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The states with the most number of active doctors are California, Florida, Texas, and New York. In 2021, California earned the top spot in this department with approximately 115,347 physicians.
The Lowdown
Studies show that there is an increased need for surgeons and doctors. To meet the need, now is the time for you to pursue your medical career. What are you waiting for? Check out these top-notch medical schools today!
In the same year, however, it was reported that the country would likely experience a shortage of 122,000 doctors by 2032, predominantly because of the soaring population. Although the rural areas would be significantly impacted by this shortage, this projected lack would also be evident in urban and metropolitan areas.
There are several universities for medicine you can choose from to fulfill your dream of becoming a doctor. It doesn’t matter if you feel like your time has passed or you’re too young to be a doctor for that matter—you have the best pre-med schools in the country at your disposal!
Data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges in 2021 depicts a steady increase in the number of applicants, enrollments, matriculants, and graduates. More and more students are expressing their desire to pursue the profession.
Qualities of a Doctor
But what does it take to be one of the best surgeons or doctors? Here are unquantifiable characteristics that make an excellent future-doctor candidate. Consider this list of qualities to guide in your decision-making:
Compassion
It is said that artificial intelligence, revolutionary as it is, can never really replace a human doctor; it can only be used to optimize physician performance. The primary reason, of course, is that an AI robot does not have compassion. Doctors ought to feel for their patients. To be a doctor, you should have the ability to empathize with your patients. It goes way beyond delivering treatments and conducting successful surgeries.
Professionalism
In the medical field, being professional means acting appropriately at all times. You must be respectful, maintain the right decorum, and attend to the situation promptly. You must make your patient’s well-being a top priority.
Knowledge
In the medical field, the definition of knowledge is not limited to the lessons you learned and the competencies you earned from prestigious med schools. Your employer, as well as your patient, will trust you when they see your track record of successful operations and surgeries.
Humility
Despite your hectic schedule, find time to communicate and get in touch with your patients. Be modest enough to acknowledge that your availability matters to them! They will have concerns and questions, which you must answer with sincerity. Never try to rush them into making decisions and always listen to their side before making a diagnosis or deciding on a major treatment.
Medical Specializations
A 2022 study on American physicians showed that the top three specialties of doctors that had the most number of active physicians were: psychiatry, surgery, and anesthesiologist. The same statistics also provide that specialties such as orthopedic surgeons, urology, and invasive cardiology tend to earn the highest salaries than other specializations.
However, there are actually numerous fields of practice and specializations that you can choose from after you finish your pre-med and Doctor of Medicine Degrees. Here are some of them:
Allergists/Immunologists
They are the doctors who deal with the immune system and treat patients that have allergies, which are incurred through harmless substances or some specific food component. Allergy/Immunology is a subspecialty of internal medicine or pediatrics. It takes a total of 9 years to accomplish this specialty.
Anesthesiologists
They are the doctors that prescribe medication, so patients do not have to feel pain during an operation. Anesthesiologists usually spend a total of 12 years in school, including 4 years in an anesthesiology residency program.
Cardiologists
These doctors deal with the diseases of the cardiovascular system. If you want to be a cardiologist in America, it will take you a total of 10 years, which includes 4 years in medical school, 3 years in internal medicine, and 3 years specializing in Cardiology.
The Challenges of Being A Doctor
Looking at the recent news may evoke and increase your determination in pursuing the same path as these frontliners!
Indeed, there may be no better time than now to acknowledge the daily sacrifice that our doctors and medical and health workers make! As the U.S. medical industry takes a beating from the CoVid-19 pandemic, doctors are showing a remarkable dedication to their profession.
As we struggle to battle against the pandemic, doctors are the armies that govern our borders against the coronavirus so it doesn’t take more lives than it already does! The unsung heroes that they are, their daily sacrifice to save lives is nothing less than extraordinary.
Being a doctor goes way beyond choosing it as a profession. This is a dream and an advocacy to service the people and your country, and to live by that principle for as long as you are capable.
While it is obvious that being a doctor comes with countless perks, it is not without its challenges. You will unquestionably have lesser time for your personal life. You will need to be highly motivated to keep going and never give up despite the pressures of your medical responsibilities.
There will be times when you will feel drained physically and mentally. But with determination and perseverance, there is no doubt that you can overcome all these.
U.S. Colleges That Produce the Most Doctors
Are you ready to enter the medical field or advance your expertise in this area of study? Consider these top medical schools! Here are some of the high-ranking and the best pre-med schools with numerous medical programs at the certificate, professional, undergraduate, and graduate levels:
Johns Hopkins Medical School
Johns Hopkins Medical School was established in 1893 and consistently ranks as one of the best medical schools in America. It is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital, which is also a teaching hospital, along with other medical center partnerships.
One of the notable alumni of Johns Hopkins Medical School is Mark M. Ravitch. He received his MD in 1934. He served as an army major that led a team of surgeons at a hospital in France during World War II.
Finally, in 1946, he became a professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical School.
Bachelor of Science Degrees (On-campus):
- Major in History of Science, Medicine, and Technology
Duration: 4 years - Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
Duration: 4 years
M.D. program (The Genes to Society Curriculum) (On-campus)
Duration: 4 years
Graduate Programs (On-campus):
- Neuroscience Graduate Program
Duration: 4 full-semester completion
- Human Genetics and Molecular Biology
Duration: 2 years
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
Duration: 2 years of completion
Certificate or MA Degree in the History of Medicine (online)
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School was founded in 1782. This Ivy League school is renowned globally for the highest quality education of education it offers. It consistently takes the top spot in numerous academic rankings, including the Best Medical Schools conducted by U.S. News.
Harvard Medical School maintains excellent curricula and sophisticated facilities. It takes pride in its alumni support wherein community doctors collaborate to serve patients in the country.
Unlike all the other universities, Harvard does not have an exclusive training relationship with a single hospital. They have several affiliated hospitals all around the Boston area.
A significant alumnus from the Harvard Medical School is Louis Tompkins Wright. He was the very first African-American surgeon that worked in a hospital in New York City. He was a famous medical researcher and had put a lot of his efforts into establishing racial equality in the medical sector in America.
MD Program (On Campus)
- 3-phase MD curriculum
Two curricular tracks, Pathways and Health Sciences & Technology (HST)
Principal Clinical Experience
Post-PCE phase
Duration: 2 years
Master’s programs (On-campus):
- Master of Bioethics
Duration: Full-time (1 year) part-time (2 years)
- Master of Clinical Service Operations
Duration: Fulltime (9 months) part-time (1-2years)
- Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation
Duration: Full-time (2 years)
- Master of Medical Sciences in Immunology
Duration: Full-time (2 years)
- Biophysics Graduate Program
Duration: 8 full semesters
- Chemical Biology Ph.D. Program
Students need to complete four required science courses
HMX Fundamentals (Online):
- Study of Immunology, Physiology, Genetics, Pharmacology, and Biochemistry
Duration: One course – 10 weeks long
HMX Pro (Online):
- Study of Immuno-oncology and Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology
Duration: One HMX pro course – 10 to 20 hours to complete
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University is in Stanford, California, and was founded in 1885. Stanford earned the 1st place ranking on the Best Colleges for Veterans research conducted in 2020, and it placed at number five in Best Value Schools.
Admission to the MD program is quite competitive but if you are the type of person who seeks to contribute to transforming the fields of medicine and biomedical sciences, then Stanford would welcome you to be part of their growing family of doctors.
Lori Arviso Alvord is a graduate of Stanford University. She was most famous for being the first Diné woman who passed the board as a certified surgeon.
She also wrote her autobiography entitled The Scalpel and The Silver Bear. In 2013, she was nominated for U.S. surgeon general.
MD Program (The Discovery Curriculum) (On-campus)
Duration: full-time (2 years) Part-time (3 years)
Master’s Programs (On-campus):
- Master of Science in Medicine
Duration: 2 years
- Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
Duration: 30 months completion
Ph.D. Programs (On-campus):
- Bioengineering Doctoral Program
Duration: 5 years
- Biosciences Doctoral Program
Duration: 5 years
Perelman School of Medicine – University of Pennsylvania
Ranked third in the Best Medical Schools and fourth in the World’s Innovative Universities lists in 2019, the University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university that was founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin.
It is the nation’s oldest medical school and a highly reputable authority in medical education.
Emily Kramer-Golinkoff is an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. She is best known for being the founder of Emily’s Entourage, a nonprofit organization that raises money to develop a cure for rare mutations of Cystic Fibrosis.
Kramer-Golinkoff was acknowledged by the White House as a Champion of Change. The government honored her efforts in harnessing patient data to improve their health.
MD Program (On-campus)
Duration: 4 years
Master Programs (On-campus):
- Master of Public Health
Duration: full-time 2 years
- Master’s Program in Genetic Counseling
Duration: full-time 2 years
Ph.D. Programs (On Campus):
- Neuroscience Graduate Group
Duration: 2 years of coursework completion
- Pharmacology Graduate Groups
Duration: 2 years
Post Baccalaureate Research Education Program (On Campus)
Duration: 1-2 years of research experience
Preparation for pursuing a doctorate program in Biomedical Sciences
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine was formerly called Mayo Medical School. It is based in Rochester, Minnesota, with campuses and facilities in Arizona and Florida.
The Mayo Clinic School has the lowest acceptance rate at 2% for 2020!
MD Program
Duration: 4 years
- Respiratory Care Program (Minnesota Campus)
Duration: 21 months
- Radiation Therapy Program (Minnesota Campus)
Duration: 1 year
- Sonography Program (Florida and Minnesota Campus)
Duration: 21 months
- Physician Assistant Program (Minnesota)
Duration: 2 years
- Physical Therapy Doctoral Program (Minnesota)
Duration: 33 months
- Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program (Minnesota)
Duration: 42 months
Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine, located in Houston, Texas, is hailed as the world’s largest medical center. It was established in 1900 and has since been known for its excellence in research and education.
Aside from consistently dominating college and graduate rankings, Baylor College is known for its tuition rate that the lowest among all private medical schools in America.
MD Program (On-campus)
Duration: 4 years
Ph.D. Programs (On-campus):
- Immunology and Microbiology Graduate Program
Duration: 6 years
- Cancer and Cell Biology Graduate Program
Duration: 6 years
Michigan State University
If you are looking for value for your money in med school, Michigan State University should be on your list!
Known as your fairly priced college option, this university is best known for providing high-quality education at reasonable tuition rates.
Founded in 1855, Michigan State University is considered one of the world’s best research universities.
Alfred Day Hershey is an alumnus of Michigan State University. He was a Nobel Prize winner bacteriologist and geneticist. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1930 at MSU.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Duration: Full-time (6 semesters)
- Bachelor of Science in Human Biology
Duration: completion of 120 credits
- Physician Assistant Medicine Program (On Campus)
Duration: 27 months of completion
- Master of Arts in Biomedical Laboratory Science Program (Online)
Duration: 2 years of completion
- Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology (Online)
Duration: 2 years of completion
Ph.D. Program:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (Online and on-campus)
Duration: 3 years of completion
- Biostatistics Ph.D. Program (On-campus)
Duration: 2-8 years of completion
Yale School of Medicine
Yale School of Medicine was formally opened in 1813. Located in New Haven, this medical school in Connecticut is famous for its rather unique methods of instruction and student assessment.
Med students are typically not graded in their first two years of study. This is to motivate them to be more responsible and dedicated as they move forward academically.
One of Yale’s former students is James Edward Rothman. He was a biochemist, who was also the Chairman of Cell Biology at Yale School of Medicine.
MD Program (On-campus)
Duration: 2 years of completion
MD-PhD Program (On-campus)
Duration: 4 years
- Ph.D. in Investigative Medicine Program (On-campus)
Duration: 3-4 years
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is ranked as one of the top 20 medical schools by U.S. News and World Report. It is a private graduate medical school that is conveniently located in Manhattan, New York City.
Classes started way back in 1958, and since then, Icahn School of Medicine has been widely acknowledged for its exemplary academic and practice standards in the areas of research, patient care, and disease study.
MD Program (On-campus)
Duration: 4 years
Graduate Programs (On-campus):
- Ph.D. in Clinical Research
Duration: 66 credits completion
- Ph.D. in Neuroscience
Duration: 3 years
Master’s Programs (On-campus):
- Master of Public Health
Duration: 2 years
- Master of Science in Biomedical Science
Duration: 1.5 to 2 years
New York University – Grossman School of Medicine
The New York University – Grossman School of Medicine was founded in 1841. It is ranked as a leading medical school and is particularly known for conducting in-depth studies and research on drugs and alcohol abuse, and AIDS.
Jane Cooke Wright was an alumnus of the New York University School of Medicine. She was known to be the first African American woman who became an associate dean for a highly ranked medical institution.
It was in 1945 when she finished her medical degree at New York Medical College with honors.
MD Degree
Duration: 4 years
- MD/MA in Bioethics
Duration: 5 years
- MD/MPH in Global Health
Duration: 4 to 5 years
- MD/MS in Translational Research
Duration: 5 years
Key Takeaways
- The best medical schools yield the best doctors! To become the best surgeon or doctor, attending the right college for your needs is an important decision. Medical schools prepare students to take care of their patients sufficiently and compassionately.
- Medical students have a plethora of career opportunities awaiting them after graduation and beyond. Medical schools for surgery prepare potential surgeons for pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, general surgery, vascular surgery, reconstructive surgery, and more.
