BIMS (Bioprist Institute of Medical Sciences)

How to become a doctor – A Step-by-Step guide

Medicine is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding and satisfying fields a student can choose. A career as a doctor involves hard work and life-long learning. Once you have decided to pursue a career in the field of medicine, it can prove helpful if you understand how to prepare. As an aspiring doctor, following a step-by-step guide may help you plan your education and career efficiently.

Medicine is highly competitive and developing the skills and knowledge needed to practice medicine requires time and effort. It is therefore imperative that you familiarize yourself with the steps to become a doctor.

Clear your basics in school

Once you have decided to pursue medicine, the first question that may come to your mind is ‘How to become a doctor?’. The answer: segregate your journey into specific steps and goals, with the first step being excellence in high school.

Choosing medicine equals extreme dedication and life-long learning; and preparation should begin from high school. You may ask yourself questions like ‘How to study to become a doctor?’ or ‘What is the first step?’  The answer to these questions is, start early, work hard and remain focused.

Subjects such as science and mathematics will help you lay a solid foundation for medicine, followed by advanced placement (AP) courses in subjects such as chemistry, physics and biology. It is also important to maintain a competitive score in these courses. This is an important step towards your goal as it offers you a glimpse of what medical school will feel like. Additionally, you can also opt for volunteer work as part of your extracurriculars. Volunteering in a healthcare set-up will give you the experience that can better prepare you for a future in this field.

Complete your Undergraduate Degree

Your next step in your journey to becoming a doctor is to complete your undergraduate degree. A bachelor’s degree typically takes about four years to complete. While you may not choose a graduate school that has a dedicated pre-med program, a school with strong Math and Science programs may prove helpful. Medical schools require students to earn their bachelor’s degrees from accredited colleges or universities.

Students generally choose to major in chemistry or biology, which helps in preparation for medical school. However, students who haven’t majored in science can also fulfil basic requirements by completing the following courses:

  • Biology
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Physics
  • English
  • Calculus or Statistics
  • Behaviour Sciences

Most medical schools require you to take these courses as part of your undergraduate program to ensure that you have a strong foundational knowledge and are prepared for the more advanced courses you will take as a student of medicine.

Like in school, in college too, your academic performance should be top-notch. The medical field is highly competitive and medical schools generally consider grade point averages above 3.0 to 3.1 when selecting candidates. You can also consider getting some research experience while you are in college for a stronger medical school application. Volunteer work and community service will continue to carry weight when it comes to medical school applications, which is why it is important for aspiring students to continue community service.

Exams to be taken after school

The next step to becoming a doctor is to prepare for medical entrance tests. Medical degrees vary in different countries and you will need to consider this aspect when you choose where to study. If you choose to study in countries like UK or Australia, you will be able to enrol soon after high school. However, in countries like the US, you will need to complete your undergraduate degree before being eligible to apply for medical school.

After you have completed your secondary education and/or graduate course as required, you will need to prepare for an entrance examination. Entrance tests such as the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) are standardized, multiple-choice tests that are used to assess verbal skills, critical thinking, physical science and biology. Other entrance tests such as the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and English Proficiency tests such as TOEFL or IELTS are also considered by universities in case of applicants from other countries.

Different universities use pre-decided criteria to determine how these entrance examinations impact student applications. While some universities may have a minimum cut-off score, others may allow all students to apply and then pick out the top scorers.

While preparing for entrance tests is of prime importance, another aspect that cannot be ignored is researching and choosing colleges. Once you have shortlisted colleges of your choice, you then need to concentrate on the application process.

Medical School

Medical school includes four years of education and training. While years one and two primarily focus on classroom study and laboratory work, years three and four involve clinical rotations and specializations. Once you have completed four years of medical school, you will then complete your residency. You will also need to pass your licensing exam during residency. This certification will test your ability to utilize your knowledge in an unsupervised setting. Once you have cleared certification and completed residency, you are eligible to practice medicine independently.

All this and more…at BIMS!

The Bioprist Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) offers high quality medical education backed by highly experienced faculty comprising of experts in the field of medicine. An institute dedicated to shaping the future of medical study, BIMS brings together technology, expertise and inclusion, giving students a unique environment to pursue their ambitions.

The MD program at BIMS comprises of a 160-week curriculum, typically completed in four calendar years. Phase one, as mentioned above, comprises of the first two years. Also known as pre-clinical sciences, this phase involves 78 weeks, 80 credits, or 240 credit-hours of study at the BIMS SOM-HP campus.

Years one and two include an introduction to basic science and correlated system teaching. You will also learn basic and clinical sciences in the study of an organ system. Years three and four include clinical training in areas such as Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Psychiatry and Family Medicine.

The MD program at BIMS also includes a four-year Global Health Track program, which involves the study of community health, primary care and treatment of diseases on a global basis. Themes such as Governance, Burden of Disease, Physical and Social Wellbeing, Security, and Climate Change will be covered under this program.

Conclusion

Once you have decided to dedicate your life to the noble profession of healthcare, you need to be focussed, determined and extremely hardworking. Becoming a doctor isn’t easy, but it is one of the most rewarding careers you can choose. And when it’s at an institution like BIMS, you can be rest assured of a platform to launch a stellar career in medicine.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Get 20% Discount

Sign up to receive updates, promotions, and sneak peaks of upcoming products. Plus 20% off your next order.

Promotion nulla vitae elit libero a pharetra augue