Transferring Medical Schools

[DMBFan]

Has anyone heard of this? Or whether even this is possible? I'm sure you'd have to transfer after your second year (after USMLE Part I), but do medical schools let you do this if your class work and MCATs are good?

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[gary5]

The school would have to have a new opening, meaning that someone dropped out or also transferred. I think you need to get approval from your school also. It's rare, but it has been done.

 

[Law2Doc]

Has anyone heard of this? Or whether even this is possible? I'm sure you'd have to transfer after your second year (after USMLE Part I), but do medical schools let you do this if your class work and MCATs are good?

You are also going to need to have a really compelling reason -- spouse relocation or family illness perhaps. It almost never happens, and never just because you want the other school in your credentials.

 

[bon_vivant]

I dont think its as incredibly rare as some of you guys are making it out to be...I know a couple of people who have done it. Of course, its not as easy as transferring between colleges, and you definitely need a good reason to do it (the most common scenario I've seen...girl marries guy who's a resident/med student at a far away university and transfers to that school). And I think they strongly prefer transfer applicants who apply before the clinical years begin. But again, I wouldnt be surprised if most med schools take 1-2 transfer applicants per year.

 

[Law2Doc]

But again, I wouldnt be surprised if most med schools take 1-2 transfer applicants per year.

That number is not too meaningful unless you know how many applications for transfer there were. But I don't even think there's even that many -- most schools see zero new student influx. It screws with administrative things like class rank, and expectations of what students have seen in terms of clinical stuff by later years too much. Plus there will always be folks who took off a year to research or for family reasons, or need to repeat a course due to a failing grade, such that there's already some intraschool movement for schools to contend with in the preclinical years, making it difficult to squeeze in others from external sources. As was said in the thread above, it is a pretty rare thing and usually only allowed for compelling reasons. And pretty unlikely to be able to "upgrade" schools via transfer if that's a hope-- you are more likely going to be able to move down tier.

 

[bon_vivant]

And pretty unlikely to be able to "upgrade" schools via transfer if that's a hope-- you are more likely going to be able to move down tier.

Not true. I know people who have transfered from UIC to Yale after getting married. Its all a function of how compelling of a reason you present.