application advice, please

[QueenAMK]

hi everyone,

I'm not from States, i moved here about a year ago from Europe, where i got MS in genetic engineering and molecular biology, now i work full time as a scientist in cancer research. I have a family and bills to pay....i'm sorry if my Q will be stupid, but i don't have a student advisor to answer them...

i decided to apply for medical school, but i wasn't able to find all the information i need for completing the aplication on AAMC neither on AMCAS web sites, and i didn't recieve answer to my emails.....

1) transcripts: in my country it's not common for school sending transcripts, especially not in foreign language, so when i graduated i got my transcripts translated, dean of the faculty confirmed them, signed them and i have 3 originals like that...what should i do???? AMCAS won't accept transcripts if i send them...

2) required courses: when i read the list of courses,... i took everything except collage english and US history, but will they accept it when it's not from US college but from university in Europe and i have a MS.

3) i know i need to send two aplications, first to AMCAS and then to schools i chose, does AMCAS send me application forms for each school or schould i go ahead and apply on my own???? do i need to wait for confirmation from AMCAS????

thanks everyone
Martina

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[MoosePilot]

hi everyone,

I'm not from States, i moved here about a year ago from Europe, where i got MS in genetic engineering and molecular biology, now i work full time as a scientist in cancer research. I have a family and bills to pay....i'm sorry if my Q will be stupid, but i don't have a student advisor to answer them...

i decided to apply for medical school, but i wasn't able to find all the information i need for completing the aplication on AAMC neither on AMCAS web sites, and i didn't recieve answer to my emails.....

1) transcripts: in my country it's not common for school sending transcripts, especially not in foreign language, so when i graduated i got my transcripts translated, dean of the faculty confirmed them, signed them and i have 3 originals like that...what should i do???? AMCAS won't accept transcripts if i send them...

2) required courses: when i read the list of courses,... i took everything except collage english and US history, but will they accept it when it's not from US college but from university in Europe and i have a MS.

3) i know i need to send two aplications, first to AMCAS and then to schools i chose, does AMCAS send me application forms for each school or schould i go ahead and apply on my own???? do i need to wait for confirmation from AMCAS????

thanks everyone
Martina

I'm not familiar with the special challenges of applying when you're not from the US. I can still give some advice, but you might want to ask someone who would know about some of the special issues you face.

1. Will the schools absolutely not send transcripts? If they absolutely won't, I'd get that in writing and forward it to AMCAS asking them how they'd like you to proceed.

2. I think they would accept the courses. I'm not sure all schools allow foreign citizens to apply, but the ones who do should take your classes.

3. Secondary applications invitations are usually sent by schools after they get your primary application (AMCAS). Some are available online at any time, but it won't really hurt to wait until they invite you to complete them.

4. (Not asked, but volunteered). This is towards the end of the 2006 entering class application season. For your best chance, you should consider applying to the 2007 or later entering class. This will give you a chance to do the research and complete any requirements you still need. Have you taken the MCAT?

 

[QueenAMK]

4. (Not asked, but volunteered). This is towards the end of the 2006 entering class application season. For your best chance, you should consider applying to the 2007 or later entering class. This will give you a chance to do the research and complete any requirements you still need. Have you taken the MCAT?


thanks for your answers, now i know a little more,
i'm taking MCAT in April 2006 and will start applying in about June 2006 with starting summer 2007, i just wanna have an early start for putting everything together so i wouldn't be surprised by some last minute requirements and it's more time consuming because i'm not at school (where i would be able to find someone to guide me through the process) and i have to find all the info by myself, and communicate back with my university.... and bureaucracy is so cooperative
thanks Martina

 

[njbmd]

hi everyone,

I'm not from States, i moved here about a year ago from Europe, where i got MS in genetic engineering and molecular biology, now i work full time as a scientist in cancer research. I have a family and bills to pay....i'm sorry if my Q will be stupid, but i don't have a student advisor to answer them...

i decided to apply for medical school, but i wasn't able to find all the information i need for completing the aplication on AAMC neither on AMCAS web sites, and i didn't recieve answer to my emails.....

1) transcripts: in my country it's not common for school sending transcripts, especially not in foreign language, so when i graduated i got my transcripts translated, dean of the faculty confirmed them, signed them and i have 3 originals like that...what should i do???? AMCAS won't accept transcripts if i send them...

2) required courses: when i read the list of courses,... i took everything except collage english and US history, but will they accept it when it's not from US college but from university in Europe and i have a MS.

3) i know i need to send two aplications, first to AMCAS and then to schools i chose, does AMCAS send me application forms for each school or schould i go ahead and apply on my own???? do i need to wait for confirmation from AMCAS????

thanks everyone
Martina

Hi there,

Answers to your questions: You may want to look into a transcript service that will broker between the AMCAS and your undergraduate/graduate schools. Many large universities can tell you how to proceed with this so call the Registrar's office at any university and find out how you can get your transcripts sent. The AMCAS needs some kind of official transcript sent between institutions and not from you.

Required courses: If a medical school has a required course, then you need to take these courses before you apply. Fortunately for you, the courses that you need can be taken on-line. You should find the easiest manner to do this and take them when you can.

Application: You DO NOT need to send a separate application to each medical school and the AMCAS unless you are applying to a medical school that does not use the AMCAS as an application.

You need to study for and take the MCAT, medical college admissions test as well as get some volunteer work/shadowing done. Use this time to get this arranged now. Information about the MCAT can be obtained from the AAMC website.

Good luck
njbmd

 

[TheSecret]

About the transcript issue, depending on where you are, you may be able to convince the administration of your university to take a copy of the transcript that you have, make a copy, put a seal on it, and send it. My father did a similar thing since his undergrad school no longer had a copy of his transcript, he did, it had been almost 40 years, and he needed the transcript for his teaching license. This was in India, and he may have had to grease the wheels a bit with some cash here and there to make people listen for long enough to explain the situation, but it was the only way to get it done.

 

[efex101]

I would call all schools you are interested and find out their requirements for international students. I know that some will only accept international folks IF they have X amount of classes that were taken here in the US. I think that some required at least one full year of classes here before they looked at your international transcripts...