foreigner-what are my chances?

[superman1969]

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Hey everyone,

Like everyone else, I deeply aspire to become a great physician. But, like many, I am unsure of my potential ...

1. I am a foreigner (permanent resident) - only moved here a few years ago. Does anybody have a complete list of 'foreign degree-friendly' medical schools?

2. My undergrad degree is not based on the 4.0 GPA scale. How do I get it converted and will it reflect my degree correctly? I'm thinking it's about a 3.0 (I hope!)
I also have a foreign masters degree (4.0), will this be considered by adcoms?

3. Taken most pre-reqs over again (Chem, Org. Chem, Physics, Eng.) - all have 4.0 GPA - should I take any more? I work in Research, so do I need to take Bio?

4. I spent a number of years working in research, both clinical and lab-based, with some publications.

5. MCAT scores are recent and mid-30s. I think these will be fine?

6. Currently volunteer for immigrants and at research fundraising events.

So, overall, do people think I have a chance? Will my foreign degrees hinder acceptance into US med schools. What can I do to improve my chances. Do I need to take any more classes over? How do I get more clinical experience.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Law2Doc]

3. Taken most pre-reqs over again (Chem, Org. Chem, Physics, Eng.) - all have 4.0 GPA - should I take any more? I work in Research, so do I need to take Bio?

All US med schools I am aware of require two semesters of biology, plus labs. If you have already taken them previously in your undergrad and did well, that's probably fine. If not, you would need to take them, research notwithstanding.
I'll let others address your other questions and foreign applicant issues as I have no knowledge of these matters. Good luck.

 

[.edu-MD]

3. Taken most pre-reqs over again (Chem, Org. Chem, Physics, Eng.) - all have 4.0 GPA - should I take any more? I work in Research, so do I need to take Bio?

Were your retakes at a US school or a foreign school? If they were at a US school then I would think that would be enough to satisfy any lingering questions.

And just because you work in a particular field, I wouldn't assume you can get away with not taking the prereqs. As Law2Doc said, 2 semesters of bio + labs is usually required. You don't want to give any reason for your file to be tossed aside. With foreign degrees, you'll be under that much more scrutiny. You're bound to be asked why you didn't stay abroad and why you're coming back to the US to try and go to med school.

 

[Scottish Chap]

1. I am a foreigner (permanent resident) - only moved here a few years ago. Does anybody have a complete list of 'foreign degree-friendly' medical schools?

Your application is almost the same as mine was. Your only issue will be your foreign degree, I promise you. If you are a permanent resident (meaning you have your green card), you're not a foreigner. Your chances of admission to a U.S. school are the same as a U.S. citizen and you will be eligible for federal loans.

2. My undergrad degree is not based on the 4.0 GPA scale. How do I get it converted and will it reflect my degree correctly? I'm thinking it's about a 3.0 (I hope!)
I also have a foreign masters degree (4.0), will this be considered by adcoms?

Your foreign transcripts can be evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an agency like WES (http://www.wes.org/). I've posted on this several times before - do a quick search and you should find that info. Most schools are going to ask you for between 60 and 90 credits completed in the U.S. (prereq's in there too). I know that for certain. One or two schools (like Mayo) will only accept U.S. undergraduate degrees. Several schools will accept your foreign degree with your U.S. prereq's. Call each school before you apply. Be as specific as possible.

3. Taken most pre-reqs over again (Chem, Org. Chem, Physics, Eng.) - all have 4.0 GPA - should I take any more? I work in Research, so do I need to take Bio?
Good for you! However, I agree with the previous poster--your research experience won't excuse the biology prereq. I got out of that only because I had a higher degree, earned in the U.S.

4. I spent a number of years working in research, both clinical and lab-based, with some publications.

Congrats.

5. MCAT scores are recent and mid-30s. I think these will be fine?

With a score of >30, you're fine.

So, overall, do people think I have a chance? Will my foreign degrees hinder acceptance into US med schools. What can I do to improve my chances. Do I need to take any more classes over? How do I get more clinical experience.

It would be impossible for anyone in this forum to honestly gauge how you would fair in this process as every school looks for something slightly different and grades and MCAT alone are not enough. In short, your stats will make you competitive. Apply widely (>15 schools) and you should do well. Good luck!

 

[superman1969]

Thanks amk25a, Law2Doc, and Scottish Chap for the aadvice ... I'll get started on the bio lect./labs ASAP.

Thanks and good luck to everyone!

😀

 

[Tribeca]

Hey everyone,

Like everyone else, I deeply aspire to become a great physician. But, like many, I am unsure of my potential ...

1. I am a foreigner (permanent resident) - only moved here a few years ago. Does anybody have a complete list of 'foreign degree-friendly' medical schools?

2. My undergrad degree is not based on the 4.0 GPA scale. How do I get it converted and will it reflect my degree correctly? I'm thinking it's about a 3.0 (I hope!)
I also have a foreign masters degree (4.0), will this be considered by adcoms?

3. Taken most pre-reqs over again (Chem, Org. Chem, Physics, Eng.) - all have 4.0 GPA - should I take any more? I work in Research, so do I need to take Bio?

4. I spent a number of years working in research, both clinical and lab-based, with some publications.

5. MCAT scores are recent and mid-30s. I think these will be fine?

6. Currently volunteer for immigrants and at research fundraising events.

So, overall, do people think I have a chance? Will my foreign degrees hinder acceptance into US med schools. What can I do to improve my chances. Do I need to take any more classes over? How do I get more clinical experience.

Thanks everyone!

Hey Superman, dang! after reading your post I thought for awhile that I was the one who wrote it...We are almost in the exact same scenario. I too, moved to the US a couple years ago, am a permanent resident, took undergrad from a foreign country, and my undergrad grades are not scaled to a 4.0 (1.0 was the highest, I got a 1.75, which allowed me to graduate cum laude, so i think it might be a 3.3 here). I did my master's here though (but also got a 4.0) Retook science prereq's here in the US. ScottishChap suggested that I email the med schools that I'm interested in, and so I did and explained my situation to adcoms. All in all, I emailed about 30 schools and have gotten replies from about half of them. I will follow up with the others again in April, when they're not too busy interviewing applicants. I noticed that the top-tier schools, such as those in MA, NY, and IL, have no problem with foreign prerequisites, some of them require an evaluation from WES (mentioned above), some require that original transcripts be sent to their school directly upon admission, some require transcripts before AMCAS or during secondaries, while some say they don't need it at all - they will just consider my work here in the US (it helped that I did my master's here.) Some peon schools (including my state school) flat-out won't accept any of the subjects that I took in under grad. so it just depends. You can also look up MSAR and see which schools take international applicants, those schools will probably be more receptive to your undergrad courses. Just make sure you mention that you are a permanent resident when you contact them, that makes a big difference.

An advisor from the Examcrackers forum who used to be on the NYMC adcoms said that you list your grades on AMCAS when you list the courses you took. AMCAS, however, does not require you to list your grades if taken from a non-US school. But, WES, the evaluating agency, will automatically convert your grades upon evaluation of your transcript (can you tell I've been researching this for a while now? 🙂 )

When are you planning to apply? PM if you have any more questions. I'm excited to see that there's someone on the same boat as I am.

 

[Scottish Chap]

An advisor from the Examcrackers forum who used to be on the NYMC adcoms said that you list your grades on AMCAS when you list the courses you took. AMCAS, however, does not require you to list your grades if taken from a non-US school. But, WES, the evaluating agency, will automatically convert your grades upon evaluation of your transcript (can you tell I've been researching this for a while now? 🙂 )

Just to clarify and expand upon this point made by DSIII: AMCAS will allow you to list courses and grades taken in the U.S. These grades will be verified (that is, a GPA will be assigned). AMCAS may allow you to list the WES-evaulated grades, originally taken in a foreign country (they did with me), but they will not be verified (that is, the WES GPA will not be assigned).

Safest action: after contacting each school and obtaining as much information as possible, send the WES transcript and your formal foreign college transcript directly to the admissions committee for each school as well as to AMCAS. They (the adcom) can put this together with your AMCAS form which will have your verifed U.S. GPA +/- your non-verified WES-assigned grades and credits from your foreign courses. Good luck!

 

[superman1969]

AMCAS may allow you to list the WES-evaulated grades, originally taken in a foreign country (they did with me), but they will not be verified (that is, the WES GPA will not be assigned).

So, another question for Scottish Chap and/or DSIII, and anyone else reading this: I was going to have my grades converted by another company (Center for Educational Documentation (http://www.cedevaluations.com/)) since I live near Boston, where they are located. Should I instead choose WES since you guys have set the precedent, or will CED suffice? Are they the same?

Thanks again, and thanks for replying - I feel less disheartened especially knowing that I'm not the only person out there like me!

 

[Scottish Chap]

So, another question for Scottish Chap and/or DSIII, and anyone else reading this: I was going to have my grades converted by another company (Center for Educational Documentation (http://www.cedevaluations.com/)) since I live near Boston, where they are located. Should I instead choose WES since you guys have set the precedent, or will CED suffice? Are they the same?

Thanks again, and thanks for replying - I feel less disheartened especially knowing that I'm not the only person out there like me!

I've never heard of Center for Educational Documentation. Go with what most schools are familiar with. I can't say which companies are better known. One would hope they give similar evaluations.

 

[Tribeca]

I've never heard of Center for Educational Documentation. Go with what most schools are familiar with. I can't say which companies are better known. One would hope they give similar evaluations.

Most of the schools that I've emailed told me to go to WES. I had mine done by Foreign Educational Document Service, which was accepted by the Board of Education in my state for my teaching license. FEDS stated that my degree is equivalent to a US degree, but some adcoms still wanted me to go to WES.