All states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico require physicians to be licensed. Graduates of foreign medical schools generally begin practice in the United States after completing a U.S. hospital residency training program. To enter an approved residency, graduates of foreign medical schools usually must pass an examination administered by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and be certified by that organization. Although physicians licensed in one State usually can get a license to practice in another without further examination, some States limit reciprocity. One school offers a 2-year program in the basic medical sciences to students who transfer to another medical school for the last semesters of study.
Most students have at least a bachelor's degree, and many have advanced degrees.
Required premedical study includes undergraduate work in English, physics, biology, and inorganic and organic chemistry. Students also should take courses in the humanities, mathematics, and the social sciences to acquire a broad general education. Medicine is a popular field of study, and applicants must compete for entry with highly motivated students who generally have excelled in preprofessional eduction. Factors considered by the schools in admitting students include their academic record and their scores on the Medical College Admission Test, which almost all applicants take. Consideration also is given to the applicant's character, personality, and leadership qualities, as shown by personal interviews, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities.