What Is a Doctor of Medicine?

What is a Doctor of Medicine?  A Doctor of Medicine is a degree granted by medical schools.  It is an advanced degree requiring years of study after four years of college.  Let’s find out more about what a doctor of medicine degree is and the requirements for obtaining one.   

A Doctor of Medicine degree is abbreviated MD from the Latin term “Medicinae Doctor” which means “Teacher of Medicine.”

• In the countries that offer this kind of degree, a Bachelor’s Degree is required to begin the training. 
• Some countries consider it an advanced academic research degree which is like a Ph.D. 

Getting a Doctor of Medicine Degree

To get a better idea of what a doctor of medicine is, let’s look at the medical degrees and the training required in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations, India, Pakistan, and Argentina. 

• A United States MD degree requires four years of study plus at least one year of internship.  In order to be accepted into a medical educational program, students must pass the Medical College Admission Test.  To specialize, there is a residency required. 

• In Canada, the MD degree is sometimes abbreviated MDCM, which in Latin means “Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery.”  The MD is a first professional degree and not a doctorate of research, as in some countries.     

• In the United Kingdom, Ireland, and some Commonwealth countries, a Doctor of Medicine degree is a postgraduate research degree in medicine.  In order to apply for an MD degree, you must hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree, which has several different abbreviations, like BMBS, MBBS, or MBChB.  You must also have five years of postgraduate experience.  To be awarded an MD degree, you must present a thesis or a portfolio of published work.  The University of Melbourne in Australia is offering an MD degree which is not a research degree but rather a first professional degree in medicine.

• The MBBS degree in India represents specialty training above a post-graduate degree.  It is similar to the United States MD degree plus one year of residency.  It is a clinical qualification rather than a research degree.  The training involves non-surgical disciplines, such as radiology, pathology, internal medicine, etc.  The Master of Surgery, or MS, is needed for surgery, orthopedics, or gynecology.    

• In Pakistan, a degree that is equivalent to the MBBS requires five years of study which includes clinical internships.  There is also one additional year during which the candidate works under a professor.  To specialize, you have to pass the Fellow of College of Physicians and Surgeons exam and then complete an internship for three to six years.

• Argentina requires six years of study and three to four years of residency to obtain a degree equivalent to other Doctor of Medicine degrees. A postgraduate student would have to apply for the MD degree through a Doctorate in Medicine program that is approved by the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation. 

Areas of Specialization for a Doctor of Medicine

Here are just a few of the major areas where physicians and surgeons may specialize and some of the duties they have:

• Anesthesiologists take care of patients before, during, and for a short time after surgery.  They monitor vital signs, like blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature, during surgery.  They also provide pain relief for patients in intensive care units, during labor and delivery, and for those patients suffering from chronic pain.  They are part of a surgical team and confer with surgeons before, during, and after operations.

• General or family physicians will need to assess a wide range of symptoms and will have regular, long-term patients.  Many times they are the first doctor someone will see and if necessary, they will refer the patient to the proper specialist or healthcare facility.     

• Obstetricians and gynecologists are specialists in women’s health.  They deal with women’s health issues, like hormonal disorders or diseases of the reproductive system, as well as pregnancy.  They assist before, during, and after childbirth. 

• Pediatricians care for patients from babies to young adults. They can diagnose and treat diseases and conditions specific to young people, and monitor the growth and progress of children.  Most of their day will be spent in caring for children with infectious diseases, giving immunizations, and treating minor injuries.

• Psychiatrists are mental health caregivers.  They treat mental conditions with drugs, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and hospitalization.  They help patients modify their behavior and may hold individual or group therapy sessions.

• Surgeons treat disease, injury, and deformity with operations.  There are many areas of specialization within this specialty, like orthopedic, neurological, cardiovascular, otolaryngology, or reconstructive surgery.

So, now you know what a doctor of medicine is, how you become one and what medical functions they handle.