I need YOUR help....I got a CRITICAL situation here...

[Aria2012]

Hello there,

I'm a Canadian citizen and I've been going to med-school in Debrecen, Hungary for more than a month and a half now. I have many reasons I am not happy with either the school nor the environment. Plus, I've heard that getting licensed in Canada for an IMG is more like a joke that anything else (I was not informed about all these rules and regulations of getting licensed and getting residencies in Canada before I left) and So basically I have been considering going back. I really do need your advise in order to make a clear decision and I must say that I'm really young as well. You may want to know that I've not been in University before either, so in the case of going back I would probably need to start again from the first year (does anyone have an idea regarding transferring your courses? is this a possibility? I am in first year medicine)
Would you rather stay in Hungary and finish your degree or you would go back to Canada and start building up your GPA and preparing for the MCAT?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[JPR22]

Unless you're from Hungary, or would be able to practice there, I'd head home. The odds of being licensed in canada poor, and the US will be rather competitive in 6 years. I think your best plan is to head home, work for a few months, then try to start Uni in canada in January. Its unlikely that your courses would be transferrable. If you're still serious about medicine, Id enroll in a BSc course, and work part time. Get good grades and study hard for the MCATs and see what happens.

 

[Aria2012]

Unless you're from Hungary, or would be able to practice there, I'd head home. The odds of being licensed in canada poor, and the US will be rather competitive in 6 years. I think your best plan is to head home, work for a few months, then try to start Uni in canada in January. Its unlikely that your courses would be transferrable. If you're still serious about medicine, Id enroll in a BSc course, and work part time. Get good grades and study hard for the MCATs and see what happens.

I'm totally lost..really don't know what to do. Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it.

 

[freyja]

You have mentioned that you have never done university prior to med school, as it is a requirement to have an undergrad before getting into med school here, that is one thing you will have to sort out first. getting into an undergrad program. This is if you're really set on moving back. You also have to consider the fact that you are already in med school. Something that a lot more than a handful of us are still striving for. I suggest that you think about this thoroughly. Ask yourself if you're willing to undergo the rigorous process of getting into med school or if you would rather learn to adjust where you are now, already in one.

 

[giantaxon]

If in your mind you must practice in Canada I would return.

But if you are open minded to what sort of residency you want and if you are ok with the idea of practicing in Canada, Australia, US, or another country then I would stick to it. If after medical school you have a board spectrum in terms of where you are willing to practice things seem to work out. I have received this impression from people I know who have gone this route. I am just finishing up a four year degree in Canada and even though I have a 3.8 GPA and an average MCAT I am still looking at Ireland and Australia as options. The admissions system in Canada is deeply flawed and there is no guarantee for any undergraduate that Canada will be open to them regardless of their fitness for the profession. Canada just doesn't have enough spots. So if you are flexible I would stay put as you might find yourself in the same boat you are in now four or five years down the road depending on your luck in Canada.

Basically just keep in mind that there are multiple routes to medicine. However, the route you take might not be that of the least resistance or the one you imagined. This is a big lesson I have learned over the past four years.

The best of luck!

 

[Aria2012]

I would deeply appreciate your comment and help by giving the experience you've gone through yourself. I have a question: what are the requirements of being licensed and getting a residency spot after going back to Canada..I'd like to know more about it, and of course all your comments and help is appreciated.

 

[companyofheroes]

Take a look at the CaRMS website for information about residency requirements. This question gets asked a lot, there are also other threads on this forum and premed101.com/forums (the Canadian medical school forum)

 

[jnuts]

You're gambling at this point. The system for getting back into Canada (at least in Ontario) is in flux from year to year due to the doctor shortage. Betting on what it will be like six years down the road isn't a good idea right now. I looked at Semmelweis before starting undergrad in the States 5 years ago due to a seemingly closed door to IMGs in Ontario at that time. That was a decision I regret to a certain extent (that being said I am Hungarian as well so my priorities are a little different).

Betting that you'll get into med school at home (in Canada) after four years of undergrad, is associated with some VERY long odds. The average age in UoT Med year 1 last year was 27. That's how long its takes to get a PhD and those are the people you'll be up against. I have heard far more stories of woe about people who do incredibly well in school and on the MCAT who cannot get into medical school in Canada. At best its a lottery.

If you're from a smaller province your chances are slightly better. And that being said, there are other options if you really want to be a doctor and can't get in after undergrad but they're not that much better than where you are now.

Private message me to talk about this more. Your decision will likely hinge on what exactly you don't like about med school in Debrecen.

 

[Aria2012]

You're gambling at this point. The system for getting back into Canada (at least in Ontario) is in flux from year to year due to the doctor shortage. Betting on what it will be like six years down the road isn't a good idea right now. I looked at Semmelweis before starting undergrad in the States 5 years ago due to a seemingly closed door to IMGs in Ontario at that time. That was a decision I regret to a certain extent (that being said I am Hungarian as well so my priorities are a little different).

Betting that you'll get into med school at home (in Canada) after four years of undergrad, is associated with some VERY long odds. The average age in UoT Med year 1 last year was 27. That's how long its takes to get a PhD and those are the people you'll be up against. I have heard far more stories of woe about people who do incredibly well in school and on the MCAT who cannot get into medical school in Canada. At best its a lottery.


If you're from a smaller province your chances are slightly better. And that being said, there are other options if you really want to be a doctor and can't get in after undergrad but they're not that much better than where you are now.

Private message me to talk about this more. Your decision will likely hinge on what exactly you don't like about med school in Debrecen.

Thanks so much for your reply...
So basically youre saying either staying or going back to Canada is a lottery? its a gamble? Well, so far I'm planning to stay down here...at least for this year...but I'm still lost...I love medicine..

 

[avenirv]

Hello there,

I'm a Canadian citizen and I've been going to med-school in Debrecen, Hungary for more than a month and a half now. ....

in november 2007 you write:
"Now, some Canadian's here at Saba have the idea that they will do their electives, and have Saba University count them as cores..."

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=469613

are you going to 2 (two) medical schools -one in eastern europe, the othetr one in carraibean- at the same time ?
do not be confused...try to clarify...

 

[Aria2012]

in november 2007 you write:
"Now, some Canadian's here at Saba have the idea that they will do their electives, and have Saba University count them as cores..."

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=469613

are you going to 2 (two) medical schools -one in eastern europe, the othetr one in carraibean- at the same time ?
do not be confused...try to clarify...

lol Mister.....I was just copying and pasting the article of the website, (http://www.caribbeanmedicine.com/openletter.htm), that I had included in my starting post of that thread, (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=469613) . Basically I just wanned to have the whole article within the thread, as well as having the original website address, then we could easily discuss it. Maybe this is someone else who should not be confused, eh? lol

 

[Dreaming]

ignore

 

[Dreaming]

I have a question: what are the requirements of being licensed and getting a residency spot after going back to Canada..I'd like to know more about it, and of course all your comments and help is appreciated.

For Ontario: http://www.cpso.on.ca/Info_physicians/applicants/regist.htm