Transferring- I need help

[BackToTheCity]

I just started my first year of medical school, but I'm at a small state school that I really don't want to be at. I have an interest in emergency medicine in a big city, and my school has an emphasis on rural medicine. The reason I'm at this school is long, and beside the point, and now I really want to transfer into a 2nd year class. I have a serious girlfriend that lives in a big city with 2 medical schools, and plenty of big cities with med schools nearby. My undergraduate grades were not great, but I did the Georgetown Special Masters Program and my grades are excellent ('Honors' in all of the med classes except for one) and my MCAT was pretty good (33R).

Does anybody have any tips or advice about transferring? I'll pretty much go anywhere in an urban setting but I have some pretty good connections at Georgetown, so I'm hoping I have a shot.

If anyone has transferred your advice would be appreciated...

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[DrHuang]

im pretty sure the only time you can transfer is after 2nd year since schools have different curriculums.

 

[P0310]

I don't think it would be wise or possible to transfer in 2nd year. most school do not allow students to transfer before 2nd year. besides, all schools have their own sequence of covering topics and if you transfer in 2nd year, you will loose a big chunk of material.
i would advise you to finish 2nd year at your current school, give step 1 and then try to transfer into a different school.

 

[Law2Doc]

im pretty sure the only time you can transfer is after 2nd year since schools have different curriculums.

Agree with this. And most schools will want to see good med school grades, a solid step one, and even then it will totally depend on the target school having an open slot (which means that more people are leaving a class to do research or due to attrition than are returning from having taken a year off the prior year). And you will be competing with whoever else wants to transfer at that time for whatever slots exist. Thus an awful to of things need to allign just right for this to happen.

 

[Ambs]

If you haven't done so already, perhaps you should try contacting these other schools you hope to transfer to in order to get some solid information on what you need to do, what requirements you must meet, and maybe even what your chances are.

I think there is no way you'll be able to transfer before completing second year and Step 1. And then transferring after second year will be quite difficult as the others have said. I think if you and your girlfriend are married by then, the whole spouse thing works out well... granted you have great pre-clinical grades, recommendations, and a great Step 1 score.

 

[peaches09]

im pretty sure the only time you can transfer is after 2nd year since schools have different curriculums.

I've seen students transfer into the 2nd year class at Georgetown.

 

[MeowMix]

most schools will only consider transfer after 2nd year, as others have said. They will consider you for transfer without your Step 1 score, since most people will not have their score back in time. But it can be difficult, and you must have a very good reason (spouse, family, etc.), not just EM vs. rural FM.

 

[Law2Doc]

most schools will only consider transfer after 2nd year, as others have said. They will consider you for transfer without your Step 1 score, since most people will not have their score back in time. But it can be difficult, and you must have a very good reason (spouse, family, etc.), not just EM vs. rural FM.

Actually, if you look at the websites of schools that allow transfers, many require passing Step 1 scores. See GW, Temple as examples.

 

[Dunce]

You should seriously consider getting married before your transfer application process. At the very least, get engaged.
(This is of course assuming your relationship at that level of seriousness)

Transferring at the med school level does occasionally happen, but it is an exceedingly rare occurence. It depends primarily on having a strong personal/relationship/family/health reason for wanting to transfer. Obviously you have to be a student with a strong academic record also, but you will be SOL without a significant reason for wanting to transfer.
Unfortunately, having a "serious" boyfriend/girlfriend is not likely to be a strong enough reason to support a successful transfer.

 

[vkhalsa]

You should seriously consider getting married before your transfer application process. At the very least, get engaged.
(This is of course assuming your relationship at that level of seriousness)

Transferring at the med school level does occasionally happen, but it is an exceedingly rare occurence. It depends primarily on having a strong personal/relationship/family/health reason for wanting to transfer. Obviously you have to be a student with a strong academic record also, but you will be SOL without a significant reason for wanting to transfer.
Unfortunately, having a "serious" boyfriend/girlfriend is not likely to be a strong enough reason to support a successful transfer.

i mean not to sound unethical but you can tell them whatever you want about your relationship as far as being engaged or not. Also there are a bunch of schools which do accept 2nd year transfers, most are system based. Off the top of my head i know Tufts and Dartmouth do. It's a bitch from what i hear but it can be done, even without connections.

 

[Law2Doc]

i mean not to sound unethical but you can tell them whatever you want about your relationship as far as being engaged or not. Also there are a bunch of schools which do accept 2nd year transfers, most are system based. Off the top of my head i know Tufts and Dartmouth do. It's a bitch from what i hear but it can be done, even without connections.

Most schools don't give as much credibility to engagements as compared to marriage, for the reason you suggested. As for transfering into the second year, one would better be sure that this doesn't result in huge gaps in your medical education, as you can end up ill prepared both for second year and the boards.

 

[Dunce]

Most schools don't give as much credibility to engagements as compared to marriage, for the reason you suggested.

Agreed.

Two situations will give you a decent shot at actually being accepted for a transfer based on relationship reasons:

1. Your husband/wife lives in another city and is unable to move to the city where you are currently a med student

2. Your husband/wife is relocated to a different city because he/she is in the military

 

[lmnop]

actually it is possible to transfer between first and second year without being married. I did it. the aamc has a website w/each school's policy:
http://services.aamc.org/tsp_reports/

feel free to contact me directly if you want to know more. good luck.