Do you get a MD degree before or after residency?

[vaxop2]

Im a tad confused how the american system works. Do you get an MD degree after completing the 2 years of basic sciences + 2 years clinicals? Or is it after the 2 year (it is 2 years right?) residency?

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[154465]

Im a tad confused how the american system works. Do you get an MD degree after completing the 2 years of basic sciences + 2 years clinicals? Or is it after the 2 year (it is 2 years right?) residency?

You get the MD degree after you finish the 4 years of med school, but before residency. Residency is 4-6 (right?) years, usually.

 

[Dienekes]

Im a tad confused how the american system works. Do you get an MD degree after completing the 2 years of basic sciences + 2 years clinicals? Or is it after the 2 year (it is 2 years right?) residency?

*smack* Ah....I feel better.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

residency is usually 3-7 years.

 

[vaxop2]

thanks 🙂
so what is residency the requirement for?

 

[Dienekes]

thanks 🙂
so what is residency the requirement for?

Board certification

 

[Isoprop]

thanks 🙂
so what is residency the requirement for?

a degree just means you graduated from medical school.

residency is formal training required for licensure. with a degree alone, you cannot practice medicine unless you are under supervision (residency) or board certified (attending).

 

[LikeClockWork]

thanks 🙂
so what is residency the requirement for?

To take you down a few pegs.

 

[Sartorius24]

Im a tad confused how the american system works. Do you get an MD degree after completing the 2 years of basic sciences + 2 years clinicals? Or is it after the 2 year (it is 2 years right?) residency?

thanks 🙂
so what is residency the requirement for?

vaxop2 I can always rely on you for thoughtful questions...

 

[Mr hawkings]

Actually, residency is for a license to practice. Board certification is different.
You can practice without being board certified.

Board certification

 

[DoctorDreamer]

You attend medical school generally for four years (2 years basic science and 2 years clinical). You then have an MD, but you are not licensed to practice. You then do a residency (3-7 years), of which the first year is called your internship. After you've successfully finished your residency, you are licensed to practice medicine. From that point, you can get board certified or just continue working. Either way you will have continuing education that must be done for the rest of yoru life.

 

[nevercold]

Actually, residency is for a license to practice. Board certification is different.
You can practice without being board certified.

This is not entirely correct.

Within the United States, each state has requirements for independent licensure as a physician. All states require a degree from an accredited school of medicine (allopathic or osteopathic or foreign) and passage of the United States Medical Licensing Exams, of which there are three (1, 2 is divided into a written and clinical portion, and 3). Some states require a year of training under the supervision of licensed physicians in an accredited training program (residency program). Many states require more (often at least 2 years). Completion of a residency program is not a requirement in most states. HOWEVER, most specialities also have certifying boards. These certifications are necessary to claim that you are practicing a particular specialty (from internal medicine to geriatrics to plastic surgery). These certifications, given by the national board of whichever specialty, uniformly require completion of an appropriate residency training program, possibly a fellowship training program, and passage of board exams administered by the specialty's certifying board.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

This is not entirely correct.

Within the United States, each state has requirements for independent licensure as a physician. All states require a degree from an accredited school of medicine (allopathic or osteopathic or foreign) and passage of the United States Medical Licensing Exams, of which there are three (1, 2 is divided into a written and clinical portion, and 3). Some states require a year of training under the supervision of licensed physicians in an accredited training program (residency program). Many states require more (often at least 2 years). Completion of a residency program is not a requirement in most states. HOWEVER, most specialities also have certifying boards. These certifications are necessary to claim that you are practicing a particular specialty (from internal medicine to geriatrics to plastic surgery). These certifications, given by the national board of whichever specialty, uniformly require completion of an appropriate residency training program, possibly a fellowship training program, and passage of board exams administered by the specialty's certifying board.

Details on requirements for initial licensure by state: http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html

And while in many states you can be licensed after your intern year good luck finding any group that will accept you or any hospital to grant you priviledges if you are not board certified. Malpractice insurance for non-BC'ed docs will be very high -- you present a greater risk to the insurance company.

Most places hiring docs right out of residency will accept you if you are board eligible (i.e., finished residency but haven't yet sat for the board examination) with the understanding that passing the boards is important for your continued employment.