International students: Why study in the USA?

[PeruvianMD]

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Hi, I am new in this forum. I will be starting college in the USA this fall. I am an international student from Peru. I didn't wanted to study medicine in my home country because the medical education is not very good, and the job prospects for it are very low too, so that's why I decided to pursue another degree like microbiology abroad. But lately I've been thinking about studying medicine (both my parents are doctors here in Peru). But I don't know what to do really, I would like to pursue a medical education in the USA, as the degree will give more opportunities in private clinics here, but I know it is hard to gain admission. What would be the pros of getting a medical degree from the USA? Should I try to pursue it in the USA?

Thanks

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Hi, I am new in this forum. I will be starting college in the USA this fall. I am an international student from Peru. I didn't wanted to study medicine in my home country because the medical education is not very good, and the job prospects for it are very low too, so that's why I decided to pursue another degree like microbiology abroad. But lately I've been thinking about studying medicine (both my parents are doctors here in Peru). But I don't know what to do really, I would like to pursue a medical education in the USA, as the degree will give more opportunities in private clinics here, but I know it is hard to gain admission. What would be the pros of getting a medical degree from the USA? Should I try to pursue it in the USA?

Thanks

Do you want to be a doctor in these great United States or Peru? If you want to stay here to practice medicine, attempt to go to medical school here.

 

[PeruvianMD]

My objective is to practice in the United States.

 

[BABSstudent]

My objective is to practice in the United States.

It's my understanding that to practice in the US that you have to do residency here (not sure if this is true). Getting into a residency as a foreign medical school grad is much more difficult. Thus, people try to go to medical school in the US.

 

[lcm2020]

Yes, and it's doable.

You "only" gotta have higher stats than the average accepted American.

Good luck having no life haha

 

[cookiemonsters]

In my limited experience, most international doctors come to the US because A) they want to do research as a physician and it is much easier in the US or B) US doctors currently get paid much more than doctors in any other country.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Doctors in my country are paid about 4k a year during residency. And if you work for the government after residency you can get about 15k a year. Very very low.

 

[circulus vitios]

Doctors in my country are paid about 4k a year during residency. And if you work for the government after residency you can get about 15k a year. Very very low.

Tuition and cost of living are $50-80,000 per year in America. Just keep that in mind...

 

[notbobtrustme]

Yes, and it's doable.

You "only" gotta have higher stats than the average accepted American.

Good luck having no life haha

It's more than that. He would need a green card + tuition fronted, since he would be ineligbile for federal student loans, since most schools don't accept international students, especially on student visas. The fact that he is ineligible for student loans makes affording medical school all but impossible. The schools that do accept international students are also extremely selective (eg Harvard/Stanford/Columbia) because they attract the best and brightest from around the world and those schools are also most likely to waive the tuition requirement. However, for the majority of schools that do take international students, there is no such tuition waiver/assistance. Depending on the school, you would need to front the entire cost of 4 years upfront or at least prove you can finance 4 years of medical school education.

Consider that Canadians are at a disadvantage compared to US permanent residents/citizens and they don't need a green card/student visa to study medicine in the US because of reciporcal agreements between the US and Canada and yet they still need to outperform their citizen peers.


So yea, not going to happen unless you are an absolute superstar.

 

[PeruvianMD]

My parents make an income of about 100k per year, but I can also take loans from banks, I have some relatives that are US citizens that could co-sign. So the problem is not really the money, but obviously if I am going to make my family spend so much, it should be in a good med school. And i've read in this forum about international students getting admission to top schools, and they weren't "absolute superstars". I would have better chance applying for need-blind schools right?

 

[goofball]

Must be the money.

 

[lcm2020]

It's more than that. He would need a green card + tuition fronted, since he would be ineligbile for federal student loans, since most schools don't accept international students, especially on student visas. The fact that he is ineligible for student loans makes affording medical school all but impossible. The schools that do accept international students are also extremely selective (eg Harvard/Stanford/Columbia) because they attract the best and brightest from around the world and those schools are also most likely to waive the tuition requirement. However, for the majority of schools that do take international students, there is no such tuition waiver/assistance. Depending on the school, you would need to front the entire cost of 4 years upfront or at least prove you can finance 4 years of medical school education.

Consider that Canadians are at a disadvantage compared to US permanent residents/citizens and they don't need a green card/student visa to study medicine in the US because of reciporcal agreements between the US and Canada and yet they still need to outperform their citizen peers.


So yea, not going to happen unless you are an absolute superstar.

NOT

Actually most DO schools accept international students, and most private MD's do too.

Assuming he has the money and some really good stats, he has a good chance.

I am a international student myself (no green card) and I spent a lot of time researching this crap before jumping in

Edit:
Applicants by state of residence: https://www.aamc.org/download/321500/data/2012factstable20.pdf
Matriculants by state of residence:https://www.aamc.org/download/321502/data/2012factstable21.pdf

The average stats for "other", which is where non-Canandian international students are, can be seen as GPA 3.7~3.9 MCAT 29~37 (considering one +-standard deviation from the mean)

93 were accepted out of 373 that applied, which is about 25% acceptance ratio.

The Canadians have about 10% acceptance ratio...

 

[BABSstudent]

My parents make an income of about 100k per year, but I can also take loans from banks, I have some relatives that are US citizens that could co-sign. So the problem is not really the money, but obviously if I am going to make my family spend so much, it should be in a good med school. And i've read in this forum about international students getting admission to top schools, and they weren't "absolute superstars". I would have better chance applying for need-blind schools right?

Well, here's the problem with what you have said. I studied abroad at a medical school in Ecuador. Medical school (in Ecuador) was right out of high school and cost $7,000 per year and most students lived with their family so no housing or food costs. There were six years of school, so that comes to $42,000 total (plus interest).

If you want to go to a US medical school, you have to do an undergrad in the US. As a foreign student, you would pay out of state tuition which is going to cost about $30,000 (assuming a cheap, state university). We will say housing, books, food, etc. costs another $7,500 per year. You will do that for four years, and then apply to medical school. Total debt so far is $150,000.

Let's assume you get into medical school. Again, being a foreign citizen, you will pay out of state tuition. That means you will pay close to $50,000 per year. Housing and food will cost you another $7,500 per year. That adds another $230,000. Add that together with your undergrad debt and you have $380,000 worth of debt.

Granted, you could apply for citizenship in the US or get scholarships, but that is still way more than you would pay in Peru.

The other alternative is to do medical school in Peru and then hope to get a residency in the US. If you got in, that would save your family $338,000.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Well, I know it's expensive. But my parents will pay for my undergraduate, and if I get more than 1k scholarship in my university, which is really not that hard, I will be able to pay as in-state resident, so my undergraduate debt will not be too much, about 25k per year including other costs. I have about 35k saved for med school also. I really don't want to do med school here in Peru, I know from first hand experience (my parents) how it really is, and also took guided visits.

 

[nysegop]

Tuition and cost of living are $50-80,000 per year in America. Just keep that in mind...

👍


Most people are under the impression they will make more money in the US, but they don't consider things such as high taxes, cost of living, malpractice, other stuff.

 

[circulus vitios]

My parents make an income of about 100k per year, but I can also take loans from banks, I have some relatives that are US citizens that could co-sign. So the problem is not really the money, but obviously if I am going to make my family spend so much, it should be in a good med school. And i've read in this forum about international students getting admission to top schools, and they weren't "absolute superstars". I would have better chance applying for need-blind schools right?

Yeah I wouldn't count on your US family members co-signing hundreds of thousands of dollars in private loans. You know what happens if you drop out of medical school, don't match, take time off between school and residency, or otherwise let your loans lapse into payment? The creditors go after the co-signer and their assets.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Mmm, didn't thought about that, thanks. Well, let's say I get a financial aid of some sort, as some private med schools do, and I have to pay a reasonable amount that will not leave my parents in debt. If that's the case, would pursuing a medical education in the USA good? I guess it will be more valuable than an education in third world countries right?

 

[BABSstudent]

Well, I know it's expensive. But my parents will pay for my undergraduate, and if I get more than 1k scholarship in my university, which is really not that hard, I will be able to pay as in-state resident, so my undergraduate debt will not be too much, about 25k per year including other costs. I have about 35k saved for med school also. I really don't want to do med school here in Peru, I know from first hand experience (my parents) how it really is, and also took guided visits.

Where can you get instate tuition after getting 1k in scholarships? I don't know of any state like that.

 

[nysegop]

You're thinking about the 1k scholarship program at Texas, correct? I don't believe this applies to foreigners.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Texas. In texas A&M you can ask for a Out of state waiver, doesn't matter if you are foreign or not.
"A non-resident student who holds a competitive academic scholarship of at least $1000 (or the amount required for eligibility by the Texas Education Code) for the academic year or summer for which the student is enrolled is entitled to pay the fees and charges required of Texas residents without regard to the length of time the student has resided in Texas."

 

[nysegop]

Texas. In texas A&M you can ask for a Out of state waiver, doesn't matter if you are foreign or not.

Are you positive?

 

[PeruvianMD]

Yes, I consulted with my Education USA advisor, and in the college's website, that is located under scholarships and financial aid for international students.

 

[Orims]

Are you a 100% certain that you want to become a medical doctor? Have you considered a career as a biomedical researcher? Like you I am an international student who came to the US with the idea of becoming a medical doctor. However, after ~2.5 years of undergraduate research experience and an amazing summer research program I have begun to lean more towards earning a PhD and performing biomedical research.

Also, as many have said, getting into med school as an international student is HIGHLY competitive. You have to be the best of the best (research, GPA, letters of rec., ECs, etc...). Sure, having the money and ability to pay for med school and undergraduate may seem like a good thing, but having money won't mean that you will earn a spot in a med program.

Rather than knowing that you want to come to the US to become a medical doctor, come and keep your horizons open. Who knows? You might end up realizing that you love research and deciding to get a Phd. You might discover that physics is really interesting and change majors. You might discover that you can't stand memorizing countless of biological and physiological facts.

Si tienes mas preguntas mandame un PM, como tu soy Latino pero no de Peru.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Hola! Gusto en conocerte 🙂 Well, my current major is biomedical sciences, as that was what I first wanted to do. You are right that I should keep my horizons open. I was first very attracted to research, but after reading about the life of many post-docs, I was really scare of ending up in a low paying job for years. But yeah, biomedical research also is very interesting to me.

 

[nysegop]

Hola! Gusto en conocerte 🙂 Well, my current major is biomedical sciences, as that was what I first wanted to do. You are right that I should keep my horizons open. I was first very attracted to research, but after reading about the life of many post-docs, I was really scare of ending up in a low paying job for years. But yeah, biomedical research also is very interesting to me.

Working for a big biomedical company will not pay low. Especially if you're good at your job 🙂

You can look at upward of $100,000 which is as much as some primary care docs make after malpractice.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Could you tell me which qualifications would be needed to work in such companies? which major and degree?

 

[Orims]

Could you tell me which qualifications would be needed to work in such companies? which major and degree?

Do something for the love of it, monetary gain comes later, but here are my 2 cents.

You might need a good GPA, substantial research experience and great letters of recommendation to get into a PhD program. People with PhDs that work at biotech companies tend to make some good money.

 

[PeruvianMD]

Thank you all for your responses 🙂 This is really the best forum I've visited. If you still have advice for me just tell me.

 

[IslandStyle808]

It's my understanding that to practice in the US that you have to do residency here (not sure if this is true). Getting into a residency as a foreign medical school grad is much more difficult. Thus, people try to go to medical school in the US.

Yes its true (not sure if there are exceptions but if so it would be rare).

 

[Didierdrogba]

👍


Most people are under the impression they will make more money in the US, but they don't consider things such as high taxes, cost of living, malpractice, other stuff.

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[nysegop]

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