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what are some "shortcuts" to reduce the time it takes to become a doctor in college

I am a 9th grader in high school and I am thinking of becoming a doctor. not sure what type yet; however I am aware that college could take a long time and I am wondering if their is anything i could do now to shorten the process. #medicine #doctor #medical-doctor #college

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Hwal’s Answer

Kareem,


I think the most accessible "shortcut" to you as a high school student is through working on undergraduate coursework before you enter college, thereby reducing the time it takes for you to get your undergraduate degree. Taking AP or CLEP exams for college credits sounds like it could be a good option for you.


As for actual medical school, I know there are few programs that are 2 year shorter than usual, but I'm not sure if that's what you meant when you asked the question.


Anyway, good luck!


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Rachel’s Answer

There are a few programs that fast-track college students to medical school. At these programs, you can apply for medical school right out of high school. You then complete 2-3 years of college before proceeding with your medical education at the medical school working with your university.
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Richard’s Answer

Take as many AP or IB courses in high school. You have a lot of years of education in front of you and getting college credit in high school can save you time and money.
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Jennifer’s Answer

Kareem,

Congratulations on starting your college-bound process! I'm impressed with your proactivity.

There are accelerated programs of study in the US that shorten the time to completion of the MD degree: https://blog.prepscholar.com/ba-md-bs-md-programs-list.

I, and many of my colleagues, however, caution students regarding this route. Here is a recent article that articulates why the apprehension: https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/articles/2017-09-05/gauge-applying-to-accelerated-medical-school-programs.

That's in the US. Europe, South America, and other parts of the world have different models of higher education for medicine with students entering directly into the program after secondary.

I would recommend researching the options in relation to your goals and expectations of both the undergraduate and medical school experiences. It seems like a long time now, but that time will pass quickly!

Good luck!

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