how long it takes to be a physician

[Yellow-Jellow]

---

Members don't see this ad.

hi all....just curious......how long it takes you to be a physician ?

 

[PharmDr.]

at least 11 yrs. including undergrad. Shouldnt you know this if your going for dentistry? I'll let the pre-meds answer your question since im a pre-dent. Just browsing ur forum. Take care< Jon

 

[espbeliever]

i think its wrong to include undergrad years since many ppl come from the working world having taken time off from school, and some medical schools have deals with undergrads to cut out undergrad stuff and focus on medical stuff thereby reducing undergrad time. further, you can legitimately graduate from undergrad in reduced times, and programs across the country very widely.

so just talking medical school and beyond to become a physician. - 4 years of medical school. then residency IF YOU CHOOSE to goto it. most do however. residency can last 3-7+ years. typically fp,im or er is about 3 yrs, and other specialties more. then on top of all of that you could do a fellowship to become further specialized like an orthopedic surgeon doing a spinal fellowship. fellowships typically are 1-2 years. throughout residency and fellowships you are paid from 30-60k, and can many times moonlight.

however, after medical school, you are considered a physician, and can begin practice as one. but with a board certification that results from having gone to a residency, it may be quite difficult to gain hospital privlidges or malpractice insurance.

😎

 

[OnMyWayThere]

i think its wrong to include undergrad years since many ppl come from the working world having taken time off from school, and some medical schools have deals with undergrads to cut out undergrad stuff and focus on medical stuff thereby reducing undergrad time. further, you can legitimately graduate from undergrad in reduced times, and programs across the country very widely.

so just talking medical school and beyond to become a physician. - 4 years of medical school. then residency IF YOU CHOOSE to goto it. most do however. residency can last 3-7+ years. typically fp,im or er is about 3 yrs, and other specialties more. then on top of all of that you could do a fellowship to become further specialized like an orthopedic surgeon doing a spinal fellowship. fellowships typically are 1-2 years. throughout residency and fellowships you are paid from 30-60k, and can many times moonlight.

however, after medical school, you are considered a physician, and can begin practice as one. but with a board certification that results from having gone to a residency, it may be quite difficult to gain hospital privlidges or malpractice insurance.

😎

Just to correct the last part of your message... you need to do a 1 year internship after the 4 years to be able to practice. You are then a General Practioner. Malpractice and hospital privledges have not been an issue for the GP's I know that are practicing today...

 

[Biodude]

Of course, I wouldn't think that there are too many GP's out there, right?


I would figure that something like 99% of all physicians are at least trained in-depth enough into their specialties to be board-certified.
👍

 

[DeLaughterDO]

Currently - yes, most physicians are residency trained. However, the past generations of physicians were much less likely to pursue residency training after internship - most training was "on the job," so to speak.

jd

PS - until recently, GPs could "grandfather" into board certification by FP and EM boards (at least). These tracts have since closed (at least EM has closed, not sure about FP - I think it has).

 

[XT777]

So can a residency substitute for an internship or must one do an internship AND a residency?

Thanks,

XT777

Just to correct the last part of your message... you need to do a 1 year internship after the 4 years to be able to practice. You are then a General Practioner. Malpractice and hospital privledges have not been an issue for the GP's I know that are practicing today...

 

[OnMyWayThere]

So can a residency substitute for an internship or must one do an internship AND a residency?

Thanks,

XT777

Four or five states require the 1 year internship to practice there (not sure which states those are but Florida comes to mind). That 1 year usually goes towards the residency though. Other than those states, you can go directly into residency and practice.

Edit: When I say directly into residency and practice, I mean residency and then practice. You still cannot legally practice after the 4 years of medical school. All states require a 1 year internship minimum to practice to my knowledge.

 

[Pikevillemedstudent]

Four or five states require the 1 year internship to practice there (not sure which states those are but Florida comes to mind). That 1 year usually goes towards the residency though. Other than those states, you can go directly into residency and practice.

Five states for DO's require the osteopathic traditional rotating internship. The states are Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

 

[DeLaughterDO]

In allopathic (MD) postgraduate training, the internship has been abolished (except for a few fields such as neurology, anesthesiology, radiology, etc that still require a transitional year) and replaced with residency - most of which include a generalized first year that substitutes for the internship year. So, in effect, you are still taking an "internship" year (PGY-1) but this is included into your "residency."

In the osteopathic (DO) postgraduate training paradigm, an internship is still considered an integral part of your training. Many feel this only adds a year to the overall training and elect to enter allopathic training programs. However, it is the AOA's stance that every DO should be a generalist before becoming a specialist - hence the requirement for the internship (by the AOA - and also required for licensure in the 5 states mentioned above).

In reality, ANY physician my become fully licensed and practice medicine after an internship - as this is all that is required for step 3 and unrestricted licensure in all 50 states. The current political, economic, and litigious environment, however, has encouraged physicians to seek residency training and board eligibility/certification. Strictly speaking, residency is not needed to practice medicine. Customary, yes.

Hope I've confused a few more minds today!!

jd

 

[Biodude]

Hope I've confused a few more minds today!!

jd

Consider me confused 😕