All the Nigerian premeds and med students, get in here!!!

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And are you guys putting your parental information on the FAFSA? I brought up filling out the FAFSA this morning to my mom and she was like, “this person’s daughter said that the financial aide people give scholarship opportunities at medical school interviews. Why haven’t you been asking about those?” I’m like hereeeee we go againnnnn with the comparisons, lmao. My financial aide talk at schools have only consisted of a 15-30 minute speech and getting a sheet of paper that says fill out FAFSA.

Stressss...lol. Yeah, tbh I don't know much about scholarships for med school. They seem to be pretty sparse.

Med school scholarships exist and can be merit or needs-based. Make sure to ask the school you've gotten accepted to about this. Most need-based ones rely on FAFSA so fill that out ASAP (that may be why you haven't heard anything).

To the parents, please let them understand as soon as possible because it becomes shocking how much debt can accrue in med school.

Nigerians are low-key allergic to debt, lol. Definitely hunt down scholarships (many are open around this time). I'll try to look at the lists I have and may post this later. Someone PLEASE remind me, lol.

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Lol, it's an interesting topic. There are so many reasons why. For Africans, specifically West Africans like Nigerians and Ghanaians, education in general is extremely, extremely important. It's pushed very hard. You're kind of expected to finish with a masters, minimum. Prestige and money are very important to the average Nigerian parent. We are expected to become doctors, engineers, pharmacists, laywers, etc. But becoming a doctor is definitely considered the highest achievement. On the other side of things, med schools are trying to fulfill their diversity quotas. If a very large portion of black people in universities are Nigerians, and a very large portion of those are pursuing medicine, that quota is going to be filled with Nigerians. Where I went to uni, most black people there were Nigerians, and most of them were premed or engineers.

For Nigerians that came to America, their children are their investment. If they don't succeed, they are not getting a return on their investment. For them, the only proven, safe way of doing that is by pursuing the professions that I mentioned before. That's why they typically don't allow their kids to pursue the arts. It's the same even in Nigeria.

I don't think it's a problem. We need more black people in medicine, period. But I do think we need black people from all backgrounds in medicine as well.

Na so we see am o. I’m Urhobo, fourth year medical student applying for internal medicine #match2018 how y’all doin?
 
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Na so we see am o. I’m Urhobo, fourth year medical student applying for internal medicine #match2018 how y’all doin?

Everyting bless. We tank God, lol. What made you choose internal medicine?
 
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As an FMG I have a good chance of matching my first try. I can’t be telling my parents Story, dollar is expensive in Naija

Loool I hear that.
 
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It's really derm, ENT, and plastics that care about what kind of research you do. People are taking research years now just to match, which is actually crazy imo.

In order to match into ortho, research wasn't really a "requirement" like it is in those fields. They care a lot more about your away rotation performance. I think it's because they are a less research focused field overall. They just want to operate. These are broad stroke generalizations of course, lol. But it's what I've observed since I've been on the forums. But as it gets more competitive, it really is beginning to become a requirement, unfortunately. And like any competitive field, they would prefer it if you did research in their own specialty. But having research experience makes you more competitive, regardless of what it kind of research it is. And if you're able to publish? Even better.

The kind of research conducive to high output and publishing is clinical research. Basic science research generally holds more weight, but it's a lot harder to publish and takes a lot longer.


I currently do research in Orthopedics and I know two medical students who are taking a year off to do research. I think Orthopedics has definitely reached the point where a year of research is becoming the requirement.
 
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The guys I know are doing after the MS4 year before residency. The other guys is doing it between 2 and 3rd year.
 
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Is that what a translational year is for? To do research?

A transitional year is the first year of residency for certain specialties, like anesthesia, rads, derm, and ophtho. It's a general year that is done before starting specialty specific rotations. So someone doing a transitional year that matched into anesthesia will have the exact same skills as someone doing a transitional year that matched into derm.

This explains it very well: Figuring Out the Transitional, Preliminary, and Categorical Year for Residency Application
 
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A transitional year is the first year of residency for certain specialties, like anesthesia, rads, derm, and ophtho. It's a general year that is done before starting specialty specific rotations. So someone doing a transitional year that matched into anesthesia will have the exact same skills as someone doing a transitional year that matched into derm.

This explains it very well: Figuring Out the Transitional, Preliminary, and Categorical Year for Residency Application


and there you have it. I will edit my previous post to avoid shaming my village eschewww.
 
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This may be a dumb question but I filled out FAFSA while in college. I graduated almost three years ago. Do I fill it out as a new user or as a returning user? :unsure:

You should be able to do it as a returning user. It should ask you if you need to make any changes, and if you don't, it should only take a few minutes to submit.
 
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Holy potatoes, I woulda never guessed there were so many Nigerian premeds out there. This is exciting haha Benin born and raised here :oops:, god bless that visa lottery:bow:
 
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Edo state people unite! Lol
 
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Freshman Igbo man checking in!
Never in a million years would I have thought there would be a thread like this, there are tears of joy running down my face :highfive:
 
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Edo man as well! I felt like we are a minority among the other tribes lol. It feels good to be surrounded with well accomplished brothas and sistas.
 
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Edo man as well! I felt like we are a minority among the other tribes lol. It feels good to be surrounded with well accomplished brothas and sistas.
Lol, all tribes are welcome here! Glad to have you!
 
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I pray for the best news for all of you taking finals!!! Success in Jesus' name!!!
 
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I pray for the best news for all of you taking finals!!! Success in Jesus' name!!!

Lol I’m just trying to avoid final rejections o. Been getting a lot of rejections, while my mates have been getting acceptances everywhere. My plane ticket back to Nigeria is coming...
 
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Lol I’m just trying to avoid final rejections o. Been getting a lot of rejections, while my mates have been getting acceptances everywhere. My plane ticket back to Nigeria is coming...
Are you an international student? Praying for you!
 
@Fracture When Jesus says yes nobody can say no....did you see SGIT?

Loool I literally just finished it like 2 mins ago. I was actually surprised. See turnaround.
 
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This is somewhat off topic, but how do you guys feel about passing down your culture to your kids since we're in diaspora?

I was born and raised here, so that makes things harder, at least on my side. Who knows what my wife's background will be? I can't even lie, I would be happy if she came straight from Naij or came relatively recently, like at least teens. Very specific, I know, lol. But it's not just because of the passing down culture thing. If I'm being honest, I'm strongly attracted to Nigerianness. Those akatalicious Nigerians gotta go fam looool. I'm joking looool.

On a serious note, I was thinking of sending my kids to Naij every summer. Or they could go to middle school over there and come back here for high school.
 
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akatalicious Nigerians
I'm so done with you:rofl:
I think it's a good idea if done carefully.
I can tell the differences between myself and my sibling (who basically grew up here) and the "nigerianness" as you put it is very important. I personally think it would be wise to go often to Nigeria when kids are in their formative years so that they imbibe the mindset and values of Nigerian culture before settling into the American experience. If they don't do most of their home training on Nigerian soil, you lose it and it's hard to get back.

My friends thought I was wicked when I said I would take my kids to Nigeria and raise them there and bring them back, lol. Good to see I'm not the only one.
 
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@Fracture When Jesus says yes nobody can say no....did you see SGIT?
I’ve been waiting all day for someone to make a post about it! Tiwa got her life together. I’m so happy lol
On a serious note, I was thinking of sending my kids to Naij every summer. Or they could go to middle school over there and come back here for high school.
My friends mom did that and I must say it is amazing. I plan on shipping all my kids to Nigeria for boarding school. Those schools are so tough but they definitely teach you respect and how to lowkey survive in most situations because it’s not easy. Lol I’m thankful for the years I spent there because like a poster above said, I can also tell the difference between myself and my sibling who was born here and only went to school here (in America).
 
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I’ve been waiting all day for someone to make a post about it! Tiwa got her life together. I’m so happy lol

My friends mom did that and I must say it is amazing. I plan on shipping all my kids to Nigeria for boarding school. Those schools are so tough but they definitely teach you respect and how to lowkey survive in most situations because it’s not easy. Lol I’m thankful for the years I spent there because like a poster above said, I can also tell the difference between myself and my sibling who was born here and only went to school here (in America).
For boarding school, I think that decision should also be based on the child's personality. I've seen good children who go and learn from it. I've also seen bad (tendency) children who go and get worse. That's why the earlier the ground training can start, I think, the better. But yeah, boarding school teaches a lot of things that kids cannot get in America.
 
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For boarding school, I think that decision should also be based on the child's personality. I've seen good children who go and learn from it. I've also seen bad (tendency) children who go and get worse. That's why the earlier the ground training can start, I think, the better. But yeah, boarding school teaches a lot of things that kids cannot get in America.
That’s true. That’s why you send them with lots of prayer and fasting hoping that they only pick up good behaviour. Lol
 
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I personally think it would be wise to go often to Nigeria when kids are in their formative years so that they imbibe the mindset and values of Nigerian culture before settling into the American experience. If they don't do most of their home training on Nigerian soil, you lose it and it's hard to get back.

That's a very good point. I'll definitely consider that, thanks.

My friends thought I was wicked when I said I would take my kids to Nigeria and raise them there and bring them back, lol. Good to see I'm not the only one.

Lol, you definitely aren't. My friends that came recently said the same thing.
 
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My friends mom did that and I must say it is amazing. I plan on shipping all my kids to Nigeria for boarding school. Those schools are so tough but they definitely teach you respect and how to lowkey survive in most situations because it’s not easy. Lol I’m thankful for the years I spent there because like a poster above said, I can also tell the difference between myself and my sibling who was born here and only went to school here (in America).

Nah but the horror stories I've heard from friends that went to boarding school in Naij...boy. Insanely horrible. And these are my agemates! Can't even imagine what my dad went through.
 
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Nah but the horror stories I've heard from friends that went to boarding school in Naij...boy. Insanely horrible. And these are my agemates! Can't even imagine what my dad went through.

Not all of them are too bad! Haha if they’re just there for the summer then they’ll tough it out. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Lol jk honestly not all of them are too horrible. Lol


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This is somewhat off topic, but how do you guys feel about passing down your culture to your kids since we're in diaspora?

I was born and raised here, so that makes things harder, at least on my side. Who knows what my wife's background will be? I can't even lie, I would be happy if she came straight from Naij or came relatively recently, like at least teens. Very specific, I know, lol. But it's not just because of the passing down culture thing. If I'm being honest, I'm strongly attracted to Nigerianness. Those akatalicious Nigerians gotta go fam looool. I'm joking looool.

On a serious note, I was thinking of sending my kids to Naij every summer. Or they could go to middle school over there and come back here for high school.

Rotfl
 
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Replying to this kind of late: but I must admit, I’m pretty Americanized at this point. I was born in the USA. Haven’t been to Nigerian in almost 15 years. I hear Igbo and Yoruba, but I don’t speak either languages fluently. I know my parents (mostly my mom, I don’t think my dad is that adamant about it) want me to marry a Nigerian, but I’m not putting myself into a box for that to happen. I’m gonna be open minded when it comes to love. And as far as sending my kids to Nigeria, I don’t even think I would do that since I don’t know Nigeria myself...they’ll know where they come from culturally but I want to start my own family traditions with whoever I marry.

Mm. I hear you. And lol, my parents always said "They can be red, purple, or green, but they have to be a Christian"
 
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Replying to this kind of late: but I must admit, I’m pretty Americanized at this point. I was born in the USA. Haven’t been to Nigerian in almost 15 years. I hear Igbo and Yoruba, but I don’t speak either languages fluently. I know my parents (mostly my mom, I don’t think my dad is that adamant about it) want me to marry a Nigerian, but I’m not putting myself into a box for that to happen. I’m gonna be open minded when it comes to love. And as far as sending my kids to Nigeria, I don’t even think I would do that since I don’t know Nigeria myself...they’ll know where they come from culturally but I want to start my own family traditions with whoever I marry.

Mm. I hear you. And lol, my parents always said "They can be red, purple, or green, but they have to be a Christian"

That's another angle too @FlyMissMD93 . I like that you want them to know their heritage; that's the most important thing.
My mum said "someone really born again" first, quickly followed by "someone who speaks my language".:laugh:
 
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That's another angle too @FlyMissMD93 . I like that you want them to know their heritage; that's the most important thing.
My mum said "someone really born again" first, quickly followed by "someone who speaks my language".:laugh:

Lol, I like that haha
 
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what?! so you people are just outchea having a party without me :) Omo Yoruba here! Applying this cycle. Considering emergency medicine/trauma surgery.
 
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On that note, are there any questions those applying or almost applying have?
 
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