With the hectic schedule you’ll have as a premedical student — which typically includes rigorous coursework, research and volunteer experiences tightly packed into each college semester — study abroad opportunities may seem impossible.
You may consider study abroad as a break from working toward a strong medical school application and question whether this time away from resume-building is worth it.
[Learn more about applying to medical school.]
But studying abroad doesn’t need to be a pause in your journey to becoming a physician. Depending on how your time abroad is structured, this experience may provide you with opportunities to strengthen your medical school application in different ways.
As you decide whether to study abroad, consider these three questions, which can lead you to strategies for maximizing this experience.
1. When do you prefer to study abroad and what courses could you take abroad vs. in the U.S.? Some American medical schools may expect candidates to complete their premedical prerequisites in the U.S. For this reason, it is generally not wise to register for any core premedical coursework while you are abroad.
You will need to carefully plan your premedical classes around your intended study abroad semester. Ask yourself which courses you would prefer to complete before you go abroad.
Would you prefer to complete a difficult physics class so you don’t have to worry about it while you are out of the country? Are you studying abroad in the fall and missing the first half of a yearlong course sequence, meaning you won’t be able to take any part of that sequence until the following year?
Before you commit to studying abroad, understand which prerequisite classes you need to take first to stay on your intended medical school application timeline.
In addition, ask yourself if there are any courses at the intended study abroad institution that aren’t offered at your college. While these classes may not count toward your core premedical coursework, they can certainly act as indications of your academic interests and abilities when you apply to medical school. For instance, a course in local diseases could demonstrate your passion for public health.
These courses may also satisfy general education requirements for your undergraduate degree, though it is wise to confirm this detail with your adviser prior to registering.
[Discover ways to dive into global health issues during medical school.]
2. Are there medically related opportunities available abroad that you would not have access to in the U.S.? While you may have a wealth of research and volunteer opportunities available at your college or city, the study abroad location may have opportunities that are otherwise unavailable to you.
For example, is there a clinic where you can volunteer abroad? Will there be opportunities to work in a health care system that is structured differently than in the U.S.? Will you be exposed to shadowing opportunities that would bring you into contact with a patient population you would have otherwise never encountered as an undergraduate?
In addition, consider any experiences abroad that would allow you to gain a skill set that you would not be able to gain at home. Can you work as a volunteer medical translator or are there any hands-on clinical skills you can learn while in another country?
Such experiences can provide you with additional material for your medical school applications, and they can equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary for a successful career as a physician.
[Discover how to be culturally aware as a prospective medical school student.]
3. What are additional benefits to studying abroad? Outside of medically related opportunities, consider other benefits that you might unlock by studying abroad.
For example, you might hone your foreign language skills, which you may need when working with patients in the future. Or you might gain a greater appreciation for the nuances of a specific culture, which would allow you to approach patients of different ethnicities with improved sensitivity when you are a physician.
As you evaluate whether to study abroad, remember that your entire life need not revolve around getting into medical school. Experiences that contribute to your growth as a well-rounded person will also develop you as a future physician.
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Maximize Study Abroad as a Premedical Student originally appeared on usnews.com
