<p>I am currently in high school and hoping to become a pediatric oncologist one day. I honestly have no knowledge whatsoever on anything related to the medical school process, and I would really appreciate it if anyone here could give me some links that explain the process or could personally do it. </p>
<p>-When do you apply to medical school?
-When do you take the MCATs?
-How long does it take to get through medical school?
-If I want to specialize in pediatric oncology, how do I do that?
-On average, what is medical school tuition?
-Does it matter what medical school you go to when trying to get a job at a hospital?
-What is a residency? What do you do there? How long is it?
-If I wanted to major in humanities in college and minor in biology, would that cover the prerequistes to apply to medical school?
-If I do become a pediatric oncologist, will I be licensed for any other type of work? Like, do I get one degree that enables me to do certain work and then I could go on to specialize in becoming a pediatric oncologist?</p>
<p>Sorry for so many questions, but really any information or websites that can inform me would be great.</p>
<p>Check out premed: Read first… But you apply when you finish prereqs, usually at the end of junior year and take the mcat the spring of junior year. As for specialties, it is wayyyyyyyyy to early for that.Also consider investing in the msar book…its very helpful.</p>
<p>When I first started researching med schools and med programs, i had no idea what any of the terminology was. sadly, i still dont know the specifics but im only a sophomore! anyway, im hoping some expert will answer all your questions, because I dont want to give you wrong information. Residencies are like internships you do after med school for 2-3 years at the hospital your med school assigns you. if you do well on the USMLE test, you get a good hospital. If you dont do well on the USMLE (taken during the last year of med school) you get into a not-so-great residency program at a hospital. You do well- perhaps Mount Sinai. Do bad- a city in montana with the population of 20,000. okay maybe not that bad, my goal isnt to scare you.
if you want to know about humanities majors and what they do in med school, check this med program out:
[Mount</a> Sinai School of Medicine - Humanities and Medicine Early Acceptance Program](<a href=“http://www.mssm.edu/education/medical-education/programs/humanities-and-medicine-early-acceptance-program]Mount”>http://www.mssm.edu/education/medical-education/programs/humanities-and-medicine-early-acceptance-program)
it is said that humanities majors do exceptionally well on the MCAT because it involves a lot of analyzing and not much “actual biology.” i think you have to take the mcat in the mount sinai program, but check the link.</p>
Generally summer between Junior and Senior year of college</p>
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sometime before applying. Most people will take the MCAT after having taken a year of general chem, a year of organic chem, a year of physics and a year of bio</p>
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4 years, the first two are basic science. Generally the first is “normal” processes, the second more pathology. Third year is spent on clinical rotations, and 4th year is spent largely interviewing for residencies, taking electives and traveling.</p>
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For getting a job…not really. If you were going to be heavily involved in research, maybe.</p>
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Residency is essentially an apprenticeship. After graduating medical school you are a physician, but you are not prepared to take care of patients on your own. Residency is 3-7 years depending on your specialty. If peds hematology/oncology (they are always combined) is really your ultimate field, you would do a 3 year pediatrics residency in which you would gain experience in taking care of children of all ages - from 24 week Premature neonates in the NICU to toddlers in the ER to teenagers with raging STD’s in the adolescent clinic, all done under the supervision of an attending (a doctor who has finished their residency) with graduated responsibility as you progress. After completing that 3 years, you would be eligible to take the Pediatric Board certification exam. During your residency, if you were still set on Heme/Onc, then you would apply for a fellowship in hematology and oncology (the heme/onc match takes place in spring of the 2nd year). All pediatric fellowships are 3 years in length in which about half your time is spent on clinical duties and the other half on a research project.</p>
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<p>At the end of your 6 years of training, you will be dual boarded (board certified) in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Depending on where you worked, what your interests were, etc, you may find a position that would allow you to do some general pediatric work (more than likely just acute care clinic for colds, runny noses and ear infections) in addition to your Heme/Onc work. But largely you’d spend most of your time doing only heme/onc stuff.</p>
<p>If you have any further questions - particularly if they are more related to residency and fellowship, I’m currently a pediatric resident who will be applying for fellowships (not heme/onc) this summer, just ask.</p>