<p>I’m currently a linguist in the US Navy stationed in Korea. I speak about seven languages pretty well. My current job field in military intel but I really don’t like it. What I would like to do is become a doctor/lawyer. I know this sounds a bit odd but my end goal is to be a heart surgeon. As far as law goes, when I saw lawyer I mean that I want to successfully go through law school first and pass the bar. So I’ll have the skills necessary to be a lawyer. After that I would pursue my dream to be a heart surgeon which would take about 11 years (4 yrs med school + 7 yrs residence). With that said, all that schooling can be VERY expensive and I’m looking for the cheapest possible way to complete everything. </p>
<p>In pondering how I’m going to pay for all this, I thought of some options: </p>
<p>a. use my GI Bill to cover some of the costs
b. study abroad in a foreign country where law/med school isn’t that expensive and transfer my credits back to USA</p>
<p>My questions for you all are:</p>
<li>in regards to studying abroad, where are some countries that I could study in (law/med school) and still be able to transfer the credit back to the USA and still be a lawyer/doctor?<br></li>
<li>What are your overall thoughts on this?</li>
</ol>
<p>P.S.- if knowing what languages I speak helps, then Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, Ilocano, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), and Arabic</p>
<p>I don't think there are any schools that will permit you to transfer either of those credits. You certainly won't learn American law in French universities, for example. And American medical schools rarely permit transfers from other schools -- they'd certainly be skeptical of students from overseas.</p>
<p>I don't mean transfer to a med school in USA from abroad, I mean finish all my schooling abroad and be a doctor here in the states if I would like to. (I wouldn't be against being a doctor in another country as well given my language background...) I just want to have the option to be a doctor at home in USA if I want to take that route. </p>
<p>[ In order to be licensed to practice medicine you have to have attended an approved school - the schools that are approved in the US are listed here:</p>
<p>If you like in the very first post on the second page, someone posted the following information about attending approved foreign schools in order to practice medicine in here in the states. I'm not sure how it works but it seems like as long as I graduate from a medical school program/residence from one of the schools listed in that directory then in order to receive a license to be a doctor here in the states all I have to do is pass whatever tests they require me to take and no further schooling is required. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Being an American doctor with a foreign MD is extremely difficult. About 60% of all foreign MD's fail the licensing exams, and afterwards only about half of the ones who do manage to pass match into an American residency, which is a virtual requirement to practice medicine in the States. They might give you a license, but nobody will let you near a patient unless you do a residency.</p>
<p>A JD is the degree that a law school gives you.</p>
<p>So, regarding becoming a doctor w/ med school abroad, you're saying that it's possible but difficult. Good, at least I have a chance. </p>
<p>I want the JD because I feel that understanding the law very well is essential in life. period. Having that JD will help a lot but I guess I might have to finish law school in the states only... I just need to find the cheapest way to do it...</p>
<p>
[quote]
understanding the law very well is essential in life. period.
[/quote]
Essential for life?... so, the 90+% of Americans who don't have law degrees aren't... alive?</p>
<p>(You are, by the way, speaking to a person who is about to start law school in the fall. So I certainly am receptive to the idea of going to law school. But your reason needs explaining.)</p>
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<p>
[quote]
Good, at least I have a chance.
[/quote]
Yup. About a 1/3rd chance.</p>
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<p>
[quote]
I guess I might have to finish law school in the states
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you get a foreign JD, you will need to get an LLM from an American law school. Better to just get the domestic JD.</p>
<p>No, not essential for life. I said "essential IN life". Anyway, I just think it is great tool that I really would like to acquire, that's all. Btw, what is an LLM? </p>
<p>So, I can go to law school abroad as well. Great! (domestic JD = lots of dough, but abroad JD = possible much cheaper) :)</p>
<p>My question remains, since the substitution of a preposition isn't an answer.</p>
<p>You could theoretically go to law school abroad, but it doesn't make any sense, not least because you're going to have to get a degree (an LLM) from an American law school anyway. I don't even know if anybody will admit you for it if you're an American by nationality who went overseas for the JD.</p>