How are your options limited if you graduate from a lower tier medical school?

[lk901]

Suppose someone wants to become a family practice doctor. And this person ends up graduating from a lower tier medical school ( < 3.60 average undergrad GPA) and obtaining an M.D. How would this affect

1. Where he could get residencies?
2. Where he would practice as a family doctor (big city hospital, small inner city clinic, etc.)?

Also, what other notable limitations would he have because of where he obtained his M.D.

Thanks

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[Fermata]

Suppose someone wants to become a family practice doctor. And this person ends up graduating from a lower tier medical school ( < 3.60 average undergrad GPA) and obtaining an M.D. How would this affect

1. Where he could get residencies?
2. Where he would practice as a family doctor (big city hospital, small inner city clinic, etc.)?

Also, what other notable limitations would he have because of where he obtained his M.D.

Thanks

If you wanna be a FP doc then this really won't affect you at all.

Relax.

If you have your heart set on primary care then coming from a "lower tier" school doesn't even matter.

Besides....it's kind of self-selecting anyways.

How many Harvard students do you think match into FP every year?
Probably not many.

Once again: relax.

 

[TexPre-Med]

How much will it hurt you? NOT at all! You are golden.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

If you wanna be a FP doc then this really won't affect you at all.

Relax.

If you have your heart set on primary care then coming from a "lower tier" school doesn't even matter.

Besides....it's kind of self-selecting anyways.

How many Harvard students do you think match into FP every year?
Probably not many.

Once again: relax.

Someday, Fermata, I'm going to write a song about you titled "Relax"...

To the OP: If you want to practice family medicine, then simply go to medical school. That's all you need to know. There are of course competitive GP residincies, but you aren't precluded from any of them if you attend an American medical school. Just work hard wherever you go. Good luck

 

[NCaggie]

You can go to the worst Medical school and some out able to compete witht he best of the best. The school that you attend does not determine how much you will gain, only those who will influence you. Your hard work and didication will determine the skills that you will have upon graduation and it sounds to me like you have the desire, so make it happen for yourself buddy. Good Luck

 

[Sweet Tea]

Someday, Fermata, I'm going to write a song about you titled "Relax"...

Frankie Goes to Hollywood already wrote that song.

But I agree with both you and Fermata. OP, relax. You can go to any med school in the country and go into FP. If you're particular on where you do a FP residency, then make sure you do a rotation in that area during your third and fourth years. The rotation doesn't necessarily have to be in FP, but just something that will get you out in the area you want to do your residency in.

 

[skypilot]

So many FP residencies go unfilled you should have no problem scoring a great one if you are a decent candidate. Also after you finish residency there is a strong demand for FP doctors. The pay can be a little lower than specialist pay but still pretty good.

The only way your med school choice might affect you is if you change your mind and decide you want to do Neurosurgery. Even then if you are an excellent candidate it won't matter much.