Medical School Overseas

[Knightwing]

I'm currently a high school senior.

So far I've only been looking at in-state colleges and potential future medical schools in the US so far. At one point I looked at a medical school overseas in Ireland but I quickly forgot about that as I was more focused on other things.

Recently, however, I have been thinking about what my future might entail. I've become interested in foreign politics and learning new languages. I definitely want to try to travel in the distant future but I would like to experience life in a different country in the next decade at least. I'm unsure about the chance that I might be able to spend a substantial amount of time in a different country overseas in the next ten years of my life if I do make it into medical school in my country and become a physician.

The idea of fully immersing myself in a different culture sounds daunting but very enticing. I'm not sure about the prospect of permanently moving but I'd like to know about what going to medical school in European countries (Russia, Italy, UK but plus Australia) might be like. Any advice on how and where to look for information would be appreciated. Also, if you have knowledge/experience I would appreciate if you could answer some questions.

1) Is it a good idea to go to medical school in a country where the main language isn't english and you are very unfamiliar with the main language? I'm willing to put in the effort but I feel like the combined factors will transform it from a fun experience to a taxing chore.

2) How will this affect my image when/if I return to the US? Will I seem less in-experienced? Need to re-take the exam? What will return entail?

3) Would the better option be to try exchange programs or studying abroad in college if I want to familiarize myself with different cultures and languages.?

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[Frogger27]

I'm currently a high school senior.

So far I've only been looking at in-state colleges and potential future medical schools in the US so far. At one point I looked at a medical school overseas in Ireland but I quickly forgot about that as I was more focused on other things.

Recently, however, I have been thinking about what my future might entail. I've become interested in foreign politics and learning new languages. I definitely want to try to travel in the distant future but I would like to experience life in a different country in the next decade at least. I'm unsure about the chance that I might be able to spend a substantial amount of time in a different country overseas in the next ten years of my life if I do make it into medical school in my country and become a physician.

The idea of fully immersing myself in a different culture sounds daunting but very enticing. I'm not sure about the prospect of permanently moving but I'd like to know about what going to medical school in European countries (Russia, Italy, UK but plus Australia) might be like. Any advice on how and where to look for information would be appreciated. Also, if you have knowledge/experience I would appreciate if you could answer some questions.

1) Is it a good idea to go to medical school in a country where the main language isn't english and you are very unfamiliar with the main language? I'm willing to put in the effort but I feel like the combined factors will transform it from a fun experience to a taxing chore.

2) How will this affect my image when/if I return to the US? Will I seem less in-experienced? Need to re-take the exam? What will return entail?

3) Would the better option be to try exchange programs or studying abroad in college if I want to familiarize myself with different cultures and languages.?

Study abroad in college, travel in your free time, etc. Don’t go to Med school in a foreign country unless you want to stay there to practice medicine

 

[Goro]

I'm currently a high school senior.

So far I've only been looking at in-state colleges and potential future medical schools in the US so far. At one point I looked at a medical school overseas in Ireland but I quickly forgot about that as I was more focused on other things.

Recently, however, I have been thinking about what my future might entail. I've become interested in foreign politics and learning new languages. I definitely want to try to travel in the distant future but I would like to experience life in a different country in the next decade at least. I'm unsure about the chance that I might be able to spend a substantial amount of time in a different country overseas in the next ten years of my life if I do make it into medical school in my country and become a physician.

The idea of fully immersing myself in a different culture sounds daunting but very enticing. I'm not sure about the prospect of permanently moving but I'd like to know about what going to medical school in European countries (Russia, Italy, UK but plus Australia) might be like. Any advice on how and where to look for information would be appreciated. Also, if you have knowledge/experience I would appreciate if you could answer some questions.

1) Is it a good idea to go to medical school in a country where the main language isn't english and you are very unfamiliar with the main language? I'm willing to put in the effort but I feel like the combined factors will transform it from a fun experience to a taxing chore.

2) How will this affect my image when/if I return to the US? Will I seem less in-experienced? Need to re-take the exam? What will return entail?

3) Would the better option be to try exchange programs or studying abroad in college if I want to familiarize myself with different cultures and languages.?

If you wish to practice Medicine in the US, you need to go to a US med school.

 

[libertyyne]

After graduating from overseas you have a 50 50 chamce of matching in a residency program in the United States. If those odds plus hundreds of thousands in debt with a chance that your degree will be useless is an OK trade off fulfilling your need to travel then go ahead.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to pre-med.

You should avoid going to a foreign medical school. Medicine is the same everywhere, but foreign curricula are not geared toward teaching you what you need to know to pass the US medical licensing exams (USMLEs), and these are the primary factor that you will be judged on when applying for residency. Furthermore, there is just an inherent bias against foreign grads because except for a few internationally-renowned schools, most residency programs just don't know which schools abroad are rigorous enough to churn out good doctors; they know that at least all the schools here have some semblance of a standard curriculum and if you graduated you will meet a minimum competency level.

 

[LizzyM]

US trained physicians can practice abroad, particularly in low resourced countries. I know many physicians who have provided in-service education to physicians abroad and some who have done research abroad aimed at improving the health status of patients in those locations and gaining an understanding of infectious diseases endemic in those places.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Also learning medicine is like, really hard. Learning it in another language? Good luck.

Also what everyone else said above.

Just do study abroad to take a gap year to travel/work abroad.