I often field questions from international students who are eager to attend medical school in the U.S. While I’ve touched on this in the past, the topic feels timely in light of the current U.S. political climate and stance on immigration.
Many international students and other individuals in nonmedical careers have written to me about their dreams and aspirations of training for a medical career in the U.S. An underlying thread to this plan, though, is to remain flexible — in how long it will take, where it might lead you and what career option you will eventually select.
[Read three tips for international students applying to U.S. medical schools.]
First, if your future plans definitely include applying to U.S. medical schools, I highly encourage you to attend a U.S. undergraduate college, even for just a year, with the caveat that even in doing so you are not guaranteed an interview for a medical school in that same university.
Naturally, finances will dictate where you can apply — both for college and medical school. Most international students already know that they are ineligible for federal student loans.
Few state or publicly supported medical schools even admit international students, and the majority of medical schools that do require international students to show proof of money held in escrow to cover tuition and living expenses generally for at least a year or two. Scholarships for international students are practically nonexistent, so you should be prepared financially to attend medical school in the U.S.
Still, here are three considerations if your medical career plans include earning a medical education and working in the U.S.
1. Prepare to wait: There is no predictable way to know if a medical school that has previously accepted applications from international students will continue to do so from one year to the next.
Currently international students can look up each school in the Medical School Admission Requirements on the Association of American Medical Colleges’ website. This is one of the best resources for prospective students to determine admission requirements, and the AAMC is required to update it each year.
However, be aware that there is a fee for using this database. And keep in mind that sometimes programs within the same medical school can have different admissions requirements, all of which will be reflected in the database.
You can also look on each medical school’s website for admission requirements and track this information in a spreadsheet. But remember that if you need to use this information the next year, you will need to research each school again to determine whether its policies have changed.
This year is particularly challenging for international students, given the fluctuating U.S. immigration policy. I have told applicants who recently contacted me that they should pay particular attention to the next 90 days, which is the current visa suspension time frame for individuals from specific countries.
[Learn about key considerations for international students pursuing U.S. medical schools.]
If a medical school anticipates that it will not be able to accept international students, or the school wishes to change its policy on international student enrollments, then the admissions committee likely won’t seriously consider your application. We have told our admissions committee members that we will not close our doors to international applicants, if at all possible.
Generally, I advise international students to submit their applications in the early summer. However, international students from one of the seven countries targeted in the second White House executive order — Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan — may want to wait until September to determine their likelihood of entry to the U.S. At the very least, do not submit application fees until you know the school will seriously consider your application.
2. Focus on a residency: I routinely am asked if international physicians who have graduated from medical school in their own country can attend medical school in the U.S. Although I sincerely appreciate these physicians’ dedication and willingness to start over, I do not know of any U.S. medical schools that accept fully trained physicians.
That said, international medical students in their senior year may be able to apply for a visiting rotation, which could place them in a better position for matching as a resident applicant. Although shrinking each year, the number of international residents is still greater than that of international medical students. Perhaps a better plan for prospective students is to find a medical school in their home country that sets them up for this path.
3. Expand your dream: Between U.S. immigration policy challenges and the ever-present financial challenges for international students, don’t make attending a U.S. medical school your only dream. Consider applying to a U.S. college and then to either a nursing program, which could lead to an advanced practice nurse degree, or to a physician assistant program.
[Consider the pros and cons of attending medical school in Europe.]
These educational options may be more welcoming to international applicants. And as career choices, they provide an excellent opportunity to work as part of a medical team, practicing medicine and caring for patients.
While you consider your options, stay up-to-date on the U.S. immigration policy and remain flexible and open to where and how you earn a medical education.
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Flexibility Is Key for International Prospective Medical Students originally appeared on usnews.com
