How to Become a Doctor in Vermont

Doctors diagnose diseases, treat injuries and perform different diagnostic tests. These professionals also advise their patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They prepare treatment plans for their patients and answer all their health-related queries.

Are you interested in finding out if you have what it takes to become a doctor in Vermont? The following table will shed some light on the career.

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

Aspiring doctors need to get a medical degree or a Ph. D. in order to be eligible to practice. They should take the mandatory undergraduate courses and complete their residency program. After completing all these requirements, these professionals have to obtain licensure keeping in view the requirements of their state. Along with all the other key skills, doctors are expected to be compassionate and patient as this profession requires both these qualities. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, physicians and surgeons are projected to experience 7% growth from 2018-2028.

1. Obtain Your Undergraduate Degree


Students who want to become doctors have to earn a bachelor’s degree before they get into a medical school. Since medical schools do not have any specific major requirement at the undergraduate stage, students are free to choose any major they want. However, they have to complete undergraduate coursework in chemistry, mathematics, biology and physics.

2. Take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)


Aspiring doctors have to take the MCAT to get enrolled in a medical college. It is a standardized test which consists of MCQs and covers topics like organic chemistry, general chemistry, physics and biology. It also examines multiple skills present in students like verbal reasoning, problem solving skill, etc. The MCAT performance scores are required by all colleges across the US.

3. Obtain a Medical Degree


The first two years of the 4-year medical program consist of laboratory and classroom work. Students learn new medical concepts and cover topics like biochemistry, pathology and pharmacology, etc. They also get a chance to study legal healthcare issues.
The last two years of the program allow students to work with patients under the observation of an expert. This exposure helps them choose a specialty area for their residency program.

4. Complete a Residency Program


Aspiring doctors have to complete a residency program which usually lasts from 3-7 years. The duration of the residency program depends on the specialization chosen. During this program, students get a chance to work with patients directly and perform patient care activities.
Some of the specialty areas include psychiatry, anesthesiology, emergency medicine and pediatrics, etc.

5. Obtain Your License

Other than standardized requirements, each state has different requirements. In Vermont, applicants have to be graduates of an accredited medical school and should have completed their residency program as well. They have to give the state approved exam which consists of 13 subjects. It is mandatory for all candidates to score at least 75% in each subject. Once the exam is passed, the candidate can apply for license. A board member may also interview the applicant.

Prospective doctors have to complete their 4-years bachelor’s degree program followed by a 4-year graduate program at an accredited medical school. After students finish the required education, they have to complete the medical residency program. The duration of the program is from 3-7 years depending on the specialty.

Following are the requirements to become a doctor in Vermont:

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean salary of Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in Vermont was $226,390 in 2020.

O*Net Online predicts that job outlook for the occupational category of “Physicians, All Other” working in Vermont will remain the same between 2018 and 2028.