Pre-Med International Student, please help

[docwannabe1008]

Hi all,
I'm an international student from Asia, wanting to work for US healthcare. I'm currently an sophomore at a 4-year university in the US. My cGPA is 3.89; sGPA is 3.87.
I know it's super competitive for an international student to even get considered into US med schools. Therefore, I am thinking about getting into a Caribbean Med school. I have 2 in mind right now: SGU and AUC.
I contacted the school and they recommended me to complete my Pre-med program in Caribbean, which means I should transfer there in this upcoming January (2015)
I've been doing alot of research but I would like some advices from experienced people. So I would like to ask if I should transfer to Caribbean to finish my PreMed program, OR should I stay in the US to finish it and then do the MD program in Caribbean?
Please help me, I would really appreciate your advices and opinions 🙂 THANK YOU SO MUCH!

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[bedevilled ben]

What is your citizenship status? Are you in the US on a student visa?

I don't think transferring to the Caribbean for pre-med is a good idea. If you're in the US and almost finished with your undergraduate degree, I would stay and finish it. Your GPA is impressive and you should work to keep that up. If you can study hard for the MCAT and do similarly well, you could easily find your way into a US medical school, especially if you're willing to apply broadly. I would not consider the Caribbean a good option for you yet. If you struggle with the MCAT, or if you complete a cycle of med school applications without any interviews, then perhaps revisit the idea. I think they are giving you bad advice. I can't see any benefit for you whatsoever in completing your undergrad degree at a Caribbean school.

 

[docwannabe1008]

What is your citizenship status? Are you in the US on a student visa?

I don't think transferring to the Caribbean for pre-med is a good idea. If you're in the US and almost finished with your undergraduate degree, I would stay and finish it. Your GPA is impressive and you should work to keep that up. If you can study hard for the MCAT and do similarly well, you could easily find your way into a US medical school, especially if you're willing to apply broadly. I would not consider the Caribbean a good option for you yet. If you struggle with the MCAT, or if you complete a cycle of med school applications without any interviews, then perhaps revisit the idea. I think they are giving you bad advice. I can't see any benefit for you whatsoever in completing your undergrad degree at a Caribbean school.

I'm on a F-1 visa.

I thought saving a year of PreMed was a good idea. I don't know if I'm gonna do well on MCAT since it's super hard and challenging. Also, there are too many international students out there also applying to US med schools. I won't stand a chance.
Do you know if I can apply to both US and Caribbean med schools after I finish my undergraduate degree? I really have no clue what to do now..

 

[Backtopeds]

I'm on a F-1 visa.

I thought saving a year of PreMed was a good idea. I don't know if I'm gonna do well on MCAT since it's super hard and challenging. Also, there are too many international students out there also applying to US med schools. I won't stand a chance.
Do you know if I can apply to both US and Caribbean med schools after I finish my undergraduate degree? I really have no clue what to do now..

In your situation I would transfer. St. George's students who did the undergrad there, did well on USMLE step 1. If the score of USMLE 1 is important to you, which it should, I think it would be best for you transfer.

 

[bedevilled ben]

I'm on a F-1 visa.

I thought saving a year of PreMed was a good idea. I don't know if I'm gonna do well on MCAT since it's super hard and challenging. Also, there are too many international students out there also applying to US med schools. I won't stand a chance.
Do you know if I can apply to both US and Caribbean med schools after I finish my undergraduate degree? I really have no clue what to do now..

I think you're selling yourself short. Your GPA is very competitive. If you can pull a 30+ on the MCAT, and if you apply to lots of programs, I bet you could get in somewhere. There are lots of new schools that have opened in the last few years. You might be surprised.

If you're working on a Bachelors degree, then I would definitely complete it. A year is nothing, and you want to have that degree in your hand. You can absolutely still apply to both Caribbean and US schools after completing your degree. Most people do this, in fact.

Personally, I would finish the degree and start studying for the MCAT a few months ahead of time. Take pretests until you're scoring in the 30's consistently. Then take the real test. Get your school applications in early and make sure you have Letters of Rec, shadowing experience, etc. Make yourself as appealing as possible. If you're having trouble with your application, there are services that can help you write your personal statement and organize everything. Apply broadly, pick some backup schools, apply to as many programs as you can afford to interview at. Apply to DO programs as well. If you do all of this and get no interviews by January, and if you still think you might want to go to the Caribbean, then think about applying. Most Caribbean schools are on rolling admissions cycles so you won't be wasting much time.

Getting a US residency as a US-born Caribbean IMG is tough. A US residency for a Caribbean FMG is probably a much tougher sell, I would think.

 

[Goro]

Strongly agree here. But OP, aren't there any medical schools in your own country?

FYI, there are 74 MD schools that accept international students, but these tend to number in the single digits at these schools. You have an uphill battle.

At my school, you'd need a green card or US citizenship.

Your GPA suggests you'll do well on your MCAT. If you score well (>33) absolutely aim for a US allopathic medical school. I also know several true international students who went to medical school in the US and are now in residencies with the appropriate visa.

Don't go to a Carribean medical school if you don't have to.

 

[Medstart108]

With a 3.89 GPA, just write your MCAT. You would be crazy to go to the Caribbean. Apply for US medical schools, its definitely possible and with a 3.89 GPA you should be able to get a 32+ on your MCAT. Follow that up with good ECs and you should get an acceptance.

 

[docwannabe1008]

thanks everyone!!