{}{}{}***{}{}{}| Official Premed Application Thread for INTERNATIONAL Students |{}{}{}**{}{}{}

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Oh I agree with you in the long term, but for premeds, the match is a few years away and things can change quickly. Do you think uncertainty about the match will trickle down to med school deans as well?
Medical schools are very risk averse. A potential increase in unmatched (or even under-matched) students is not taken lightly. Look at how admissions deans have banded together to support their DACA students who have been placed in jeopardy by current events. No one can presume to predict the future, but this is certainly not helpful.

Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
No the article said they're suspending premium processing? That means it will take longer this year and so you need to file a lot more in advance. Damn I almost **** myself tho...
Lol I'm sorry to scare you. Phew.. I had a heart attack as well.

Medical schools are very risk averse. A potential increase in unmatched (or even under-matched) students is not taken lightly. Look at how admissions deans have banded together to support their DACA students who have been placed in jeopardy by current events.
Is it much harder for intl' students to get matched?
 
Lol I'm sorry to scare you. Phew.. I had a heart attack as well.


Is it much harder for intl' students to get matched?
Many programs to not want the hassle of supporting a visa.
Others will support one visa but not the other.
Still others will support both. Unless your school remains familiar with the evolving intricacies of this terrain, you will need to inform yourself when it comes time to apply.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
Lol I'm sorry to scare you. Phew.. I had a heart attack as well.


Is it much harder for intl' students to get matched?
In my non-medical school student opinion, i've read that as long as you grad from a US med school, it isn't harder per se, it just lowers the programs you can apply to coz you have to make sure about visa stuff before you apply. Kinda like how you won't be able to apply to around half of med schools. That being said, even international students from US med schools match well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
In my non-medical school student opinion, i've read that as long as you grad from a US med school, it isn't harder per se, it just lowers the programs you can apply to coz you have to make sure about visa stuff before you apply. Kinda like how you won't be able to apply to around half of med schools. That being said, even international students from US med schools match well.
Many programs to not want the hassle of supporting a visa.
Others will support one visa but not the other.
Still others will support both. Unless your school remains familiar with the evolving intricacies of this terrain, you will need to inform yourself when it comes time to apply.
Thank you for your insightful replies. By saying 'programs', you mean residency programs, correct?
 
I'm glad I'm still 4 years away from the match but this must suck for those applying this year. :/
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
and something interesting, one of the schools I got accepted decided to stop accepting apps from internationals starting next cycle. Maybe it had to something to do with the new policies or maybe not.
 
Does anyone know if those schools that require 2 or 4 years tuition up front or in an escrow account, etc. are absolutely rigid on those requirements or do they accept other forms of financial guarantee?

I'm part of a foreign government sponsored program that covers 100% of tuition and gives a monthly stipend for living expenses. They also offer an official letter of financial guarantee that states all this on it. Would those schools with the ridiculously high financial standards accept that letter in lieu of tuition up front?
 
Congrats!!! Do you mind sharing the list of schools that you applied to? :)
Yes! sorry I took so long to respond. I applied to:

Albert Einstein
UCLA/UCLA-drew
Icahn
West Virginia
Penn state
U of kentucky
Case Western/cleveland clinic
Baylor
Duke
Darthmouth
Georgetown
Howard
NYMC
Northwestern (only because they waived the secondary fee)
Rosalind Franklin
St Louis
Jefferson
Stony brook
SUNY upstate
Tulane
U of virginia
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Does anyone know if those schools that require 2 or 4 years tuition up front or in an escrow account, etc. are absolutely rigid on those requirements or do they accept other forms of financial guarantee?

I'm part of a foreign government sponsored program that covers 100% of tuition and gives a monthly stipend for living expenses. They also offer an official letter of financial guarantee that states all this on it. Would those schools with the ridiculously high financial standards accept that letter in lieu of tuition up front?
Some absolutely require to have the money deposited before the starting school. You should look into the George washington international student MD program, they only accept people sponsored by their government but keep in mind you have to go back to your country and practice there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Some absolutely require to have the money deposited before the starting school. You should look into the George washington international student MD program, they only accept people sponsored by their government but keep in mind you have to go back to your country and practice there.
What if i get accepted to that program but don't go back to my country? How can they guarantee the students go back?
 
What if i get accepted to that program but don't go back to my country? How can they guarantee the students go back?
so I just looked into it and apparently you must have employment contracts from your government. I take it you want to stay and practice in the US?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
so I just looked into it and apparently you must have employment contracts from your government. I take it you want to stay and practice in the US?
Yes, I do haha. I've lived here all my life but I'm still an F1 :( Guess I'll have to go about it the good old fashioned way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
and something interesting, one of the schools I got accepted decided to stop accepting apps from internationals starting next cycle. Maybe it had to something to do with the new policies or maybe not.

Which school was this?
 
Hey guys, do you know if MD/DO matters for international students? I'm sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I am not sure if the chance of getting matched after 4 years in DO schools would potentially be lower than after MD schools? Any ideas? Ty!
 
Hey guys, do you know if MD/DO matters for international students? I'm sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I am not sure if the chance of getting matched after 4 years in DO schools would potentially be lower than after MD schools? Any ideas? Ty!
If possible go MD. If you want to match into a competitive specialty go MD. If you are okay with only being a primary care doc then you can go DO.
 
If possible go MD. If you want to match into a competitive specialty go MD. If you are okay with only being a primary care doc then you can go DO.
I'm interested in Emergency Medicine (as of right now). I see the match rate for EM for DO is pretty high. Do you think matching into EM as a DO for an intl' student is a good chance?
 
Why is it hard?

I don't know... I am just not confident that I can be such a leader.. I'm just not that type of person who can lead a club or something . So I'm just very worried that not having good leadership experiences would affect my application. I may apply to be a TA next year.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
I'm interested in Emergency Medicine (as of right now). I see the match rate for EM for DO is pretty high. Do you think matching into EM as a DO for an intl' student is a good chance?
You have a fair chance. Get a good comlex/step score and don't be picky about where you apply. Your need for a visa is what will limit your options.
 
I don't know... I am just not confident that I can be such a leader.. I'm just not that type of person who can lead a club or something . So I'm just very worried that not having good leadership experiences would affect my application. I may apply to be a TA next year.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Oh okay I thought you were saying you couldn't coz you were international, which should never be the case. If it's a matter of confidence, then my advice is fake it till you make it. Maybe right now you are intimidated by the thought of leading but who knows, you might actually love it. You never know till you try.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
For those accepted this cycle, what are your all's thoughts on residency placement in competitive fields in the US given the current rhetoric about international students and the difficultly of getting H1b visas? Really afraid of spending a bunch of money over 4 years to ultimately have a lot of my professional aspirations crushed because of politics/policies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
For those accepted this cycle, what are your all's thoughts on residency placement in competitive fields in the US given the current rhetoric about international students and the difficultly of getting H1b visas? Really afraid of spending a bunch of money over 4 years to ultimately have a lot of my professional aspirations crushed because of politics/policies.

My thoughts currently is that I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no changes to the cap exemption cases (ie. H1B sponsored by institutions). I plan on using OPT and STEM extension for 3 years (so I would have a few tries to apply for sponsorship) for PGY1-3? As for residency, you can also opt for a J1 visa. This isn't ideal, but the 2-year rule can be waived if you practice for a determined (I'm not quite clear on this, I think it's 2 years) time in an underserved area.
 
In a different vein: Has any internationals (or know any internationals) this cycle been accepted to Dartmouth?
 
I have another question. For those of you who have been accepted, what kind of awards or scholarships have you received? Most of the awards and scholarships are only for us citizens and I'm Ina public school so I can't possibly get scholarship. I'm just wondering if no awards or honors would affect the application. Also how many of you did summer research fellowship programs?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Does anyone have a list a current of Schools that accepts international students to medical schools and Masters of Medical Sciences programs in the US and Canada? I have one list but it is from 2013 and I could not find an updated version.

This is the list I found

http://premedusa.blogspot.com/2014/06/US-Medical-Schools-for-Internationals-Updated.html


Thanks : )

Well here's a list of schools I applied to this year. Not exhaustive but I guess you can compile it with the other one above. I had used the premedusa one as a guide and also the MSAR has a filter for searching for schools that accept internationals.

Albert Einstein
Baylor University
Boston University
Brown University
Case Western Reserve
Case Western Reserve (CCLM)
Columbia University
Dartmouth College (Geisel)
David Geffen at UCLA
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown
Havard Medical School
Icahn Mount Sinai
Johns Hopkins University
Mayo Medical School
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
Northwestern
Penn State
Rosalind Franklin U - Chicago Medical School
Saint Louis University
Sidney Kimmel/Jefferson Medical College
Stanford University
Stony Brook University
SUNY Upstate
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Connecticut
U of Kentucky
U of Penn
U of Utah
U of Virginia
Vanderbilt
Washington University in St. Louis
Weill Cornell Medical College
Yale University
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Are any of you guys applying to DO schools? If not, why?
 
Are any of you guys applying to DO schools? If not, why?
I applied to DO schools that didn't require a DO letter. I got into a good one. At first I wasn't planning to apply to them but a DO degree from the US can be used to practice medicine in my home country so I said why not lol
 
I applied to DO schools that didn't require a DO letter. I got into a good one. At first I wasn't planning to apply to them but a DO degree from the US can be used to practice medicine in my home country so I said why not lol

Can I pm you to ask you about something lol?
 
For those that got their acceptances, can you please share your MCAT scores? If not, a range is fine. I'm taking my MCAT soon and I am super anxious not getting the score that I want. Thank you!!
 
I have another question. For those of you who have been accepted, what kind of awards or scholarships have you received? Most of the awards and scholarships are only for us citizens and I'm Ina public school so I can't possibly get scholarship. I'm just wondering if no awards or honors would affect the application. Also how many of you did summer research fellowship programs?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
I've gotten a Deans Scholarship but due to the cost of living in the city that I got it from, it just wasn't enough to make me choose that school over another one I got into.
 
For those that got their acceptances, can you please share your MCAT scores? If not, a range is fine. I'm taking my MCAT soon and I am super anxious not getting the score that I want. Thank you!!
MCAT = 41 (no clue what that is on the new scale)
 
My thoughts currently is that I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no changes to the cap exemption cases (ie. H1B sponsored by institutions). I plan on using OPT and STEM extension for 3 years (so I would have a few tries to apply for sponsorship) for PGY1-3? As for residency, you can also opt for a J1 visa. This isn't ideal, but the 2-year rule can be waived if you practice for a determined (I'm not quite clear on this, I think it's 2 years) time in an underserved area.
It's 5 years in an underserved areas and these areas are both hard to get (I believe there is a limited amount) and they are in areas most internationals won't want to willingly go to.
 
For those accepted this cycle, what are your all's thoughts on residency placement in competitive fields in the US given the current rhetoric about international students and the difficultly of getting H1b visas? Really afraid of spending a bunch of money over 4 years to ultimately have a lot of my professional aspirations crushed because of politics/policies.
I get where you are coming from, but if you are planning to immigrate to the US, any job you get will need an H1B so it doesn't really change it. Plus, once you do residency in the US, you should easily get enough "points" to immigrate to Canada (if the situation for internationals in the US ever gets that restrictive).
 
What GPA do you guys think an international student should have to have a high chance of getting into med school given that the student has all the other boxed checked and has a relative good Mcat? I have a very hard time this semester, just too much workload and got some Bs and Cs in my midterms. I start to worry about my chances for med school....


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
keep in mind some of those waiver things give priority to primary care, so if you go and get into non primary care specialty you might not get the waiver.
 
Does anyone know how MD/PhD works for international students?? I know your tuition is covered in these programs but they also need to pay you a monthly stipend, I believe. Technically that's like working for 8 years. Do you need to change visa status into H1-B if you get accepted to an MD/PhD program. If not, what happens?
 
Does anyone know how MD/PhD works for international students?? I know your tuition is covered in these programs but they also need to pay you a monthly stipend, I believe. Technically that's like working for 8 years. Do you need to change visa status into H1-B if you get accepted to an MD/PhD program. If not, what happens?
You would still complete those 8 years as a F1 visa student, the same happens with those who get a phd in say, biology, they get paid but still are considered F1 students. And as an international student you can only get your tuition covered and the stipend if accepted to a non-mstp program, so this already limits the number of programs you can apply to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
You would still complete those 8 years as a F1 visa student, the same happens with those who get a phd in say, biology, they get paid but still are considered F1 students. And as an international student you can only get your tuition covered and the stipend if accepted to a non-mstp program, so this already limits the number of programs you can apply to.
What's the difference between MSTP and non-MSTP?
 
Top