how to get an md degree

Medical doctors (MDs) are physicians who work in hospitals, clinics, medical centers, or private practices. MDs treat people for illnesses and injuries. They also prescribe medications, order diagnostic tests, diagnose ailments, and record patient information. Doctors of medicine often have a specialization such as general practice, gynecology, dermatology, pediatric medicine, orthopedics, or many others. All surgeons are medical doctors.

Medical doctors’ jobs vary by specialty and work environment. While emergency room physicians will work in fast-pace, high-stress environments, many family doctors are able to set their own schedules in a private medical care practice. Helping people in illness and injury can be very rewarding, but the job can be stressful and carry an emotional toll, as well.

MD Degree & Career Requirements

Degree LevelDoctorate
Degree FieldMedicine
Licensure/CertificationU.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) for state licensure; board certification by the ABMS is optional
ExperienceMost doctors complete a residency that lasts at least three years
Key SkillsAble to pay attention to detail; empathy, critical thinking, physical stamina, leadership, and communication skills; knowledge of medical software, Microsoft Excel, accounting software; ability to use a variety of medical and diagnostic equipment such as Ophthalmoscopes
Mean Salary (2019)Greater than or equal to $208,000 annually (for all physicians and surgeons)

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET Online

In order to become a doctor, you will need to obtain a doctorate degree in medicine. You will also need to get a medical license. Most doctors complete a residency that lasts at least three years.

What does doctor of medicine do? Key skills needed to be a medical doctor include being able to pay attention to detail, empathy, critical thinking, physical stamina, leadership, communications skills, knowledge of medical software, Microsoft Excel, accounting software, and the ability to use a variety of medical and diagnostic equipment such as ophthalmoscopes.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2018 the mean salary for all physicians and surgeons was $203,880 annually.

How to Become a Medical Doctor

What are the steps to becoming a medical doctor? If you’re wondering how to become an MD or how to practice MD medicine, you aren’t alone. Becoming a medical doctor is one of the longest career paths available. The seven steps necessary to complete the doctor requirements and doctor degree requirements, outlined below, can take 10 years or more to complete. Becoming a doctor requires time, money, energy, and dedication to achieve with success.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

Most medical school applicants complete a bachelor’s degree program before they apply to medical school. Students can choose a variety of majors for undergraduate study; however, students should be sure that their course load includes a significant amount of science studies. Students are also expected to complete undergraduate work in the social sciences, English, and mathematics.

Step 2: Take and Pass the MCAT

Take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The MCAT performance scores are required by almost all U.S. medical schools. Content areas that are tested on the MCAT include biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Anyone planning on applying to medical school can take the MCAT up to three times in a year.

The MCAT is a lengthy (7.5 hours), difficult exam that requires adequate time and preparation, since it is one of the most important factors that determine the competitiveness of your medical school application. You should plan to study for around 200-300 hours before taking this exam. There are a variety of study resources available, such as tutors, online courses, and preparatory books.

Step 3: Apply to Medical School

Once you’ve completed (or nearly completed) your bachelor’s degree and taken the MCAT, you can apply to medical school. Many students wait until after finishing their bachelor’s degree to apply, but you can also apply during the fourth year of your undergraduate education. Most applicants select around 12-15 schools that offer an MD degree to apply to. The application process includes several rounds, and you’ll need to submit your grades, test scores, activities, and essays at first. Then, you may be selected for an interview where you’ll travel to a school and interact with students and professors at the medical school.

Step 4: Complete Medical School

If you’re wondering how to get an MD or how to get a medical degree, medical school is the answer. Medical school takes four years to complete. In the first two years, students take foundational coursework in the practice of medicine, bodily systems and diseases. Doctor of medicine course details include anatomy, microbiology, physiology, and pharmacology. During the last two years of medical school, students rotate through various hospital specialty departments and gain experience in patient care under faculty supervision. Students must also pass a series of examinations in their final year, which may include the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination.

Step 5: Complete a Residency

The next step in the order of medical training is to complete a residency program. Individuals choose residency programs based on their career interests. These programs usually last from three to eight years and cover general medical principles and specific medical specialties. Residents perform a variety of extensive duties, such as conducting physical exams, taking patient histories, attending conferences and interpreting lab information. The National Resident Matching Program uses individual preferences to match residency applicants to programs.

Step 6: Obtain Licensure

The last of the requirements to become a doctor of medicine is licensure. Before practicing medicine, all doctors must obtain a license. To qualify for licensure, candidates must earn a degree from an accredited medical school. Candidates are also required to complete a residency program and pass the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Each state has different requirements to become licensed; for example, some states may only give candidates a certain number of attempts to pass the USMLE, while others have no limit on USMLE attempts.

Here’s a success tip: continue education after receiving a license. Continuing education is required before doctors can renew their licenses. Licensure renewal is usually required every couple of years. The specific education requirements and time restrictions vary by state.

Step 7: Consider Earning Certification in a Specialty Area

Earning a specialty certification is not required, but it may increase employment opportunities. Certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties is voluntary and involves an extensive process of evaluations and assessments. Doctors who wish to keep their certification must continue their education before testing for certification renewal.

If you want to be a medical doctor, you must first get a bachelor’s degree, taking as many science classes as possible. Then you must complete medical school, get a medical license, and maybe obtain certification in a specialty area.

In China, most hospitals are run by the government. Physicians were previously quasi-government employees and with little freedom in the choice of the hospital to work with. In addition, decades of planned economic policy discouraged physicians from opening their own clinics, and the practice of medicine was generally non-private.

Physicians now are encouraged to open private clinics or hospitals in China, and those who have been practicing medicine for five years after they received national physician licenses can open their own clinics.

Medical education

By 1901, China was the most popular destination for medical missionaries. The 150 foreign physicians operated 128 hospitals and 245 dispensaries, treating 1.7 million patients. In 1894, male medical missionaries comprised 14 percent of all missionaries; women doctors were four percent. Modern medical education in China started in the early 20th century at hospitals run by international missionaries. 

Today Universities, colleges and institutes, which make up China’s higher educational system, offer four- or five-year undergraduate programs as well as special two- or three-year programs. To control the medical education standard the Chinese ministry of education set up a quality control regulation on medical education, this regulation specially for English medium undergraduate medical education.

7 Reasons To Study Medicine In China

I’m about to apply to medical school abroad. After researching lots of different countries, and speaking to friends who are currently at medical school, I’m now seriously considering applying to study medicine in China. Here’s why…

1. Strong economy and stable society

Economically, China is among the strongest countries in the world. The country is not facing any internal security problems and also has an amazing infrastructure.

2. Lots of choice

There are hundreds of medical schools and universities in China offering education to thousands of students, both foreign and local, so plenty of options to choose from. This includes some of the best medical schools in the world, such as Peking University and Fudan University. Almost all of China’s medical schools are registered in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED).

3. Low tuition fees

Tuition fees for medical schools in China are very low. Annually, it would cost you around US$1,000-2,000.  

4. Fast-track qualification

Most universities in China offer their medical degrees as a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The MBBS program is a fast-track process to become a doctor. It lasts five years, which means you can become a certified physician way faster than those studying medicine in the US, Canada or Germany, where it takes seven to eight years to completely become a doctor.

5. Study traditional medicine

As well as teaching modern medicine, Chinese medical schools also teach students about traditional medicine and ancient medical techniques such as acupuncture. This is not usually the case in other countries, and is a good opportunity to broaden your understanding.

6. Learn the world’s most-spoken language

Medical courses in most universities are taught in English, but it’s also required to study the Chinese language as a separate subject, which is not a bad thing!

7. A huge country to explore

Geographically, China is huge. It is full of natural and artificial wonders, and if you study in China you’ll have the opportunity to explore at least some of these. You’re probably picturing a university in Beijing or Shanghai, with all those skyscrapers and busy roads, but there’s so much more to the country, and it’s all well-connected.

Health Professional Education | China Medical Board

Tuition & Other Fees

Posted at 2020-12-31 11:17:16

All fee are base on NT dollars (NT$), the fees in US dollars are only rough estimates (1US$≒30NT$)

Tuition

Please refer to the latest announcement for the updated tuitions and cerdit fee summary of the academic year.

College/DepartmentUndergraduateGraduate
TuitionCredit fee
College of Engineering Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (including Dept. of Information Management, Graduate Institute of Industrial Management, Graduate Institute of Art Studies, Graduate Program of Biomedical Engineering)NT$52,668US$1,756NT$26,620US$888NT$3,140 per creditUS$105 per credit
College of Sciences,College of Earth SciencesCollege of Health Sciences and TechnologyNT$53,183US$1,773NT$25,700US$857NT$3,140 per creditUS$105 per credit
School of Management(except Dept. of Information Management, Graduate Institute of Industrial Management)NT$46,091US$1,537NT$22,500US$750NT$3,140 per creditUS$105 per credit
College of Liberal ArtsCollege of Hakka Studies(except Graduate Institute of Art Studies)NT$45,691US$1,523NT$22,200US$740NT$3,140 per creditUS$105 per credit


Insurance Fee

International Student Insurance (for the first six months)NT$6,000(US$200)/6 months
National Health Insurance(Starting from the fifth month of enrollment)NT$749(US$25)/per month
Student InsuranceNT$209(US$7)/per semester

Living Expenses

Living Expenses, which include food, transportation, recreation and …etc, are NT$70,000 to NT$100,000 per year (US$2,500 to US$3,500). Those fees are for reference only.

Accommodation

International degree students can apply for on-campus accommodation; however, the university is NOT able to arrange accommodation for couples or families. If you want to live on campus please fill in the application form. Once you are accepted by NCU, your dormitory application is officially valid.

Please obey the dormitory regulations as shown in the back side of the application form.

The following are estimated dormitory fee for Academic Year 2018-2019 but it does not include the Internet and air-conditioning cost. 

Please refer to the latest announcement for the updated NCU student dormitory fee summary of the academic year.

Undergraduate/  Room for 4 persons
  Each SemesterSummer VacationWinter Vacation
MaleNT$4,600─NT$6,920(US$153- US$231)NT$2,870─NT$4,220(US$96- US$141)NT$1,060─NT$1,530(US$35- US$51)
FemaleNT$4,320─NT$6,870(US$144- US$229)NT$2,640─NT$4,190(US$88- US$140)NT$960─NT$1,520(US$32- US$51)
 Graduate / Room for 2-4 persons
  Fall Semester (Sept. 1~Jan. 31)Spring Semester(Feb. 1~Aug~31)The dormitory rooms are arranged and decided by the NCU Student Dormitory Service Center
  MaleNT$8,330─NT$11,330(US$278- US$378)NT$11,660─NT$15,860(US$389- US$529)
FemaleNT$7,730─NT$11,330(US$258- US$378)NT$10,620─NT$15,860(US$354- US$529)

There are few professions with higher stakes than the field of medicine. The consequences of a doctor’s decisions can be enormous, leading to either marvelous or disastrous results.

RELATED CONTENTPremeds and Compassion in Medicine

Becoming a physician in the U.S. is a time-consuming endeavor, and anyone who intends to pursue a medical career in this country should expect medical training to last at least seven years beyond college.

Doctors are typically well compensated. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary among U.S. doctors in May 2019 exceeded $200,000.

Here is a list of the rungs on the ladder into the U.S. medical profession.

  1. Explore your options.
  2. Take premed classes and earn good grades.
  3. Participate in meaningful extracurricular activities.
  4. Prep for the MCAT and ace it.
  5. Prepare applications to multiple medical schools.
  6. Impress med school interviewers and get at least one acceptance letter.
  7. Enroll in the right type of medical school for you.
  8. Pass the first two portions of the allopathic or osteopathic national medical licensing exam.
  9. Apply for and match with a residency program.
  10. Graduate from medical school.
  11. Start your residency and get a general medical license.
  12. Achieve board certification within your medical specialty or subspecialty.

Step 1: Explore Your Options

A young person who dreams of becoming a doctor should investigate the profession as much as possible before embarking on this arduous career path, experts say. Aspiring physicians should conduct informational interviews with doctors and gain some clinical experience so they can gauge whether they would excel at and enjoy the practice of medicine.

Potential doctors should also take demanding science classes to assess their personal affinity for technical fields of study, since those academic disciplines aren’t right for everybody, experts say.[ 

College hopefuls who are contemplating a career in medicine should look for undergraduate institutions with high-quality premedical student advisers and significant student research options. High school juniors and seniors who are determined to become doctors should investigate baccalaureate-M.D. programs, which can allow them to earn both a college degree and medical degree within seven years, experts suggest.

Step 2: Take Premed Classes and Earn Good Grades

Because medical schools have a significant number of academic prerequisites, premeds need to consult with their academic advisers to ensure that they take all of the necessary undergraduate courses, according to experts. Individuals who discover their desire to become doctors after they receive their college degree may opt to enroll in a post-baccalaureate premed program so that they can complete all of the required premed classes.

Petros Minasi Jr., senior director of premed programs at Kaplan, says a college’s premed or prehealth adviser should be able to tell a premed precisely which undergraduate courses he or she needs to take. Premeds should not overload themselves with multiple extremely difficult classes in a single semester, Minasi warns, but they should take challenging classes as a general rule.

Solid academic performance in premed coursework is the norm among competitive med school applicants, and a stellar undergraduate GPA is a big plus.

Step 3: Participate in Meaningful Extracurricular Activities

A premed who does well in his or her courses but does nothing else is unlikely to get noticed by and admitted into top medical schools. So it’s important that prospective med students do something besides study, experts say.

However, the quality of a person’s activities outside the classroom matters much more than either the quantity of activities or the number of hours devoted to those activities.

Substantive scholarly research or a job as either a medical scribe or a medical assistant tends to be viewed positively in the admissions process, med school admissions officers say. They also suggest that accomplishments in nonscientific or nonmedical endeavors such as music or athletics are an asset, since they make a candidate appear to be well-rounded and suggest that he or she is an interesting person.[ 

Dr. Mark Rosenberg, vice dean for education and academic affairs at the University of Minnesota Medical School, says that premeds should not focus on maximizing the amount of extracurricular experience they possess, since what really counts is the valuable lessons from extracurricular activities.

Rosenberg, a professor of medicine and a nephrologist, says that his med school looks for evidence of an inclination toward serving others, “socio-cultural humility” and reliability.

Dr. Megan Boysen Osborn, associate dean for students at the University of California—Irvine School of Medicine, emphasizes that it is OK to take a break between college and medical school, since that extra time can allow premeds to gain additional research and clinical experience beyond what they could get as an undergraduate.

Step 4: Prep for the MCAT and Ace It

The Medical College Admission Test is one tool that med schools use to screen applicants, so it is important for premeds to perform well on this exam. The multihour test requires extensive content knowledge; it is not a test that anyone should attempt to cram for, experts warn.

Perfect MCAT scores are rare, since the test is very hard. Premeds should research the median MCAT scores at the med schools they are most interested in, and they should take the MCAT only when they are consistently capable of reaching their target score on practice exams, experts recommend.

Step 5: Prepare Applications to Multiple Medical Schools

Because medical schools generally have lofty standards, prospective med students should take extreme care when crafting their personal statement and when drafting their secondary, school-specific application essays, according to med school admissions officials.

Osborn, an emergency medicine physician, warns med school hopefuls not to rush through the completion of their secondary application forms, since the information that med schools request is often pivotal during the selection process.

Premeds should think strategically about which extracurricular activities they include in their application and how they describe those activities, since admissions officers will scrutinize the activities list, experts suggest. Also, given the low acceptance rates at most medical schools, premeds should plan on applying to numerous schools to increase their odds of admission, experts warn, noting that it is better to err on the side of excess rather than restraint.

Step 6: Impress Med School Interviewers and Get at Least 1 Acceptance Letter

Candidates who look good on paper will be invited to medical school interviews so that admissions committees can gauge if the person is truly as outstanding as they appear on paper, so it is important to thoroughly prepare for those interviews, experts suggest.

Anyone who receives an interview invitation should bear in mind that this is a positive sign about their candidacy, experts say.

Step 7: Enroll in the Right Type of Medical School for You

Aspiring physicians can elect to attend either a research-oriented academic institution or at a school that focuses on primary care.

They also have a choice between two types of medical degrees: the Medical Doctor, or M.D., degree and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, or D.O., degree. Both programs involve a mix of medical science courses and clinical rotations. However, one key difference is that D.O. schools teach numerous hands-on healing techniques that are distinctive to the practice of osteopathic medicine.

Step 8: Pass the First 2 Portions of the Allopathic or Osteopathic National Medical Licensing Exam

Allopathic and osteopathic medical students at U.S. medical schools typically take two of the three parts of their national licensing examinations during medical school, experts say. M.D. students take the United States Medical Licensing Examination, or USMLE, while D.O. students are required to take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States, or COMLEX-USA. D.O. students may elect to take the USMLE in addition to the COMLEX-USA.

Dr. Chris Cimino, a vice president with Kaplan Medical – the unit of Kaplan that prepares aspiring doctors for the USMLE licensing exams – says the vast majority of U.S. medical students pass the licensing exams they take during med school.

Step 9: Apply for and Match With a Residency Program

Fourth-year medical students generally attempt to match with a residency program within the medical specialty they find most interesting. Most medical students participate in the National Resident Matching Program, though some get involved with specialty-specific matching programs such as those for aspiring urologists and ophthalmologists. Some medical specialties, such as orthopedic surgery, are highly competive so usually only the highest-achieving medical students are able to match.

China

Step 10: Graduate From Medical School

Once someone has earned a medical degree and graduated from medical school, he or she is officially a doctor. However, even after a person obtains a medical degree, he or she typically needs to complete a medical residency within a particular medical specialty, such as pediatrics or radiology, in order to practice medicine independently in his or her community.

There are some regions of the U.S. where med school grads who have not obtained residencies can work as health care providers, such as Missouri, Utah and Arkansas. The intention behind this accommodation for individuals with a medical degree but without a residency is to address doctor shortages.

Step 11: Start Your Residency and Get a General Medical License

Medical residencies vary in length, usually ranging from three to seven years depending on the specialty. Residencies allow medical school grads to learn the art and science of a particular area of medicine, whether it is obstetrics-gynecology or dermatology.[ 

READ: Choose a Medical Career to Suit Your Personality. ]

Toward the beginning of their residency, medical residents take the last part of either the USMLE or the COMLEX-USA, which makes them eligible for a general medical license that allows someone to practice medicine without being supervised by another doctor.

However, they still need to apply for a medical license in their jurisdiction, since medical licensing boards not only evaluate licensing exam scores but also conduct background checks. Licensure candidates should plan on submitting their curriculum vitae or resume to their licensing board, since one reason for the licensure procedure is to ensure that candidates are technically qualified.

Residents who want to develop extraordinary expertise within a particular niche of medicine, such as cardiology or hand surgery, may opt to pursue a medical fellowship within that field.

Step 12: Achieve Board Certification Within Your Medical Specialty or Subspecialty

After someone has completed the necessary residency and fellowship training, they must pass the applicable board exam. Then they can apply for board certification within their discipline through the American Board of Medical Specialties.

What to Consider Before Trying to Become a Doctor

Since it takes many years to become a board-certified doctor, it’s foolish to pursue a career in medicine solely out of desire for prestige or money, experts say. Medicine is a demanding profession, so once someone becomes a doctor, the struggle isn’t over.

Employment as a physician often requires irregular hours and sometimes involves significant stress, according to experts, and it often necessitates a degree of selflessness since there are numerous inconveniences involved in health care professions.

National Central University Rankings

National Central University is ranked #648 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

National Central University Rankings

  • #648inBest Global Universities (tie)
  • #137inBest Global Universities in Asia (tie)
  • #4inBest Global Universities in Taiwan

National Central University Subject Rankings

  • #525inChemistry (tie)
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  • #397inElectrical and Electronic Engineering
  • #555inEngineering (tie)
  • #428inPhysics
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