Sackler and Ben Gurion

[Josh Gleicher]

Hi, first post, so here it goes.

I'm seriously thinking of applying to the Sackler and Ben Gurion 4 year programs. I'm writing my MCAT in a week, hopefully that will go well. I'm curious what are the GPA and MCAT scores one would need to get accepted into those 2 schools. I have a 3.82 and I'm estimating around a flat 30 on the MCAT, but I have no idea how competitive those programs are. In addition, is there an advantage/disadvantage to being an Israeli citizen when applying to those programs?

Josh

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[airrun21]

I have question too. How hard is it to go to medical school in Israel without having any ability to speak hebrew? Does taking a hebrew language class while in medical school make it a lot harder? What percentage of the students at Sackler entering from US citizen program dont speak hebrew?
Thanks

 

[DocEG]

Hey there guys, I just arrived in Tel Aviv about a week ago for orientation, so from that perspective let me try and answer your questions. You don't need Hebrew and after meeting everyone, I would say that a large majority of the class doesn't speak any and the others don't all speak fluently. Furthermore, I haven't bumped into a single Israeli in Ramat Aviv who has not spoken English. No joke, most people here are extremely friendly and willing to help you out, I knew my way around campus and the local neighborhood within the first two days.

From what I have seen, a lot of people do drop out of the ulpan because they feel overworked, but then they make up for it by taking intensive ulpan during summer break. The Hebrew is just for communicating with people around town and so that you can understand more in the hospitals, but I don't think its mandatory (or at least they haven't told us that yet).

Josh: The school doesn't talk about statistics so much, I don't think the office would even give you a ball park figure if you called. From just informal conversation with students, I think there is a very wide range of scores and grades. The school really does try to assess your personality and ambition during the interview, and accepts an applicant based on the 'whole application' not just the numbers. That being said, with your grades and score I wouldn't worry at all. You just need to show them that you have a capacity for medicine as well as the maturity required to move to the other side of the world and study on your own.

Good Luck to both of you

** Any typos are due to extreme jet lag/crappy computers in the student lounge.

 

[IsraeliMD]

Hi, first post, so here it goes.

I'm seriously thinking of applying to the Sackler and Ben Gurion 4 year programs. I'm writing my MCAT in a week, hopefully that will go well. I'm curious what are the GPA and MCAT scores one would need to get accepted into those 2 schools. I have a 3.82 and I'm estimating around a flat 30 on the MCAT, but I have no idea how competitive those programs are. In addition, is there an advantage/disadvantage to being an Israeli citizen when applying to those programs?

Josh

Hey Josh,

First off, any relationship to Ilana?

To answer your question about being an Israeli citizen when applying....
I suggest that you leave that out of your applications. The schools are not that interested in Israeli students. Unlike proper Israeli Medical schools which are public, these schools are strictly businesses similar to the private schools in the US. They rely heavily on alumni donations and other external sources of monetary contributions.
Their belief is that Israelis trying to gain acceptance to these programs will end up working in Israel (~30,000$/year). Not much contribution from this doc, eh? Compare that figure to the 200,000$ a US doc makes a year....

just my two agurot....

by the way, I didn't hide my Israeliness, and I was rejected flat out. My stats were better than yours.

your stats are more than fine for a US CITIZEN

GOOD LUCK

 

[Antiviral22]

Hi Josh ... Israel it really fantastic, I'm a 1st year student at Ben Gurion. I would like to mention one thing that I feel a lot of students applying Ben Gurion seem to overlook. BGU is of course a school of medicine, but really it's a school that heavily focuses it's curriculum on international health, poverty, and cultural awareness. I recommend that you heavily reconsider your application to BGU unless you are truly dedicated to making an impact on global health. One more thing I would like to add. Hebrew is really an essential part of an American medical school in Israel. Yes, the locals do speak english quite well, but the idea, like a new immigrant or a refuge, is that you have to make a concerted effort to learn the language and social customs of your new relatively unfamiliar environment. Also, Israelis will respect you much more if you make the effort to learn. Think about this ... it would be really hard to participate during rounds or even interview a patient if you can't speak the language. So, if you do come here take the language classes seriously. Good luck with your apps.

 

[DPPM]

How much is tuition at Ben Gurion and other Israeli med schools?

 

[IsraeliMD]

How much is tuition at Ben Gurion and other Israeli med schools?

roughly half of US tuition (about 22k)

 

[anam]

Hey,
I am at a major fork in the road and am getting way too stressed trying to figure out to take the road less travelled and move myself, my two young kids and husband to Beer Sheva and do the Ben Gurion path or do the well travelled path of my home town med school.
What do you think of moving a whole family there? Is it insane? Is it safe? Are the facilities totally amazing being that there is such a small student body?

Any input would be greatly appreciated, seeing as I will have to make the decision very soon and need to sell my house and all...

I love Vancouver but Israel and the program sound incredible...

 

[Antiviral22]

Hey,
I am at a major fork in the road and am getting way too stressed trying to figure out to take the road less travelled and move myself, my two young kids and husband to Beer Sheva and do the Ben Gurion path or do the well travelled path of my home town med school.
What do you think of moving a whole family there? Is it insane? Is it safe? Are the facilities totally amazing being that there is such a small student body?

Any input would be greatly appreciated, seeing as I will have to make the decision very soon and need to sell my house and all...

I love Vancouver but Israel and the program sound incredible...

Anam ... I'm a first-year at Ben Gurion and so far I have really enjoyed myself. I have a lot of wonderful things to say about the school. My classmate moved here with her husband and two adorable kids all the way from Chicago and so far it seems like she's handing things quite well. You should call the school and ask to get in contact with her (I'll give you her name etc. if you private message me ... then you can call the school and make some arrangements to speak with her ... the administration is great, they'd be happy to help you). Like any medical school in the US or Canada, it has some kinks to be worked out. But PM me and I'll try to help you out. Good luck.

 

[secretwave101]

Hey,
I am at a major fork in the road and am getting way too stressed trying to figure out to take the road less travelled and move myself, my two young kids and husband to Beer Sheva and do the Ben Gurion path or do the well travelled path of my home town med school.
What do you think of moving a whole family there? Is it insane? Is it safe? Are the facilities totally amazing being that there is such a small student body?

Any input would be greatly appreciated, seeing as I will have to make the decision very soon and need to sell my house and all...

I love Vancouver but Israel and the program sound incredible...

Hi. I'm a graduate of the BGU program. I went there from Portland, OR with a wife and a daughter...returned with 3 daughters (still one wife). Loved it, miss it, can't say enough good things about it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. PM my anytime if you want to talk about anything.

 

[mp457]

Hi, first post, so here it goes.

I'm seriously thinking of applying to the Sackler and Ben Gurion 4 year programs. I'm writing my MCAT in a week, hopefully that will go well. I'm curious what are the GPA and MCAT scores one would need to get accepted into those 2 schools. I have a 3.82 and I'm estimating around a flat 30 on the MCAT, but I have no idea how competitive those programs are. In addition, is there an advantage/disadvantage to being an Israeli citizen when applying to those programs?

Josh

i read from the ben gurion program website,
the average MCAT is 28 and the gpa is like 3.4.
there is no advantage of being an islaeli citizen. they actually don't accept students who studied more than a certain number of years in israel. i have a feeling that they are really looking for people in the states who are willing to dedicate their lives in the third world. hope that helps.

 

[Antiviral22]

i read from the ben gurion program website,
the average MCAT is 28 and the gpa is like 3.4.
there is no advantage of being an islaeli citizen. they actually don't accept students who studied more than a certain number of years in israel. i have a feeling that they are really looking for people in the states who are willing to dedicate their lives in the third world. hope that helps.

That's right. Ben Gurion does not accept students that have been schooled in Israel, but it's possible to be a citizen and still be accepted. For example- you were born in Israeli and on your 3rd birthday moved to the States or Canada with your family and haven't been back to Israel for other reasons than vacation. However, being an Israeli citizen does not give you any advantage over non-citizens. Furthermore, Ben Gurion welcomes students from any continent, but so far interest in the program has been primarily from students in North America. The tuition (like any american-style school) can often be a lot of money for non-North American students, but scholarship money is increasingly being made more available. The latest stats from the class of 2009 (likely not published yet) are a mean MCAT of 28 and mean GPA of 3.5. Lastly, a sincere interest in international health needs and service to indigent populations is likely a prerequisite for entrance.