Becoming a doctor takes passion, dedication, intelligence, and stamina. You'll have to devote many years to hard work, training, and study, sometimes missing out on fun and making sacrifices to pursue your dreams. But in return, you'll work in an extremely rewarding, lucrative, and stimulating field--and, of course, as a doctor, you'll help people on a daily basis.

Getting There
Medical school--notoriously difficult--is typically four years long and incorporates training in a wide range of health sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pathology. In addition, med students receive extensive clinical instruction, doing rounds in teaching hospital and clinics. After graduation, new MDs or DOs continue their training in programs called residencies, where they learn the nuts and bolts of a certain medical specialty, such as pediatrics, surgery, or anesthesiology. If medical school is tough, residency is even tougher, requiring long hours, difficult work, and tireless dedication to your job.

What You'll Study in College
Students begin their formal academic preparation for medical school in college. Before applying, pre-meds must take one year of college-level biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Some medical programs also require calculus, biochemistry, or English classes, but these requirements vary from school to school. Other than the prerequisites, pre-meds can major in any subject they like, from art history to engineering. In fact, medical schools often prefer students who demonstrate a well-rounded undergraduate education. No matter what your major, you'll have to do well in most of your classes. Since medical schools are looking for only the best and brightest, most successful applicants have a strong grade point average (GPA) in both science and non-science classes. In fact, most med students had an A-minus average as an undergraduate.

In addition to prerequisite courses, pre-meds take a special standardized test, called the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) in their junior year. The MCAT tests knowledge of basic sciences, as well as reading and writing ability. If that weren't enough, medical schools also expect applicants to have a good deal of volunteer and/or work experience in the medical field. As you'd imagine, pre-meds are extremely busy during college, keeping good grades in difficult classes, preparing for the MCAT, and maintaining meaningful volunteer activities. In some cases, pursuing their dream of becoming a doctor means that pre-meds miss out on some aspects of the typical "college experience." But for most pre-meds, the trade-off is well worth the reward of becoming a doctor.

What You Can Study Now
If you're in high school, you can lay the groundwork for academic success in college by following a rigorous course of study in high school. If you have the option, consider enrolling in AP or Honors Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Calculus. Students who take an AP Science course in high school can often take upper-division science classes during their freshman year in college--or simply enter first-year college bio with the advantage of previous instruction. If science isn't your strong suit, you may want to take a challenging AP English or History class instead, so that you'll be better prepared for humanities courses in college. Remember, medical schools prefer well-rounded applicants: You need to hone your abilities in many different subject areas, not just science.

High school is also a great time to start exploring volunteer jobs or summer programs in health sciences. If you don't know where to start, ask about opportunities at a local hospital. Most hospitals have active volunteer programs and will be happy to place an enthusiastic high school student in a volunteer position. Look for a job that will give you a chance to both interact with patients and meet currently practicing physicians. If you find a position you like, you may be able to return to it during your summer vacations from college. Long-term commitment to a volunteer job displays many of the important qualities that medical schools look for in an applicant.

Picking the Perfect School
Finally, one of the most important decisions you will make in high school is where to go to college. You should consider schools that have a strong reputation in science and an active pre-med program. Find out if there are volunteer activities in the area around your prospective school and ask what the acceptance rate to medical school was in the previous year. If you're absolutely certain about going to medical school, several universities offer BA or BS/MD combined degree programs, guaranteeing students a spot in a medical school program if they maintain a certain GPA during undergraduate coursework.

No matter what you choose, remember that no one gets into med school solely based on the college they attended. The most important thing is that you choose a school that fits your personality and needs--a place where you'll be happy, supported, and can excel in your coursework.