Transferring? Admissions "Expert" Services?

[justcurious09]

I know it's early in the game, but I was wondering if anyone knew anything about transferring after MS1?

I love the academics of my school, but hate the location. I would just rather be somewhere near home.

It seems like most schools only speak of "exceptional circumstances" such as a spouse/family, etc in their description of the transfer application process. Do schools not like to "steal" students from other schools? Are they just being polite on their websites?

Has anyone had experience with this? Know of folks who've transferred?

I'm thinking of using a professional academic consulting company for advice on the process. Have any experience with these?

Thanks!

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[erin682]

I think most schools that accept transfers only do so after the 2nd year. It makes sense to do it that way because up to that point different schools have taught different material. If you transfer before the end of 2nd year you will miss material that will be on Step 1.

 

[justcurious09]

I hear what you're saying, that most transferring is done after MS2, but some schools actually do accept transfers after MS1. I've found at least 3 in the Northeast that might accept transfers after MS1, depending on a lot of factors.

 

[katiekate]

Don't count on transfering, but try if you really want to. After applying to med schools over a year ago and being accepted to my state school I have decided I don't want to leave the East coast for a school in Rinky-dink midwest (I was born and raised there so I can dump on it from first hand experience). I looked at various schools in the DC area, Northern VA included, and found several schools that accept transfer applications into third year (after achieving passing USMLE 1 scores) and one school that accepts transfers into the second year (George Washington).

It is hard to tell where you will be most confortable in med school - esp since so much can happen in the 9-12 month application year. Even though I think I won't be able to transfer, I will still try with the mantra "hope for the best, expect the worst". Really, if I don't like the area I'm going to med school I'm hoping it'll cause me to study more often instead of hanging around the town. I would be interested in knowing how many transfer applicants there are vs. how many actually get accepted. The best schools to try transferring into would be those with a high attrition rate. Do really well during your pre-clinical years and I think you'll have a better chance of a school wanting you to go there.

There's my $0.02

 

[sharqq]

Is there anyone out there who has transferred after 2nd year? My main reason is the high tution and the location of school. How early do u have the get the process started. Also if would transfer after recieving the results for step 1, then how 3rd work since at my school we start clinics towards the end of june, before finding out the results.
thanks

 

[DrFlower]

I too am considering transferring into another medical school beginnning my second year...I don't mind my school, but now am wishing that I were closer to home! I'm terribly homesick. Does anyone out there have any advice for people considering transferring, or any success stories?

 

[Buck Strong]

Honestly, as a MS4 looking back through the last 3+ years, almost everyone I know has hated parts of medical school. For me, it was most of MS1 and chunks of MS2. There are always excuses, and I know that I've made my share of excuses. Some of the one's I've heard are...it's too far from home, I need a change of scenery, it's too expensive, there's nothing to do here, there are too many distractions, it's too competitive and cutthroat at this school...etc. Medical school is not meant to be a completely fun and enjoyable experience...those of you who think it is have been stuck in pre-allo la la land for too long. It has its ups, and definitely its downs. My advice, suck it up...there are times you'll be miserable even in the most ideal of locations. By the time you're finishing med school, you'll look back and hopefully think it was all worth it.

 

[nockamura]

I know Wake accepts transfers for any of the 4 years, but I think that is contingent with a similar curriculum from the transferring school. Otherwise, you get one shot at the end of second year (plus you are taking your step 1).

 

[Hoya11]

Gtown had 2 new 2nd year students in the 2008 class. SO we must accept after 1st year transfers.