Would going to a foreign university hurt or help me/

[nysegop]

I know a tiny bit of Japanese so I thought it would be interesting to go to a Japanese university. Would this hurt, help, or fo nothing to someone wanting to go to a US medical school?

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[Nymphicus]

I know Japanese so I thought it would be interesting to go to a Japanese university. Would this hurt, help, or fo nothing to someone wanting to go to a US medical school?

It would most likely make things more difficult. Many US medical schools want to see coursework completed in the US (or Canada).

Columbia
http://ps.columbia.edu/education/admissions/applying/application-requirements

Application Requirements

Academics

At least three full academic years at an accredited college in the U.S. or Canada
One year of English
One year of Biology with labs
One year of Physics with labs
Two years of Chemistry, one of which must be Organic Chemistry, both with labs
​

Michigan
http://med.stanford.edu/md/admissions/preparation.html

Each University of Michigan Medical School applicant must have completed:

At least a four-year high school education, or equivalent, and
At least 90 hours of college course work, of which 60 must be from an accredited U.S. based institution.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

​

Schools will have difficulty evaluating your application without any US coursework. Doesn't mean impossible, just more difficult.

 

[I'm No Superman]

Hurt. Hurt hurt hurt.

 

[Winged Scapula]

As above, most US medical schools require at least 90 units be completed in a US undergraduate college to matriculate.

 

[Eon]

You definitely want to stick to a US university. Not only will you finish the requirements for medical school, but you'll be in better shape for LoR, Shadowing, Research and other extra curricular activities. Because you would be attending a foreign university, they will be more geared towards medical school for that country.

 

[Law2Doc]

I know Japanese so I thought it would be interesting to go to a Japanese university. Would this hurt, help, or fo nothing to someone wanting to go to a US medical school?

Go to a US school and just do a semester abroad and you will be fine. But yeah, you create huge obstacles trying to get into a US med school from a Foreign school.

 

[BABSstudent]

Just a semester abroad? Heck, you could do a year abroad if you wanted to. It would make you stand out.

All you have to do is go to a US school and visit the study abroad office, pick a program and leave. You earn credits while you are gone! It's awesome.

 

[Law2Doc]

Just a semester abroad? Heck, you could do a year abroad if you wanted to. It would make you stand out.

All you have to do is go to a US school and visit the study abroad office, pick a program and leave. You earn credits while you are gone! It's awesome.

A year abroad would make it tough to get in all the prereqs at a US school, unless you plan to do summer coursework or a postbac. A semester abroad later in your college career might work better.

 

[BABSstudent]

A year abroad would make it tough to get in all the prereqs at a US school, unless you plan to do summer coursework or a postbac. A semester abroad later in your college career might work better.

I studied abroad so that is why I don't see it as difficult to do a large amount of time abroad. Granted, I finished all prereqs for medical school my sophomore year, I studied abroad my junior year and had fun, volunteered and travelled. Well worth it and it didn't do anything negative for me. I also only took Spanish courses abroad. Do that helped me finish a Spanish degree.