Last edited:
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Edit
- Thread starter indianb
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2013
- Messages
- 298
- Reaction score
- 21
There are a lot of threads that answer this question and I'm pretty much going to tell you the same things...
First of all, I just wanted to clarify a few things. Going to undergrad and med school in America is not necessarily expensive. A lot of people go to their state school for UG free of cost or at very low cost (like $10,000 or less per year). Then, they end up going to their state med school for a lower cost as well (some schools charge around $20K). Also, the U.S gives lots of scholarships for UG study and even for med school, if you're a good student.
Regarding saving time, it is very much possible to finish undergrad in two-three years, especially if you have general education credits from high school. There are also med schools, like UMKC, GWU, Northwestern, etc. that offer direct admission med school programs, which are usually about 6-7 yrs.
India is not a bad option either, but just know that it is a very different system from what we have here. Med school in India is 5.5 years (you can consider it to be 6 yrs, because you can't necessarily do much in half a year...) at the end of which you get an MBBS degree. After that, students are faced with several options, the most common of which are "Should I apply for residency training in the U.S by writing the USMLE?" or "Should I start studying for the internship and MD programs in India?"
Be aware that BOTH options are arduously daunting and will need a lot of hard work. There is no easy path or short-cut in medicine. As an FMG, you will face some discrimination writing the USMLE and trying to come to the U.S for higher training. Usually, students with very high exam scores (preferably higher than the American average) and good U.S clinical and research exposure get matched, but this is not necessarily in the top hospital of their choice. Others will be forced to wait and reapply the next year and some other will yet simply take a year off after MBBS to study for the USMLE.
Remember, India will not train you to become a U.S practicing doctor and the U.S will generally prefer its med school grads. so if you eventually want to come bck to the u.s to settle, that is something to think about...
For the second option, if you want to stay and complete your entire medical education in India, know that it is difficult there as well. I know people that have been forced to take off three years after mbbs to study for the post-grad MD exams in India. I also know people that have ended studying after a plain old mbbs degree and are now housewives or medical consultants in their own clinics (there is not much u can do with just an mbbs degree...) There is a lot of competition, and there always will be.
The amount of freedom you get depends on the med school u go to in India and same goes for the quality, drinking and sex scene. Not everyone is traditional and decent just because they live in India. It varies from person to person and you can't predict how it's going to be based on the college.
So to sum up, think about where you want to be. Stop putting in time and money as huge factors in this, because that can only be saved when the student knows how to effectively study. There are NRI's and Indian-born citizens who repeatedly fail first-year. Where is the time and money now? Understand that medicine is a commitment to service and humanity, not just some prestigious degree to quickly get and move on. Make sure it is the right career for you before taking important decisions, because if it's not, you will regret it later. If you are debating btwn. engg and medicine, I'd say decide that first before you even think about where to attend med school!
First of all, I just wanted to clarify a few things. Going to undergrad and med school in America is not necessarily expensive. A lot of people go to their state school for UG free of cost or at very low cost (like $10,000 or less per year). Then, they end up going to their state med school for a lower cost as well (some schools charge around $20K). Also, the U.S gives lots of scholarships for UG study and even for med school, if you're a good student.
Regarding saving time, it is very much possible to finish undergrad in two-three years, especially if you have general education credits from high school. There are also med schools, like UMKC, GWU, Northwestern, etc. that offer direct admission med school programs, which are usually about 6-7 yrs.
India is not a bad option either, but just know that it is a very different system from what we have here. Med school in India is 5.5 years (you can consider it to be 6 yrs, because you can't necessarily do much in half a year...) at the end of which you get an MBBS degree. After that, students are faced with several options, the most common of which are "Should I apply for residency training in the U.S by writing the USMLE?" or "Should I start studying for the internship and MD programs in India?"
Be aware that BOTH options are arduously daunting and will need a lot of hard work. There is no easy path or short-cut in medicine. As an FMG, you will face some discrimination writing the USMLE and trying to come to the U.S for higher training. Usually, students with very high exam scores (preferably higher than the American average) and good U.S clinical and research exposure get matched, but this is not necessarily in the top hospital of their choice. Others will be forced to wait and reapply the next year and some other will yet simply take a year off after MBBS to study for the USMLE.
Remember, India will not train you to become a U.S practicing doctor and the U.S will generally prefer its med school grads. so if you eventually want to come bck to the u.s to settle, that is something to think about...
For the second option, if you want to stay and complete your entire medical education in India, know that it is difficult there as well. I know people that have been forced to take off three years after mbbs to study for the post-grad MD exams in India. I also know people that have ended studying after a plain old mbbs degree and are now housewives or medical consultants in their own clinics (there is not much u can do with just an mbbs degree...) There is a lot of competition, and there always will be.
The amount of freedom you get depends on the med school u go to in India and same goes for the quality, drinking and sex scene. Not everyone is traditional and decent just because they live in India. It varies from person to person and you can't predict how it's going to be based on the college.
So to sum up, think about where you want to be. Stop putting in time and money as huge factors in this, because that can only be saved when the student knows how to effectively study. There are NRI's and Indian-born citizens who repeatedly fail first-year. Where is the time and money now? Understand that medicine is a commitment to service and humanity, not just some prestigious degree to quickly get and move on. Make sure it is the right career for you before taking important decisions, because if it's not, you will regret it later. If you are debating btwn. engg and medicine, I'd say decide that first before you even think about where to attend med school!