If I am doing a US citizen doing a master's program in Norway, will MD/PhD programs require me to fly for interviews?

[i.am.a.nervous.system]

Hey! I am considering a 2 year MSc and do not want to take more gap years than I have to. If I am doing a US citizen doing a master's program in Norway, will MD/PhD programs require me to come back to the US for interviews? This would be in like 3 years, so I wonder if Zoom would become more acceptable. I suppose this would perhaps put me at a disadvantage. I am not sure if the program would allow a student to take time off to go do interviews.

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[RespectTheChemistry]

Yes, they really don't make Zoom exceptions unfortunately (unless something crazy happens where they have to do it across the board, i.e. the pandemic).

Also, there are issues with foreign transcripts but I don't remember enough to comment, so I'll wait for other folks to comment on that.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Banco]

Unless they switch to Zoom permanently, I think you'll have to be flying back and forth. I think you should definitely do the Masters, as it sounds like an cool once in a life time experience. You could deal with the hassle of flying back and forth. Or you could delay 1 more year.

 

[xffan624]

I was stationed in Korea with the U.S. military and applied to medical school. No exceptions were made for me. I flew back twice for a total of 4 interviews. The only time I have heard of an exception outside of the COVID pandemic are for deployed military in Iraq or Afghanistan (Korea is an overseas assignment, not a deployment).