty training program (residency), which allows them to gain further experience in a specialty area under the supervision of doctors already experienced in that specialty. Following their residency, medical doctors may begin their own medical practice or continue their training in a subspecialty.

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Last Revised August 20, 2010

Last Revised: August 20, 2010

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine

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