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High School Students Interested in Medical School FAQ

How do I become a doctor?

1. You would normally go to college and receive a bachelor's degree, usually four years.
2. Then, you would go to medical school for another four years.
3. After medical school, you would go on to a residency-training program. This is where you actually specialize in a particular area of medicine such as Pediatrics, Surgery, Family Practice, or Radiology. Most residencies are about three years, although some can last up to nine, depending on the specialization.

Isn't there a way to go into medical school right after high school?

1. Not really, although there are some schools which have accelerated B.S./M.D. programs. You can be accepted right out of high school and enter a bachelor's program which automatically leads you into a medical program. These programs, however, usually do not accept many students.
2. The University of Florida has an accelerated program, called the Junior Honors Medical Program. This program is a little different in that students may not apply for this program until the Spring of their second year of college. For more information on this program visit the JHMP web page.
3. UF has a Combined BS/DMD program in the dental school. For more information on this program call(352) 273-5955 Students would apply to this program after two full semesters at UF. For more information on this program, visit http://www.dental.ufl.edu/Offices/Admissions/DMD/combined.asp
4. UF College of Dentistry also has a Summer of Learning Program that provides High School Students the opportunity to explore dentistry as a profession. This program is free and is offered every summer. Please visit http://www.dental.ufl.edu/Admissions/outreach.asp summerlearning for more information.

What should I pick for a major when I go to college?

1. It doesn't matter! There is no specific major for which medical schools are looking.
2. You should pick something you find interesting, whether it is science-related or not.
3. It is NOT recommended that you major in a specific health profession training program such as Physical Therapy or Nursing. These are professional programs that prepare you for a specific profession OTHER THAN being a doctor.

Are there certain courses I should take in high school or college?

1. Medical schools do not require any high school courses, but they do require college courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and often Math and English. You do not have to take extra courses in these areas in high school if you do not want to.
2. You SHOULD enter college with skills that will prepare you for these types of courses. You should have good analytical thinking and problem solving skills for Science and Math, and good communication skills for English.

What if I will have Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual enrollment credit for these courses?

1. While many students enter college with AP, IB or dual enrollment credit, they USUALLY do not have enough in any one subject to meet all the requirements for medical school.
2. In other words, you may have SOME Chemistry, but not ALL of the Chemistry which medical schools requires. Therefore, it is STRONGLY suggested that you take more courses in each area.
3. Some students do in fact come to college with all of their Math, English and possibly Biology pre-med requirements met. If this is the case, it would still be a good idea to take AT LEAST one more college course in each subject. Medical schools want to see how you can perform in these courses at the college level.
4. Some students may feel they do not know the material very well and may decide to retake some of the courses for which they have already earned credit…..this is up to you!

How can I find out about becoming a health professional OTHER than a physician?

1. The best way to find out about a specific job, health-related or not, is to find someone who is doing that job and talk to that person. If you are interested in nursing, physical therapy, dentistry, or veterinary medicine, find a nurse, physical therapist, dentist, or veterinarian, and see if you can "shadow" that person. "Shadow" means you follow the person around and get to see what he/she does on a daily basis and talk to him/her about the job – possibly even assist!
2. Keep in mind that some health professions do NOT require a bachelor's degree to begin training. For example, nursing, nutrition and therapeutic recreation are undergraduate majors at the University of Florida.
3. Other health professions, such as Emergency Medical Technician, require some school, but not as much as a bachelor's degree.
4. Finally, dentistry, veterinary medicine, podiatry, optometry and chiropractic typically require a bachelor's degree BEFORE entering these programs (just like medicine).
5. You may also begin researching other health professions careers by going to http://www.explorehealthcareers.org.

What can I be doing NOW to prepare myself for medical school?

1. Develop good time management and study skills. Some students work really hard in high school, but some don't need to work hard to get good grades. However, college is much, much much harder. Learn to set aside a certain amount of time each day to study, even if you don't have to now. Take notes in class and review your notes when you get home. Practice studying early – NOT waiting until the night before the test. These suggestions sound obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many first year students in college have NOT practiced these skills. You need to get VERY good grades if you want to go to medical school, and you need good study skills to get good grades.
2. Explore the health care profession. Volunteer in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, hospice or other health care facility, or "shadow" a doctor. You will do more of this in college, but the sooner you start, the sooner you will find out if you are REALLY interested in becoming a doctor. Explore other health professions such as nursing, physician's assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.

What services are available to pre-med students at the University of Florida?

1. Individual advising and group workshops by the pre-health advisor
2. Online Health Professions Handbook, http://www.advising.ufl.edu/prehealth
3. Incoming pre-med students attending our Preview first year orientation program will be given advice on registration and related information on being a competitive applicant.
4. Pre-med students at UF can join one (or more) of several pre-health student organizations to provide more pre-health preparation resources.
5. Subscribe to our Pre-Health email Listserv to get updated information about volunteer and research opportunities and advising presentations for pre-health students.

Where can I get more information?

While this FAQ should cover everything you need to know for now, feel free to read the Health Professions Handbook at http://www.advising.ufl.edu/ohlpa/prehealth, which explains everything you need to know to prepare for medical school. It also has links to other websites of interest. Also, get health care experience (see above). If admitted to UF, information on what you should do when you enter college will be given at our Preview, our first year student orientation program.

PLEASE NOTE ALL INFORMATION IS BASED ON THE UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW STUDENTS UNDER DIFFERENT CATALOGS MAY BE EFFECTED, PLEASE CONTACT AN ADVISOR OR YOUR APPROPRIATE CATALOG!

If your CLAS question is not answered at any of these sites you may ask The CLASSY Advisor

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