Aid grants for clinical rotations - extremely low income

[Castaway1919]

Dear SDN

I created an account hoping someone could offer advice

Please note this question is intended for the SDN audience to reply, I’m aware valuemd exist but I’d like the people here to reply if they would

I completed the first two years at an allopathic Caribbean medical school that is ECFMG approved. I am a US citizen looking to complete my clinicals back in the US but my family had spent all our savings on the first two years of medical school paying cash. I had bad credit because of some impulsive decisions I made due to my disorder and could not get personal or student loans because I had maxed this out in undergraduate and graduate school. My only surviving parent did not have the credit to qualify to co-sign. I don’t have any surviving family members who could offer to co-sign and because of my health issue, I feel uncomfortable asking a stranger or friend to co-sign. I also had to take two years off between graduate school and MD to treat my mental illness and substance abuse problem. I did not have the wherewithal for an American medical school even though I was accepted and had no choice but to go abroad.

I have changed my life and am doing better. My motivation to finish this degree despite my diagnosis and growing up and living in poverty motivates me to one day be an inspiration for someone else on the same path who thinks what I’m doing is impossible. I have good marks from my pre-clinicals but have exhausted all resources and credit to get to this point. My school is small and unlike a US medical school in that it doesn’t offer scholarships or have a loan program at all. I have an agreement with them that would make it difficult to transfer elsewhere at this point. Could someone advise on any grants available for formerly completely disabled medical students living in poverty and from rural poverty that have exhausted all other financial means to get to year three of medical school?

I considered Military MDSSP and NHSC both require my degree to be complete since 50% was completed on foreign soil.

Is there any granting agency for US citizens working on with foreign medical degrees that are ECFMG Approved?

I don’t want to give up, I hope someone can advise

I have considered offering a service commitment to any agency that can help me with these next two years

I would like to work with the underserved and be an advocate for the mentally ill. I’m completely open about where I would conduct clinicals but will need to provide an administrative fee of a couple thousand dollars each rotation to my school regardless of what the hospital or outpatient clinic charges

I have considered doing medical missions for my electives and am willing to travel anywhere in the country or the World that can accommodate this financial situation

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[ciestar]

Idk of anything that offers what youre asking for... all medical students by themselves are low income.

 

[samac]

.... Oh honey.

 

[IntheClouds4ever]

The pattern that led to the bad credit seems to have played a role in your choice of medical school. It was very ballsy to go to this particular school if you couldn’t get student loans and couldn’t pay for it with cash from family. You’ve got yourself in a tight corner.
I’d contact a hospital from your hometown and see if they offer anything as far as commitments. Also, Indian health services is another option that I know pays for students medical school expenses after signing a commitment contract. These two are where I would start, but given the time off of education and Caribbean school choice, it may take some effort to get them to do it.

 

[deleted957830]

Going to a non US medical school is going to make this a near-impossible feat. I understand that you have had a tough go of it and I completely empathize with that. However, your story reads "TRAIN WRECK" and when it comes to $$$, no program is going to invest in a situation that is risky. The programs you are thinking of have thousands of students to pick from (students who have a strong track record, pay bills, and go to school in the US). The only thing I could think of is for you to transfer somewhere in Europe...but you said you can't do that.

Anecdotal, but I know a former US MD student who went through some of your battles and he/she used that inspiration and grit to get a degree in social work, tuition-free via work-study and TA positions. I understand that this is your dream, but sometimes life can unfortunately get in the way. It doesn't mean that you can't do what you love, you just have to find another way to do it. Best of luck and I'm glad you're doing better.

 

[watermelon master]

I did not have the wherewithal for an American medical school even though I was accepted and had no choice but to go abroad.

what?

 

[frog301]

Dear SDN

I created an account hoping someone could offer advice

Please note this question is intended for the SDN audience to reply, I’m aware valuemd exist but I’d like the people here to reply if they would

I completed the first two years at an allopathic Caribbean medical school that is ECFMG approved. I am a US citizen looking to complete my clinicals back in the US but my family had spent all our savings on the first two years of medical school paying cash. I had bad credit because of some impulsive decisions I made due to my disorder and could not get personal or student loans because I had maxed this out in undergraduate and graduate school. My only surviving parent did not have the credit to qualify to co-sign. I don’t have any surviving family members who could offer to co-sign and because of my health issue, I feel uncomfortable asking a stranger or friend to co-sign. I also had to take two years off between graduate school and MD to treat my mental illness and substance abuse problem. I did not have the wherewithal for an American medical school even though I was accepted and had no choice but to go abroad.

I have changed my life and am doing better. My motivation to finish this degree despite my diagnosis and growing up and living in poverty motivates me to one day be an inspiration for someone else on the same path who thinks what I’m doing is impossible. I have good marks from my pre-clinicals but have exhausted all resources and credit to get to this point. My school is small and unlike a US medical school in that it doesn’t offer scholarships or have a loan program at all. I have an agreement with them that would make it difficult to transfer elsewhere at this point. Could someone advise on any grants available for formerly completely disabled medical students living in poverty and from rural poverty that have exhausted all other financial means to get to year three of medical school?

I considered Military MDSSP and NHSC both require my degree to be complete since 50% was completed on foreign soil.

Is there any granting agency for US citizens working on with foreign medical degrees that are ECFMG Approved?

I don’t want to give up, I hope someone can advise

I have considered offering a service commitment to any agency that can help me with these next two years

I would like to work with the underserved and be an advocate for the mentally ill. I’m completely open about where I would conduct clinicals but will need to provide an administrative fee of a couple thousand dollars each rotation to my school regardless of what the hospital or outpatient clinic charges

I have considered doing medical missions for my electives and am willing to travel anywhere in the country or the World that can accommodate this financial situation

y i k e s

 

[raiderette]

Indian Health Service is the only thing I can imagine. Several Caribbean schools offer full loans, so I am not sure where you are. Can you take a year or two off to earn money and go back? I am a low income college student as well, but I went USMD so I could get loans. I can't imagine a scenario where you could have been in the US but didn't based on financial aid alone.