How to Become a Family Physician
A family physician is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats a wide range of ailments, diseases and conditions. Training to become a family physician involves many years of training and commitment. If you have a passion for this profession and don't mind going through years of rigorous medical training and education, then you can consider becoming a family physician.
- Obtain a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Make sure you complete all the premed courses which include courses in biology, chemistry, physics and math. Consult your academic counselor to be sure you have chosen the right premed courses. Strive to maintain a high GPA to enable you gain admission into a medical school.
- Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and apply to medical schools. Submit your application along with your college transcript, letters of recommendation and MCAT scores to the schools of choice. Medical school admission is very competitive, so apply to many schools to increases your chances of getting accepted. If you get accepted by several, you simply choose one that you like the most. Consider factors such as tuition costs, duration of studies, location and extracurricular activities before you make your choice.
- Complete medical school and obtain your medical degree. Medical school education usually takes four years to complete. The first two years covers the basic medical sciences and the last two years is for clinical rotations. Some medical schools have intensive programs which enable students to complete their medical education in less than four years.
- Complete a residency in family medicine and general practice. This residency program lasts for about two to three years and involves on-the-job training in the hospital or doctor's office.
- Take a final examination and obtain your medical license to begin practicing as a family physician.