For many, the dream of becoming a physician starts at an early age. However, turning the dream into a reality is a complicated process. Applying to US medical schools can be a daunting. Excellent undergraduate qualifications and high MCAT scores are a must, however, that may not be enough to get an acceptance to a US medical school. In fact, only 43% of applicants are actually accepted to US Medical Schools. This unsettling fact is a hurdle in many people’s dreams and has boxed out Students from US Medical schools and toward International Schools of Medicine. These schools are for-profit universities that have a much higher acceptance rate than American Medical Universities. While the curriculum is comparable to those American schools, and the tuition at these colleges is similar to their American counterparts.
There is a detrimental catch as the average student who attends these universities pays nearly $250,000 by the time they graduate. To add insult to injury, the graduates of these universities will be labeled as IMG’s. The rotations and electives are usually not graded and are usually not Green Book programs. So it will not come as a surprise to hear these students have a much more difficult time being placed into American Residency Programs. It is a difficult for any young (or not so young) person to land a dream residency. No matter the circumstance, it will be difficult, it will take patience, determination, preparation, and a bit of luck. So as a final thought, to what length will you go to reach your dream residency?