Hey i am an international student majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry and concentration in sociology...i would be junior this coming fall preparing to take the mcat....i volunteer twice a week at local hospital....and i am also working as a cna. Right now my gpa is 3.75..my plan is to make sure it goes up and does not goes below that when i graduate....but haven't researched some medical schools,it surprises me that most of these schools do not accept international students....even after my undergraduate in the states..weird...could anyone please let me know my chances of being admitted to any medical school? Am i on the right path as i am going with my classes? I know i can get a loan but is there any school that would accept me without looking at my immigration status as an f-1 student? I got a reply from duke university that they don't look citizenship or permanent residency in their admission processes,and that all student get equal chances no matter where you are from.....please i need help...please help......
Med school as an international student
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Just looking at your GPA and a good MCAT, your chances are good.
Just looking at your F-1, not so good; it narrows down where you can apply and there is no way around a school looking at your F-1 without a status change on your part.
Overall chances; somewhere in between.
Every school lists the course work required on their websites. That should help with the classes you need take.
Here is thread you might find worth reading.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=101679
Just looking at your F-1, not so good; it narrows down where you can apply and there is no way around a school looking at your F-1 without a status change on your part.
Overall chances; somewhere in between.
Every school lists the course work required on their websites. That should help with the classes you need take.
Here is thread you might find worth reading.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=101679
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thanks very much..Now I understand that being an F-1 student would narrow my chances in admission....But I think is time for these schools to stop admitting people based on where you're from...It's biased. Let someone who met the requirement get in instead of looking at your background....So what do I do to change my F-1 status?
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Why should we not look at your status?
Every medical school receives or has received tax payer support in some manner. Thus there has to be a bias towards those who pay taxes.
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I would agree. Unless you are independantly wealthy and can fund yourself for 4 years it would really be an uphill batte. All the schools that I know require you to open an escrow account with the entire cost of medical school for 4 years before you matriculate. Its very hard (read nearly impossible) to get loans as a F1 for medical school. Every country that I know has bias towards the people that pay taxes ... and this country is no different.
If I were in your shoes, I would complete my undergrad, get a job, change over to a H1 and then file for a GC. Once you have that there is no more discrimination. You can even take your remaining prerequisites part time and take the MCAT as you work and wait for your GC to arrive.
If I were in your shoes, I would complete my undergrad, get a job, change over to a H1 and then file for a GC. Once you have that there is no more discrimination. You can even take your remaining prerequisites part time and take the MCAT as you work and wait for your GC to arrive.
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F-1 has nothing to do with your background. It's a kind of gate keeping. I mean you don't let just anybody come into your house at will and sit at your dinner table. Instead of getting frustrated, figure out how to achieve your goals. It does you no good to complain about things like F-1.
It's easier to change your status if you are in engineering (there could be other careers too) or get a PhD and go into academia... well like Sharmi said, it's not easy and can take a long time. There are tons of resources if you would take the time to look.
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I'm an international student myself, but this kind of statement bugs me. Why should American schools not look at my status? American medical schools exist, first and foremost, to train American doctors, and this is as it should be. The educational system of any nation SHOULD be geared toward the needs of that nation's citizens. If you are honest with yourself, you would not expect any less from your own country.
Of course the admissions process is biased. Deal with it, and tailor your application accordingly instead of whining about "bias." You were the one who chose to be educated in a foreign country. If you do not like it, your home country will always be biased in your favor.
oh yes thanks guys...am not really concerned about F-1 STATUS but how can change it to green card or whatever for me to be eligible...My major is biology,you know it's hard to get job with a biology degree here in the States not even talking about compaay filing H1 for you...I was thinking of going into Nursing,maybe those hospitals would file green card for me since they need allot of nurses nowadays...I NEED ADVICE!!!!!
Unfortunately your main obstacle, as you saw, is getting a green card.
You can find how you can get one in detail at uscis.gov
The vast majority of med schools do not consider international students for many reasons, some of them being that they are not setup to process the paperwork from an administrative stand point to the fact that there are plenty of very well-qualified US applicants to the fact that they don't want to train people who might not practice here. A handful of schools do consider international applicants (look on MSAR for details). I suspect though that those very few students (if any) who do get accepted, worked doing research in the school for a significant period of time or similar situations, and are wealthy on top of all that. Believe it or not, the process is pretty fair as far as getting the best applicants without bias.
Getting a green card is a hard and very very long process unless you get married to a US citizen or a GC holder. Going the nursing route...don't know man. Even with a H1 visa it will still take a long while to get a GC, and then you will have to give med schools a good story about switching from nursing to medicine. And don't think that nursing jobs are waiting just for you. It's not as easy. While I know this is tough, I'd would entertain the idea of going to med school in your home country (hopefully for free) and then come back here as a resident. On one hand you won't have a ton of debt, on the other hand some specialties will be practically off limits as an IMG.
good luck man.
You can find how you can get one in detail at uscis.gov
The vast majority of med schools do not consider international students for many reasons, some of them being that they are not setup to process the paperwork from an administrative stand point to the fact that there are plenty of very well-qualified US applicants to the fact that they don't want to train people who might not practice here. A handful of schools do consider international applicants (look on MSAR for details). I suspect though that those very few students (if any) who do get accepted, worked doing research in the school for a significant period of time or similar situations, and are wealthy on top of all that. Believe it or not, the process is pretty fair as far as getting the best applicants without bias.
Getting a green card is a hard and very very long process unless you get married to a US citizen or a GC holder. Going the nursing route...don't know man. Even with a H1 visa it will still take a long while to get a GC, and then you will have to give med schools a good story about switching from nursing to medicine. And don't think that nursing jobs are waiting just for you. It's not as easy. While I know this is tough, I'd would entertain the idea of going to med school in your home country (hopefully for free) and then come back here as a resident. On one hand you won't have a ton of debt, on the other hand some specialties will be practically off limits as an IMG.
good luck man.
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I can understand your frustration since I am an international applicant myself although focusing on this one fact will not help you achieve your goal. Applying as an international applicant to a medical school in any foreign country will be a highly difficult and complicated process but it is not an impossible dream by any means. There have been many international applicants who have succeeded in gaining admission to a medical school in the Unites States, and now have fulfilling careers. What you need is passion, determination and patience. It is true that most medical schools do not accept international students but there are a handful of schools that do.
Here's a link showing medical school admission policies towards non-us citizens.
http://www.naahp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2559
Now, I do not think changing your status is a plausible plan unless you want to get stuck in the confounding world of immigration while it side tracks you from your true goal. Hence, I would suggest that you focus your energy on strengthening your credentials rather than your visa status. Your GPA looks good already, continue with your healthcare volunteering, try to get a 30+ score on your MCAT, and gain strong recommendation letters from your professors.
One other thing I would suggest is if there is a particular medical school in your area, that accepts international applicants, contact them personally, let them get to know you even before you start your application. Ask them questions about their program, try to volunteer/research with them, this will give them a chance to realize your potential and zeal beforehand.
Nothing in life comes easy, not to you, or anyone else on this forum, but I believe with hard work and perseverance you can give yourself the best shot possible. So please don't feel dejected and keep trying.
Best to you.
Yeah I really wanna thank you all guys for the advice. I am trying my best because I know nothing good comes easy..I know in my heart i'll made it to med school.I don't think MCAT would be my problem. I need to build up my resume as you've advice. I have always dreamed of becoming a physician from grade 4 when my grand Dad died of heart attack. I know God will help me fulfill my dream. Thanks allot.
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Um...as far as I'm concerned F-1 students also pay taxes.
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