Applying to US Med School with a Foreign Bachelors Degree.

[deleted850233]

I know this topic was covered by SymphonyNo9 and it was covered really well but my situation is a bit different and I wanted to see if there are people who made it to med school that are in a similar situation. I am a US citizen that has a foreign bachelors degree. Unlike in the previous discussion I did not do a post-bacc but took but took all the pre-reqs in a local community college (which was brutally difficult, I don't get how are they frowned upon) which came to a little above 60 units(GPA 4.0). I also have done research in molecular biology (with poster presentation) and pharmaceutical grade organic chemistry(which I am doing now). Additionally, I have been an EMT for 6 years and shadowed an MD for 2. Now I keep reading some very discouraging threads about foreign undergrad AND community college prereqs and I have both. I already started prepping for MCAT but now I keep thinking what if they dont even look at me with CC prereqs and a foreign undergrad. I was wondering if anyone has dealt with a situation like this or knows anyone who had the same path. Any advise would be highly appreciated. https://forums.studentdoctor.net/th...chool-with-a-foreign-bachelor-degree.1228071/

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[SpoiledMilk]

I am confused. Did you do CC then transferred all those credits toward a foreign BA? Or you received your foreign BA and then did 60 credits at CC in the US?

Regardless, I don't think that US medschools will allow a foreign BA to fulfill it's BA requirements. It has to be a US BA degree.

I may be wrong, so calling
@gonnif @gyngyn for further clarification.

 

[deleted850233]

I am confused. Did you do CC then transferred all those credits toward a foreign BA? Or you received your foreign BA and then did 60 credits at CC in the US?

Regardless, I don't think that US medschools will allow a foreign BA to fulfill it's BA requirements. It has to be a US BA degree.

I may be wrong, so calling
@gonnif @gyngyn for further clarification.

Thank you for the feedback. I received my foreign BA (2009), then did 60 credits at CC in the US(2015-2017). Most medschools do accept foreign degrees but they want prereqs (or specific amount of units like 45/60/90 depending on the school) to be taken here. It is just a disadvantage compared to someone who has a degree from US. My goal is to see if there are more people like @SymphonyNo9 who got in with foreign degrees put US prereqs.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I see. Your post about not doing a post-bac threw me off. Any undergrad courses taken after a BA is considered a post-bac.

Yeah, I've read that applicants with a foreign BA needs to be superstars for US medical schools. @Goro has mentioned that nontraditionals can take CC prerequisites, but I don't know if it is applicable to only applicants with a US BA, and those with foreign BAs will need post-bac courses in a 4 year University.

 

[deleted850233]

I see. Your post about not doing a post-bac threw me off. Any undergrad courses taken after a BA is considered a post-bac.

Yeah, I've read that applicants with a foreign BA needs to be superstars for US medical schools.

Yea, so did I I have a friend who's a graduating med student and he was in an admissions committee in a US med school. His opinion is just do well on MCAT (around 90th percentile).

 

[astrostellar]

Your 60 CC credits are the pre-reqs?

 

[deleted850233]

Your 60 CC credits are the pre-reqs?

Yes, with an exception of 1 or 2 classes maybe. I did microbio research at my CC that was considered a 3 unit class, but they are almost all pre-reqs.

 

[deleted850233]

A large fraction of med schools want 90 US/Canada Undergrad Credits Some will take 30 credits. However, you also how the issue of being competitive with most of your US credits coming from a CC. The issue from a process standpoint is that while a school may accept your foreign degree, AMCAS will not, repeat, will not verify or include any of the grades from a foreign degree. Thus, it will not be part of the GPA calculation that schools will use to screen and evaluate you. Only your CC credits will be used.

Thank you for the feedback. So would you say that I shouldn't apply now and wait until I have 90 since I only have 60 now? Or do I just get another undergrad? (the issue here in California is that UC's dont even offer second bachelors degrees and I have already declared mine so I would have to go to a private university).

 

[gyngyn]

Depending on your MCAT score, your visa status will be the biggest impediment to success (even with 90 units...).

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I am a US citizen

Depending on your MCAT score, your visa status will be the biggest impediment to success (even with 90 units...).

 

[deleted850233]

Depending on your MCAT score, your visa status will be the biggest impediment to success (even with 90 units...).

I am a citizen, but have 60 units. I was just hoping that my 7+ year medical field experience would maybe compensate for having a foreign Bachelors.

 

[deleted850233]

One has nothing to do with the other.

Right. I was implying on one being an advantage and the other one a disadvantage.

So what is your opinion about my previous question?

Thank you for the feedback. So would you say that I shouldn't apply now and wait until I have 90 since I only have 60 now? Or do I just get another undergrad? (the issue here in California is that UC's dont even offer second bachelors degrees and I have already declared mine so I would have to go to a private university).

 

[gyngyn]

I am a citizen, but have 60 units. I was just hoping that my 7+ year medical field experience would maybe compensate for having a foreign Bachelors.

It will to some degree.

 

[deleted850233]

It will to some degree.

Thank you, that one good news for today

In my current situation and with all the credentials I've listed below what would your advise be? To go ahead and take the MCAT and apply or wait and get more units/second bachelors?

took all the pre-reqs in a local community college (which was brutally difficult, I don't get how are they frowned upon) which came to a little above 60 units(GPA 4.0). I also have done research in molecular biology (with poster presentation) and pharmaceutical grade organic chemistry(which I am doing now). Additionally, I have been an EMT for 6 years and shadowed an MD for 2.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

OP, just my $0.02. But if I was in your position and knowing the disadvantage of having a foreign BA plus the 60 credits at a less competitive CC, I would bite the bullet and get the second BA.

You want to apply only one time with your best application and having a US BA along with a competitive MCAT and all the ECs will ensure you have the best available app. Take the 1.5 to 2 years to do this. Medical school is not going anywhere.

GL!!!

 

[deleted850233]

OP, just my $0.02. But if I was in your position and knowing the disadvantage of having a foreign BA plus the 60 credits at a less competitive CC, I would bite the bullet and get the second BA.

You want to apply only one time with your best application and having a US BA along with a competitive MCAT and all the ECs will ensure you have the best available app. Take the 1.5 to 2 years to do this. Medical school is not going anywhere.

GL!!!

Thank you

 

[SpoiledMilk]

If you end up deciding to get a second BA, since you have enough shadowing (hopefully some are with PCPs), you should replace the shadowing with clinical volunteering at a hospital ER or hospice as well as some non-clinical volunteering at a soup kitchen or something else that shows your altruism.

6 years of EMT is good, but some SDN Adcoms have the opinion that EMT is a glorified medical taxi service. So another clinical volunteering opportunity will round out your app.

 

[deleted850233]

If you end up deciding to get a second BA, since you have enough shadowing (hopefully some are with PCPs), you should replace the shadowing with clinical volunteering at a hospital ER or hospice as well as some non-clinical volunteering at a soup kitchen or something else that shows your altruism.

6 years of EMT is good, but some SDN Adcoms have the opinion that EMT is a glorified medical taxi service. So another clinical volunteering opportunity will round out your app.

Definitely I will probably try to contact every single med school that I was planning to apply to and make a decision in a month or so.

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

I would write the individual med schools that you are interested in and see if your BA meets their entry requirements. Why get speculation from us? And then why not apply (if your app is otherwise competitive)?

To a lesser degree, I think it will also depend on whether your degree is a from a recognizable university versus not.

 

[deleted850233]

Thank you for the feedback.

I would write the individual med schools that you are interested in and see if your BA meets their entry requirements.

I am in the process of doing it now.

Why get speculation from us? And then why not apply (if your app is otherwise competitive)?
To a lesser degree, I think it will also depend on whether your degree is a from a recognizable university versus not.

Well, the main point of this thread was to see if there are any people in here with the same situation as me, but meanwhile is doesn't hurt to see what other medschool related people think And yes, I will probably end up applying since there is a pretty big array of schools that actually do accept a foreign degree as long as a set amount of prereqs are taken here. I am pretty sure its gonna come to what it always comes to: the MCAT score