Oxford to US Medical School

Hi! I’ve always wanted to go to med school and I am a US citizen, meaning that I would like to live/work here. However, I truly prefer the UK uni system over the US colleges, and have gotten into Oxford University. However, my main question is: how is the process in coming back to the states after undergrad? And how is it applying to med school? I honestly truly think an Oxford education is priceless and really want to go since I got in, but im not sure how that would affect everything else I do. Anyone know anything??

Considering the UK approach to medical degrees is very different to the US, have you begun by researching whether you can structure an oxford undergrad degree to be an acceptable pre-med degree for US medical schools?

If medical school is what you really want to do, then a UK degree, even a STEM degree from Oxford, is probably not going to be ideal, as generally US med schools want you to have taken the med school prerequisites at a US school. You might be able to take them in the US as summer courses or after you have graduated Oxford.

Of course your plans might change in which case you might regret giving up Oxford.

What US schools have you got into?

Unfortunately for you, your plan Oxford–>US medical school has a big problem. AMCAS, TMDSAS and AACOMAS will not accept and will not verify transcripts from foreign institutions, including Oxford.

[AMCAS Instruction Guide for Applicants](https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/33/f0/33f0bd3f-9721-43cb-82a2-99332bbda78e/2018_amcas_applicant_guide_web-tags.pdf)

TMDSAS

https://www.tmdsas.com/medical/foreign_Coursework.html

[AACOMAS Application Instructions](https://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/applying/aacomas-application-instructions)

AMCAS is the central processor for all allopathic (MD) medical school applications (except for TX schools). TMDSAS is the processor for all applications to TX medical & dental schools. AACOMAS is the central processor for all osteopathic (DO) medical school applications.

Without a verified transcript your application simply won’t be processed and your application will never be forwarded to medical schools for admission consideration.

Additionally every US medical school (MD and DO) requires a minimum number of credits to be taken at US or Canadian colleges or universities as a condition for admission consideration. The exact number can range from all science, math and writing pre-reqs to 90+ credits. Even Harvard, which has a liberal policy toward foreign degrees, states:

To have the best chance for an acceptance to US med school, you need to graduate from a US or Canadian undergrad OR complete a US pre-med post-bacc once you return from the UK.

NOTE: US graduate work usually does not fulfill admission requirements for medical schools so earning a grad degree in the US post-Oxford isn’t a viable path.

Just thinking out loud…isn’t Oxford a three year undergrad program?

If so…go there…get your degree, and then come back to the U.S. and spend your fourth year at a US pre-Med post-bacc program.

@WayOutWestMom would this work?

@thumper1

That would work, but most pre-med post baccs are longer than 9 academic months. Most take around 18-20 months in order to accommodate the required 5 semester chemistry sequence.

Go to an american school and do a semester or year abroad at oxford.

@alpha0 " gotten into Oxford University. " Have you got admission for medical school OR got admission for some other discipline and plan to do Medicine in US later? If got into medical school, you need to go thru the residency app process though it has its own risk due to competitive nature as foreign medical graduate.

to clarify, I have gotten into Human Sciences at Oxford. I did not apply to medicine

I second IWBB recommendation.

Personally I’d go to Oxford unless you are 100% certain you want to go to medical school afterwards. Enjoy your college experience and think about a career in 3 years time.

I’m with Thumper1 on this: go to Oxford, do your course. If medicine is still where your heart is at the start of your third year, sign up for a post-bacc program in the US and go on to med school.

The training you will get at Oxford will really stand to you: your course will give you a very strong base, so you should be able to really shine in the required pre-med courses, and you will be really good at working hard & efficiently, which is great prep for med school. You might need to apply to med school one year later than you would otherwise: in the arc of a career (nevermind a life) that is really nothing.

Congrats - & have a wonderful time at Oxford (what college?)

I am in the IWBB camp, IF and it is a big IF you are 100% certain you will go to the med school. In that case, your Oxford non-premed credits MAY not be acceptable to US med schools, regardless how reputable Oxford is.

An alternative is to get an MD in England after Oxford and return to US for residency as an IMG.

Medicine in the UK is probably not a runner for the OP: medicine is typically an undergraduate course (the few graduate entry places are arguably even more competitive than undergraduate entry), and places for international students in medicine are strictly limited.

There are some advantages in that med schools look at GPA and MCAT and only adjust a little based on school level. So you can go to Oxford for 3 years, then take US requirements at state U. for 2 years. You should have a huge advantage and be able to put up a high GPA. Plus you will be well prepared for the MCAT. If you go to a top 30 US university, you may not get the GPA for med school, and will have a much worse experience in the premed environment than at Oxford. Also, you get a very impressive looking undergraduate degree without risking your med school chances.

The Oxford degree will prepare you well if you decide instead to go to a US graduate school in something related to biology. However, if you might want to change your major to something else, say engineering, it will not work well with the focused UK program.

@sattut
I can see two problems in your suggestions above.

  1. You are assuming the Oxford "general" or non-med school prerequisite classes will be accepted by med school. I don't thing AMCAS would agree, they only accept UG credits from US universities. I don't think Oxford will be an exception, if so, AMCAS should also accept credits from Tokyo University, as Oxford and Tokyo are on the same level, academically.
  2. You are assuming attending Oxford and a State School will get higher GPA from top 30 US Universities, that is simply not true. I think all student must work hard to earn good grades, no matter where you went to school. Personally, I went to a 200 ranking UG and during my UG years, I took classes in several universities including a state school and a top school, I do not think the classes are easier/harder than my own school, I feel all the good grades must be worked at and earned fairly.

And actually it’s hard to get a decent GPA from some state schools (certain of the UCs are notorious for grade deflation) so it’s not a guarantee that an Oxford degree will equate a high GPA in a US undergraduate school.

If OP has the grades to consider Oxford, certain of the Ivies are infamous for grade inflation, of which Brown is the prime example.

@artloversplus, by ““general” or non-med school prerequisite classes” do you mean non-obvious classes, such as UMd requiring an English course? That is actually a pre-requisite. The OP would have to do some homework to put together a plan to meet the requirements of the schools of interest (but to some extent, so do US students- some med schools specify psychology, for example, and others don’t).

I could quibble with some of Sattut’s post, but overall I think the point remains that Oxford + 2 years in the US is a viable option for the OP. Same as with the US options, there are pros and cons.

If you take the premed classes after already completing a relevant degree at Oxford, you will have a big advantage over sophomores or whatever in the classes. You also get an impressive degree without the risk of low GPA at an Ivy or whatever. After the five years of preparation, you should be in good shape for the MCAT. Nothing is a lock in terms of GPA, but this puts you in a good position.

Although it is non-trivial to get a first at Oxford (typically top third of the class nowadays). You might not have a GPA but you will have a degree class which presumably won’t be ignored.