Education · 1 of 5

The path

Twelve years after high school before you practice on your own.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Biology, chemistry, physics and math, with the grades for a competitive college.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Any major, as long as you finish the pre-medical science courses and sit the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test).

3. 3

   Medical school

   4 years

   Two years of science, two years of hospital rotations. You graduate a Doctor of Medicine or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

4. 4

   Residency

   4 years

   Four years of obstetrics and gynecology: deliveries, operating room, clinic, emergencies. Paid and supervised throughout.

5. 5

   Board certification

   After residency

   The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology requires written and oral examinations, and the oral one comes after you have been in practice.

6. 6

   Fellowship, if you want one

   3 years

   Maternal-fetal medicine, fertility, gynecologic oncology or urogynecology. Optional, and each adds three years.