6 Good Reasons To Go To An International Medical School

Are you considering ditching your home country to study abroad? Do you feel there are more opportunities out there compared to what you see in your country? Is your answer a resounding “No” because you are here to get convinced?

Then you are at the right place. Today we look at six reasons you should study medicine at an international school.

1.   Admission Rates are Higher

The average acceptance rate in medical schools in the U.S was 6.5% as of 2020, according to U.S News, which is a scarily low figure. Studying medicine in countries like the U.S, U.K, and Canada is always very difficult, and that’s because of the competition in those countries.

The number of applicants compared to the seats available makes getting into medical school a monumental task.

These countries have also come up with strict requirements to narrow down the list of applicants. And even with this, they still turn away some bright minds who could have contributed remarkably in the medical field (We can all dream).

Studying abroad offers you the opportunity to read your dream course, and their requirements are not also very strict, they provide a similar standard in terms of quality of education.

2.   A Wider Perspective to Medicine

Medicine is an international course. And yes, I know that applies to all fields, but medicine is quite different as it is directly connected to human life. One of the positives about studying abroad is it brings about exposure.

Exposure goes beyond what you see in books and looks to the practical. As a future doctor, skills like observation, communication, and interaction are vital human skills to possess. And a great place to gain these skills is at a place where you meet and interact with new cultures, people, and languages.

As a medical student studying in another nation, you will be required to learn the language and culture of the people. You get to observe that medical conditions are unique to people, places, types of food, jobs, and activity. This level of exposure can help if you return to your country of residence to practice. For good medical exposure and experience, Caribbean medical school options and others are the ones to look out for, if you plan to go aboard. Apart from the medical aspect of studying abroad, there is also something new and adventurous about it, moving away from your comfort zone and interacting and working with new people of different ethnicities, leaving what you have called your world for a long time and exploring other places around the world. If you are an adventurous type, then this may be another positive reason for you to go abroad to school. When abroad, you can visit places and tour neighboring countries between breaks. A great stress reliever for a field known for its demands.

3.   Affordability

Did you know that the average medical student owes $200,000 after graduating? And 73% of medical students graduate with educational debts? Another frightening statistic, if you are an aspiring medical student in the U.S. Sadly, this isn’t exclusive to the U.S alone, nations like the U.K and Canada also have similar figures.

Studying abroad is relatively cheaper for the Americans or the British because of the strength of the American dollars and British Pounds. The cost of living abroad too is cheap as compared to the U.S and the U.K. As an international student, you won’t be shouldering this amount of debt after graduating (if any at all).

4.   Choosing a New Pathway

Most of us are not very decisive in figuring out our passion and the field we want to work in, after finishing high school.  Some of us take a break to discover ourselves, and others get on a completely different path when we realize that medicine is what we want to do for the rest of our lives.

If you are in any of these categories, you know how difficult it can be to go to medical school after a year or two of finishing high school or if you decide to retrace your steps. The fact that you are older as compared to the other students of your batch and how to start at all, after a gap may pose a problem, especially with the fierce competition.

A solution to this is to study abroad. Some of these schools will accept you once you meet their requirements, and they can help you map a way to get your medical degree, and best of all, most of them are happy to do so too.

5.   The Standard of Education is on Par With the U.S

Contrary to popular belief, not all schools abroad are low-quality schools. This generalization has plagued students who think that going abroad means receiving a subpar education, which sadly screams ignorance.

Most schools abroad adopt a problem-based learning method or PBL for short. PBL means students take cases and go through the entire process, from the diagnosis to the treatment. They give complex problems drawn from the medical field to the students to solve while supervised by a trained tutor.

Like in a hospital setting, the students will perform examinations and then prescribe treatment. After the class, questions will form a part of the discussion for the lectures. This hands-on approach is effective in building the confidence, command, and experience of the students studying abroad.

6.   Clinical Rotational Opportunities

If, after going through this article, your “No” hasn’t become a “Yes” yet, then this last point may be the push you need to change your mind. Most of the medical programs have what we call a rotational program. Meaning, most of these schools abroad have affiliation with top schools in the U.S or U.K and will take you on a rotational program where you can gain some real-life experiences within your home country.

Not a terrible deal if you are nervous about leaving your country for another one and you also kind of experience the best of both worlds.

In conclusion, several opportunities are awaiting you if you are considering studying abroad. The points listed here are only, but a few and could have easily been more when you read in-depth about the pros of studying abroad. However, we hope we were able to change your perspective and helped you a little in making this life-changing decision.