There are a lot of details that you need to be aware of before planning a career in the medical field. The following guide sheds some light on this process.
Should I Become a Doctor in Maryland?
If you want to become a doctor in the state of Maryland and help people get well, then read the following guide for more detail.
| Education Required | Medical and a professional degree |
| License/Certification | State issued license is mandatory |
| Experience/Training | Residency of 3 – 9 years long |
| Key Skills | Should be able to handle pressure, Ability to think quickly, Improvisation, Dexterity, Patience, etc. |
| Annual Mean Salary – US (2020) | $218,850 (Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric) |
| Annual Mean Salary – Maryland (2020) | $206,770 (Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric) |
| Job Outlook – Maryland (2018-2028) | 21% (Physicians, All Other) |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*Net Online
Steps Become a Doctor in Maryland
To become a doctor in Maryland, aspiring medical personnel will have to do a lot of planning and research beforehand. The process is long and requires effort, but the result is worth it. So buckle up and follow the steps below:
- Get a Bachelor’s Degree
This 4-year long degree is a pre-requisite for medical schools. There is no particular major requirement, though students are recommended to take up pre-medicine courses.
- Get a Medical Degree
Once you have cleared the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), you can enroll in a medical school and begin your 4-year program. The first two years of this program would focus on the foundational coursework in medicine. The last two years would involve rotations through various hospital specialty departments. These rotations would be under the watchful eyes of trained and licensed medical staff.
- Complete a Residency
Residency programs are chosen based on the interests and future plans of aspiring doctors. Residency programs typically last from three to eight years, though they can be as less as one year as well, in case of certain programs. The state of Maryland requires the completion of at least one year of postgraduate training to be completed through an accredited program.
- Get Licensed
To get licensed, you will have to complete a comprehensive application packet provided by the state of Maryland. This would include the provision of your basic data, such as your name, address and date of birth etc. In addition to this, you will need to provide a chronology of activities, starting from the date you completed medical school, up until applying for licensure. You will have to provide verified documents of your professional education and postgraduate training. After this, you must clear the licensing exam.
- Go for a Specialization
Once you have completed the process to become a general physician, you can go for further studies as a specialized doctor, such as an anesthesiologist, pediatrician on an internist.
How Much Does a Doctor Make in the Maryland?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Surgeons in Maryland made an annual mean income of $284,120. The amount earned would vary according to specialization. For instance, pediatricians in Maryland made $168,580, while Psychiatrists in Maryland made $215,000 in annual mean wages.
Career Outlook
According to the latest published data by O*Net Online, the occupational category of “Physicians, All Other” is expected to enjoy an incredible job growth of 21% from 2018 to 2028. This growth rate is much higher than the national average, which is 5%.