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Medicine

Physicians diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. They examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. Becoming a physician requires a demanding education and training requirements. Physicians need a bachelor’s degree, a degree from a medical school, which takes 4 years to complete, and, depending on their specialty, 3 to 7 years in internship and residency programs.

There are two paths to becoming a physician, both allow practice in any medical specialty. MDs and DOs are similarly educated and certified, but there are differences in their training and philosophy of patient care.

There are nearly 150 MD-granting institutions in the United States.

Website

Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)

Application Service

American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)

Entrance Exam

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

Pre-requisites and Program Guide

There are 35 osteopathic medical colleges in the U.S. DOs practice medicine with a patient-centered, holistic, hands-on approach to diagnosing and treating illness and injury.

Website

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)

Application Service

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS)

Entrance Exam

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

Pre-requisites and Program Guide

Will Jaeckle - Semour and Dianne Galina Endowed Professor of Biology

Department - Biology