Medical education is divided in three parts:
Undergraduate:
Most people attend a 4 year college to obtain a 'bachelor of science' or 'bachelor of arts' degree. This can be in any field, but the majority of people seem to do biology or something of that nature. There are however also people who get an engineering or business degree in college. There is a set of required science courses that everybody who wants to become a physican has to do. If you study a science in the first place, it is easy to incorporate these 'pre-med' courses into your curriculum. If you study business, you sort of have to add them on.
Medical School:
Medschool is 4 years. The first two years are mostly basic sciences, theoretical instruction, some lab courses, anatomy, pathology, pharmacology and the like. Also, some lectures and seminars in clinical medicine.
In third year, all medical students do 'rotations'. Typically 6 week blocks in the major medical specialties. The students are part of the medical team at the university hospital or affiliated teaching hospitals. This is where they receive hands-on training in the 'art' portion of medicine (as well as the knowledge how to navigate the paperwork in a hospital). In between the 6 week blocks (and during), there are lecture series and classroom type seminars.
In 4th year, again students have 'core' rotations, now called 'sub internships' in internal medicine surgery etc. In addition, they do 'electives', rotations of their choosing with services they are interested in but which are not part of the 'core' (e.g. dermatology, anaesthesiology).
Post Graduate:
After graduation from medical school, there is typically a residency period. It takes from 3-7 years depending on the specialty. The first year is called 'internship'. The higher years are numbered PGY-2 (post graduate year) etc.
After finishing residency, most people sit for the 'board exam' in their chosen specialty. This is the point where you typically start to practice independently, without formal supervision by another physician.
