Lisa M Cannon, MD is a graduate from Columbia University; she is a medical school graduate as of the 2013 graduates.
If you are interested in working in the medical field, you will need to ensure that your skills in science are at a premium level. You should plan your college education with a goal of achieving as much as possible academically and in terms of voluntary and work experience to ensure that you are an all-round character. There isn’t really one preferred major to get you into this field even those without science majors would be considered. They will need you to have some scientific ability and also obvious talent and intellectual abilities. Lots of coursework in the sciences will be required; biology, chemistry and physics as well as organic chemistry and bio chemistry will be required. These are the basis for studying medicine. You would also need to have fantastic analytical and communication skills that were apparent in any interview or social situation. Your major might be more focused on showcasing this side of your talents and therefore science will be an extra requirement of you. What will matter to the medical schools that you apply to is that you have excelled in completing your course and assignment work and that you have built up the required skills for your chosen future.
A good physician must be a good orator and a good judge of character. They must be able to listen and also ask the right questions. They must make sure that their patients understand what they need to do especially with medication and so on. You will need a scientific mind and a good bedside manner, be an empath at times and also have a great will and desire to succeed.
As well as all of this you will also need to pass the Medical College Admissions Test, this will test your science ability as well as analytical and problem-solving skills all of which will be required in your role as a doctor. Courses in humanities and social sciences will help you with the reasoning section of this test and a behavioral science major will also help you acquire all the knowledge you will require, in order to pass this fairly difficult test.
There is one important fact to remember; only a small percentage of applicants will be accepted to medical school and if anything, the demand for the course places is increasing. Even though a level of difficulty is accepted, many students still find it a lot more challenging than they imagined. Therefore, many students will start out thinking they will become a doctor but once all of the time, mental and physical demands take their toll many will decide that this is not the best fit for them. Luckily there are many more required professionals in the health care sector that might be more in line with their lives. These jobs may be slightly less rigorous and slightly less competitive.