The Medical Student Life

[mrsmile100]

How long does it take to finish a specialization? My friend was telling me around 7 years. How fast is it humanely possible to finish a specialization? 7 years sounds to me to be very looong. almost like a PhD?

and since American has to take 4 years of undergraduate, does that mean when they come out to be specialized doctors, they will be a little older than others?

I'm from Malaysia so the system here is Pre-U/Foundation+Medical Studies (5 years) + Residency/Housemanship (2 years) + Medical Officer (2years) + Specialization (7years) = 16 years. When my friend graduate from specialization, he'll be around 35 years old...
I believe it's the same with UK and Australia. How about America?

Do medical students normally end up with a specialization or they stick with being a medical officer. When do they gain the M.D. title? during the medical officer year, or after their specialization?

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[AntiHouseMD]

This probably should be in the Pre-Allo thread.

 

[Green Grass]

The "normal" track is: High School (12 years) + College (4 years) + Medical School (4 years) + Residency (3-7 years) = 23-27 total years for "non-specialization" meaning general practitioner of their respective residency field.

Now, some people will take extra years finishing college, take years off between college and medical school, do research during medical school, do fellowships after residency...all of which will add years to the above time periods.

It is a long educational route and one must be very committed to undertake it. Good luck.

 

[mmmcdowe]

You get the MD after finishing medical school. The vast majority of MDs specialize in something (even the closest thing to "general practice" nowadays is a specialty technically) and a big chunk actually SUB-specialize afterwards by doing a fellowship.