* 4 years of undergraduate education: This is usually a bachelor's degree, although the specific major isn't strictly defined; pre-med coursework is highly recommended.
* 4 years of medical school: This leads to either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. Both are paths to becoming a practicing physician.
* 3-7 years of residency: This is postgraduate training in a chosen medical specialty. The length varies significantly depending on the specialty. Some residencies are shorter (3 years for family medicine, for example) while others are longer (7 years for neurosurgery, for example).
* Optional fellowship: Some subspecialties require further training after residency, which is typically 1-3 years in length.
Therefore, the total time commitment to become a practicing physician is typically 7-11 years or more after high school, depending on the chosen specialty and whether a fellowship is pursued.