<p>I am a senior in high school and I think I am a little behind. We were discussing colleges application for admission essays today in class, and she asked for the prompts of the college we wanted to go to...and I have no idea what college I want to go to! I am looking into studying derm, but I'm still not sure. Another option would be physical therapy...I don't know. I'm confused. </p>
<p>I want to make money but I want to be happy also!
What's a good career out there?
Help...</p>
<p>Uhh, you're missing a few steps in between where you are now and becoming a practicing dermatologist. </p>
<p>1) Apply to colleges
2) pick the one you like that is the best fit for you (don't choose on how "good" it is for pre-med
3) Declare a major, and make sure your colleges know you want to be pre-med (you can't major in pre-med)
4) Take your required pre-med courses (1 year each of bio, general chem, organic chem, physics, all with lab)
5) Get involved on campus, do research, shadow a physician/volunteer at a hospital
6) Study and take the MCAT
7) Apply to medical school
8) Hopefully get accepted (~55% of all medical school applicants get rejected from every single school they apply to)
9) Study like crazy for two years of medical school while taking out crazy huge loans. lose track of friends and family. Because you want to do derm, study even more than anyone else in your class.
10) Study like mad for USMLE Step 1 because you need an ultra competitive score for derm.
11) Begin clinical clerkships in the third year of medical school - be even more tired than you were doing the first two years. Feel lucky to see the light of day.
12) Work hard for the first 3 months of the 4th year of medical school, then slack off, prepare your applications for residency, interview and submit your match list
13) If youre lucky, and are one of only about 300 people in the nation each year, you get accepted by a derm program on Match day
14) Complete 4 years of residency to be a dermatologist.
15) Do another 1-3 years to further subspecialize
16) Pay off loans, but sleep easy at night b/c you're never on call.</p>