From Foreign to US medical School... Is transfer possible?

[Pegasus]

Hi,
My sister in law went to 2 1/2 years of medical school in the Philipines 7 years ago. She has been working as a drug rep, but now wants to go back to medical school and enter as a 3rd year.
I am not sure that this is possible. She thinks that taking Step I will help her if she does well.

Does anyone know if this is possible?..to transfer maybe after 7 years out? Are there classes that she can take or maybe taking Step I will help?

Thanks...any info will help
Pegasus

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[Winged Scapula]

At first glance I assumed this was another one of the dozens of questions on the same subject - one that has been covered extensively here and elsewhere.

However, your SIL has the added "twist" of being out of school for 7 years. Regardless of whether she takes Step 1 and does well, I find it highly unlikely that she would be able to transfer into a 3rd year spot. Her knowledge base and clinical skills (not measured by Step 1) will be out dated, rusty and unlikely to be viewed favorably by US admissions committees.

There may even be state laws regarding the competion of medical school within a certain amount of time (as there is a requirement to finish all 3 steps of USMLE within 7 years). She should investigate state requirements in places she is considering and phone a few schools and ask if they have any policy which would prohibit her from transferring (and not just whether or not they would take her). If the answers to the above are "yes", she would do well, IMHO, to apply as a first year student after taking the MCAT rather than wasting time and money and potentially struggling by trying to catch up.

I'm sure she could study and do well on Step 1 but I'm fairly sure schools will frown on the break in time. After all, they have more than enough applications from people who have done medical school in a more timely fashion.

 

[Pegasus]

I had an idea that it would be a problem. I told her this and she didnt understand why it would be so hard to just transfer, but her years out is definately a problem

Thanks for the reply
Pegasus