Interviewing for med school while abroad?

[universalfish]

Hey Guys! I am currently in my last year of a postbac so after this year I will have completed all my requirements for med school, taken the MCAT and gotten significant research/volunteer experience. The only thing that I really want to do is live abroad for a year. I am planning to submit my application for med school as soon as they open in May/June 2018 and get the secondaries done right away as well. Considering I am a postbac I am probably not the strongest applicant and I have no idea what my MCAT scores will be. So my question is, if I am abroad will I be able to schedule my interviews all in a couple two to three week periods so I only have to fly back twice (maybe three times) or do you think this is impossible? Thanks!

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[PatchA]

You can ask schools, and many of my interviews did end up being within a few weeks of each other, but, at the end of the day, schools don't have to accommodate this. Also, you might get a batch of invites early on and then some later in the cycle that you wouldn't know about at the time of the first few. You could likely schedule interviews around a longish trip (3-4 weeks), but I think being abroad for the whole cycle, you're gambling that you are going to need to fly back and forth a few times.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

my question is, if I am abroad will I be able to schedule my interviews all in a couple two to three week periods so I only have to fly back twice (maybe three times) or do you think this is impossible? Thanks!

Sure, if you only get 2 or 3 interviews.

Seriously, oftentimes, you'll have ZERO control as to when you can interview. And, you could have little notice and be scrambling to get an airline ticket for a flight within a week (insane rates).

The idea of purposely being abroad during your app year is, um, (ok I'll be nice) risky.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

View attachment 221231

Lol...I'm very aware of those numbers.

I was making a joke regards to the question of possibly limiting flying back 2-3 times. And who knows...This may be an amazing applicant who might get 10 IIs.

My true response indicated that the student needs to be in the US during app year.

 

[LizzyM]

If you are a top candidate, you can get away with living/working/studying abroad during the cycle. I'd suggest planning to come back for two periods of 3 weeks and those periods would be last week of September through second week of October and starting again the Monday after Thanksgiving, again for 3 weeks. You'd write in your application and/or in an email to each school that you are out of the country doing xyz but will be in the states and available for interviews from Sept _ through Oct _ and Nov _ through Dec _. If you get no nibbles and decide to be available in Jan-Feb you could always send a follow-up with the additional availability. If a school likes you enough on paper to be willing to work around your schedule then it should work out.

To be a top candidate, I'd recommend shooting for an MCAT of not less than 519 and at least 3 sections of 130 or better.

 

[universalfish]

OP here, forgot to mention that the specific program I am applying for is totally cool with fellows traveling for interviews and taking time off for that purpose.. it mostly comes down to money. And I know that most people say to just live abroad for a year and then apply but I am already in a post bac program so I am behind (age wise and wanting to be done with residency before i'm 40)

 

[PreMedMissteps]

, if I am abroad will I be able to schedule my interviews all in a couple two to three week periods so I only have to fly back twice (maybe three times) or do you think this is impossible? Thanks

it mostly comes down to money.

Well, the app year is expensive as it is, without adding in 2 or 3 additional round trip tickets abroad, in addition to the tickets for your original departure and return. Guessing that during your 2-3 week trips back to the US, you'll be staying with family, but you'll also have domestic travel costs if your interviews aren't in your home's region. Are you affluent or have generous parents?

Of course if one of the 2-3 week visits includes all interviews in another part of the country, then you'd have associated costs (hotels/rental car/etc) with staying there to attend a few interviews.

 

[universalfish]

Well, the app year is expensive as it is, without adding in 2 or 3 additional round trip tickets abroad, in addition to the tickets for your original departure and return. Guessing that during your 2-3 week trips back to the US, you'll be staying with family, but you'll also have domestic travel costs if your interviews aren't in your home's region. Are you affluent or have generous parents?

Of course if one of the 2-3 week visits includes all interviews in another part of the country, then you'd have associated costs (hotels/rental car/etc) with staying there to attend a few interviews.

ugh no I am not, you are all right... thank you, it was just wishful thinking