Meet the Doctors & Specialists
Who Teach the Course »

Is a career in medicine right for you? Brown University’s popular course "So you want to be a doctor?" is designed to help you answer that question. In this online course you will experience the practice of medicine firsthand and get a taste of what medical school would be like.

Experience the study and practice of medicine in a whole new way in this ten-week course:

• Explore medicine as a profession from medical ethics to the biology of disease
• Study gross anatomy, histology, physiology, and microbiology in the virtual laboratory
• Visit the human anatomy lab for an up close view of the brain, lungs, liver, and other anatomical structures,  and see how disease impacts these organs
• Preview the steps to earning your medical degree and medical license
• Learn about the ins and outs of medical residency
• Assess and care for the medical needs of  your own virtual patients
• Participate in a medical shadowing experience in a site of your choice. Spend valuable time with a doctor in a hospital, clinic, or office setting.
• Learn about medical specialties from top doctors in their respective fields and the many options for practice across the field of medicine
• Assess your career options with online faculty and fellow students

Build your skills and prepare for success:

• Sharpen the study skills you need to succeed in medical school
• Learn strategies for a successful medical school application
• Discover options for financing a medical education
• Evaluate your talents. Are they a match for the demands of a career in medicine?
• Explore the wide boundaries of medicine, including the humanities, social and behavioral sciences as well as the natural sciences.

Learn more: View the Course Outline »

This online course is taught by a member of Brown University's expert faculty– Stephen Smith, MD, MPH

 Dr. Smith is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine in the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and is Associate Dean Emeritus, a position he held for a quarter of a century. Dean Smith is internationally renowned for his work in medical education. He was the architect of the competency-based curriculum at Brown that has been replicated at many medical schools around the world. More recently, he has developed a virtual practice for an international consortium of medical schools—the International Virtual Medical School (IVIMEDS).

Are you right for this course?

The field of medicine demands dedication to the pursuit of excellence and a commitment to the best interests of patients. This online course demands the same from its students - like medical school, it will be challenging, but the rewards will be great.

It is recommended that applicants successfully complete a basic course in high school biology prior to enrolling in this course.

During each week of this ten-week course you will spend about five hours completing your weekly assignments. The majority of your course time will be spent completing interactive self-study programs, participating in virtual activities with your student group, or in communication with your classmates, medical student teaching assistants, and your professor.

In addition to self-study activities and online communications, you will participate in three webcasts during the program—one at the start of the class, a mid-point "check-in", and a wrap-up discussion at the end of the program.  Each of these will be recorded and available for viewing for the remainder of the course.

Technical requirements for this online course:

• High speed internet access
• Headphones or speakers
• Microphone
• Adobe Flash Player v10
• DVD player (TV or computer)
• Browser requirements:
  • Windows 2000 or later with Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher or Firefox 2.0 or later
  • Mac OS 10 with Firefox and Safari

Course Dates: January 30 - April 9, 2010

Tuition and fees for this ten-week non-credit online course:

• Students registered through November 30, 2009: $2,250
• Students registered December 1, 2009 - January 29, 2010: $2,450
• Course books and supplies: approximately $50