Medical schools offer students a chance to earn their Doctor of Medicine, leading to practice as medical doctors in the roles of general practitioners or specialists. These programs typically take four years to complete and are followed by a clinical internship and residency that can last between three and eight years. Although program curricula differ, students typically spend their first two years focusing on topics such as biological sciences, psychology, pharmacology and medical ethics. In the final two years of the program, students acquire hands-on training in hospitals and clinics under the supervision of experienced physicians.