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'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^[1].

Contents

United States and Canada

Equivalent Degrees

Europe

United Kingdom, Ireland and Commonwealth countries (excluding Canada)

References

United States and Canada

In the United States, the M.D. degree is the most common degree held by physicians and surgeons, the other being the D.O. Sometimes, holders of the M.D. are referred to as "allopathic physicians"^[2] or graduates of allopathic schools of medicine^[3], although some claim this term is pejorative.^[4]Students earning an M.D. degree are trained in accredited allopathic schools of medicine^[5] 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.[4]
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.^[6]

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^[7]. An M.D. typically involves either a number of publications or a thesis.

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^[7]. 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. programme.
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., [5]). 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., [6]).
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.

References

1. Hawkins, CF "Write the MD Thesis" in "How To Do It" London: British Medical Association 2nd ed. 1985 ISBN 0-7279-0186-9
2. ''Physicians and Surgeons.'' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Dept of Labor. [1]
3. ''Physician Education, Licensure, and Certification.'' American Medical Association.[2]
4. Naturopathy, pseudoscience, and medicine: myths and fallacies vs truth, Atwood KC, , , MedGenMed : Medscape general medicine, 2004
5. ''Physician Education, Licensure, and Certification.'' American Medical Association.[3]
6. Years States Passed Unlimited Practice Laws American Osteopathic Association
7. Hawkins ''op cit'' p 60
8. Hawkins ''op cit'' p 60