How do I plan my future?

[Ajaibas]

I'm a Californian (born in the US of course) High school Student ( In my junior/11th year) who's aspiring to become a Doctor(Neurology, Radiology, Oncology and Cardiology seem to really interest me) in the future. However, My parents decided to send me off to England, a country where I never have lived in before which means i'm unfamiliar with the British Academic and education system. I've heard that the process of becoming a Doctor in the UK is quite fast, is this fairly true? If so, how? How would an American High School graduate (I have a 3.9 GPA so far) proceed to getting into Pre-Med, undergraduate program or med school in the UK? How and can I complete my Pre-Med and/or Medical School in the UK and then go onto residency and/or fellowship in the US? What would be the likely process? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing Med School in the UK?

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[efle]

Talk to your academic advisers at your school there in the UK. They send people directly out of highschool into the MD process, unlike the USA where you must first earn a bachelors before going into med school.

Doctors get paid more in the US, but carry more debt too. Otherwise a google search will be able to tell you a lot about the premed process there vs here.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

I'm a Californian (born in the US of course) High school Student ( In my junior/11th year) who's aspiring to become a Doctor(Neurology, Radiology, Oncology and Cardiology seem to really interest me) in the future. However, My parents decided to send me off to England, a country where I never have lived in before which means i'm unfamiliar with the British Academic and education system. I've heard that the process of becoming a Doctor in the UK is quite fast, is this fairly true? If so, how? How would an American High School graduate (I have a 3.9 GPA so far) proceed to getting into Pre-Med, undergraduate program or med school in the UK? How and can I complete my Pre-Med and/or Medical School in the UK and then go onto residency and/or fellowship in the US? What would be the likely process? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing Med School in the UK?

If you want to practice here then go to med school here. It is difficult to come back during residency or later.
UK/Australian schools have a larger focus on theory compared to American school. also use Google bc there are a lot of differences

Can I ask why you are being sent to England ?

 

[md-2020]

UK doctors receive an MBBS degree, not MD. It is not a graduate medical degree.

If you do become a foreign grad I can say with high confidence by the time you apply to match you will not be able to get back into the US.

US doctors make significantly more b/c the cost of medical education in the US is absurd.

 

[Ajaibas]

If you want to practice here then go to med school here. It is difficult to come back during residency or later.
UK/Australian schools have a larger focus on theory compared to American school. also use Google bc there are a lot of differences

Can I ask why you are being sent to England ?

I See, would it be possible to do my Pre-Med ( as in the required courses to enter a US med school? in England and then shift to the US for Med school? Would that be an easy process?

And Yes, you may, i'm being sent because of familial issues and disputes which have affected me negatively, and the my relatives in England have decided to "take me under their wing", if you will.

 

[efle]

I believe that is not an easy process, as the UK grading system tends to be much harsher, awarding lots of B and C grades and very few A's. Can you not finish up highschool in the UK and then go to a US college?

 

[Ajaibas]

I believe that is not an easy process, as the UK grading system tends to be much harsher, awarding lots of B and C grades and very few A's. Can you not finish up highschool in the UK and then go to a US college?

I'm not really certain, I have to stay there until i'm an adult. Even then, I would have a stable financial situation in the UK from my family there than here.

 

[efle]

I'm not really certain, I have to stay there until i'm an adult.

Will you be 18 years old by August 2017?

 

[Ajaibas]

Will you be 18 years old by August 2017?

Yes, I would be.

 

[Ajaibas]

Wait, nvm, i was born in december, so no.

 

[efle]

Hmm...why do you have to stay to adulthood? Is that somehow legally enforced or is that just what your family has arranged

 

[Ajaibas]

Hmm...why do you have to stay to adulthood? Is that somehow legally enforced or is that just what your family has arranged

It's what they arranged.

 

[efle]

It's what they arranged.

Then they should be fine with you going to college in the USA, you would be starting school only ~3-4 months before you legally became an adult. This is by far the best way to start the path towards a US MD and US residency.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

If that's not an option also keep in mind if you do residency overseas and then try to come back, you will have to repeat all of residency and take licensing exams before you can practice here.

It is possible to come here after med school but it will be very difficult. Make sure you ask your advisor what your chances would be since I assume you are a U.S. Citizen.

 

[Ajaibas]

If that's not an option also keep in mind if you do residency overseas and then try to come back, you will have to repeat all of residency and take licensing exams before you can practice here.

It is possible to come here after med school but it will be very difficult. Make sure you ask your advisor what your chances would be since I assume you are a U.S. Citizen.

I was assuming that since I am US citizen, that I would have an easier time getting into an American Med-School or residency.

 

[efle]

I was assuming that since I was a US citizen, that I would have an easier time getting into an American Med-School or residency.

The barrier to getting into American med school will be your grades, not that you'd have to apply as a foreign citizen. You should do everything you can to attend a US university.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

I was assuming that since I was a US citizen, that I would have an easier time getting into an American Med-School or residency.

maybe med school, but residency will be difficult
really though, talk to advisors to get more input

 

[Ajaibas]

The barrier to getting into American med school will be your grades, not that you'd have to apply as a foreign citizen. You such sshould do everything you can to attend a US university.

That's really unfortunate, are there any programs for students going abroad?

 

[efle]

That's really unfortunate, are there any programs for students abroad?

Med schools are open to international applications but there is no program to avoid the generally much harsher grading

 

[Glazedonutlove]

That's really unfortunate, are there any programs for students going abroad?

there are international schools
you really need to either find this stuff online or talk to advisors. I don't recommend only asking on here when making an important life decision

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Oh if you meant program at med schools, then yes though I am not sure how they would categorize you if you are a citizen. But you need to know that getting into med school as an international is difficult and I would not recommend it.

 

[Ajaibas]

I see. I've read online that we have the option of taking a post-bacc program, could you shed some light on that?

 

[efle]

Post-bacc programs are really for people that need grade repair. It's expensive and adds a year onto the premed process, so it is something people only do when it is necessary.

I can't stress enough that the entire process will be much easier if you can simply attend a US undergrad. What is making you hesitant to just go back to the states for college?

 

[Ajaibas]

Post-bacc programs are really for people that need grade repair. It's expensive and adds a year onto the premed process, so it is something people only do when it is necessary.

I can't stress enough that the entire process will be much easier if you can simply attend a US undergrad. What is making you hesitant to just go back to the states for college?

I just don't have the financial backing to actually study here, It's very faulty and uncertain for me here, financially speaking, unless I have to opt for Student loans and those can pile up quite quickly, as I've heard.

 

[efle]

I just don't have the financial backing to actually study here, It's very faulty and uncertain for me here, financially speaking, unless I have to opt for Student loans and those can pile up quite quickly, as I've heard.

What state are you a resident of? Have you taken the SAT/ACT? Many public systems are very affordable and it is common for people to use a combo of low instate tuition, need based and/or merit based financial aid, part time work and student loans to get their degree without parents being able to pay anything to support them.