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Want To Study MEDICINE In The US?

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timetravelerswife

Louise - are you planning to emigrate to the states or come back to the UK after medical school? Perhaps you haven't considered it either way yet.

well the whole reason im going to the US for med school (hopefully) is to get away from teh UK's appauling training scheme for graduates which I dont really want to take part in, and it will be easier for me to get onto residency schemes in the US with a US degree than from the UK, so yes I am planning to emigrate on a J1 visa for the period it takes me to train (5-6 years for surgery i hope) After that i may return to the UK and do part private part NHS work, or if i have a green card I may settle out there. All i know for certain is that i dont want to train in the NHS with it is as it is now.

Reply 21

Naomi Woah

So after training in the UK for 6 years, is it possible to go to a residency in the States or do you still need to do the additional few years at Med School there? Anyone know? I've attempted to research myself but to not much avail really-& I'm guessing that getting a Green Card is still a mission even as a graduate, unless there happens to be a shortage of medical professionals soon. As you can tell, I am all for training here but ultimately I want to settle in the US after spending alot of time out there over the last few years, so whatever will achieve that but I fear that it may be bordering on impossible! :frown:

Reply 22

Kaye91

Hey :]

Jus wondering,

To be a pre-med student, taking SAT II in Bio Chem and Maths II will get me in most universities there right? Cuz I really want to go to a university in California, particularly Berkeley, and they're asking for 2 Sat II in 2 different subjects. Do you think I'd still get a chance if I just did those three Sat II I mentioned earlier (Bio Chem and Maths II)?

Im really worried because I need to know what tests to take for my SATs cuz Im going to need to start studying for them as soon as possible.

And would anyone please explain a brief outline of the curriculum for pre-meds..

like what would i take as a major and how long does a major take to complete, as well as the other subjects that I have to take aside from that.

If I was to take Bio Orgo Calculus Chem, how would I be able to split them up according to what year I will be at Uni?

Thanks

Reply 23

Kaye91

Louise_1988

That is the EXACT same reason why I want to move to the US both for my medical education and hopefully my permanent career as a doctor there. Im worried that I won't be able to get the work experience needed to make me look good for medical school, since my vise would still be a student visa..unless my parents get jobs there as nurses which hopefully pretty soon.

Will that change anything? I mean - Will I still be applying as a student visa, or can I apply with that visa that enables you to gradually build up residency then citizenship?

Reply 24

arod

FunkyPunk

This thread is excellent but my only concern is that i haven't taken physics for gcse so i'm likely to not have an A level in physics. The Mcat test involves physics so am i screwed?
FunkyPunk

You can buy the practice test books for the MCAT - just like the SAT.
Get a used one on amazon or ebay and try a few of the tests, if you can't do the questions then you know where you stand... take a summer course or get some tutoring on how to write the exam as the MCAT marks will be used in the entrance criteria by many of the med schools

Reply 25

khil

I had a Canadian Medic friend at uni once and she actually flew over to study Medicine in the UK. I remember her saying that you can't study Medicine as an undergraduate for Medicine - I don't remember if that applies for the US or Canada or both, though. She tells me Medicine is only a postgraduate course.

Reply 26

"Hurricane"

irisng

That is true. In both the US and Canada, it is a professional (post-grad) degree.

Reply 27

"Hurricane"

Kaye91

With a student visa, you can still get practical training (internship) but you cant get a JOB off-campus. So I dont think it will affect your "medical" work experience, and if you want to make money, you can still get a campus job. They wont pay you as much as off-campus jobs, but they're still sufficient.

Now if your parents are moving to the states, I assume they have a green card, which is a residency visa. This makes you a US resident instead of an international student. This would be good for you incase you werent admitted to private medical schools (high admission standards) or you dont have enough funding (usually private med schools are extremely expensive). This residency visa will allow you to apply and be accepted to public med schools if you qualified. Public med schools DO NOT accept international students.

Reply 28

"Hurricane"

Kaye91

Good choice there, Berkeley is a great institution.

As for the SAT subjects, make sure you do the SAT I, it is the most important and it is a deciding factor in your application. You said you wanted to do 3 SAT II subjects, which is great. As for which subjects, you'd have to decide what will you major in. If you're going to major in either chem, bio, or biochem, those three subjects are a good choice. But fortunately, those 3 majors arent the only majors that will get you to med school. You can actually do any major you like, you will just have to take the pre med requirements (some bio courses, some chem courses, a couple of phy courses, a couple of maths courses). Not sure if those are the specific requirements, but they're similar. You will be given all the necessary information once you meet your advisor when you get to college. So just choose whatever major you're INTERESTED in, then choose related SAT II subjects, though SAT II Math should be done whatever major you would like to do.

I hope this helps.

Reply 29

Kaye91

Thanks Hurricane, that really helped - a lot.
Every little detail that I wanted to know have all been mentioned!
:smile:

Reply 30

"Hurricane"

Kaye91

Thanks Hurricane, that really helped - a lot.
Every little detail that I wanted to know have all been mentioned!
:smile:

You're welcome.

Reply 31

Descartesz

From the Amherst College website:

SOME UP-FRONT ADVICE

No single formula guarantees acceptance into medical school. A practicing pediatrician may need different personal and academic qualifications from a research pathologist, for example. But here are five things we've noticed that many successful Amherst applicants do:

•

They engage enthusiastically in their whole undergraduate education.

•

They choose a major--science or non-science--that interests them, and pick challenging courses outside the major that also interest them. Because they're interested in learning, they do well in their courses. Their professors get to know them and can provide them with strong recommendations.

•

They do well in the required premedical science courses.

•

Whether their major is in science or non-science, they have ability and genuine interest in scientific understanding that shows in their work in the required premed courses.

•

They show accomplishment and leadership outside the classroom.

•

They get involved in a sustained way doing something worthwhile that they love doing and are good at doing--volunteering, mastering a musical instrument and performing, doing research, or many other things.

•

They have contact with doctors and hospitals.

•

During the two or three years prior to applying to medical school, they shadow, intern, work, or volunteer with doctors and/or in hospitals.

•

They often apply to enter medical school later than the Fall immediately after graduation.

Applying for admission a year or two after graduation enhances their qualifications, and they're not behind in their career--the average age of all first-year medical students in the U.S. is now 25. If they are prepared and motivated to plunge right into the premedical science courses when they arrive at Amherst, then so much the better. But many who are later successful in being accepted don't feel so prepared or motivated at first, and they take the courses when they are prepared and motivated.

Unlike other students at Amherst who only have to fulfill requirements for a major, if you are considering a career in medicine you must also fulfill medical school entrance requirements.

Almost every medical school in the country requires at least the following:

Lab Sciences:
a year of general chemistry (with lab)
a year of organic chemistry (with lab)
a year of general physics (with lab)
a year of biology (with lab)

English:
a year of college English

Mathematics:
a year of "college mathematics", by which most schools mean precalculus math (algebra and trigonometry) but not specifically calculus. Some do require a semester of calculus; only Harvard and Duke currently require a full year of calculus. Brown requires a statistics course, and several schools require 2 semesters of college math chosen among calculus, statistics or computer science.

A few schools also require:

Social or behavioral science courses, or more biology. Forty-nine of the 126 U.S. medical schools now say they recommend biochemistry (usually non-lab) in addition to the standard two other biology courses. For admission in 2007, thirteen other schools specifically require biochemistry: UCDavis, UCIrvine, USC, U. Florida Gainesville, Florida State, U. Hawaii, U. Michigan, Mayo, U. Minnesota, U. Nebraska, U. New Mexico, U. Oregon, and U. Texas San Antonio.
Information about requirements for specific medical schools can be found in the Association of American Medical Colleges publication, Medical School Admissions Requirements, updated annually. On campus, this book is available in the Career Center library and on reserve at the Merrill Science Library. Using this book, we have compiled a pamphlet (available free in the OCC library) that tabulates in condensed form the requirements for each of the 126 U.S. medical schools.

See http://www.amherst.edu/~sageorge/guide1.html for more.

Reply 32

Bluestarlie

Kaye91

Well, if you want to come to the U.S. for med school, you have to meet their prerequisites. It depends on what school you are interested in because not all requirements are the same. Not all medicine schools in the U.S. are the same, but they are pretty good and competitive too. It does not matter what school you want to go to and the chance that they are just good as other. It depends on what they are looking for. Some are interested in higher GPA, better score on MCAT, etc.

Why are you taking SAT? If you want to do med school in the U.S., you might want to study for MCAT. I believe you need to take many courses in science such as physics, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, zoology, and organic chemistry. I advise you to come here for college education. When a person tells you that it does not matter what degree you have, actually that is not true. They prefer students who have a degree in science field. They are very picky. If a student has a bachelor of science in chemistry, they might like the student more if it has masters in chemistry. I know a girl who is a straight A student and very intelligent, but she did not get in. She is doing her phd in inorganic chemistry now, but her dream on being a doctor is not going to give up. She is going to try again after she gets her phd.

This is an example if you are interested in University of Arizona Med school. That is our prerequisites.

http://www.admissions.medicine.arizona.edu/prerequisites.cfm

Reply 33

digitalis

Although I know it's a long time ago this post was made, the UK training system, whilst in a mess still guarantees you a job after you graduate. If you are a UK citizen and intend to go down an American medical degree route, it is hugely more expensive and hugely more competitive for reasons mentioned in the thread than staying at a British university. Bear in mind you will graduate two years earlier than your American counterparts, that's two years more practical experience as a doctor that will help you if you decide to go to America. If you want to practice in America, you have to take the USMLE licencing exams, split into three parts which are generally thought to be an absolute nightmare. You should be aiming for high 80s/90s in these exams to put you at a competitive advantage with your American counterparts, as once you complete this exam you are on an equal standing with Americans in the MATCH residency matching system. The USMLE exams are around 8 hours each, more info on Google.

Reply 34

TSR Community Staff

The contents of the first post in this medicine in the US thread have been transfered to the wiki as part of the forum to wiki transference project.

Anyone can now add to or update the information contain on the page.

Please feel free to do this as the content may need updating to make it relevant for people considering applying there in future.

If you need any help with editing the wiki, please use the Editing Help page or ask in the Wiki forum.

Reply 35

yalda_melica

im considerin studyin in canada
but i dont know how things wrk
cuz im doin ma AS levels at the moment
so wen i finish ma alevel wud it be possile to do a medicine degree in canada ???
:s-smilie:

Reply 36

digitalis

Go and look at some Canadian medical schools prospectuses, then ask a bone question.

Reply 37

Scottish Chap

flugestuge

In theory that is true.

However, the reality is that FMGs ( Foreign Medical Graduates ) in the US have a hard time.
They end up with the jobs that the local graduates do not want and often end up working in horrible deadend jobs in small, racist towns in Southern states.

This is true. Foreign medical graduates are only considered after the following U.S. allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical graduates, the U.S. citizens overseas. It's unfair, but it's reality.

Reply 38

dp0567

What if I were to major in English Literature at undergraduate? Med schools wouldnt like that too much would they?

Reply 39

Scottish Chap

dp0567

What if I were to major in English Literature at undergraduate? Med schools wouldnt like that too much would they?

If the English Literature in degree was earned in the U.S., they would not care....as long as it contained one year of study in each of: general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics.