Med School options as International student in Canadian University Undergrad.

[Okita814]

Hello,
I’m a second year undergrad from Japan currently studying Molecular Biology in Canada. I’m an international student and after lots of consideration, it was deemed that getting into Canadian med school is impossible. I can’t get a PR quick enough and I don’t have the time to waste two years. I can’t say my family is very wealthy considering they used up a lot of savings on my education, so I have to find less expensive schools to get into med school. US MD/DO is an option but is extremely expensive. However, my grades aren’t so great, currently at 3.5 cGPA.
Options I’ve looked up is Caribbean Med schools, German Med school that can offer free tuition, going back to Japan to transfer into the 6 years medical school which is kind of impossible for me due to my Japanese skills.
Can anyone give me insights or their experience on my options or similar situations you have been in?
thank you

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[NotAProgDirector]

Not many great options. I assume the end goal is practice in the US or Canada. If the end goal is practice in Japan, I know nothing about how training here would be seen there.

US MD - the option that will give you the most choices. As an international student but with an UG degree from Canada, some schools will consider you (but not all). Expensive. Getting loans for non-citizens is very difficult. Then you'll need a residency on a work visa -- also somewhat limiting but not a major factor.

US DO - Still a good option. Less DO schools allow foreign grads. Costs are the same. Loan problems the same. Residency work visa will now be more of an issue as a DO (although this is improving).

Carib - overall bad idea. 20-40% of people fail out, have debt and nothing of value. Specialty choice will be limited. Even more expensive than US MD/DO. As an IMG and needing a visa, options will be more limited. Scores on USMLE exams become critical -- a poor score could be fatal.

Germany - price sounds right, no idea how you just get free medical school there. You'd want to do some US rotations in your final year. Then you'll be an IMG needing a visa, so that will be limiting. USMLE scores critical. Specialties will be somewhat limited.

 

[Okita814]

Thank you so much.
I guess I’m getting kind of desperate if I’m considering Carib schools. I think I’m getting delusional as I though I’ll do fine if I put in the effort. I do still think that US MD and DO aren’t a viable option for me. I will look further into other European schools as well. My end goal is to practice in Japan, but I’m still not sure. Japan might be ****tier in the future. To be certified as a doctor in japan, it’s pretty simple. I just need to graduate from a med school within the WHO Directory of Medical school and take an exam.

 

[Medstart108]

Thank you so much.
I guess I’m getting kind of desperate if I’m considering Carib schools. I think I’m getting delusional as I though I’ll do fine if I put in the effort. I do still think that US MD and DO aren’t a viable option for me. I will look further into other European schools as well. My end goal is to practice in Japan, but I’m still not sure. Japan might be ****tier in the future. To be certified as a doctor in japan, it’s pretty simple. I just need to graduate from a med school within the WHO Directory of Medical school and take an exam.

If you want to practice as a doctor in Japan, I would do medical school in Japan.

 

[Damson]

German medical schools could be an option for you if you're keen on learning german and the schools offer low tuition

I'd also look into Aussie schools