Medical education in the US is highly competitive. It is tough for US students to gain admission in any of the top medical schools in the US and even tougher for foreign students. Since medical schools are largely funded by taxes raised in the states where they are located, they give priority to students from the individual states in the US. It is therefore, difficult for foreign students to gain admission in the medical schools. It is important for the international students to show intent of returning to their home country for practice at the time of applying for their visa. Admission into medical schools require you to complete an undergraduate program with good academic record, MCAT scores, participation in extracurricular activities and a strong personal essay.

The Structure of an MD Program

The duration of MD program is usually four years.During the first two years the students learn about anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology, as well as behavioral sciences besides giving them an overview of patient examination techniques and an introduction to health care. In the third year the students are given an insight into disciplines like pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery while in the fourth year they can take up an elective course.

Doctor of Medicine or MD is conferred to students after completing four years of medical study in the US.