How many years of college are needed to become a doctor specializing in....?

Question

1) Cardiology
2) Hematology
3) Intensive Care
4) Pulmonology
5) Diagnostics


*I`m particulary interested in Diagnostics, but I want to see how much schooling is involved with each of the careers.

Answer 1

I was talking about the (terrible) show HOUSE M.D. with some other premed students on StudentDoctor.net and none of us have ever heard of a Diagnostics department in real life.

I've shadowed a lot of doctors, read a lot about medicine, volunteered in hospitals, etc and I've never, ever seen anything about a Diagnostics residency or department. So don't bet on that one because it likely doesn't exist.

If you want to be the specialist who knows all the weird genetic/viral abnormalities, you could look into a residency in Medical Genetics or Infectious Diseases. They don't have doctors who just walk around and solve the cases that other doctors can't solve.

In regards to your list: All of the first four, with the possible exception of Intensive Care (there are a lot of intensive care sections...), are fellowships that sprout out of (and after) a residency in Internal Medicine.

Internal Medicine residencies are typically 3-4 years and not difficult to get whatsoever. However, scoring the fellowships (like Cardiology) usually requires brains, clinical excellence, and connections definitely help too!

Good luck!

Answer 2

College is the same for all of these, 4 years. So is medical school after college, 4 years. Another year of 'internship", now called first year residency is then needed. Now depending on the specialty, residency and fellowship training add another 3 to 5 years.
Keep studying.....

Answer 3

You need four years to receive a Bachelors of Science, then you go into Medical School and that is usually another four years, and if you are specializing in a certain area it could be a little longer. Total you are looking at about 8 years. It'll be worth it though. What an accomplishment!