Studying a career in the United States is the dream of many young people. The American educational system offers great training in countless careers. However, some of them can be very expensive and require a great deal of time and money. This is the case of some healthcare careers in the USA. Here we tell you the necessary steps to study some of them:
MEDICINE
Medicine is one of the highest valued careers in the United States and the world. That is why in the American country there are a series of very demanding requirements. Its duration and cost can make becoming a doctor in the United States a difficult task for international students. These are the steps to follow:
GET A BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Unlike other countries, in the United States, medicine is not a career that a student recently graduated from high school can access. First, it is necessary to study a career (bachelor’s degree) that is related to natural sciences or medicine. These majors can be pre-med, biology, or chemistry, among other examples. This is the only period in which you can get a sports scholarship.
MEDICAL SCHOOL AND ADMISSION TEST (MCAT)
Once the race is finished, the next step is to start the medical school. For that, it is necessary to pass the admission exam. This is a standardized, computer-based test that tests knowledge of scientific principles, written analysis, and other subjects.
Passing this exam begins the medical career. This is a time of 4 years.
- It is possible to get some financial aid for medical school, although it is difficult. Some hospitals and other institutions offer sponsorship or funding programs for medical students. Typically, students receive financial aid in exchange for a commitment to work at the sponsoring institution after graduation.
HOME
After finishing medical school and obtaining a medical degree, the residency begins. Here graduates can choose to specialize in family medicine, cardiology, pediatrics… among others. It can last between 3 and 7 years, depending on the specialty . Residents hone their practical skills under the guidance of expert physicians and gain experience in treating patients. Some doctors choose to continue their learning and further specialize in a particular area, while others prefer not to.
SPECIALIZATION ( FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS )
After completing residency, some physicians may choose to have additional education within the specialty they have treated in residency. These programs are called fellowship training and in them the applicants work side by side with experienced specialists. In this way, if a traumatologist wants to specialize in knee operations, this would be the way to do it. These programs provide the opportunity to gain advanced experience in a specific area of medicine to treat patients in specialized ways, contribute to research, or achieve a leadership position in your field.
NURSING
In the case of nursing, the process is much simpler. International students are required to take the SAT and the TOEFL or Duolingo. After this, they can apply to the nursing schools of their choice.
It is the part of validation or homologation of the title that can be more complicated, as happens with most healthcare careers in the USA.
PHYSIOTHERAPY
As in medicine, physiotherapy is another of the health careers in the USA in which you need to follow a longer path than in Spain.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Physiotherapy programs in the United States are considered postgraduate, so you must complete a degree before applying. As in medicine, it is easier to get scholarships for this period than for the postgraduate program in physiotherapy.
MEET THE PREREQUISITES
Some physical therapy programs in the United States require students to complete prior courses in science, mathematics, biology, or statistics. These requirements may vary depending on the center, so it is important to make sure beforehand.
COMPLETE A PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM
These programs are usually graduate programs leading to becoming a doctor of physical therapy. They last approximately 3 years and in them you learn theory as well as do supervised clinical practices.
GET A STATE LICENSE
For those who intend to practice as a physical therapist in the United States, the next step is to obtain a state license. The requirements to get it depend on the state, but usually include passing a licensing exam such as the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), among other things.
CONTINUE EDUCATION
Physiotherapy is a profession in constant evolution and it is important to recycle and learn new advances.
PHARMACY
Pharmacy is a career quite similar to medicine in terms of requirements. For pharmacy they are the following:
GET A BACHELOR’S DEGREE
As with medicine and physiotherapy, to study pharmacy it is necessary to have a science degree such as biology or chemistry.
TAKE THE ADMISSION TEST (PCAT)
Some centers may ask for the Pharmacy College Amission Test (PCAT). It is important to find out if the schools to which you apply require it and to prepare it in case they do.
APPLY TO PHARMACY PROGRAMS AND INTERVIEW (IF REQUIRED).
Some schools may include an interview as part of their requirements. Find out about the admission process.
COMPLETE THE PHARMACY PROGRAM
Once you’re admitted to the program, it’s time to complete it! Here you will gain both theoretical and practical experience necessary to become a pharmacist.
GET THE LICENSE
In case you want to practice as a pharmacist in the USA, it is necessary to obtain a state license. The requirements depend on the state but usually include passing an exam, among others.
VET
EARN AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
Veterinary is another example of health careers in the USA that require a previous university degree. They do not require a specific degree, but students typically choose careers related to the biological sciences.
MEETS THE PREREQUISITES
Each school may have different requirements, so it is important to know all of them and make sure they are met. Some schools may even require work experience or volunteering in the veterinary field.
TAKE THE GRE TEST (IF NEEDED)
The Graduate Record of Study exam is required by some veterinary schools as part of the admissions process. Find out if the school you want includes this test as a requirement.
COMPLETE THE VETERINARY DEGREE
Once you are admitted to a veterinary school, it is time to study for the degree that will make you a veterinarian.
LICENSE EXAM IN THE UNITED STATES OR HOMOLOGATION IN SPAIN
A state license is required to practice as a veterinarian in the United States. You generally need to pass the National Veterinary Licensing Exam. If what you want is to practice as a veterinarian in Spain, you will have to request the homologation of your degree from the Ministry of Education. These procedures can be complex and take time, so it is advisable to request information from the ministry itself.
We hope that this summary on the requirements for healthcare careers in the USA has been useful to you! If you also want to study at a university in the US, you have the option.