Went to a foreign medical school for 4 years, moved to us 2 years ago, apply to med school in the US

[StressFighter]

Hi there!
I am new to this forum, and I need help!! I am in a special situation. I went to a medical school in Vietnam for 4 years, moved to the US 2 years ago as an immigrant. The medical school in Vietnam follow 6-year program; you enroll right after finishing high-school. After 6 years, you get a doctorate degree without having a bachelor. I withdrew from the school to move to the US. Now I want to apply to med school here.
But I am worried about med school here won't accept me because I already studied at another medical school for 4 years and took a lot of medical courses there.
Any information will help! Right now I have information about my case.

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[ThoracicGuy]

Hi there!
I am new to this forum, and I need help!! I am in a special situation. I went to a medical school in Vietnam for 4 years, moved to the US 2 years ago as an immigrant. The medical school in Vietnam follow 6-year program; you enroll right after finishing high-school. After 6 years, you get a doctorate degree without having a bachelor. I withdrew from the school to move to the US. Now I want to apply to med school here.
But I am worried about med school here won't accept me because I already studied at another medical school for 4 years and took a lot of medical courses there.
Any information will help! Right now I have information about my case.

To even get into a US MD/DO school you'll need a college degree from a US or Canadian school.

 

[cyang55]

I don't know if you know a lot about the process of getting into a medical school in the US, but you need to have a lot of things. You need a good MCAT score, you need to finish all of the pre-req classes at a university (most med schools will require a degree, some don't), you need shadowing and volunteering hours in the health care field here in the US (they'll want to see that you know what the healthcare system is like here), Letters of recommendation from faculty members at your university (most require science professors), and for some DO schools, you need a DO lor. I don't think it's a big deal if you already went to a medical school in Vietnam, but if you want to go to med school here you're going to need to do all of the things that I mentioned above.

 

[NUresearcher]

To even get into a US MD/DO school you'll need a college degree from a US or Canadian school.

They'll need at least 92 hours. Some schools don't require a completed bachelors degree. but MOST do. I believe WashU doesn't.

Just make sure you get all the pre-reqs, a great MCAT, and talk to admission counselors NOW at the schools you value to get advice about what to do. You are a unique situation, and it would suck to waste your time if you aren't a strong applicant for the institutions you want.

Also, if you DON'T get a full on bachelors in the US, consider getting a 1 year Masters that ties into a medical school, or a post-bacc that improves your chances. It's worth it!

 

[ThoracicGuy]

They'll need at least 92 hours. Some schools don't require a completed bachelors degree. but MOST do. I believe WashU doesn't.

Just make sure you get all the pre-reqs, a great MCAT, and talk to admission counselors NOW at the schools you value to get advice about what to do. You are a unique situation, and it would suck to waste your time if you aren't a strong applicant for the institutions you want.

Also, if you do get a full on bachelors, consider getting a 1 year Masters that ties into a medical school, or a post-bacc that improves your chances. It's worth it!

While some schools don't require a completed bachelors degree, the ones that don't typically are part of linkage programs and the number that they do accept that don't have a college degree I'm sure is pretty low. Low enough to not be anything to consider in the OP's situation.

Also, I would not consider getting a 1-year masters or a post-bacc right now. It can help to improve your chances if your bachelor's degree GPA is subpar. Otherwise it wouldn't help.

Now the OP is in a bit of a unique situation having matriculated at a medical school already. This will hurt his chances in US schools and some places while likely not even consider someone in this situation. His circumstances of moving would make this perhaps a bit easier to deal with than someone who went to a Caribbean school and quit midway through to try and get a US school.

 

[cyang55]

While some schools don't require a completed bachelors degree, the ones that don't typically are part of linkage programs and the number that they do accept that don't have a college degree I'm sure is pretty low. Low enough to not be anything to consider in the OP's situation.

Also, I would not consider getting a 1-year masters or a post-bacc right now. It can help to improve your chances if your bachelor's degree GPA is subpar. Otherwise it wouldn't help.

Now the OP is in a bit of a unique situation having matriculated at a medical school already. This will hurt his chances in US schools and some places while likely not even consider someone in this situation. His circumstances of moving would make this perhaps a bit easier to deal with than someone who went to a Caribbean school and quit midway through to try and get a US school.

I agree that OP does not need to get a 1-year master or post-bacc right now.

Out of curiosity. I know that you have to report if you have previously attended a US med school, which the Caribbean would count as. But, does OP have to put that he attended med school in Vietnam? Would it be okay to omit that and only send in their transcripts from the US universities for their pre-reqs, degrees, etc etc. Since over-seas schools do their med school a little different (since it's right out of high school) would that even matter to the US MD/DO schools?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I agree that OP does not need to get a 1-year master or post-bacc right now.

Out of curiosity. I know that you have to report if you have previously attended a US med school, which the Caribbean would count as. But, does OP have to put that he attended med school in Vietnam? Would it be okay to omit that and only send in their transcripts from the US universities for their pre-reqs, degrees, etc etc. Since over-seas schools do their med school a little different (since it's right out of high school) would that even matter to the US MD/DO schools?

Yes, it must be listed. You can always risk not listing it, but if the school ever found out, you run the risk of getting kicked out or having your degree rescinded.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Why don't you just call an admissions counselor and run your situation by them? Or PM GORO? @Goro for comment.

 

[Goro]

Sorry, OP, but my learned colleague is 100% spot on.

To even get into a US MD/DO school you'll need a college degree from a US or Canadian school.

 

[intheworkings]

.

 

[y123]

I know some one who dropped out from a foreign medical school then got into a US med school after finishing a bachelor's degree. It is not that uncommon. Just do what a normal pre-med do. Your previous education will not likely made a difference.
Also, OP, you are not a re-applicant.

 

[daliagirl31]

I studied in a overseas medical school for 2 years. I can exit out of the medical programme w Grad. diploma in medical sciences.

I also have a B.Medical Science and Masters in Medical science (completed in 2012). I am 28 years old.

I applied for a medical school in carribbean. Most of them have replied back with what have you been doing since 2012?

Should I inform them I have attended a medical school or WOULD THAT HARM MY APPLICATION to all medical schools in Carribean?

Do med school drop outs get accepted into another medical school? Do you guys have any personal experience or know of any situations where applicants werent accepted because they have attended another medical school?

Please help! Urgent!

I want to apply to Carribean as it's much cheaper and ultimately I want to work in USA.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I studied in a overseas medical school for 2 years. I can exit out of the medical programme w Grad. diploma in medical sciences.

I also have a B.Medical Science and Masters in Medical science (completed in 2012). I am 28 years old.

I applied for a medical school in carribbean. Most of them have replied back with what have you been doing since 2012?

Should I inform them I have attended a medical school or WOULD THAT HARM MY APPLICATION to all medical schools in Carribean?

Do med school drop outs get accepted into another medical school? Do you guys have any personal experience or know of any situations where applicants werent accepted because they have attended another medical school?

Please help! Urgent!

I want to apply to Carribean as it's much cheaper and ultimately I want to work in USA.

While some schools in the Caribbean are cheaper than US schools, those usually have significant problems. You will have a harder time becoming a doctor in the US. If you want to be a doctor in the US, you should do everything you can to try getting into a US school first.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I studied in a overseas medical school for 2 years. I can exit out of the medical programme w Grad. diploma in medical sciences.

I also have a B.Medical Science and Masters in Medical science (completed in 2012). I am 28 years old.

I applied for a medical school in carribbean. Most of them have replied back with what have you been doing since 2012?

Should I inform them I have attended a medical school or WOULD THAT HARM MY APPLICATION to all medical schools in Carribean?

Do med school drop outs get accepted into another medical school? Do you guys have any personal experience or know of any situations where applicants werent accepted because they have attended another medical school?

Please help! Urgent!

I want to apply to Carribean as it's much cheaper and ultimately I want to work in USA.

Be careful using this phrase. There is a big difference between dropping out (failing out) versus taking the opportunity to move to the US and thus withdrawing from a foreign program. It's all about how you spin the story and you should never talk about it in a negative view. All comes down to why you chose to come to the US now in the middle of your training. Need to be wary of perceptions and how you present your situation.

 

[LuluLovesMe]

Be careful using this phrase. There is a big difference between dropping out (failing out) versus taking the opportunity to move to the US and thus withdrawing from a foreign program. It's all about how you spin the story and you should never talk about it in a negative view. All comes down to why you chose to come to the US now in the middle of your training. Need to be wary of perceptions and how you present your situation.

Are you advising OP on how best to get into a Caribbean medical school?

I don't think the shortcut is worth the risk

 

[cabinbuilder]

Are you advising OP on how best to get into a Caribbean medical school?

I don't think the shortcut is worth the risk

Um. No. In 2 different posts he said 1) "I left a foreign medical school to move to the US". and 2) "Do med school drop outs get into another school?". I was just saying be careful about how he words his situation. There is a big difference between leaving due to a necessary move vs dropping out.

I would never advocate the Caribbean, not sure how you made that leap?

 

[QofQuimica]

There are two OPs here, not one, which I think is the source of confusion.

First OP is already here in the US after dropping out of school in Vietnam. As others have already said, if he wants to go to med school in the US, he needs to start at the beginning by getting a BS or BA degree from an American university, then taking the MCAT and applying to med school, just like anyone else. Also, if he wants to have more options and be a stronger contender, he should strongly consider getting a green card and/or applying for US citizenship if eligible.

Second OP is currently still a student in a foreign med school who is considering dropping out to attend a Caribbean school. For her, I'd suggest finishing med school at her current institution and staying in her home country to practice unless she has some strong pressing reason why she needs to move to the US. In that case, her best bet is probably to try to get a US residency after finishing med school in her home country. But either way, her proposal to attend a Carib school and then try to practice in the US as a foreigner with a Carib degree is unlikely to be successful, and she shouldn't do it.

 

[gyngyn]

I studied in a overseas medical school for 2 years. I can exit out of the medical programme w Grad. diploma in medical sciences.

I also have a B.Medical Science and Masters in Medical science (completed in 2012). I am 28 years old.

I applied for a medical school in carribbean. Most of them have replied back with what have you been doing since 2012?

Should I inform them I have attended a medical school or WOULD THAT HARM MY APPLICATION to all medical schools in Carribean?

Do med school drop outs get accepted into another medical school? Do you guys have any personal experience or know of any situations where applicants werent accepted because they have attended another medical school?

Please help! Urgent!

I want to apply to Carribean as it's much cheaper and ultimately I want to work in USA.

You really need your own thread.