Is It Possible To Learn Medicine On My Own Without Being A Student In A Medical University?

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Is it possible to learn medicine on my own without being a student in a medical university? If yes, what would be some useful resources (books, articles, etc.)?

I'm an engineering student, but I always wanted to learn medicine, so is it possible to self-study medical sciences? like physiology, anatomy, etc...





Michelle Hebert, ELS, Medical Editor and Writer


Thanks for the Ask-to-Answer.


Of course it's possible. I did it. I learned very much about medicine without going to college about it or earning a degree. After learning a great deal from reading and writing, I went on to be a medical writer and editor and learned even more first-hand from some of the biggest names in cardiology, oncology, neuro-oncology, endocrinology, psychiatry, dermatology, ophthalmology, and other therapeutic areas.

It all depends on what you want to do with this knowledge. In medicine today it is impossible to get any sort of a job in any medical field without a degree. But don't even begin to think that you can actually PRACTICE medicine without extensive and professional medical training, and accredited, earned credentials!

Start by reading some of the simpler to understand articles in medical tabloids and newspapers.

A good website is the Merck Manual for lay people (what they call "home users): http://www.merckmanuals.com// Another excellent source is actually one I do a lot of work for, Medscape/WebMD: http://www.medscape.com/medscape.... From there you can go on to explore articles in peer-reviewed journals using PubMed: Home - PubMed - NCBI Go only to legitimate websites, not ones filled with quacks or conspiracy theorists. You can determine this in part by checking out its editorial board or board of directors. Look for sites that list lots of MDs and DOs and PhDs in its board of directors/editors.





Xu Beixi, bookworm.
4.3k Views

Pardon me, but I think the OP meant only studying the academic field medicine- since the word "learn" was used specifically, not actually practice... in which case it should be encouraged. I feel every person should have some degree of medical knowledge; it'd probably save a lot of hardship or create a lot of paranoia. (Excuse me as I shoot myself in the foot.)

If you wish, here are some texts you might enjoy:

• Gray's Anatomy, not the TV series- with great, detailed drawings, you'll see anatomy elevated into an art.

• 
  Robbins Basic Pathology- it's fairly easy to digest, with great graphics. Robbins Basic Pathology: with STUDENT CONSULT Online Access, 9e (Robbins Pathology): 9781437717815: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com
  
• Campbell and Reece. A must for basic biology, and has an occasional sense of humour for a textbook: Amazon.com: Campbell Biology (10th Edition) (9780321775658): Jane B. Reece, Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, Robert B. Jackson: Books
• And a website for histology (i.e. looking at human bits under the microscope) Human Histology Virtual Lab - Virtual Histology Laboratory

3 great starter books for allopathic medicine, and you can always start at your university's life sciences or medicine section. Good luck!




Chris X. Yang, Student of Medicine
2.6k Views

Hey there, thank you for the A2A.

It is possible to learn medicine on your own*, actually! There are no restrictions (that I know of) that prevent you from studying a certain topic. The spread of knowledge is fast and everyone is seeping it up at an even faster pace. I would recommend medical journals such as Cell and Nature, as well as any other peer-review journals that you can find. Of course, read about what you are interested in.

PubMed is also a great resource. You are now able to access millions of research articles at your fingertips without leaving the comfort of your house.

In terms of basic biology and chemistry, I would recommend Campbell's Biology and Gilbert's Chemistry. Any of the newer editions will do. Also, try to study physiology and anatomy together. Learning them separately is incredibly boring but learning them together is quite fun. Not only do you get to know the parts, you now know how all the parts work in unison.

As you go more in-depth, I would recommend learning some cell biology and histology, as these are vital for medical research. Genetics could be interesting too.

*Now, are you able to practice medicine freely? No, unfortunately, you are not. Physicians who have graduated from medical schools without a license find it incredibly difficult to find an employer. And trust me, patients do check that you are board licensed, so if you want to PRACTICE medicine, you will need to apply to medical school, graduate, and receive training as a fellow and through a residency program.

Good luck!

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