The short answer is yes, there are special requirements for admission to an international medical school. Medical schools accept and enroll a small number of international applicants in their programs. Randee Reid, Admissions and Residency Officer at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, explains that curricular systems are different from those of foreign schools and it is very useful for medical schools to evaluate progress in a program in the U. S.
To do this, potential applicants must have completed 30 credit hours or more of coursework before applying to medical schools. If any of the courses were taken at a foreign institution, but the credit was accepted through an accredited U. institution, the official academic record from a territorial or Canadian post-secondary institution would be required. AMCAS will verify and include those courses in the AMCAS GPA.
For example, a course may have been conducted through a study abroad program sponsored by a U. school, but organized in a foreign country. Be sure to clearly and accurately identify your citizenship and visa status (if applicable) in your AMCAS and secondary applications. Within the AMCAS application, you can indicate the languages you speak and your command of each one. Federal student aid, such as unsubsidized direct loans and Direct PLUS loans, may be available to those who meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid. It is also recommended that students speak directly with the financial aid staff at each medical school they may be interested in attending.
In most cases, international students will need to obtain private loans or institutional loans if offered by the medical school. In some cases, medical schools require applicants to show that they have sufficient financial resources to pay for the four years of medical school or will require applicants to have the full amount in an escrow account. It's a good idea to work with a health coach prior to preparing for medical school. This person can help you decide what courses you should take and when, and provide valuable feedback on your request. If you don't have access to a prior health counselor at your school, you can find one at the NAAHP. The Commission issues a standard ECFMG certificate to International Medical Graduates (IMGs) that apply for certification and meet all ECFMG requirements.
There are three steps to receive the ECFMG certification: IMGs must verify their eligibility in each of the U. states and to each program before applying for the USMLE; IMGs are required to take and pass the same exam taken by U. citizens; International students and graduates must also meet the eligibility requirements for ECFMG Pathways, a program that evaluates the clinical and communication skills required for ECFMG certification. The sequence and timing of these requirements has been a challenge; it's important to review these requirements and begin the process before the third year of medical school. The Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access is the online directory of graduate medical education programs sponsored by the American Medical Association (AMA).
The Council for Accreditation of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) also offers a directory of residencies. The AAFP offers an online directory of family medicine residencies that has a search function beyond those of the other two directories. For each medical specialty, there is specific information about the individual programs and any general or special application requirements. Application deadlines may vary between programs, so it is important to contact programs directly for their deadlines. Since offers made and accepted during match week will be binding under the match participation agreement, only candidates who meet the requirements to start training on July 1 of the match year will be able to participate. The NRMP will exchange data with the ECFMG to re-certify the status of IMGs. Learn about application deadlines and requirements; many residencies list their program requirements for applicants on their websites, such as the year they graduated from medical school, the types of visas they accept, or the number of attempts allowed at the USMLE. Research residency requirements before applying and direct submission of applications appropriately; understand eligibility requirements before devoting efforts and financial resources to application; it can be difficult for IMGs to obtain residency interviews in U.
S.; allopathic and osteopathic medical schools have grown considerably leading to increasing competition for relatively fixed number of residency positions in U. S.; many residency programs have tightened their eligibility requirements; research licensing requirements for specific state; some institutions will sponsor visa for IMGs in residency program. To ensure success when applying for admission into an international medical school, it is important that potential applicants understand all of these requirements thoroughly before beginning their application process. It is also important that they research each individual program's specific requirements as well as any additional information needed such as language proficiency or financial resources.
