Many people assume that becoming a doctor requires a pre-medical undergraduate major prior to medical school. This is not so. In fact, a study by Knox College showed that acceptance to medical school varied across a wide range of undergraduate-degreed fields. The study indicated that in the year 2000, the percentage of applicants admitted to medical schools nationwide who had an undergraduate pre-medicine major comprises only 0.5 percent of the total number of medical-school students. Instead, most students majored in some field of biological science, followed by physical science and third by those majoring in a non-science-related field. Medical schools generally seek people from across a variety of disciplines, but they usually look for students with an aptitude for math and science. Schools also look at scores from the Medical College Admission Test as indicators of an applicant's aptitude in these fields.
The next step in becoming a doctor is making the application to medical school. Medical-school students must undergo extensive training in the medical field. Upon graduation, most medical students receive the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. A number of schools also offer the Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree. The D.O. differs from the M.D. in that it reflects medical education and training focused on both diagnostic (treating symptoms) and preventative medicine rather than the diagnostic emphasis of most M.D. programs. Medical school usually takes a minimum of six years to complete, although some programs can be accelerated to finish quicker. Medical students take courses across a variety of fields. Some of these are more generalized medical courses while others are in a highly specialized field such as cardiology or endocrinology.
Once medical school has been completed, doctors complete an internship program known as a residency to receive practical training or specialized instruction in a particular field of medicine. Residents usually complete their licensing exam after about one year. The residency period can last anywhere from three to seven years. Some medical students pursue more than one residency to specialize in another field of medicine. Although not required, many doctors also obtain board certification. The American Board of Medical Specialties notes that certification is simply a recognition of a doctor's expertise in a particular field.