Should I consider an alternate path?

[KLouHerout]

Hi there,

I'm looking for a little guidance considering the current state of education. I'm a 35 year old pre-med student with prior LA&S degrees. Had COVID never happened, I would have completed my coursework by Spring '21 and was planning on seeking out an MD/PHD program.

But now I have 2 sets of challenges. I am not a great online student, so I'm definitely not going to take classes over the summer and it's looking more likely that Fall in-person classes will be on hold as well. Additionally, I've recently met found my life-partner, we're planning on marrying and having a child within the next 5 years, given our ages.

I was recently contacted by St. George's University of London in Cyprus for their MBBS program, and normally I wouldn't have considered attending it, but now it's looking like a possible option for me. I'm wondering if I should just change my path and aim for a caribbean or other international school that only requires an MCAT score, so I can avoid losing at least another year to pre-med work.

I don't think any of the international schools offer /PHD programs, so that would likely be a definite sacrifice, but I'm thinking it might be worth considering. I like the idea of Cyrus since their program is only 2 years out of the country and then 2 years locally (which is important to my partner). Also, since it's a faster process, I could possibly graduate med school before we try to have a baby.

Because this is such a major change in my path, where I completely ditch the pre-med route and start studying for the MCAT immediately, I really wanted other perspectives about whether I'd be making a really poor choice if I went with this route.

Thanks for any help!
Lou

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[beaglesbagles]

Don't go abroad unless you have citizenship there.

I'm in Ireland and not everyone matches.

Luckily I'm considered an EU student but it required me moving here for 3 years prior to attending medical school, and being born with the 'correct' passport. It's too risky, otherwise.

 

[lumya]

You were planning a MD/PhD which would’ve taken ~7-8 years to complete. So waiting one more year to actually achieve your dreams isn’t that big of a deal if you have to wait to take your classes.

You’re talking about going the Carribean route so you can have a family in five years. But even if you started this fall, you’d still be in your intern year. And that’s if you match. What if you don’t and have to spend at least another year, maybe two, attending interviews constantly? Lots of people have kids while in med school. It’s hard but it won’t be much easier trying to have baby intern year. Also think about the financial impact. Caribbean schools are expensive and people often get residencies in non-specialities. It might be a strain on you and your partner trying to pay back your loans and raise children.

If you think the MD route won’t work out for you timewise because you want to focus on other parts of your life that’s okay. Check out some of the other forums for programs like NP or PA that have faster routes for clinical care.

 

[MartialArtDPT]

KLouHerout, what circumstances lead you to the thought that you can't do online learning? Are there things that you can change to help you learn online, like setting up a dedicated office and a specific time where you will work on classes? Are there resources you have tried, like Khan Academy and many other student help available online? How did those work?

 

[Goro]

Hi there,

I'm looking for a little guidance considering the current state of education. I'm a 35 year old pre-med student with prior LA&S degrees. Had COVID never happened, I would have completed my coursework by Spring '21 and was planning on seeking out an MD/PHD program.

But now I have 2 sets of challenges. I am not a great online student, so I'm definitely not going to take classes over the summer and it's looking more likely that Fall in-person classes will be on hold as well. Additionally, I've recently met found my life-partner, we're planning on marrying and having a child within the next 5 years, given our ages.

I was recently contacted by St. George's University of London in Cyprus for their MBBS program, and normally I wouldn't have considered attending it, but now it's looking like a possible option for me. I'm wondering if I should just change my path and aim for a caribbean or other international school that only requires an MCAT score, so I can avoid losing at least another year to pre-med work.

I don't think any of the international schools offer /PHD programs, so that would likely be a definite sacrifice, but I'm thinking it might be worth considering. I like the idea of Cyrus since their program is only 2 years out of the country and then 2 years locally (which is important to my partner). Also, since it's a faster process, I could possibly graduate med school before we try to have a baby.

Because this is such a major change in my path, where I completely ditch the pre-med route and start studying for the MCAT immediately, I really wanted other perspectives about whether I'd be making a really poor choice if I went with this route.

Thanks for any help!
Lou

IF you wish to be a doctor in the US, go to a US med school. SGU is a predator.

Have you taken all the pre-reqs for med school and/or the MCAT? If not, then taking a high stakes, career deciding exam would be foolish. If you have,t hen yes, get the exam out of the way.

Med schools aren't going anywhere, and this crisis will end. If it eats a year of your journey, so be it. You'll just stop practicing at age 67 instead of 66.

Stop worrying about the ticking clock as well. Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s. I graduated a stellar one at age 50 and she's an attending in CA now. My oldest student ever started in early 50s and is still in practice at age 70 ish!

 

[Damson]

The SGU he's talking about is not the one in the Caribs. He's talking about a reputable med school in London

 

[beaglesbagles]

The SGU he's talking about is not the one in the Caribs. He's talking about a reputable med school in London

Still, you can't do your foundation years in England if you go to Cyprus. That's why they emphasise taking the USMLE.

It is especially dicey to go to an EU medical school now with a view to practicing in the UK because of Brexit. And it was always risky to leave the U.S. with the intention of returning to practice in the U.S.

 

[hamiltonnyc]

Yeah I recently got an email from St George's, University of London and thought SGU had a new rebrand haha. That is really unfortunate for them to have a similar name as a Caribbean school.

 

[redmustardseed]

KLouHerout

I got the email from SGU of London/Cyprus as well. It looked like their program is offering clerkships in US if that's where you want to end up but I didn't look further because they aren't on my states approved list for out of country school clerkships.

I am curious though because SGU of London has a good reputation. Did you talk with them directly about how they determine clerkship locations and which hospitals they already have formal clerkships with?

 

[lockedinphdjail]

skip the PhD in the US. You can do plenty of research without it. Many people take 5-6 years on the PhD only based on factors that are completely independent on them. The PhD system is broken at the moment, only enter if there is no other way.