General Practitioners

High School

High school students who plan to become physicians should take a college preparatory curriculum that includes history, social studies, math, and foreign languages. Specific high school classes that will be helpful to prospective physicians include health, biology, chemistry, physics, and physiology. English and speech classes are also useful because doctors need to develop good communication skills, both written and oral.

Postsecondary Training

After receiving the doctor of medicine, M.D., or the doctor of osteopathic medicine, D.O. degree, you must fulfill a one- to three-year hospital residency requirement where you are actively involved in patient treatment as part of a hospital medical team. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) offers a residency program search engine at https://www.aafp.org/students-residents/medical-students/become-a-resident/find-residency-programs.html. At the end of an accredited residency program, physicians must pass certification examinations. Some choose to complete a one-year fellowship program. "Many people choose a fellowship as a post-residency option because it offers more concentrated training in fields such as faculty development, geriatrics, obstetrics, preventive medicine, research, rural medicine, and sports medicine," according to the AAFP.

The AAFP provides comprehensive information about getting into and being successful in medical school at https://www.aafp.org/students-residents/medical-students/considering-medical-school/getting-into-medical-school.html.

Other Education or Training

Keeping up with treatment developments and other cutting-edge medical research is key to success as a general practitioner. Professional associations, such as the AAFP, American Medical Association, and the American Osteopathic Association, provide continuing education (CE) opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.