Non-traditional student with a foreign bachelor's degree- next steps?

[Isabel_D]

Hello everyone! I'll be graduating in July 2025 with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB Law) and an expected GPA of around 3.8/3.9. Since I would have completed law school in England and obtained a foriegn bachelor's degree, I would need to complete either a formal or DIY post-bacc to get all my prequisites for medical school (including ECs). I've done some research and found out that a good portion of medical schools accept a foreign bachelor degree if at least one year/all pre-reqs are completed at a US instituion.
With that being said, does anyone have any advice as to which type of post-bacc I should complete (formal or DIY)?
I know that formal post-baccs tend to be very expensive, but as far as I'm aware, these schools provide more hands on support and opportunities for non-trad students.
Would it be best to complete a formal one for a year or do a DIY one where I can complete more ECs on the side and choose extra classes to accumulate more credits?
Would medical schools look down on my application if I only have between 32-45 credits made up of all the pre-reqs?
I also forgot to mention that I'm a US citizen.

Any advice would be greately appreciated!

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[AsclepiusAdvisingLLC]

If you're coming from the international world and your degree is non-STEM, it would be wise to target a formal post-bacc program. A formal post-bacc can come with research, work, and EC opportunities, so you don't have to make them up yourself.


ADCOMs will not be interested in just your US coursework, they'll want to see your international work, too. Additionally, letters of recommendation are another major thing.

 

[Isabel_D]

Thank you for your response.

Would you recommend a one-year or two-year formal post-bacc?

 

[CitrusPeel]

Hi there! I also did my undergrad in the UK and went through the MD application process in the US (two years in a row, accepted both cycles, long story). Feel free to message me. I did a DIY post-bacc over 2 1/2 years while working. Formal postbaccs seem like a moneymaking scheme for colleges to me, personally. It is not that hard to find medical volunteer work or a job in clinical research on your own, and I'm not convinced you need special premed advising either. SDN can be a great resource for figuring out the application process, and you can also just email individual medical schools to ask about their requirements for international graduates.

I had 60 US credits by the time of my second application, but only 45 my first round, and this didn't seem to be a problem at most schools I applied to. Just email their admissions offices before applying to confirm they'll accept your application.

 

[willowedacorn]

@CitrusPeel Hey i'm in a very similar situation! I did my undergrad at Durham and I'm doing my postbacc in the evenings at UC extension right now.

Do you, by any chance, have a list of school that were happy to accept your applicant with a foreign undergrad? Additionally, did schools care or ask to see a WES evaluation for you UK grades. I'm still confused about whether schools will evaluate those grades or not.