Deciding whether to go to medical school or not is one of the biggest decisions of your life. Medical school and pursuing a career in this challenging field is an incredibly long and challenging journey. It requires four years of rigorous education, three years of residency training, and a few more years of specialized training to become an expert in the chosen field. Before applying to medical school, it is important to do your homework and decide should I go to medical school or choose another direction.

Here are eight questions that help medical school candidates make a well-informed decision to go to medical school.

1.       How long does it take to become a physician?

Before applying to medical school, every candidate should understand the fact that becoming a doctor requires rigorous education and years of training to become an expert in your field. It usually takes around seven years of education to become a certified, licensed practitioner. After completing a four-year M.D. program, you need to complete a three-year residency program to receive hands-on training within a particular medical specialty. People who are interested in becoming an orthopedic, pediatric, or neurosurgeon, oncologist, and anesthesiologist are required to complete additional fellowship training after completing residency to become an expert in the specific medical field.

2.       Explore the reasons why you want to go to medical school?

Prior to starting your medical school journey, it is critically important to do a self-assessment to figure out the reason behind your decision. Prospective medical students who want to serve humanity, help sick people, perform scientific experiments, come up with different treatment approaches, and have a passion for clinical care will become the right candidate for medical school. When you figure out the reason behind studying medicine, it will make it easier to make a well-informed decision about entering the medical field. Furthermore, you can explain the reasons for pursuing medicine in a medical school interview and brighten up your chances of getting into a medical school.

3.       Am I eligible to get accepted into medical school?

Aspiring physicians are advised to start preparing for a medical school application one or two years before they are all set to apply. Creating a stellar medical school application takes time, you need to shadow a physician, gain hands-on clinical experience, take part in extracurricular activities, and complete prerequisite courses. Prospective medical students are also required to prepare for the MCAT as it is one of the most important medical school admission requirements.

4.       How to prepare for the MCAT?

The goal of the MCAT is to provide students with a strong understanding of biology, chemistry, physiology, sociology, biochemistry, and physics. This basic knowledge prepares students to perform better throughout their medical school journey. The MCAT covers a wide number of topics, making it a bit difficult for students to prepare for. Preparing for the MCAT early is a secret to scoring impressive marks in this important exam. Follow these simple MCAT prep tips to score stellar marks.

5.       How much does medical school cost and can I afford it?

The tuition fee is one of the most important factors every candidate should consider before applying to medical school. There is no denying that medical school is a huge investment, making it difficult for medical students to fulfill their dream of becoming a doctor. The tuition fee of medical school varies widely from country to country. For example, the total cost of MD 1-4 is $5740, and MD 5 is $7390 at Windsor University School of Medicine.

6.       What are your career options?

Studying medicine will prepare you for a number of lucrative career opportunities in a number of fields.  Physicians aren’t the only people who impact patient care. Hospitals and doctors’ offices are filled with a variety of healthcare providers. Nurses, technicians, therapists, medical assistants, and administrators all play important, but different roles in diagnosing, treating, and generally taking care of patients. By spending time to learn about the job description of non-physicians in healthcare, you might learn that there is actually a better career path for you.

7.       What are your chances of acceptance?

Medical schools only accept intelligent and brightest minds. This is why having an impressive GPA is one of the most important medical school admission requirements. Surviving in medical school is a daunting task even the most successful students find it hard to bear the academic rigors and need to struggle hard to perform at their best.

When it comes to applying to a Caribbean medical school, ask yourself whether you handle the rigors of medical school and score above average grades, and struggle academically.  Prospective medical school students should carefully assess the competitiveness of their credentials to make the right and well-informed decision regarding their education and career.

8.       How Clinical Rotations work?

Clinical rotations are the most important and exciting part of your medical school journey that provides you with hands-on experience. It allows you to see how attending doctors and physicians diagnose diseases and treat patients. Clinical rotations prepare students for their residency program and help them decide what specialty to pursue for a future career.

Medical students go through a number of rotations in different fields of medicine during MS 3 and MS 4, including surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, psychiatry, and family medicine.

Are you ready to Go to Medical School?

If you are all set for your medical school journey, these important questions will help you decide should I go to medical school?  Remember, medical school is one of the toughest decisions of your life that will lead you towards a fulfilling career in medicine. So, take your time to come up with a better and well-informed decision.