Training to become a medical doctor

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Training to become a medical doctor

Medical doctors usually begin their education by completing 4 years of college and receiving a bachelor's degree (baccalaureate) at an accredited college or university. They then attend 4 or more years of medical school. During medical school, students take classes in the cause, treatment, and prevention of diseases. Medical students learn how to assess a patient for a disease, plan and implement treatment, and evaluate the outcome of their intervention. After completing medical school, students earn the degree of medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO).

Most medical doctors then complete at least 3 years of a specialty training program (residency), which allows them to gain further experience in a specialty area under the supervision of doctors already experienced in that specialty. Following their residency, medical doctors may begin their own medical practice or continue their training in a subspecialty.

Credits

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Author	Bets Davis, MFA
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Last Updated	August 25, 2008

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Last updated:	August 25, 2008
Author:	Bets Davis, MFA
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC

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