According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for emergency room doctors is excellent, with a 14 percent increase in jobs nationally by 2016. Many hospitals are recruiting emergency room doctors because of the increased need of services. These professionals work long hours, often between 60 and 80 hours a week. To become an emergency room doctor, you must complete your bachelor's degree, medical school, internship and emergency-room residency.
Instructions
1. Complete your bachelor's degree. Medical schools require that applicants complete a full year of each of the following: biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. Also, they may require biochemistry and calculus, but check with the medical schools you're interested in to make sure.
2. Take your Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). When applying for medical schools, your MCAT test results will be reviewed. To schedule a testing date and time, register online (see Resources), or call 202-828-0690.
3. Apply to medical schools. To find schools, check out the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). They have a comprehensive directory of 130 accredited medical schools in the United States, and 19 in Canada. Completing medical school will take 4 years on a full-time track. You will also need to spend an additional year as an intern, which your medical school will assist in facilitating.
4. Serve 2-7 years as a resident in an emergency room. Expect to work long hours; typically 60 or more hours weekly.
5. Take your state board exam. Once you've satisfied your education and residency requirements, you may take your state's board exam. This will make you a board-certified emergency room doctor. Since each state's requirements differ, check with your state's medical board.
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