How to Become a Medical Assistant in Maine

Medicine is undoubtedly one of the most regarded and prestigious professions in the world. Joining this noble profession requires grit, determination and hard work. If you think that you have what it takes to become a doctor, then go ahead and read this informative article. It will help you understand how to become a doctor in Maine.

If you are not faint hearted and enjoy taking up challenges, then a career as a medical professional would be ideal for you.
Take a look at the table below to learn more about the skill-set, education, and license requirements for Physicians and Surgeons. This information has been taken from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*Net Online

To become a licensed doctor, candidates have to complete an undergraduate degree, a doctoral program and a post-graduate residency. They also have to pass a licensure exam, in order to get the state license.

In order to establish a career as a doctor, you will be required to follow the steps outlined below:

1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree


Please bear in mind that there is no universally recognized pre-medical major being offered anywhere. Since medical schools usually require a solid background in biochemistry, organic chemistry, general chemistry, biology and calculus-based physics, you should pursue a bachelor’s program that has these subjects embedded in its curriculum. After completing the undergraduate program, you would have to appear for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

2. Graduate from Medical School


Getting a good score on the MCAT will help you enroll in a 4-year long Doctor of Medicine (M.D) or the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O) program. During your time at medical school, you will receive instructions on a range of subjects such as Pathology, Immunology, Psychiatry and Neurology. You can also expect to get some in-depth clinical experiences through several clerkships. Once you have completed the doctoral program, you would have to start your post-graduate training.

3. Obtain a License


This is the last stage of the process, where you would be required to complete and submit a licensure application to the state board. In order to be eligible for the medical license, you will also have to pass a board-approved exam.

The time it takes to become a doctor in Maine depends on the person’s area of specialty. Typically, candidates are expected to graduate from a 4-year long undergraduate program. After completing the pre-medical education, candidates are required to complete a 4-year long medical school, which is followed by a residency. The residency program usually takes anywhere between three to seven years to complete.

Aspiring physicians are expected to meet the following requirements in order to become licensed:

The individual must be willing to pay all applicable fees related to the licensure application process.

*Please note that international medical school graduates can also apply for a medical license in Maine, however they have to meet a different set of requirements. If you want more information about these requirements, then we would recommend you to visit the relevant state pages.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has published the wage statistics for Physicians and Surgeons and has segmented this broad category into many sub-segments. We will be using the salary data of one of these categories, called Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. It has been reported that Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric working in Maine earned an annual mean salary of $279,700 in 2020.

The latest projections by O*Net Online forecast a 2% growth in job opportunities for “Physicians, All Other” working in Maine for the decade 2018 and 2028.