Studying medicine in the best colleges around the world is both rewarding and challenging for medical aspirants. Every year, more than 10,000 Indian students go abroad for studying medicine. It’s not just about getting the best education; students also learn about different cultures, concepts and traditions that shape their personalities for a brighter future.

Tips to Get into a Medical College Abroad

Medical studies are a combination of science and your desire to help and love people while being in a well-respected and financially rewarding profession. However, as the competition becomes fierce, students find it hard to get into their dream college. To help you prepare for your journey to become a doctor, we have listed down some crucial points you must consider studying medicine abroad.

• Volunteering with doctors at the local hospitals and helping your community can be great for your resume.
• Most international medical colleges want students to have a research interest, work on research projects to make their application stand out.
• Having higher grades is crucial for applying to international medical colleges; therefore, going for a major you are excellent in will help you maintain a higher GPA.
• Apart from your academics, your extracurricular activities play a big role in your admission process. It helps you to prove to your interviewers that you’re not just another nerdy geek, but you have talent in another field too.

Different Pathways to Medical School

Though different countries have different medical degrees all over the world, North America is a famous destination for studying medicine. The major difference between studying medicine in North America and the other part of the world is that, in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, you can start a medical degree as soon as you finish high school. On the other hand, in the United States and Canada, medicine is only available as a graduate degree, requiring applicants first to complete 4 years of bachelor’s studies.

Study Medicine in the US or Canada

Medical degrees in the US are only available at the graduate level in the US. Therefore, before applying to medical school, you need to complete four years pre-med under graduation study in a science subject such as biology or chemistry (it can be any subject).

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) requirement, all students wanting to apply at medical schools in the US are required to take courses in Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Psychology/Sociology and English.

Applicants applying to medical colleges also need to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), with most of them accepting applications through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). You only need to submit one online application to AMCAS, regardless of how many medical schools you apply to.

During your study years in a medical school, you can also continue your education for another four years to earn a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or a Doctor of Medicine (MD).

The system is mostly the same in Canada, with prospective medical students required to sit the MCAT to gain admission. Some universities offer quick medical degree programs that shorten the course to three years from the usual four or five. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in a science subject, you need to take a one-year preparatory class.

Study Medicine in the UK or Australia

Contrary to the US, in the UK and Australia, the most common pathway to becoming a doctor is taking an undergraduate-level medicine course. In both countries, undergraduate medical degrees are typically for five to six years. However, if you have already done your graduation in a different subject, you may take a four-year quick course.

Almost all medical schools require applicants to take either UKCAT or BMAT. These tests evaluate your mental abilities, aptitudes and attitudes. You are required to study science subjects in your high school and need to provide proof of English proficiency.

Applicants must apply to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS. The deadline for admission is the 15th of October every year. 

In Australia, undergraduate medical students need to give the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT), or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), or Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) at the graduate level. 

Both undergraduate and graduate programs lead to an MBBS degree, equivalent to a DO or DM in North America in the UK and Australia. On the other hand, medical schools in Australia also provide a five-year combined MD program.

In the United Kingdom, you can enrol in a two-year Foundation Programme, where you need to complete placements in various healthcare specializations before applying for Medical Specialty Training. After you complete an MD or MBBS program in Australia, you need to complete a one-year internship. 

Tuition Cost

The annual tuition cost of medical schools in North America may vary from a different program to program. According to the latest reports, the average tuition cost of medical schools in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia in 2020-21 is:

• US: $39,150 (INR 29 Lacs) to $64,053 (INR 47.5 Lacs)
• UK: £23,000 (INR 23.6 Lacs) to £48,000 (INR 49.4 Lacs)
• Canada: CAD 30000 (INR 17.5 Lacs) to CAD 125000 (INR 73 Lacs)
• Australia: AUD $255,200 (INR 1.4 Crores INR) to AU$630,000 (INR 3.6 Crores)

There are some scholarships also available for international students in these countries, including Purdue University National Merit Scholarships 2021 (US), Fullbright Scholarships 2021 (US), Chevening Scholarship (UK), Global Health Future Leaders Scholarship (UK), International Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships at University of Guelph 2021 (Canada), Education Future International Scholarship 2021 (Canada), Heart Foundation PostDoc Fellowships (Australia), HKADC Overseas Arts Administration Scholarships (Australia), etc.

Final Words

Studying medicine in foreign medical schools is a dream for many students worldwide. With the growing demand, students getting a chance in medical colleges is becoming difficult. This important information about pathways to different medical schools worldwide may help you take one step closer to becoming a doctor. Get in touch with the UniVisory team for more information on how to get a chance to study in a medical college abroad.