A person wishing to pursue a career as an infectious disease doctor, also known as an infectiologist, can expect to spend many years studying and training. A doctor specializing in infectious disease, like all doctors, must complete medical school. Following that, board certification requires back-to-back fellowships in internal medicine and infectious disease. Once certified, these doctors can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of people who have serious infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or any other contagious condition that can cause serious harm to the body.
If becoming an infectious disease doctor is a goal, students should begin their studies as early as high school, focusing on mathematics and science in particular. In subjects like calculus, chemistry, and biology, taking Advanced Placement courses to earn college credits is recommended. To get into a good college, students will need a good grade point average.
People can choose from a variety of majors during their undergraduate studies. One of these is pre-med, but other majors such as microbiology are also popular. Because of its applications in infectious disease, a microbiology major, if accepted by medical schools, could be a good choice.
Students apply to medical school after graduating from college and passing the medical college admission test (MCAT). They’ll be studying to become doctors for the next three to four years. Students can use their fourth year as an internship year or to narrow down their specialties. If a student still wants to be an infectious disease doctor, he or she will need to apply for residencies in internal medicine to become a specialist.
Internist residencies typically last 3-4 years, but the resident who wants to become an infectious disease doctor hasn’t finished his or her studies yet. The next step is to apply for and be accepted into an infectious disease fellowship or residency. There are slightly more than 100 of these in places like the United States, so students will need to have excelled in residency training programs and will need strong recommendations from their supervisors.
In order to become an infectious disease doctor, you may need to complete a fellowship program in infectious disease. Most are three years long, and some allow doctors to specialize in specific types of infectious diseases, such as AIDS, by adding on an additional year of study. After completing all of the required education, the doctor completes the necessary paperwork or takes the necessary exams for board certification in internal medicine and infectious disease. Depending on the region, credentialing or certifying agencies may have different requirements for board certification.