Immigrant nurse Planning for med school

[derfleen]

I am a nurse from India, and will be immigrating to Canada in few months time.I completed my Bachelors in Nursing in 2009 and have been working in ICU till date. I wish to study medicine, for many reasons. I am quite aware that I have to do the pre-med, But I am not quite sure how it works. I would like to know has any nurse ventured in this direction before and what was the outcome, and what are the pro's and cons? All suggestions are welcome'

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[LifeTake2]

I am a nurse from India, and will be immigrating to Canada in few months time.I completed my Bachelors in Nursing in 2009 and have been working in ICU till date. I wish to study medicine, for many reasons. I am quite aware that I have to do the pre-med, But I am not quite sure how it works. I would like to know has any nurse ventured in this direction before and what was the outcome, and what are the pro's and cons? All suggestions are welcome'

For US schools you have to have a Bachelors issued by a US or Canadian school. Canada tends to be harder to get into medical school (thus why so many come to the US to study) so I would assume that to be the case as well.

I would check one or two medical schools in Canada and confirm but I suspect your first step would be to go back and earn another Bachelors (sorry). Then you could apply and attend medical school.

The only other aspect to confirm would be immigration status and I'm not familiar with Canadian immigration to know if you can do medical school.....

 

[PharMed2016]

For US schools you have to have a Bachelors issued by a US or Canadian school. Canada tends to be harder to get into medical school (thus why so many come to the US to study) so I would assume that to be the case as well.

I would check one or two medical schools in Canada and confirm but I suspect your first step would be to go back and earn another Bachelors (sorry). Then you could apply and attend medical school.

The only other aspect to confirm would be immigration status and I'm not familiar with Canadian immigration to know if you can do medical school.....

Sound advice. Since you have all your prereqs - you might be able to just take the basic premed load (2-years) and then apply to medical school.

 

[Scottish Chap]

I am a nurse from India, and will be immigrating to Canada in few months time.I completed my Bachelors in Nursing in 2009 and have been working in ICU till date. I wish to study medicine, for many reasons. I am quite aware that I have to do the pre-med, But I am not quite sure how it works. I would like to know has any nurse ventured in this direction before and what was the outcome, and what are the pro's and cons? All suggestions are welcome'

There are a couple of medical schools in Canada (McGill, Toronto, Newfoundland) that will accept applications from internationals educated in Commonwealth countries with the appropriate foreign credential evaluation (WES etc.). I interviewed at the University of Toronto a few years ago with this background and, since the U of T 'reserves' 5-7 spots for internationals, the pool of completing international applicants is sometimes less intense than the regular applicant pool (same thing if you apply to medical school in the U.K. or India....easier to gain admission as an international as the serious competing applicant pool for those reserved spots is usually smaller).

However, with the exception of two Canadian medical schools, you will be required to sit for and satisfactorily excel on the MCAT and this requires mastery of chemistry, biology, and physics, so I agree that enrolling in basic university level classes in those disciplines will be essential. Good luck!