Pre-med with a foreign degree

[Mom_dragon]

Hello, I am a 30-year-old mom with two children. As a non-traditional pre-med student, I have found a lot of helpful information and inspirational stories here. However, I have not yet found someone with a foreign degree pursuing a medical career in the U.S. I have a bachelor's degree in biotechnology from South Korea. Do any of you have experience of GPA conversion from 4.5 scale to a GPA on a 4.0 scale? I found a GPA calculation sheet online but they all seem to be based on 4.0 scale. My transcript grades print A+, A0, B+, B0, C+, C0, ... And their numerical grade are: 95-100(4.5 grade point), 90-94(4.0), 85-89(3.5), 80-84(3.0), 75-79(2.5)...
I will appreciate any help from you and look forward to finding someone in a similar situation.

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[Ad2b]

Almost all allopathic schools require a US bachelor's degree and almost all of them require US residency (permanent) or citizenship.

Others will chime in but I don't know of any school that accepts foreign bach which means, as long as you get 2nd bach degree, you're fine (And a citizen/perm resident)

 

[Mom_dragon]

Almost all allopathic schools require a US bachelor's degree and almost all of them require US residency (permanent) or citizenship.

Others will chime in but I don't know of any school that accepts foreign bach which means, as long as you get 2nd bach degree, you're fine (And a citizen/perm resident)

Is this true that most MD schools only accept a US degree? Do you know what happens to my GPA when I get 2nd bach degree here in US? Will they only count my GPA from a US second degree? I am a US permanent resident. and in process of becoming a US citizen. However, my premed advisor from a local four-year university didn't say that I need to get US bachelor's degree to apply DO schools. I don't know about MD schools but was thinking to apply them too. I am fine with the idea of getting a 2nd degree. However, I just want to be careful to take more classes while I don't know how it would affect my overall GPA.

 

[Mom_dragon]

I found this from AAMC and this is really helpful. https://students-residents.aamc.org...ool/article/applying-international-applicant/
Thanks, Ad2b for your answer!

 

[MOFNT]

Glad to meet another mom with a foreign degree wanting to become a physician. I was in a similar situation except that I'm a US citizen with a BA in English from China(and I have 4 kids). I was as confused as you are about the whole process when I first started. So hopefully I can help you with what I've learned along the way.

A few things that came to my mind.
1. Have your Korean degree and GPA evaluated by WES. The evaluation process takes time so get it done early.
2. Your foreign degree counts as fulfilling the BA requirement but MD/DO schools won't consider your overseas GPA. Depending on the schools you apply to, you'll have to complete 60-90 credit hour prerequisites at US schools. (community colleges are fine for general education classes but take your upper-level science at a 4yr uni)
3. Do look into the schools that you'll be interested in applying to and find out what they ask of foreign degree applicants. Some schools require 1-year minimum study at a US school and others want to see you doing 90 credit hour courses.
4. Get work experience in clinical and non-clinical settings as early as possible. Start volunteering if you haven't. Medical schools want to see your motivation and your servitude.
I had less than 150 hours(volunteering and shadowing combined) when I applied, which is far less than optimal, as a result, even a 4.0 GPA(calculated from >80credit hrs classes I took here) and 511MCAT can't get me an interview with UNC. The admission told me that my academics are solid but my hours smell like "checking boxes". So hopefully you can learn from my experience and also get some research experience if you can. (Unfortunately, I have zero.)

I only applied to a handful of schools in my state. Currently, I'm waitlisted at a DO school and still waiting to hear back from a MED school. If I get accepted, I'll be 35 when I start Med school. Age is only a number. I'm a lot more motivated and smarter than when I was 25. Besides, us Asian gals don't age the same way westerners do. Believe it or not, my classmates and some patients have mistaken me as a freshman even a high school student before.)) I lived in Busan for 2yrs so I know for a fact that Korean women are experts at keeping their skin flawless!!!

Let me know if you have other questions. Good luck!

 

[Drhkjd]

Is this true that most MD schools only accept a US degree? Do you know what happens to my GPA when I get 2nd bach degree here in US? Will they only count my GPA from a US second degree? I am a US permanent resident. and in process of becoming a US citizen. However, my premed advisor from a local four-year university didn't say that I need to get US bachelor's degree to apply DO schools. I don't know about MD schools but was thinking to apply them too. I am fine with the idea of getting a 2nd degree. However, I just want to be careful to take more classes while I don't know how it would affect my overall GPA.

It is actually false that all MD programs won't take foreign bachelors. I am actually in a similar boat, I have a foreign degree from KU Leuven in Biochemical Engineering but I have completed one year of undergrad in the US before transferring. There are a list of schools that do accept foreign degrees from U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Feel free to pm me if u want my list!

 

[BluepolkaMD]

It is actually false that all MD programs won't take foreign bachelors. I am actually in a similar boat, I have a foreign degree from KU Leuven in Biochemical Engineering but I have completed one year of undergrad in the US before transferring. There are a list of schools that do accept foreign degrees from U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Feel free to pm me if u want my list!

I would love that list. I’m in a similar situation!

 

[paimei42]

A Guide to Applying US Med School with a Foreign Bachelor Degree

After being on SDN for a while, and fortunately enough getting an acceptance from an med school, I would like to contribute something. I've seen a few posts here related to this topic. So I think it might be a good idea to make a guide (it’s more like sharing my thought) and initiate a...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Greatness08]

It is actually false that all MD programs won't take foreign bachelors. I am actually in a similar boat, I have a foreign degree from KU Leuven in Biochemical Engineering but I have completed one year of undergrad in the US before transferring. There are a list of schools that do accept foreign degrees from U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Feel free to pm me if u want my list!

Can I have your list? Thanks!

Btw, @Mom_dragon here is a great post for foreign undegrad who made it to med school.

A Guide to Applying US Med School with a Foreign Bachelor Degree

After being on SDN for a while, and fortunately enough getting an acceptance from an med school, I would like to contribute something. I've seen a few posts here related to this topic. So I think it might be a good idea to make a guide (it’s more like sharing my thought) and initiate a...

forums.studentdoctor.net