English Studying Medicine in the USA (California)

I'vre read the sticky thread but I need some more personal advice..

For Undergraduate Study

Yes, you can register for either the SAT or ACT; some American colleges/universities might require you to take SAT II Subject Tests. I'm not familar with GCSE or A Levels but I would assume you should strive for the best results. American colleges/universities do not offer a degree in Medicine but you can major in a science field like Biology on a pre - medicine concentration track. The SAT II: Subject Tests or SAT Subject Tests are a separate exam from the SAT meaning you take a test in a specific subject area like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics Level 1 or 2 since you’re in the science field. This link from College Board should help you: http://sat.collegeboard.com/register...ect-test-dates. I believe you can also register to take the SAT Subject Tests probably in London, England – check out this link for overseas testing: http://sat.collegeboard.com/register...national-dates.

For Graduate Study

Medical school in the US would be interpreted as postgraduate study so you will need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited UK university. Typically, a 1st or upper 2.1 UK classification degrees are favored for admissions to US medical schools. The majority of medical school applications are submitted through AMCAS, the American Medical College Application Service. Medical schools in the U.S. are quite expensive with the majority of students self – funded for their studies (i.e. loans).

If You're Accepted to a US Medical School

This is the process...

You take required coursework in your first year which is standard across most US medical schools. At the end of 2nd year all medical students take the first part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE-1), administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). The purpose of the NBME is to prepare and administer a test that states feel confident in using to determine medical competency when deciding to issue a license to practice medicine. There is no national license to practice medicine. Each state has its own rules and issues its own license.

The USMLE is a three-part exam:
• Part 1 is taken in the 2nd year of medical school and tests your knowledge in the basic medical sciences.
• Part 2 is taken in the 4th year of medical school and tests whether you can apply your medical knowledge in providing patient care under supervision.
• Part 3 is taken in the first year of residency (internship) and tests your ability to apply your medical knowledge in providing unsupervised medical care.
These are very difficult exams. However, over 90% of students from U.S. M.D. schools pass these exams (see www.usmle.org).

In the 3rd year, medical students begin rotating through each of the specialties of medicine, such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, etc. In the 4th year more clinical rotations with a higher level of responsibility are completed, in addition to electives.

Once you finish medical school in the US, you do your residency program for at least 3 years at a hospital in the U.S. You visit several hospitals around the country in the hopes of securing placement at a particular hospital. Residency is a 3+ year training program in a medical specialty. The first year of training after medical school is called internship, or more commonly it is called first year of residency or PGY-1 (PostGraduate Year-1). The following years are called PGY-2, PGY-3, etc. The training that is done after a residency (in a subspecialty) is usually called a fellowship. Much of what you will learn in your chosen specialty will be learned in your residency. The first year of residency (internship or PGY-1) is spent either rotating through different specialties or rotating to different areas within one specialty. In my case I spent the year rotating, in 1 month intervals, to the ER, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Intensive Care Unit, Orthopedics, Pediatrics and OB/GYN. After the first year much more emphasis is placed on your own specialty.

After completing a residency or fellowship, you must obtain a medical license so that you can practice medicine. Each state has its own individual rules. For graduates of U.S. medical schools this is a relatively straightforward procedure. Generally you have to have graduated from an approved medical school in the U.S. Medical schools are approved or accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which is a joint committee of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and The American Medical Association (AMA). Many states require only 1 year of training after medical school (internship) in an approved residency program as the bare minimum for obtaining a license. Residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) through the Residency Review Committees (RRC). You need to have passed one of several exams to prove that you are competent (such as the USMLE). Letters of reference are usually required. A check of your malpractice history will also be obtained. The rules for graduates of foreign medical schools are more complex and can be obtained from each state medical licensing board.

Becoming a board certified physician in a specialty involves the completion of a residency in a given specialty, then completing a comprehensive exam (often a written and oral exam). When you have satisfied the requirements of that particular board you are now Board certified and are called a Diplomate of that board (e.g. Diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine). There are 24 approved medical specialty boards in the U.S. (see www.abms.org, the American Board of Medical Specialties). Many boards require recertification every 7-10 years. Once you complete this process, now it is time to find a real job. You can join a group practice, start your own private practice, join a clinic or join an H.M.O. Some physicians are hospital based (emergency physicians, radiologists, pathologists, anesthesiologists) but can be part of a private practice or an employee. Many physicians begin their career at age 29. However, the training for some specialties can last until the physician's early to mid 30's.

Also, don’t put all your eggs in one basket by settling on schools only in CA because medical schools vary across the US with a stronger program probably found outside of CA. Most importantly, if you do a joint MD/PH.D. program you can receive sufficient funding for your study (i.e. tuition costs are covered).

If you have any more questions, do not hesistant to ask.

thank you you've been soo helpful with that answer but i dont think i'll do in now since it's almost impossible to do... as in get in and pay... but if i change my mind this'll be really useful.

I hope you weren't scared off by other posters in this thread, do a pros and cons list and consult this with your parents. I'm happy to help anytime, my older sister is applying to medical school this year.

yeah, i'll still do medicine, but i'll prob stick to the UK and move out to the US when i'm older..

good luck to your sis!