In the United States, two degree options lead to practice as a physician:

• MD (doctor of medicine)
• DO (doctor of osteopathic medicine)

Allopathic (MD-granting) and osteopathic (DO-granting) medical schools have similar application requirements and program structures, though they use distinctive application services and licensing exams. Osteopathic medicine takes a holistic approach to health and includes focused training on the musculoskeletal system and the Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). Both MD and DO graduates can practice any specialty and are fully certified after passing board exams.

Physicians have a variety of options and depth of practice, often serving as leaders of teams and regularly advocates for their patients. With the opportunity to subspecialize, physicians can engage in lifelong learning and enter very niche fields of practice. The nature of their job also offers physicians the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with their patients and to be an integral part of a patient’s care team by guiding treatment.

Medical schools do not have a standard list of competencies that they expect from their applicants. However, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has developed a list that they consider necessary and relevant for individuals entering the profession after graduating from medical school.

Professional Competencies

• Commitment to Learning and Growth
• Cultural Awareness
• Cultural Humility
• Empathy and Compassion
• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Reliability and Dependability
• Resilience and Adaptability
• Service Orientation
• Teamwork and Collaboration

Thinking and Reasoning Competencies

• Critical Thinking
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Scientific Inquiry
• Written Communication

Science Competencies

• Human Behavior
• Living Systems

Learn More About AAMC Competencies

There is a set of commonly required prerequisites for medical school; we have specific information on these courses on our prerequisites page. 

Almost all medical schools require the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is a content based exam. Some schools also require situational judgment tests (SJT) such as CASPer and the AAMC PREview. These tests aim to assess how applicants respond to various situations and scenarios. You will need to review the requirements for each of school to ensure you are fulfilling their requirements.

More information about standardized tests

Medical schools are looking for evidence that candidates for admission are making an informed choice and that they are altruistically oriented. Hence, experiential activities that help you to learn about the profession are important.

Experiential learning

Because many students at Brown are interested in this profession, we provide detailed information about the application process on our Apply pages.