Quick questions

[ChadC]

These will seem juvenile, but please answer if you can help me out:

1. Is medical school similar in any way to the movie Gross Anatomy?

2. Is there a general percentage of students who graduate from medical school?

3. Are there education options outside of the US to become a practicing physician in the US?

4. Is the dental field seen as the step-child of medicine?


Sorry about the general questions. Any answers will help me out.

Thanks in advance,
Chad

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[Iwy Em Hotep]

The vast majority (95+%) of students graduate medical school once they matriculate. This includes students who drop out on their own accord.

 

[silas2642]

These will seem juvenile, but please answer if you can help me out:

1. Is medical school similar in any way to the movie Gross Anatomy?

2. Is there a general percentage of students who graduate from medical school?

3. Are there education options outside of the US to become a practicing physician in the US?

4. Is the dental field seen as the step-child of medicine?


Sorry about the general questions. Any answers will help me out.

Thanks in advance,
Chad

I don't know about your first question because I've never been, but I do know that the vast majority who attend US medical schools end up graduating-- something very close to a 100% attrition rate. The reason for this is that adcoms have a strong tendency not to accept applicants who can't do the work it takes to get through.

There are definitely different options to getting one's medical degree outside the US; Caribbean medical schools seem to be one of the most popular for those who do not gain acceptance to a US school. The warning here is that Caribbean students have a much lower attrition rate, their board scores tend to be lower, and they tend to have a more difficult time securing competitive residencies inside the US. This is not to say that it cannot be done, or that Caribbean medical schools are bad. They're not, I'm just saying that if you have the chance to go to a US school, do it.

There's also Europe, Canada, and other foreign countries where you can obtain your MD (I don't think that countries outside of the US have osteopathic degrees). You would still have to take the USMLE, and it is going to be harder to obtain competitive residencies inside the states, but it's possible.

I don't know if dentistry is seen as the step-child of medicine because frankly, I don't care. I think that both professions are honorable and that different jobs fit different people. If you don't know which field you want to pursue, I would suggest shadowing a doctor and a dentist and see which field fits you best.

 

[ChadC]

I don't know about your first question because I've never been, but I do know that the vast majority who attend US medical schools end up graduating-- something very close to a 100% attrition rate. The reason for this is that adcoms have a strong tendency not to accept applicants who can't do the work it takes to get through.

There are definitely different options to getting one's medical degree outside the US; Caribbean medical schools seem to be one of the most popular for those who do not gain acceptance to a US school. The warning here is that Caribbean students have a much lower attrition rate, their board scores tend to be lower, and they tend to have a more difficult time securing competitive residencies inside the US. This is not to say that it cannot be done, or that Caribbean medical schools are bad. They're not, I'm just saying that if you have the chance to go to a US school, do it.

There's also Europe, Canada, and other foreign countries where you can obtain your MD (I don't think that countries outside of the US have osteopathic degrees). You would still have to take the USMLE, and it is going to be harder to obtain competitive residencies inside the states, but it's possible.

I don't know if dentistry is seen as the step-child of medicine because frankly, I don't care. I think that both professions are honorable and that different jobs fit different people. If you don't know which field you want to pursue, I would suggest shadowing a doctor and a dentist and see which field fits you best.

Thank you for your informative post.

 

[Wednesday]

something very close to a 100% attrition rate.

100% attrition rate means that nearly everyone fails out. (Your point was clear, I just found it amusing.)

[/QUOTE]The reason for this is that adcoms have a strong tendency not to accept applicants who can't do the work it takes to get through.[/QUOTE]

I don't think this is really the reason. It used to be that schools would throw the work at the students and if they couldn't cut it, they would kick them out. Now people don't like to throw students out of professional school. For one thing, people can (and have) sued. So most schools will let you remediate a few times, repeat a year and THEN if you still can't pass, they may kick you out. People do drop out sometimes too. However, most people will eventually get through, and most will get through without much trouble, so it's definitely not something to worry about.

As far as Gross Anatomy, I haven't seen the movie in a while. Someone else might be able to speak to that. Check out the international forums for info about international schools. Good luck to you!

 

[silas2642]

100% attrition rate means that nearly everyone fails out. (Your point was clear, I just found it amusing.)

The reason for this is that adcoms have a strong tendency not to accept applicants who can't do the work it takes to get through.[/QUOTE]

I don't think this is really the reason. It used to be that schools would throw the work at the students and if they couldn't cut it, they would kick them out. Now people don't like to throw students out of professional school. For one thing, people can (and have) sued. So most schools will let you remediate a few times, repeat a year and THEN if you still can't pass, they may kick you out. People do drop out sometimes too. However, most people will eventually get through, and most will get through without much trouble, so it's definitely not something to worry about.

As far as Gross Anatomy, I haven't seen the movie in a while. Someone else might be able to speak to that. Check out the international forums for info about international schools. Good luck to you![/QUOTE]

Yeah, so I suck at vocab. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[fun8stuff]

100% attrition rate means that nearly everyone fails out. (Your point was clear, I just found it amusing.)

The reason for this is that adcoms have a strong tendency not to accept applicants who can't do the work it takes to get through.[/QUOTE]

I don't think this is really the reason. It used to be that schools would throw the work at the students and if they couldn't cut it, they would kick them out. Now people don't like to throw students out of professional school. For one thing, people can (and have) sued. So most schools will let you remediate a few times, repeat a year and THEN if you still can't pass, they may kick you out. People do drop out sometimes too. However, most people will eventually get through, and most will get through without much trouble, so it's definitely not something to worry about.

As far as Gross Anatomy, I haven't seen the movie in a while. Someone else might be able to speak to that. Check out the international forums for info about international schools. Good luck to you![/QUOTE]


i think you are forgetting the obvious. if a school kicks someone out, that is $20-45k (depending on instate vs. outofstate) money per year afterward that they are losing. it is to the school's benefit to keep you so that they can collect your tuition for as long as possible. Remediation = you will be around longer --> more money for them!!!

 

[Poety]

The reason for this is that adcoms have a strong tendency not to accept applicants who can't do the work it takes to get through.

I don't think this is really the reason. It used to be that schools would throw the work at the students and if they couldn't cut it, they would kick them out. Now people don't like to throw students out of professional school. For one thing, people can (and have) sued. So most schools will let you remediate a few times, repeat a year and THEN if you still can't pass, they may kick you out. People do drop out sometimes too. However, most people will eventually get through, and most will get through without much trouble, so it's definitely not something to worry about.

As far as Gross Anatomy, I haven't seen the movie in a while. Someone else might be able to speak to that. Check out the international forums for info about international schools. Good luck to you![/QUOTE]


i think you are forgetting the obvious. if a school kicks someone out, that is $20-45k (depending on instate vs. outofstate) money per year afterward that they are losing. it is to the school's benefit to keep you so that they can collect your tuition for as long as possible. Remediation = you will be around longer --> more money for them!!! [/QUOTE]

lol this is true, AND it looks really bad on the deans to have students drop out/fail out - especially after the first two years. IOW, don't push you're luck until you're in clinical, then they'll bend over backwards to keep you