Is it better to enter a US BS/MD program like in Tbilisi?

[supernova8848]

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So, I am a graduating high school senior. Unfortunately to some, while I was admitted to a 4 year university, I was not admitted into a BS/MD program like my brother and sister both were. My parents are from India, and feel that taking 4 years to do college, when I already want to do medicine is a waste of time. My father found a BS/MD program in Tbilisi and feels that I should attend there. But, I have a few questions because I have been receiving mixed feedback about entering such a program.

1) Schools like Ross and SGU clearly present their match list and for the most part, it seems that if you do what you need to do while you are there, you'll get a residency in the United States, but for a school like Tbilisi, even with the MD, would coming back to the US be an uphill battle?

2) The program in Tbilisi is new, so there is no record of a match list at this time, not until 2019 at least. What questions should I ask or what accreditation should I look for that will be a signal to me that the school has at least some connections to the US for residency spots?

Thanks everyone.

Trust me, I do understand that going to a 4-year program for college is best for me, I am really posting this question in hopes that someone will post some facts that I can present to my parents that prove this is an awful idea.

 

[NontradCA]

Just go to your university and get the best grades you can. Forget about the BS/MD route. You're thinking too far into the future.

 

[SN12357]

BS/MD programs in the states generally save you what, a single year? So because you didn't get into a BS/MD program, you're reading to abandon college and medical school in the United States entirely?

No. This is terrible idea. Stay here, go to college, make yourself the strongest applicant you can and you might even end up with better offers than your siblings. BS/MD programs are not necessarily the great deal they seem to be and going overseas is a terrible idea.

 

[masaraksh]

Ask Putin what his plans are for Georgia?

 

[SN12357]

In light of your edit that you need proof to bring to your parents that overseas is a bad option here is a NEJM article about the problem with the (stagnant) number of residencies but increasing number of American medical school graduates:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1306445

 

[supernova8848]

Ask Putin?

For some reason, I trust the folks on SDN

In light of your edit that you need proof to bring to your parents that overseas is a bad option here is a NEJM article about the problem with the (stagnant) number of residencies but increasing number of American medical school graduates:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1306445

Thanks for the article, I'm reading it now.

 

[masaraksh]

You missed my point.

Anyway, my advice is to go 'regular' university.

 

[supernova8848]

In light of your edit that you need proof to bring to your parents that overseas is a bad option here is a NEJM article about the problem with the (stagnant) number of residencies but increasing number of American medical school graduates:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1306445

Finished reading the article, and I have one question. For US MD programs that are outside the US, are they considered international medical school graduates? I have family friend that is from India finished his residency then had to come to the US to repeat his residency and jump through a lot of hoops. I always thought that is what is considered to be an international medical school graduate, not someone that attends a US MD accredited program outside the States. I ask this because if the AMA is including all MD graduates of US approved MD programs, wouldn't attending such a program overseas put me in the same category for US med grads?

 

[supernova8848]

You missed my point.

Anyway, my advice is to go 'regular' university.

Sorry. I will look up this information. I am not well-versed on international affairs 🙁

 

[LizzyM]

Finished reading the article, and I have one question. For US MD programs that are outside the US, are they considered international medical school graduates? I have family friend that is from India finished his residency then had to come to the US to repeat his residency and jump through a lot of hoops. I always thought that is what is considered to be an international medical school graduate, not someone that attends a US MD accredited program outside the States. I ask this because if the AMA is including all MD graduates of US approved MD programs, wouldn't attending such a program overseas put me in the same category for US med grads?

The only LCME accredited programs outside of the US are in Canada. Everyone else is an FMG or IMG (foreign medical graduate or international medical graduate; the two terms are used interchangable as best I can tell). If you want to practice medicine in Tbilisii go to medical school there. If you want to practice medicine in the US, go to school here.

I would also keep in mind that it is very easy with the internet to find out where doctors went to school and even if you are a native born, US citizen you may face discrimination from patients who would see your foreign medical degree and choose a different doctor if given a choice.

 

[SN12357]

Finished reading the article, and I have one question. For US MD programs that are outside the US, are they considered international medical school graduates? I have family friend that is from India finished his residency then had to come to the US to repeat his residency and jump through a lot of hoops. I always thought that is what is considered to be an international medical school graduate, not someone that attends a US MD accredited program outside the States. I ask this because if the AMA is including all MD graduates of US approved MD programs, wouldn't attending such a program overseas put me in the same category for US med grads?

If you go to a medical school that is not in the United States, you are an international medical school graduate. Period. If you are a US citizen who is an international medical school graduate you have a leg up in terms of obtaining a residency compared to non-citizens, but you are still severely disadvantaged compared to American medical school graduates.

 

[Goro]

FMGs will be having harder and harder times getting residencies over the next years.

Also, make sure YOU want to be a doctor, and not because your parents point to your siblings and say "they will be doctors; you WILL be a doctor".

So, I am a graduating high school senior. Unfortunately to some, while I was admitted to a 4 year university, I was not admitted into a BS/MD program like my brother and sister both were. My parents are from India, and feel that taking 4 years to do college, when I already want to do medicine is a waste of time. My father found a BS/MD program in Tbilisi and feels that I should attend there. But, I have a few questions because I have been receiving mixed feedback about entering such a program.

1) Schools like Ross and SGU clearly present their match list and for the most part, it seems that if you do what you need to do while you are there, you'll get a residency in the United States, but for a school like Tbilisi, even with the MD, would coming back to the US be an uphill battle?

2) The program in Tbilisi is new, so there is no record of a match list at this time, not until 2019 at least. What questions should I ask or what accreditation should I look for that will be a signal to me that the school has at least some connections to the US for residency spots?

Thanks everyone.

Trust me, I do understand that going to a 4-year program for college is best for me, I am really posting this question in hopes that someone will post some facts that I can present to my parents that prove this is an awful idea.

 

[kyamh]

My advice is to not go to medical school until you feel comfortable making this decision without having to bring "proof" to your parents.

Go to the best US university that has accepted you. Your family (like mine) has worked hard to get you to America. Don't waste their efforts by turning your back on the amazing opportunities offered by US universities. Your parents don't yet understand the doors that will be open to you in a US school - they didn't attend one. In the US you will have the best mentors, the best research opportunities, the best internships and scholarships available to explore a wide variety of career options, the best peer connections for the future.

While this is a hard concept to internalize for many teens, the life you choose is the life you will be forced to live. Not your parents, they have made their choices, but you will be the one stuck with the consequences of these choices you are about to make.

 

[PleaseCallMeDoc]

I chose not to apply to many BS/MD programs last year due to a couple of reasons:

1) Either the medical school associated with the college was low-tier (and required 30-31 MCAT, happening to one of my friends)- or...
2) The undergrad/ medical school was great but they cut all scholarships so you had to pay full sticker price (This is happening to another friend)-or....
3) It is simply 1 less year, yet, a lot more rigorous when it comes to workload. We're talking about 18+ credit semesters every semester + summer classes. Enjoy the "college experience" because it really is the last time you can settle down for a bit before you enter a more rigorous lifestyle (same kid in #2)

So don't feel too bad about not doing BS/MD. Go to college, destroy your classes, beast the mcat, stay active, and you should be in med school in 4 years.

also, just throwing in my own 2 cents, don't feel pressured by your parents. I went to a bs/md interview last year and 22 of the 28 were indian and I talked to some of the kids and almost half said they were pressured in by their parents. Keep their opinion in mind, but don't let it affect your judgement to much of what YOU want to do in life 🙂

 

[NYCNative]

It is no longer such a good idea. If you had graduated 12 years ago, it would have been a fantastic idea -- but the internet was young, then, and no one except people with families in these places (Poland, Hungary) knew about these options.