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$Title{How Many Years of College are Needed to be a Family Doctor?}
$Subject{doctor family education community social college internship residency
family medicine practicing doctors practitioners practitioner internships
residencies families medicines}
$Volume{Q-23,W-23}
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Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


How Many Years of College are Needed to be a Family Doctor?


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QUESTION:  I am a thirteen year old girl, and have wanted to be a family
doctor ever since I was very young.  Could you tell me about how many years of
college I would need, internship and residency?

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ANSWER:  Gladly.  I was thirteen too when after a serious attack of pneumonia
I decided I wanted to be like the doctor who had cared for me, and began to
think about and prepare for my profession.  It is not too soon for you to do
the same thing.  Following high school, you must attend college.  Most premeds
take a four year course, and develop majors in chemistry, biology or sometimes
physics.  But it is important to gain a broad education, to better understand
the way people live and act; so studies like sociology, psychology, economics
and even philosophy are important courses to elect.  From my personal
perspective a good communications course or some theater can also be helpful.
But don't neglect the general courses, particularly English and history, for a
family physician must be a well rounded individual (educationally speaking, of
course!).  Then it is on to medical school, for four very long and very hard
years.  There is so much to learn, and never enough time to study it all.  But
you do get it done somehow.  The next choice is postgraduate study.  Family
Medicine is taught in approved residency programs throughout our country, and
your course of study there will last three years.  During that period of time
you will rotate through different "services" that include Family Medicine,
Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Surgery, Psychiatry, as well as
practicing your newly learned skills in an Ambulatory Care Center, where you
care for your own patients under the supervision of your faculty.  After the
three years are done, there is an examination given by the American Board of
Family Practice, which once passed, qualifies you as a specialist in Family
Medicine.  Now you are ready for practice, but your studies are not done, for
you must retake the examination every seven years to prove that you are
keeping up with the latest developments in medical care.  At age thirteen, it
may seem like a long trip, but there are few other professions that offer you
as wonderful an opportunity to serve others, and the satisfactions that are
yours when you do the job well.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.