Non-trad options???

[Mars41]

Why don't you hear more about Eastern European Med schools? The education seems to be decent, costs are low, and it seems like a great option for non-trads or students with below average stats.

The ability to practice in the EU and the US would be nice and most of the schools are eligible for federal aid. Seems like a much better option than the Caribbean route.

Am I missing something here???

Someone please enlighten me.

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[FutureDrB]

Why don't you hear more about Eastern European Med schools? The education seems to be decent, costs are low, and it seems like a great option for non-trads or students with below average stats.

The ability to practice in the EU and the US would be nice and most of the schools are eligible for federal aid. Seems like a much better option than the Caribbean route.

Am I missing something here???

Someone please enlighten me.

I don't know too much about it. I know most programs are 5-6 years in length. They are significantly cheaper. Some require that you be fluent in the native language. I never really considered it, but did look into it just to know. It seems like a lot of unnecessary hoops to jump through, especially if you plan on coming back to the U.S. to practice.

What I'm looking at now (not to pursue personally, just curious) is going to a Caribbean school and then practicing in Europe. How would that work? Obviously attending a Caribbean school puts you at a huge disadvantage when looking for a U.S. residency spot, but I wonder if the same is true if you move to a foreign county after graduating from a Caribbean school?

 

[Mars41]

I am very curious about the Caribbean to Europe option as well @FutureDrB. SDN is such a great forum but it is sometimes difficult to find answers to the international questions on here. Any info is greatly appreciated.

 

[kraskadva]

Why don't you hear more about Eastern European Med schools? The education seems to be decent, costs are low, and it seems like a great option for non-trads or students with below average stats.
The ability to practice in the EU and the US would be nice and most of the schools are eligible for federal aid. Seems like a much better option than the Caribbean route.
Am I missing something here???
Someone please enlighten me.

Well...I looked up some of this several years ago, when I was making my decision to pursue medicine. I was living in the EU at the time, which made it seem a bit more reasonable. So what I know:

• There is no central application, each school has its own app as well as its own entrance exam, which is typically held only once a year at the school (rare exceptions).
• The vast majority are 6 year programs- essentially a streamlined BS+MD dual degree. If you're going to do/re-do your pre-reqs anyway it's about the same timewise.
• Costs vary, but typically there are 2 programs at each school- 1 in English and 1 in the native language. If you're fluent enough to take it in the native language, then it tends to be free/very cheap. If you take it in English, not so much. In fact it's usually around the same cost overall of doing it in the US (slightly less for tuition but times more years). Some are eligible for federal aid, not most.
• The quality of education in Europe is generally very good.
• "Non-trad" is not really a concept that exists over there. The students in these programs are matriculating straight out of high school, perhaps after 1-2 gap years at most. None of them have low stats. Foreigners who are willing to fork over cash for the English program may have finished a BA/BS somewhere else before, but generally fall in line with the regular students.
• Having graduated from one of these programs, you as an American are now in a really tricky spot.
  • To practice in the EU, you have to do a residency in the EU. Good luck with that, since as a foreigner you'll be at the absolute bottom of the list for slots.
  • To practice in the US, you have to do a residency in the US. Good luck with that, since you're now a IMG and have to pass an English exam and all 3 USMLEs before you can even be considered for a slot. And you're still at the bottom of the list.
• I have no idea about Caribbean to EU move. Never heard of this being done. Feasibility would probably depend on citizenship status.

 

[Mars41]

Thank you @kraskadva. Great info and you brought up some points that I had not previously considered.

If I chose to go into the 6 yr program, would there be any credibility issues in the states or does it have the same curriculum as the traditional 4 yr with the added prereqs etc included???

I feel like the 6 yr might be a good option for me vs the American DIY bac if I was going to go to Europe anyways. More time for cultural adjustment and better preparation for med school life.

Thoughts on the 6 yr programs for students that already hold a bachelors degree??? Liberal arts major so 0 science background.

 

[el_duderino]

Friend of mine from high school went to med school in Poland and is a hospitalist now. I've never talked to him about it but it's clearly worked out for him.

 

[kraskadva]

Thank you @kraskadva. Great info and you brought up some points that I had not previously considered.
If I chose to go into the 6 yr program, would there be any credibility issues in the states or does it have the same curriculum as the traditional 4 yr with the added prereqs etc included???

Depends on the school, but shouldn't be any issues if it's reputable. Yes, essentially the same curriculum + the basic science classes.

I feel like the 6 yr might be a good option for me vs the American DIY bac if I was going to go to Europe anyways. More time for cultural adjustment and better preparation for med school life.
Thoughts on the 6 yr programs for students that already hold a bachelors degree??? Liberal arts major so 0 science background.

I dunno about more time, you're dropped straight in and have to hit the books with everybody else, you just have longer to go. And, again depending on the school, the curriculum may be integrated, i.e. basic science + med courses together.

If you're really interested, here's something to start with. Charles University in Prague is very reputable, and they have an English program and tend to take a fair number of foreign students each year. There are 3 "Faculties of Medicine"- essentially 3 separate med schools operating under the same umbrella institution. Go to the websites below and look up admissions info, they're each slightly different. Basically you'll need high school level science classes/knowledge, which will also be tested on the entrance exam.
http://www.lf1.cuni.cz/en
http://www.lf2.cuni.cz/homepage.htm
http://www.lf3.cuni.cz/en/index.html

There are a few schools in the UK that have direct transfer options with the US, but I'll let you search the interwebs for those. Also, they're more expensive/competitive.

Friend of mine from high school went to med school in Poland and is a hospitalist now. I've never talked to him about it but it's clearly worked out for him.

n=1
Some people do it, but not many. Maybe easier to get in and get through, but much harder to get a residency afterwards.
And you're limited to the fields you can get a residency slot in, i.e. you'll never be a brain surgeon or a dermatologist.

 

[Mars41]

^Thanks so much for the info. Gives me a great starting point.

 

[kraskadva]

Sure, no problem. There are a lot of good schools in the EU, the issue is with coming back to the US afterwards. So just make sure to do your due diligence and know what you're getting into.
Luck!