How long does it take to become a pediatric doctor?
Question:
How long does it take to become a pediatric doctor?
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Answer:
To become a pediatric doctor or pediatrician, you will need to complete a doctorate. Most students follow this traditional educational track to a doctorate degree:
- It begins with an undergraduate program (typically a Bachelor of Science) with a pre-med focus. This kind of program is mostly aimed at fulfilling the prerequisite courses that most medical schools require, and coursework often includes biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, liberal arts courses, and statistics.
- Once you get your bachelor's degree, you will need to complete the application for medical schools, which includes getting a good score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
- Once you are accepted into the medical school, you will go through two years of classroom coursework and two years of clinical rotations. After these four years, you will earn the Medical Doctor (M.D.) or the Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree.
- Then, you will need to complete a pediatrics residency. This residency often takes three years to complete, and you will be able to get board-certified upon completion.
Therefore, to become a pediatric doctor or pediatrician, it will generally take at least 11 years of education.
For more information about pediatricians, check out this article: How to Become a Pediatrician: Salary, Education & Requirements
