MD & DO Any way for international students to attend/transfer from European medical school?

[Sprinter23]

Hey there guys!

I have been researching about this for a while now and I've had no luck so far, so I was hoping someone on SDN could help me. Here's the situation. My girlfriend lives in Germany and is taking a gap year right now after graduating from high school. She really wants to study medicine but seeing that I live in the US, she would much rather study here. I know matriculation for international students is very tough but is there any programs out here that would allow her to be admitted? Is there anyway for her to transfer to a MD/DO program here in the states after completing a few years of medical school in Europe?

My girlfriend and I would really appreciate any help we can get. Thank you so much! Good luck to every one of you on your future endeavors.

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[Doctoblast]

Would she be doing her undergrad there or in the US? First, she should focus on that. Many people change their minds about pursuing medicine over the course of undergrad.

There are medical schools that accept international students. You'd have to do some research to find out which ones. Be aware that international students don't get financial aid so some medical schools require proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of tuition.

 

[md-2020]

Her chances of studying/practicing in the US will be far greater if she comes to the States for UG instead of entering a post-HS medical program in Europe.

Medical schools, unlike colleges, will very rarely accept transfers (in 2014, only 98 medical students total transferred schools). As an international, I would believe that her chances of transferring into a US MD program essentially amount to 0.

 

[Sprinter23]

Would she be doing her undergrad there or in the US? First, she should focus on that. Many people change their minds about pursuing medicine over the course of undergrad.

There are medical schools that accept international students. You'd have to do some research to find out which ones. Be aware that international students don't get financial aid so some medical schools require proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of tuition.

Thank you for the reply! So from what I understand, Europeans begin medical school (6 year programs) right after high school. Her mind is 100 percent set on pursuing medicine but she was wondering if there was any way she could transfer from an European medical school to a US medical school.

I had no idea that international students did not receive financial aid (it makes sense now that I think about it).

 

[Sprinter23]

Her chances of studying/practicing in the US will be far greater if she comes to the States for UG instead of entering a post-HS medical program in Europe.

Medical schools, unlike colleges, will very rarely accept transfers (in 2014, only 98 medical students total transferred schools). As an international, I would believe that her chances of transferring into a US MD program essentially amount to 0.

Thank you for the reply! WOW!! That is a crazy small amount She is really not looking forward to the four years of undergrad I guess our only option is to wait for 6-7 years and then hopefully she can land her residency here in the states.

 

[md-2020]

Thank you for the reply! WOW!! That is a crazy small amount She is really not looking forward to the four years of undergrad I guess our only option is to wait for 6-7 years and then hopefully she can land her residency here in the states.

Unlikely. As US MD students increase every year, the amount of open residency sports to FMG's and IMG's will decrease (this is why people are so against the Caribbean), making anything but family med and IM impossible (and even those will become more competitive as time goes on). If she's certain she wants to practice in the US, her medical education pretty much must take place in an accredited US med school.

She needs to apply to US undergrads to make this plan possible.

 

[Doctoblast]

I agree with md-2020. If she ever wants to practice in the US, she needs to come here for undergrad and med school.

 

[Sprinter23]

I agree with md-2020. If she ever wants to practice in the US, she needs to come here for undergrad and med school.

Yes, it seems like thats the only option. Thank you for your advise!