Hi! I'm a junior in an American University, pre-med with a biochemistry and molecular biology major. I want to go into pediatric oncology and possibly do clinical research as well as practice. Recently, I've been toying with the idea of going to medical school in the UK. My main reason is that I am extremely sheltered and I know that I don't have an idea of what the real world is like. My parents are super over-protective even though I'm already 21. I believe that going abroad to study medicine would give me a chance to grow up and learn how to really be independent. Any ideas on how to get started? I know I have to take the UKCAT and that I can choose 4 schools to apply to and, since it's easier to get into, I will be applying to the 6 year program. I checked the UCAS website and the application season for entry in 2010 is already over so this fall I will be attempting to enter the class of 2011. Are there any forums for students like me? Will it hurt my interview/application that I have never been to the UK or my reasons are not because I like the healthcare system better over there? I tried to search for the best schools for training in pediatric medicine but I could only find information about nursing schools. Any links? Thanks for reading through this long post!
Studying Abroad - 1 Answers
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In the UK, medicine is normally studied at the undergraduate level, rather than at the post-grad level as in the US. There are some post-grad med programs, though. You don't apply for post-grad programs via UCAS - that's for undergrad programs only. Rather, you'd go to each individual program's website and start there. However... Most UK medical programs only accept foreign students if those students come from a country where the medical education is lacking. That's not the case in the US, obviously. I'm not sure if any UK med program will accept you - you'll need to look at each one, individually. One option is to study medicine in the US, and to do a residency abroad. You could also do volunteer work abroad. You could even go to a Caribbean rather than a US med school. Or the summer after you graduate college, work in the UK via BUNAC, to gain a bit of international experience, and then think about a foreign residency one you're in a US med school. You have a lot of opportunities to go overseas, if you'd like. You could join the Peace Corps, before or after your medical education. Join Doctors without Borders. Take off for this upcoming summer and tour Europe. Tons more options as well.
