How Can I Become an Endocrinologist

An endocrinologist is a type of physician who helps people manage endocrine diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hyper or hypothyroidism, or certain types of obesity. These professionals specialize in the function of glands that play a part in releasing or producing hormones in the human body.

Endocrinology is indeed a rewarding and in-demand specialty. If you have plans of entering this field, then take a look at this article. It will help you understand how to become an Endocrinologist.

If you want to help patients recover from unusual diseases and want to help reduce their anxiety, then you should think about becoming an endocrinologist.
Since Endocrinology is a sub-specialty of medicine, thus endocrinologists have to fulfill the requirements that doctors have to meet. Take a look at the table below to learn about the licensing and training requirements for Physicians and Surgeons.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Forecasts indicate that Physicians and Surgeons will enjoy an employment growth of 3% from 2020 to 2030. This figure has been taken from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In order to become an Endocrinologist, candidates are required to pass the through the following steps:

1. Earn a Bachelor’s degree

Since Endocrinologists are physicians, they have to follow the same route as doctoral students. First of all, they have to complete a 4-year long bachelor’s program in a science related major. The curriculum of the bachelor’s degree helps prepare candidates for medical school. Students are also advised to gain volunteer experience by working at local hospitals in order to make their medical school application stand out.

2. Prepare to Gain Admission into a Medical School

After completing undergraduate studies, students must obtain a medical degree. But first, they are required to pass the Medical College Administrations Test, known as MCAT. This is a standardized MCQ-based test that helps medical schools select the best applicants. If the candidate is successful at getting a good MCAT score, he/she will be able to get admission into a good medical school.

3. Enroll in a Doctoral Program and Complete a Residency Program

After clearing the MCAT, students can either enroll in Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O) or a Doctor of Medicine (M.D) program. These programs can be completed within four years. The first two years of the doctoral program mostly focus on classroom studies, while the remaining two years focus of clinical rotations in a variety of hospitals. Once candidates have completed their degree, they also have to complete a 2 to 3-year long residency program.

3. Meet Licensure Requirements

In order to work as an Endocrinologist in the U.S., candidates are required to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA). Moreover, candidates also have to earn Board Certification in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology in order to be eligible for a state license. Once the candidates have met all these requirements and have completed a 2 to 3-year long fellowship program, he/she will be given a license.

The typical training for Endocrinologists usually involves four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, two to three years of residency, and two to three years of fellowship. In addition to completing the education and training requirements, Endocrinologists also have to pass a series of exams. Thus, the entire process may easily take more than twelve years.

In order to work as an Endocrinologist, candidates have to:

 

BLS has not given separate wage estimates for Endocrinologists, therefore we will use the wage estimates for the category of General Internal Medicine Physicians. It has been reported that these professionals made an annual mean wage of $210,960 in 2020.

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