Is my undergraduate degree good enough to enter med-school?

[mikaelb87]

Hi everyone. I'm a student who wishes to become a doctor someday, hopefully a pediatrician.🙂
I'm currently living in Sweden but i want to continue my studies in the US. I'm studying biomedicine now at karolinska institute and the degree that I will earn is "Bachelor of science in medicine". My degree will be fully recognized in the US. From what I've read so far, for becoming a doctor in the US one has to complete 4 years of undergraduate studies, then 4 years of med-school and then work at a hospital for a while.

I was wondering whether my degree is good enough to apply for med-school in the US or not? 😕
I know i have to take the step 1 and 2 exams and the ECFMG and also MCAT before applying to med-school. Can someone guide me as to when i can take these exams and whether my medicine degree that i earn here in Sweden is "enough" or not? 😕

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[MilkmanAl]

You don't take Step 1 until after your 2nd year of med school, and Step 2 comes after your 3rd or during the beginning of your 4th year. I see no reason why you wouldn't be eligible for admission to med school.

You can sign up for the MCAT here: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm

 

[Depakote]

This post would be more appropriate for the Pre-Allopathic forum as you are already in an undergraduate institution.

Hopefully someone there will be able to answer your question.

moving.

 

[armybound]

I know a couple of European physicians who practice in the US, but they went to medical school in Europe and then did a residency in the US. that may be your best bet.

 

[scarletgirl777]

Are you technically in Swedish medical school right now? As in, will you be able to use your degree to practice medicine? If so, I believe most American medical schools would not accept you as an applicant. What you can do is do a residency in America after you finish your medical degree.

Even if this BS in medicine is not considered a medical degree in Sweden, you will need to do a year of undergraduate coursework in America to be eligible to apply to schools, and even then it is more difficult to gain admission as a foreigner without permanent residency.

 

[p30doc]

your degree would probably be fine, but your citizenship may not be. I think most US schools mainly accept US citizens, you might want to check out the MSAR, it does look like some schools interview and accept a small number of international applicants.

 

[Mobius1985]

US medical schools that accept international students have variable requirements of 1-3 years of coursework, including prerequisites, being taken in an accredited US school. Further, AMCAS the main allopathic (MD) medical school application service, doesn't accept foriegn transcripts (Canada excepted). One way of getting around this is to apply to a US University and transfer your undergrad credits to that school. Whatever credit was transferable, can then be submitted to AMCAS, and they will accept it that way. US medical schools expect a very high undergraduate grade point average in order to be considered. They are held to a much higher standard than a US citizen would be. What is your GPA now?

Are you a US citizen? If not you would need the proper visa. Most medical schools accepting internationals will require proof that you can pay four years of tuition and fees. In the US this is very expensive. If you are a Swedish citizen, aren't their medical schools free, or very inexpensive to attend?

Here is a link to AMCAS which has further links to MCAT information and buying the MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements) which will give info on what schools accept internationals and what coursework is required: http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm

 

[Vihsadas]

Wait a second, there is an important point we might be missing here. In some European countries, a professional medical degree is a bachelor's degree and not a doctoral degree. In your country, do students go to medical school directly out of highschool, then go to residency/practice right after that? Or, is your degree a prelude to going to medical school in your home country.

If you get a bachelor's degree and can practice in your own country with that degree after completing a residency, although I am not sure, you may just have to take Step I and II and then apply for residency positions in the US. If this is the case, then you do not need to take the MCAT.

All of this, of course, is dependent on whether the US medical licensing committee recognizes your degree as the equivalent of a "medical doctorate" degree in the US.