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 I am applying to several top British universities, including Oxford, UCL, Imperial, King’s, and LSE. 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 would really want to go if I got in, but im not sure how that would affect everything else I do. Anyone know anything??
Sorry, but US med schools won’t accept courses taken in another country other than Canada.
You’ll need to take an 18-month special program to complete pre-med pre-requisites to med schools’ satisfaction. However since the degree you’re applying to are 3 years only it’d work out to about the same. However, in terms of costs, you’d forfeit any chance at a scholarship (none to be had from the UK + full costs at the special program)
Cost-wise, it doesn’t make sense to do undergrad abroad.
I also think it would be impossible to complete the US med school prereqs with top grades in an 18 months. Even if possible, as mentioned, you’d have to fully fund that yourself because no aid, except loans, is available for that.
Since you seem to be infatuated with the idea of going to college abroad, why not attend college here in the US and do a Study Abroad at Oxford. I know that my kids’ undergrad has a very popular summer program where kids take a few classes at Oxford over the summer…and there are options to travel around Europe as well on weekends, and before/after the summer session. The program, while developed by UAlabama, is open to all college students. It’s called Alabama at Oxford…very very popular. I would suggest doing something like this between either frosh and soph years or soph and junior years…but not after junior year if you’re wanting to apply for med school.
^studying in the town of Oxford is VERY different from “reading a course” at Oxford, belonging to a college…
But it’s not compatible with a MD.
There are several routes to consider.
You could do a year or twoin the UK then transfer to a college or university in the US and graduate here with the coursework needed for med school admission.
You could complete a UK degree, then enroll in a formal post-baccalaureate pre-medical program. There you will spend a year or two taking the required pre-med coursework, and you will have a dedicated pre-med advisor. The Bryn Mawr College program is the one I know best, and has a strong record of med school admissions going back for more than 40 years.
After completing a UK dergree, you could put together your own post-bac program at an affordable college or university here - possibly part time while working to pay for your costs. Some med schools do not like courses taken at community colleges so you would need to take that into accout when choosing a place to study.
You also could complete your medical education in the UK, then take the US foreign medical boards, and complete your residency in the US.
You might want to post this question in the International section, in the subforum on the United Kingdom. Some folks there have strong knowledge around pros and cons of science undergrad majors at UK schools, and they may have some info for you ( such as @VickiSoCal).
Absolutely do not go down that path. Being an IMG applicant to US residencies has a low success rate and choice of specialty has become tightly limited to primary care (if you’re lucky to get a residency). With the merging of MD and DO schools into a unified Match system for residencies, it is making it far more difficult for IMGs to get matched for a US residency.
The problem with choosing a European education path that would need you to do a postbacc here is that the postbacc will be an add’l cost that doesn’t have financial aid other than loans. For example, the suggested postbacc at Bryn Mawr would have a tuition cost of about $50k plus living expenses.
If you’re serious about med school, go to college here.