The way of taking Medical School in USA

[imdamian]

Hey, I'm just confused about taking medical course in USA. But thank God I found this forum. I think this would help me a lot.
Well, I'm an Indonesian and still a High School student. But next year I will graduate from here. I'm just planning to go to medical school in USA, but I don't have any depiction about the way I should take to go to Medical School.
Here's the things I'm considering until now:
1) Should I take Pre-Medical school before going to Medical School? Is it a must for students in America before they take Medical School?
2) If should, what college or maybe kind of school would I better take for the Pre-Medical school? Do you have any idea about this? And if you know about how long it would totally take, please attach it
3)Well, for now, what I have taken so far is taking Health Science course in Texas A&M University (I've applied it) for 4 years, then I will continue my study to Medical School in the other university for 4 years. Therefore, it takes 8 years. Do you have any other better suggestion for me? Like, probably, I could go to Community College, taking pre-med, then continue to medical school which takes shorter time. Or anything else?

Those are my questions I'm just figuring out to find the answers. I really hope you will answer my questions, so I can get it as clearest as possible.
Thanks a bunch

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[Winged Scapula]

Hey, I'm just confused about taking medical course in USA. But thank God I found this forum. I think this would help me a lot.
Well, I'm an Indonesian and still a High School student. But next year I will graduate from here. I'm just planning to go to medical school in USA, but I don't have any depiction about the way I should take to go to Medical School.
Here's the things I'm considering until now:
1) Should I take Pre-Medical school before going to Medical School? Is it a must for students in America before they take Medical School?

Yes. In the US you must have at least 90 units of undergraduate (university) education, which takes about 3 years post-high school to complete. Some schools require you have a bachelor's degree and most US students have one prior to starting medical school.

So if you are contemplating coming to the US for medical school, you are required to have some post-high school education in almost all cases. There are some schools which have combined BS-MD degrees but these are very competitive.

You do have to be a "pre-med" major but there are required courses which you must take to be admitted to a US medical school. You can study anything you like as long as you take the requisite courses for matriculation to medical school.

2) If should, what college or maybe kind of school would I better take for the Pre-Medical school? Do you have any idea about this? And if you know about how long it would totally take, please attach it

Technically, you can take your pre-med courses anywhere but most people will advise you to take them at a 4 year university rather than at a community college.

3)Well, for now, what I have taken so far is taking Health Science course in Texas A&M University (I've applied it) for 4 years, then I will continue my study to Medical School in the other university for 4 years. Therefore, it takes 8 years. Do you have any other better suggestion for me? Like, probably, I could go to Community College, taking pre-med, then continue to medical school which takes shorter time. Or anything else?

See above. Doing your courses at a community college does not shorten the required number of units needed to be eligible for US medical school. You will still have to continue on to a university for the remainder of the 90 units and as I noted above, most would recommend you take all the courses possible at a university rather than a community college. 8 years is standard for US medical students to finish their undergraduate medical education.

BTW, I assume you have some understanding of how difficult it is for a foreign national to get into a US medical school? Most will require you have some proof of financial wherewithall to pay for the full 4 years of medical school tuition and living expenses. A US college education will make it somewhat easier (as most US medical schools require a US college education) but you will still find that only a very small percentage of US medical students are not US citizens.

Information about the process can be found in the Pre-Allo forum as well as a book from the AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges) called the MSAR (Medical School Admission requirements): http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/msar.htm

 

[Manarola]

My first question would be why you would want to try to go to medical school in the U.S. Do you know at this point what you want to do with the degree? Are you on a research path or more geared for clinical work? I completely agree with the previous post - it's quite difficult to get into a U.S. med school, let alone try to get in as an international student. I'm not saying it's impossible, but the European medical system is better for someone coming out of high school. In the U.S., at an absolute minimum, you'll need 3 years of undergrad, a track record that indicates your desire to go into medicine (research, volunteer experience, patient contact), a stellar GPA, good LORs, and a high MCAT. Consider the caliber of many of the other students - they've all done this so getting in becomes very challenging.

If you are set on the U.S., I'd definitely do my pre-med work at a 4 year university that also has a medical school. Don't go to a community college. They are great but they don't get the credibility they deserve. UMKC has a 6 year program, the only one in the country I think. I would do research and see if there are any B.S./M.D. combined programs. Go to AAMC's website and see which schools have these programs. Provided you keep a high enough GPA and you're eligible, this could cut off some time. The UK has 4, 5, and 6 year programs depending on your background and some U.S. schools are opening schools in other parts of the world (Duke-National University of Singapore program, Cornell Medical College in Qatar Program)

Cheers!

 

[imdamian]

whoaa ur explanations both help me a lot. Thanks

Hmmm. I have my own long reason why I want to be a doctor.

Hey, anybody knows about the university that requires a student to get the green card first (in USA)? after finishing my years in that pre-med, I have a plan to attend Medical School in NYU. How's it? Does NYU require a green card?

 

[dragonfly99]

imdamian,
I am concerned you have false expectations about how hard it is to get into medical school in the US. For an applicant with good grades who is attending a 4 year college in the US, and has very good scores on the medical college admissions test and lots of volunteer work in health care, other extracurricular activities, etc. the acceptance rate for NYU medical school would be probably 5-10%. Most US students apply to 10 to 30 medical schools, even if they had very good grades, etc. in college. The selection for US medical schools is mainly on the front end, in the sense that you can't just decide to enroll there, or be easily admitted at all. However, if/when you DO get in, they will do a lot to keep you there and help all the students to graduate. This is different than some other countries where more people can get in, but then if they don't do well they will be kicked out or have to drop out.

As pointed out above, for almost all the US medical schools, if you are not a citizen you have to prove before you enroll that you have a way to pay all of your tuition and living expenses for the 4 years of medical school. By the time you go, that will probably be more than $250,000 US for the 4 years. If your family has a lot of money (I mean A LOT) maybe that's not a problem for you. You do need to know about it though.

Also, a lot of US medical schools take very very few students who aren't US citizens. We had maybe a couple in my medical school class of 120 and they were both underrepresented ethnic minorities (African American or Hispanic). They may take you for the combined MD/PhD degree but that is even harder to get into than regular med school, and it would be 7-9 years after 4 years of college/undergraduate.

If you want to do medical research, you could likely do a PhD after undergrad. US MD programs are notoriously hard to get into, pretty much almost impossible from what I have seen, unless you are a permanent resident or US citizen.

If you want to study at a US university, then I say go for it, but realize it's no guarantee of getting into a US medical school, even if you do great in college. You might want to explore Australia or the European Union if you want other options.

 

[Jorje286]

My question is: if you do get in into a US medical school as a foreign citizen, what are your chances for residency? Do you face the same difficulties as IMG's or are you treated completely like a US graduate? Thanks!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

My question is: if you do get in into a US medical school as a foreign citizen, what are your chances for residency? Do you face the same difficulties as IMG's or are you treated completely like a US graduate? Thanks!

You will be just as competitive as any other US grad. In addition, you'll find it much easier to get an H visa (if you need a visa) from competitive programs.

 

[woi89]

Well,hello imdamian…I’m Willy…
I’m Indonesia Medical student and now I’m in second year..(Salam kenal yah…)…

I’m trying to give an advise to your problem from my perspective..

My advise would be why don’t you take your M.D (medical Doctor)degree in Indonesia and after that take residency in United states??
I think it’s pretty easier than you go to US university taking pre med school with no guarantee you get to Med school…

Well…as you know, MD program in Indonesia just take 6 years of studies
3,5 years for pre-clinical studies
1,5 years for clerckship/clinical studies in teaching hospital
And then 1 years for internship (magang) in hospital or Public health centre (Puskesmas)

After you get your MD programme,you can take residency ( seperti program pendidikan dokter spesialis di Indonesia) in United states…

I know it sounds cool and impressive if you take MD degree abroad,but don’t you think you just waste so much times only for all that???

First,if you want to take a job in Indonesia after you finish your MD degree in US, you probably will get some matriculation
and then you will find some difficulties…..
Why did I say that??? because in Indonesia, like many other tropical-developed country,we face many infectious disease, like Dengue fever,malaria,ect…so Indonesia medical school strongly emphasize his student to cope all of the infectious diseases well…
but in US,you won’t ever get so much experience to cope the infectious disease like in Indonesia,this is why so many western med students come to Indonesia med school during their summer. They wanna learn to cope infectious disease from Indonesia doctor..

Second,if you want to take a job in US,don’t you think you will be forever way far away from your contry..think about your family,your friend,your country….won’t you miss Indonesia??with the food and the culture..OK,during your study you are far away from Indonesia….but this is forever!!!
and..how if you parent getting sick in Indonesia??and you can take care of them because you are in US…..

OK..you can deal with that problem..

But don’t you think it’s pretty easier to take MD program in Indonesia and then take residency in US??
You can work in Indonesia (because you graduated from Indonesia medical school) plus..if you really want to be US doctor, you can ,cause you take your residency in US…

Now,think about the tuition fee……
I am afraid that you have to pay at least US$500,000 (Rp.5,000,000,000)…
$250,000 for pre med school and $250,000 for med school…
How about your living cost in US for 8 years???
I think it’s not worth it..

Compare with Indonesia medical School’s tuition fee…
If you take your MD program in public medical school..
You just have to pay US$50-200 (it depends on medical school) per semester..
It means that you just have to pay US$600-2,400 for the 6 years until you become a doctor…and you even have chance to take scholarship to pay that fee..

And then,after you finish your MD program,you can take USMLE 1,2 in Jakarta, Indonesia and USMLE 3 in US and then apply to residency program in United states…

If you get accepted,you don’t have to pay tuition fee,but US government give you salary…hehehe…(I think its US$40,000/year)..

After all, I do really suggest you to take MD program in Indonesia,then take Residency program in US….

I think it’s better way….

 

[woi89]

OH..I'm forget one thing...

even you never got accepted by US medical School to take residency..
you're still a doctor...coz you have taken MD program in Indonesia......
just take residency in Indonesia....such as in FKUI-RSCM or FKUGM-RS.Sardjito...hehehe