Guidelines for Entering International Medical Schools

Harvard Medical School (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

by Sallie Smith

Medical schools offering degrees permit candidates to practice in the field of medicine within a specific country.

Several US students opt for institutions abroad as the admission procedure is less rigid.

Candidates are required to complete a common set of courses covering the fundamentals of medicine and health.

Students entering international medical schools also need to appear for the medical board exams. On the other hand, those who want to get back to the US and work as doctors are expected to fulfill more requirements. This article is a guideline to help students who wish to enter foreign schools.

What Are You Required to Do?

For admission, one needs to complete college and get an undergraduate degree. Students are also expected to appear for the MCAT examination and have to study subjects such as physics, biology, chemistry and reading assessment.

However, there are some institutions that don't need the MCAT exam. In such cases, a student has to get in touch with the school directly for getting additional details.

Locations

You can get into foreign institutions all over the globe. Most aspirants from the US normally opt for establishments in the Caribbean area. That's because these establishments have associations with other domestic hospitals. This is beneficial because the process of transition becomes simpler when one applies for residency.

Expenditure

If an aspirant has financial constraints, international institutions are ideal for such an individual. That's because foreign schools are more affordable than domestic ones. For example, the tuition fee of most international establishments starts approximately at $10,000 and can increase up to, say, $30,000. However, the fee doesn't include expenditures such as accommodation, computers and textbooks.

Specific Requirements for Residency

Graduates who wish to work in the United States need to adhere to some definite requirements. First of all, they will have to clear the USMLE, i.e. the United States Medical Licensing Exam Steps, 1, 2 CK and then 2 CS. Further, pupils need to clear the TOEFL examination as well. When all of these requirements have been fulfilled, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, an organization, will provide the candidates with a certificate of completion.

Clinical Rotations

There are additional rules that also need to be followed such as the clinical rotations. Aspirants admitted in any international school need to finish their clinical rotations in hospitals located in the United States. Most of these institutions are associated with hospitals. This implies that students can easily find spots domestically.

However, if a med student wishes to complete rotation at any particular hospital in the United States of America, he needs to coordinate or communicate with the hospital as well the school's clinical clerkship office.

Hope the above discussion proves useful for aspiring med graduates.

Sallie Smith is a revered medical professional who has a penchant for writing. Her articles help candidates prosper in the field of medication by entering in International Medical Schools.

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