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[sirvmac]

Hey guys, my first post here

Im a junior in High school and im wondering about going to India for med school after graduating. I prolly can get into undergrad, but my parents wont even let me choose. I only have about a 3.3 GPA and wont get into a direct medical program, so therefore, im going to India. The only things im worried about are:

1. How im gonna take it mentally. I went to school in india for 3rd and 4th grade, hopefully, ill be prepared for med school

2. How hard is it gonna be for me to come back to the states and pursue a career as a doctor? i wont have trouble wit eng cuz I am phenomaly good at it. Can anyone list the steps i have to take? from 1. going to India to becoming a doctor in the states.

I probably wont have a hard time being accepted into the med schools in India. My father has a huge "influence" I just hope this works out cuz there is no way i will spend the rest of my life in India.

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[uhoh!]

Im a junior in High school and im wondering about going to India for med school after graduating...

they are getting yourger every year..

The only things im worried about are:..

you really don't know what you are getting into, do you?

1. How im gonna take it mentally. I went to school in india for 3rd and 4th grade, hopefully, ill be prepared for med school

even an indian like me was not "mentally prepared" for med school in india.it is rigirous, dirty, and you get **** on all the time by everyone who is senior to you,be they other students/residents/professors..not to forget the hazing for the first 6-8 months.

2. How hard is it gonna be for me to come back to the states and pursue a career as a doctor? i wont have trouble wit eng cuz I am phenomaly good at it. Can anyone list the steps i have to take? from 1. going to India to becoming a doctor in the states.

its going to be easier than being a non-US-citizen FMG, but that's no cake-walk either.they will always prefer an AMG over you, cause it gives the program higher ACGME ratings.also, AMGs know what is what in this system.FMGs have to learn fast..that being said,FMGs do get into really competitive programs.no surgery/ortho/derm/radio for you though.
my advice- if you are not into medicine for the love of it/of biology,you dont want to go here.it is an exhausting field-mentally and physically, not to mention socially and emotionally as well.(its 11 at night, and i am putting up posts on sdn!! ) the only thing that will keep you going is that you love it and you really want to do it. if you really think you would be better off doing something else, my advice is go for that.
otherwise, the steps for becoming a doctor in India:
1. get into a med college in india. ask dady dearest to call/pay/both the appropriate people if you don't want the hassle of giving the highly competitive exams.
2. get through med school relatively sane.pass exams whenever they appear.try not to get TB/HepB/HIV.try doing some research while in Med school esp. in the dept you like.
3. during your internship year, apply for the USMLE step1&2.give USMLE step 1&2. pass USMLE step 1&2 with scores in the high 90s(what they expect from Indian MGs.)
4. come back to the US, and give USMLE Step2 CS asap.try to complete all steps before august, because the results will come out and you will be certified by september, before interview season.
5. do some externships in the US to get US Clinical Experience.programs love this sucker.do atleast 6 months.
6. apply to 70-80 programs. sit tight,bite your nails,and hope you get enough calls to fill your interview season while other fellow SDN AMGs get calls from all the top places.hope second rung places would think of farting in your general direction.sniff real hard.
7. attend interviews.try to please programs into farting in your general direction. sniff real hard for the anticipated fragrance.get a whiff, and turn in your rank order list by the deadline.
8. join residency.rejoice...

I probably wont have a hard time being accepted into the med schools in India. My father has a huge "influence" I just hope this works out cuz there is no way i will spend the rest of my life in India.

dude, why dont you try med school in the US..don't have to join right off after school.go to college. then give your MCATs and try.seriously, if you are an american, i dont see the point of wasting the opportunity of wasting all the effort..and for what, 2 lousy years of time saved?and if you don't want to medicine in th first place, ask whoever is telling you to go for it to stuff it! a lifetinme of regret is not worth it.i have seen too many of these frustrated docs giving this profession a bad name..
if you want to get into residency here, do your med school here.its that simple.hope this helps..

 

[leorl]

First question... do you WANT to go into medicine?

 

[sirvmac]

ya, im actually interested in medicine, the reason im not going to do medicine in the US is cuz if i do undergrad and mess up the MCAT's and GPA, i would have to go to india. and that about 4 years of nothing. im interested in Anesthesiology, is that as competetive? I would have liked Radiology, but looks like it will be hell trying to pull that off.

 

[RTQPCR]

ya, im actually interested in medicine, the reason im not going to do medicine in the US is cuz if i do undergrad and mess up the MCAT's and GPA, i would have to go to india. and that about 4 years of nothing. im interested in Anesthesiology, is that as competetive? I would have liked Radiology, but looks like it will be hell trying to pull that off.

It's just as likely for you to "mess up" during med school in India, taking extra time to repeat courses. Then there's the possibility to mess up again on the USMLE's, having to repeat them till you pass. This may soak up another couple of years. The Indian program is 5 years, 1 more than US programs. In my opinion, you'll save 2 years at the most (+1 for 5 vs 4, +1 for studying and passing USMLEs, -4 for skipping undergrad), and be more likely to mess up in an unfamiliar educational system. I know some guys who went this route, one is currently in India. I spoke with him this summer, he seemed miserable and was sad he was missing out on attending college in the US. He missed his friends and he missed the US. On the other hand, another spent 5.5 years there, met his future wife at a McDonalds, and started residency in IM this past May. He wouldn't recommend it for others, said it was hard, was bitching about all types of things from the professors to the living conditions. But in the end, he is happy now. Seems to me your father wants a guaranteed doctor child, which is fine. I'll bet he's not a physician. G-luck.

 

[sirvmac]

thanx for the info, i think i got alot out of this post, the main message was: its hell, but when u walk out of it, its heaven, or something like it.

 

[MD Rapper]

x

 

[sirvmac]

I have a brother in Inida right now, hes been there more then he needed to be, he said that the academics is easy and stuff. He passed everyhting, except, he didnt attend all the classes, he goes to Kasturba, based off of his experiance, i might consider going.

 

[uhoh!]

.....he said that the academics is easy and stuff. He passed everyhting..its hell, but when u walk out of it, its heaven, or something like it...

that's interesting...and a first. no one, but no one who's been paying attention to what (s)he is studying would call the academics "easy", whether it is in india or the US.don't kid yourself.remember, its one thing to pass exams, and another to know the subjects.

and its not "heaven" or any such thing..like any profession,i guess, you have a "calling" to do medicine.you have to retain the motivation to wade through all the cr@p(like any profession). the only reason you will enjoy it, as i do,is if you like the subject( i did not say-"if you like being a doctor").

if its "tending to the sick" kind of stuff you are thinking of, think again. i am not belittling medicine, or being overly cynical. just that you should have a clear idea of what you are getting into. i love the field, but i love the subject first of all. the helping people bit is a terrific bonus, but would be little consolation if i hated medicine(human bio for you,i guess) in the first place.

..Seems to me your father wants a guaranteed doctor child, which is fine. I'll bet he's not a physician.

i totally agree..i had a similar problem in my family for me to go into Engg.,cause i was really good at math/physics, and had got admission into one of the best Engg.Colleges in India..they were pissed for some time, but now realise i am doing what i like,and the decision was correct..do whatever you do with your life because you want to, not because someone is living their life vicariously through you.i.e if you are going for med because of parental brain-washing, think again..and use your own mind this time!sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do..

 

[sirvmac]

ya, i love Biology, i volunteer in a hospital, have about 185 hours so far. I actually want to be a doctor. And if the academics are hard, ill get through it. I just hope it will all be worthwhile. And also, is it impossible for an FMG to become an anesthesiologist?

 

[RTQPCR]

ya, i love Biology, i volunteer in a hospital, have about 185 hours so far. I actually want to be a doctor. And if the academics are hard, ill get through it. I just hope it will all be worthwhile. And also, is it impossible for an FMG to become an anesthesiologist?

Its not impossible. I know a Indi-grad who just completed her anasth. residency. Try and get some research publications before heading to India, they'll enhance your residency application.

 

[sirvmac]

how do i get research pubs?

im kind of a newb

 

[MD Rapper]

x

 

[RTQPCR]

how do i get research pubs?

im kind of a newb

Well first you'll need to find a good mentor, a researcher with his/her own lab, located at an academic health center and/or university. The lab you choose should be an active one, producing several published articles every year. You tell your mentor (aka your PI or primary investigator) that your goal is to get your name on an article or abstract. Tell them you know nothing, but are willing to spend every spare waking hour in the lab learning about and doing research. Tell 'em you'll work for free (their favorite thing to hear). Then, bust your ass in the lab and show lots of enthusiasm and interest. Do all of this, then if you're intelligent, hardworking, and lucky, you may end up with your name on something. This isn't something that is accomplished in 3-4 months. It may take a year or more of going to the lab after school, on weekends, ie all your spare time learning bench technique, troubleshooting experiments, reading articles, etc. If everything goes perfectly, you'll have enough data for at least an abstract that you could present as a poster. It may not seem like much, but you will have developed skills that would allow you to do more meaningful research in the future by cutting out some of the learning curve of experimental science and making you wiser as to which questions to ask/answer. You're still a junior in HS right, that gives you a little more than a year and a half if you get started now. I think if you show an earnest interest, are motivated, disciplined, hardworking, and somewhat intelligent; though only a high-school student with a basic knowledge of biology, an abstract is possible.

But on the whole, I'd agree with MDrapper, most high-school students will not accomplish this. Not because they haven't taken advanced courses (I believe that motivated individuals will teach themselves and seek out answers), but most high-school kids will not commit the time and discipline necessary to accomplish such an endeavor. It is all about an individual’s resourcefulness and motivation. I think if you’re willing to forego having an undergrad experience, might as well sacrifice high-school life as well and spend all your spare time in a lab.

 

[sirvmac]

i think ill do it, i just dont know how to contact any proffesor or a person with a lab, any resources u guys can recommend?

 

[sirvmac]

another question, is there dish network available in India? like nba league pass and nfl sunday ticket?

 

[sirvmac]

anyone kno?

 

[RTQPCR]

anyone kno?

Why don't you just call up dish network and ask...
The student I know in India did say he missed the entire playoffs and the finals. Our team even won the championship. He'll probably miss the Spur's run this year as well.

As for finding a research lab, go to the institutions' websites and look for labs you like, then e-mail the PIs, state your goals and have a resume made up.