Doctors who have their own practices must oversee personnel, payroll, billing, and other business-related functions. Areas of Specialization Doctors of medicine may obtain a general certificate or a subspecialty certificate from any of the following approved specialty boards. A four year undergraduate degree emphasizing the sciences and liberal arts is required to enter medical school. Some medical schools have early admissions programs, which allow more flexibility in course scheduling during the last two years of college. Students are accepted into this type of program directly from high school.
Physicians undergo graduate medical study to become specialists.
This is called a residency program and lasts from three to five years. To practice medicine, physicians and resident physicians must have a license through the Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners. During residency training, physicians generally work toward obtaining certification from one of the 23 approved medical specialty boards. This is a voluntary procedure but one that is chosen by most physicians. There are professional organizations in each area of specialization.