A medical doctor is one of the most respected career paths in the world. Still, it’s a demanding job that requires extensive training, an expensive education, and a long journey before one can fully realize the potential of treating patients as an attending physician.
But if you can handle those demands and pressures, few careers can match the rewarding and meaningful outcomes of the daily work of a medical professional. And there’s also the potential to rank among the top-earning professionals, which doesn’t hurt. Here’s a closer look at what it takes to become a doctor and financial tips to help you along the way.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Doctor?
Becoming a doctor starts with building a strong college application during your K-12 years. That's followed by maintaining top grades and scoring high marks on standardized tests throughout college and medical school and then hustling through the often grueling hours of a residency (and possibly a fellowship) just to come out with six figures of student loan debt.
Typical Timeline Overview
- Undergraduate education: 4 years
- Medical school: 4 years
- Residency: 3-7 years, depending on specialty
- Optional fellowship: 1-3 years for subspecialties
Total Time Commitment
Most doctors spend at least 11-15 years in school and training before practicing independently. Primary care doctors and family physicians typically study for a timeframe that falls on the lower end, while specialized surgeons tend to study for a timeframe that falls on the upper end.
More information here:
Is Becoming a Doctor Worth It?
Would You Encourage Your Child To Be A Doctor?
Steps to Becoming a Doctor
Everyone’s experience is unique, but most doctors in the United States follow this general set of steps to become a licensed, practicing doctor:
Step #1 Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Your first major decision is picking the best college and major to support a strong medical school application in the future. While you may be tempted to choose an expensive, private school, plenty of benefits exist in picking a more affordable in-state school, assuming it offers a quality pre-medical education.
Make sure to complete pre-med courses, ranging from biology to chemistry to physics. Maintain a high GPA and further develop your resume by participating in student organizations and clubs. Consider volunteering to gain clinical experience or shadowing doctors to differentiate yourself from the crowded field of applicants.
Here's an estimated cost:
Lower-tier cost (public in-state, minimal living costs): ~$20,000 per year
Middle-tier cost (public out-of-state or moderate living cost): ~$35,000-$45,000 per year
Upper-tier cost (private institution, high cost of living): ~$55,000-$70,000 per year
That’s around $80,000-$280,000 in costs to earn your four-year college degree—the second degree in the long series of graduations you’ll enjoy as a future doctor.
Step #2 Take the MCAT and Apply to Medical School
Now it’s time for the Medical College Admissions Test, typically called the MCAT. More than 85,000 students take the MCAT each year. You’ll need to score well to be accepted into any medical school, and you'll need a high score to gain admission to competitive programs.
Each of the four sections of the MCAT is scored between 118 and 132, and the total MCAT score range is 472 to 528. You can review your top medical school picks to find their average accepted MCAT score. These are the typical ranges used when evaluating MCAT results:
- Best MCAT scores (515–528): Top 10% of all test takers. Scores in this range may unlock even the most competitive schools.
- Competitive MCAT scores (509–514): Top 25% of test takers. This is a strong score for most medical school admissions, and it means you’ll likely do well, assuming your grades and the rest of your application are on target for the school’s admissions team.
- Above average MCAT scores (501–508): Above the median. These scores are solid but less competitive for top-tier programs. You may need to adjust your expectations about which schools you want to attend.
- Below average MCAT scores (500 or below): Below average. These may qualify for some programs, assuming an excellent GPA, but options are limited.
Remember to budget for medical school application fees and the cost of travel for the schools you visit, in addition to the $345 MCAT registration fee [2025]. Self-guided study courses typically start at around $200, while premium tutoring programs can cost more than $6,000.
While you’re going through your MCATs and medical school applications, keep a close watch over your finances, including past student loans and your preparations to pay for medical school.
Step #3 Complete 4 Years of Medical School
Your next four-year enrollment is in medical school, where you’ll graduate and become an official medical doctor with the fancy MD or DO after your name.
Q: Do you know what they call the person who graduates last in their class from medical school?
A: Doctor!
Medical school can be very expensive. Even the lowest-cost programs can lead to six figures of additional student loans. Thankfully, you’re nearing the part of your journey where you’ll start earning money instead of only spending.
The earlier years of medical school focus on classroom and lab learning. Later on, you’ll begin clinical rotations in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and other specialties. By the time you graduate, you’ll have worked with real patients and be ready to put on your long white coat and begin your residency.
Learn more about the average cost to become a doctor so you don’t get sticker shock.
Step #4 Pass the USMLE Exams
Just like getting into medical school, you’ll have to take exams as part of your residency admission process. You’ll take your first round of board exams: Step 1, Step 2 CK/CS, and Step 3. For those in the United States, the first two exams require a $680 fee [2025], and the third comes with a $935 fee.
Your test results can play a significant role in your residency placement and fellowship if you move on to that level of specialization. These tests should be treated very seriously.
Step #5 Match into and Complete a Residency Program
Getting into medical school is, in many ways, similar to getting into college for the first time. Starting your residency is an entirely different system. If you’re unfamiliar with matching, it’s much closer to what happens when joining a fraternity or sorority than anything you’ve experienced in your academic career thus far.
You’ll visit different programs and meet the teams you would work with during your residency in a sort of two-way interview. Based on that visit and the rest of your application, the residency ranks you and all other applicants in order of preference. You also rank the residency programs by preference. Based on those lists, the residents are put through a virtual sorting hat and find out where they’re going to live and learn next—a process that can reveal joy and agony.
As a resident, you’re finally turning the tuition equation around. The average first-year resident earns around $65,000 per year and receives an annual raise as they get closer to their next graduation. As you’re working long hours during residency, make sure to stick to your budget as a new doctor.
Step #6 Obtain Medical Licensure
To practice medicine, you’ll need to get licensed by your state’s medical board. A license is necessary if you want to take all of that education and put it to use treating patients as an attending physician.
To remain licensed, you’ll need to stay up to date with continuing education requirements. Attending conferences and staying in touch with colleagues in your specialty helps you stay up to date with the latest developments and innovations.
Step #7 Consider Fellowship or Board Certification
To further your education, you can continue with a fellowship, which gives you further specialization within your field. For example, a surgeon could become a colorectal surgeon, a plastic surgeon, or others. This is the final step in a traditional medical education, if you continue to this point.
You can also take and complete board exams, which further shows that you’re an expert in your field and can help you land the best jobs.
More information here:
Financial Benefits During Residency That Are Vastly Underrated and Overrated
What Happens If You Don’t Match Into Residency and What to Do
Bottom Line: Is Becoming a Doctor Worth It?
Becoming a doctor is a long journey, but it’s one of the most noble and rewarding professions. If you can reach the high bar of academic success, navigate student loans, and handle the long hours of a residency, you could be the perfect candidate for the medical profession.
While it takes years of training and debt, average physician incomes allow you to repay that debt quickly and enjoy a very comfortable life. In addition to the rewards of healing injured and sick patients, the financial rewards are pretty nice, too.
If you’re still on the fence, learn more about whether it’s worthwhile to become a doctor.
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