These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Career as Doctor
Question: education requirements, anticipated salary, and time spent
Answer: You’d be better off discussing this with a career counselor. Curiously, one doesn’t need to be a college graduate to be accepted in medical school. However, each school has minimum requirements centered around science, biology, and mathematics. Medical school is usually four
years-although some schools offer a slower five year pace for selected students. Residency in a medical field follows medical school. This varies depending on the speciality and if one desires to sub-specialize. For example, General Medicine is three years and sub-speciality in pulmonary, nephrology, or cardiology can be two or three years. General Surgery is usually five years-six in some research oriented universities. This can be followed by a surgical sub-speciality of one, two or three years. In general, incomes for highly specialized physicians is higher than for general physicians. Incomes vary greatly depending on field and how much is research, teaching, charity work etc. Incomes also vary greatly with location-rural areas usually less and cities more.
My advice to students considering medicine has nothing to do with time or money. Like most professions enter it because you have a passion or desire to be in that field. These students are always the most successful. Enter for the money and you’ll earn every nickel.
