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MD
Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or MD, from the Latin Medicinae Doctor meaning
"Teacher of Medicine,") is an academic degree for medical doctors. It varies
between countries, from being a first professional degree (medical diploma), to
being a relatively rare higher doctoral academic research degree .
United States and Canada
In the United States, the M.D. degree is the oldest and most common degree held
by physicians and surgeons, the other being the D.O.. The M.D. was first granted
in 1767 at Columbia University. Sometimes, holders of the M.D. are referred to
as "allopathic physicians" or graduates of allopathic schools of medicine ,
although some claim this term is pejorative. Students earning an M.D. degree are
trained in accredited allopathic schools of medicine which are overseen by the
Association of American Medical Colleges and the Liaison Committee on Medical
Education, both independent boards of the American Medical Association, the AMA.
Admissions to medical schools in the United States is competitive, with less
than one third of the approximately 35,000 applicants matriculating to a medical
school. Before graduating from a medical school and achieving the degree of
Medical Doctor, students have to pass the United States Medical Licensing
Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and both the Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills
parts of Step 2. The M.D. degree is typically earned in four years. Following
the awarding of the M.D., physicians who wish to practice in the United States
are required to complete at least one internship year (PGY-1) and pass the USMLE
Step 3. Most, in order to receive Board Eligible or Board Accredited status in a
specialty of medicine such as general surgery or internal medicine, then undergo
additional specialized training in the form of a residency. Those who wish to
further specialize in areas such as cardiology or interventional radiology then
complete a fellowship. Depending upon the physician's chosen field, residencies
and fellowships involve an additional three to eight years of training after
obtaining the M.D. This can be lengthened with additional research years, which
can last one, two, or more years.
In Canada, the M.D. is the basic medical degree required to practice medicine;
as well, in most provinces, the provincial college of physicians and surgeons
grants practice rights to American-trained osteopathic physicians. At McGill
University in Montreal, M.D.C.M. (Medicinae Doctorem et Chirurgiae Magistrum)
degrees are awarded.
Though the M.D. degree is a professional doctorate, and not a research
doctorate, many holders of the M.D. degree conduct clinical and basic scientific
research and publish in peer-reviewed journals during training and after
graduation. Some M.D.s choose a research career and receive funding from the NIH
as well as other sources such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. A few even
go on to become Nobel Laureates.
The abbreviation "M.D." is frequently used post-nominally in the US, being put
after the name as a title; however, it is also used on its own in informal
writing, as an abbreviation for "medical doctor." It is one of the most
recognized degrees in the general public and the media, and sometimes
incorporated into the titles of television shows such as House MD, or Doogie
Howser, M.D..
Equivalent Degrees
According to the American Medical Association and the American Medical Student
Association, the M.D. degree is equivalent to the other medical degree held by
licensed U. S. physicians, the D.O. degree. Between 1901 and 1973, the 50 States
enacted laws granting recipients of the D.O. degree the same medical practice
rights as granted to recipients of the M.D. degree.
Further information: Comparison of M.D. and D.O.
Europe
In the European Union, the M.D. is a higher doctoral degree reserved for those
who have contributed significantly to the research or academic study of medicine
or surgery . An M.D. typically involves either a number of publications or a
thesis.
This short section requires expansion.
United Kingdom, Ireland and Commonwealth countries (excluding Canada)
In the United Kingdom and many other Commonwealth countries, the M.D., as said
for the European Union, is a higher doctoral degree reserved for those who have
contributed significantly to the academic study of medicine or surgery . An M.D.
typically involves either a number of publications or a thesis. They may follow
the same research learning pathway as the first two years of a Ph.D., allowing
clinical fellows to pursue combinations of laboratory and clinical-based
research under the supervision of senior clinical and research members of the
School. Given good progress, and by adding a further year, students can convert
to a Ph.D. program.
Alternately, the M.D. may be a degree granted to medical graduates of the same
institution after a body of previously published research is submitted. This may
be considered equivalent to a Ph.D. (e.g., ). Some universities will grant an
M.D. by published research to medical graduates from elsewhere who have some
other degree from them, such as an M.A. (in the case of Oxford or Cambridge), an
MSc or a Ph.D. e.g., ).
The entry-level professional degree in these countries for the practice of
medicine is that of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B., B.S. or
M.B., Ch.B.), earned with typically four to six years of studies and training at
university. The four-year courses are "graduate-entry" and can only be entered
with a previously completed 2 year degree in a relevant subject (usually biology
or biochemistry).
There is also a similar advanced professional degree, the Master of Surgery
(usually Ch.M. or M.S., but M.Ch. in Ireland, Wales and Oxford and M.Chir. at
Cambridge), which is obtained after an M.B., Ch.B. or M.B., B.S.
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