Becoming a doctor can take nine or more years of education and training: four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, plus one year or more in residency.

What does a doctor earn?

The salary of a physician can depend on the specialty he or she practices. In 2012, the median yearly pay for primary care doctors in the United States was $220,942. Physicians practicing a medical specialty made a higher median yearly pay that year: $396,233, including a median salary of $431,977 for anesthesiologists.