Hey guys, I’m in my final year in high school, and I need to decide which universities/colleges to apply to, and what field to take. Earlier I thought I wanted to be an engineer, so I took IB and my subjects are:
Math HL
Physics HL
Chemistry HL
English SL
Bahasa Indonesia SL
Economics SL
Just recently I learnt that I have heavy interest in being a physician, but the only proof I have for my bio knowledge is IGCSE (got 88 which is an A) and my boards school mark (98 which is an A*)
Since I didn’t take bio in grade 11 and 12, I’m confused how any university will consider taking me into their medical courses. I planned on either admitting to NUS or HKU to try my luck, and I’m not sure if I can even afford, and my other option is to go to the US for community college IVC and then get transferred to UCI or something.
To sum it up, my 4 questions are:
is my bio qualifications for college/uni weak? Do i need to take Bio SAT, or is IGCSE and grade `10 boards enough
is 2 year community college then transferred to 2 years in a good university a good route for medical career?
What is the MCAT test I heard about? is it only for the US, and when should I take it?
If I study medical in one country, is it true that I cannot apply for jobs in another country then?
Thanks so much! Every attempt of an advice is greatly appreciated
I assume based on your questions that you are not a US citizen or permanent resident.
If that is true, you need to know that it is extremely difficult for international students to get accepted into US med schools. The majority of US med schools will not consider internationals for admission and, of those that do, you are required to demonstrate you are able to pay for your medical education before you can matriculate. (Cost to attend a US med school? About $250,000 to $600,000. Many require you to pre-pay all 4 years in advance.) There is very little to no aid for internationals attending US med schools. Most US med student pay for their medical education through government loans–which international students are not eligible to receive.
Additionally, most US medical school will not accept transcripts from non-US, non-Canadian colleges or universities. (There are 2 allopathic colleges that will accept UK degrees and about 5 or 6 osteopathic colleges that will consider international degrees on a case-by-case basis.)
All US medical schools require a minimum number of credits to be earned at US or Canadian colleges, including all required prerequisite courses.
I don’t know
it’s a viable path if you are a US citizen or permanent resident
MCAT = Medical College Admission Test. This is a 8 hour long standardized exam covering topics in biology, genetics, biochemistry, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, statistical analysis, human behavior/psychology/sociology, and critical reading/thinking; it is required for admission at every US medical school. The MCAT is offered many times during the year, and at overseas locations as well as in the US & Canada. The MCAT is generally taken only after all prerequisite coursework has been completed.
I can’t speak for all countries, but for internationals who hold medical degrees from countries other than the US or Canada who wish to practice medicine in the US, there is a formal process for getting your credentials recognized and obtaining a US medical license. (A license is a requirement to practice medicine in the US.) Your degree must first be certified as valid by the ECFMG (see: http://www.ecfmg.org), then you must take and pass all levels of the USMLE (US Medical Licensing Exam) within a defined length of time and lastly, you must apply for and complete a medical residency in the US.
RE: the transferability of medical degrees-- All countries have a process for recognizing/validating medical training completed outside their own education system. The exact process will vary from country to country, but all countries have one. In some locations, the process is cursory, but in others (US, UK, Australia, EU), the process is long and requires taking & passing national standardized exams and a several year long retraining period.
Hello - It appears you are from a country that uses the UK style coursework for high school. Note that the US medical system is completely different. For US medical schools you first need a bachelors degree to even apply. You cannot apply directly from high school.
There is a new effort in by Duke to influence medical education. Duke opened up a new medical school in Singapore in conjunction with NUS. Known as Duke-NUS Medical school. Unlike other schools in the area, one must first have a bachelors degree to apply to the program (plus the MCAT).
