How to Become A Doctor Guide

Introduction

If you want to know how to become a doctor, you’ve come to the right place! It takes more than intelligence. It takes motivation, perseverance, compassion and most of all, hard work. Many people have a very high view of medicine, but the truth is, it is not what it used to be. I have met doctors who told me not to start medicine because it isn’t what it used to be. Today’s society is litigation happy and in my opinion, paranoid. This is due to many stories the media have come up with to reveal mistakes that doctors have made. Consequently, the mass have become aware of this and have become cynical of doctors. Like many things in life, medicine is not perfect.

Nevertheless, if you haven’t been scared off by now, there are many positives to medicine. The above paragraph is meant to let the reader know the reality of medicine today. Medicine is continually evolving due to politics and technology. The way medicine is practiced today will be different ten years from now. Will it be for the better or for worse? Only time will tell.

What does it take to become a doctor?

So, if you’re still interested in becoming a doctor, let’s begin. First, you need to have the aptitude for science. If you enjoyed science in high school, chances are you’re capable of building a foundation of knowledge, which will help you to heal patients. If you don’t enjoy science, your effort to becoming a doctor will be difficult.

Second, you need to have compassion for those who are sick. As a doctor, you will be around sick people all day. It seems pretty depressing, huh? Well, that’s the whole point. Doctors heal those who are sick!

If you feel that you possess these qualities, then it’s time to know the steps to becoming a doctor:

This is the big picture to becoming a doctor. It takes approximately 11 years to become a doctor starting from undergraduate. It’s a long process, but if it is your dream, then never give up!

...it’s never too late to become a doctor...

For high school students

If you’re a high school student interested in medicine and want to learn how to become a doctor, my advice is allow yourself to explore other possible careers. College is a time to explore and learn more about yourself. I have had many friends who started off as premed, but decided to pursue other careers. The thing is, it’s okay if you don’t become a doctor. During your high school years, build your foundation of knowledge and science reasoning skills that will help you to succeed in undergraduate/college level courses.

Also, the reason why I recommend that you explore other possible careers is because there are some people who think they want to do medicine, but find it's not for them before medical school, during medical school, and even after they finish medical school.

For nontraditional students

If you’re a nontraditional student (ie. Looking to change careers, already graduated from college, etc.), it’s never too late to become a doctor. The trick is to be sure you really do want to become a physician. There are post baccalaureate programs that will help you transition to medical school. Check out the postbacc section by clicking on the tab to your left to learn more.

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