Doctor of Medicine facts for kids

A Doctor of Medicine (often called an MD) is a special degree given to people who want to become doctors. The letters MD come from the Latin words Medicinæ Doctor, which mean "Teacher of Medicine." Medical schools give out this degree.

In some countries, like the United States and Canada, the MD is the main degree you need to become a doctor. To get into medical school, students usually need to have finished a lot of university courses. Most of the time, they already have a Bachelor's Degree before they start.

In other countries, like the United Kingdom and Germany, the MD is a higher degree for doctors who want to do a lot of research. It's similar to a PhD. In these countries, the first degree you get to become a doctor is usually called a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (often shortened to MBBS or MB ChB). This degree is like the MD in the U.S. system.

To practice medicine in countries like the UK, you need more than just the medical degree. You also have to be officially registered with a group like the General Medical Council. This group makes sure doctors are qualified and follow the rules. They can even stop a doctor from practicing if they make serious mistakes. So, doctors need both their degree and to be on this official list to help patients.

Images for kids

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  The thesis presented by Claude Bernard to obtain his doctorate of medicine (1843)

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  The University of Freiburg Faculty of Medicine

See also

In Spanish: Doctor en Medicina para niños