I want to get into medical school. I also really want to go out of the U.S and into Europe for school. Is it better to go to undergrad school in Europe and then medical school or vice versa? Or is it just better to stay in the U.S, all together…
For the U.S., you need to definitely go to a medical school in the U.S. There are actually requirements about accrediting and etc., but a few Canadian colleges are okay. I think going to Europe for undergrad would be fine, just make sure you can speak the language! You could always study abroad for a year in Europe!
Europeans go to medical school right away - they don’t do undergrad first. Entrance is very tough, so you would have to check whether you’re even remotely qualified. In some countries (France, for example) it’s not THAT hard to get into med school, but it’s VERY hard to stay in it: a large percentage of med students don’t pass their (notoriously tough, weed-out) first year.
Doing your undergrad in Europe, followed by med school in the US could work, provided you complete all the required courses for a US medical school. So your choice of school is critical, as would be your choice of major and the classes you take.
Another critical issue would be your access to research (in Europe most undergrads don’t do research) or internships/jobs necessary to get into an American med school.
I’d recommend you first explore what US med schools look for in applicants who did their undergrad overseas. You might get better advice on that in the premed/medical school subforums.
Getting into US med schools with European course work is tough, for two main reasons. First, most require your ‘core’ courses to be taken in the US or Canada. Second, for those med schools who will accept European course work it is hard to get the pre-reqs done within the confines of the more specialized/less flexible courses.
As a FYI, AMCAS (allopathic med schools application service), AACOMAS (osteopathic med schools application service) and TMDSAS (application service for Texas MD, DO and DMD programs) all will not accept or verify transcripts from colleges outside the US or Canada.
Without verified transcripts showing your undergrad coursework, your application will not be processed or forwarded to medical schools.
A few osteopathic (DO) medical schools (around 8) will consider students applying with foreign transcripts on a case by case basis.
If you want to attend a US medical school, it’s best to attend undergrad in the US or Canada.
If you want to attend a medical school overseas, then the situation is different. Just be aware that it will be difficult to come back and practice medicine in the US afterwards.
My suggestion: apply to US schools. Summer after high school before college go spend 3 months abroad. Matriculate at US school. Go to a US school and spend a semester or even a full year abroad. Then also spend the summer before matriculating to medical school abroad. The other plans aren’t worth it.
Our med schools will not accept you if you go to college overseas. You’d have to return here, and take the premed prereqs here and then apply.