Attending Med/Dental School Overseas, discussion

[eamon]

Since a lot of medical/business threads are popping up in here, I thought I'd share my story and get some professional E90Post consulting.
If you want to get to my main question, just read the bolded area.

Since childhood I've been attracted towards a career in medicine, tried to take all the steps necessary to get there. For example: I have been fortunate enough to rake over several hundred hours of shadowing all sorts of hospitals and practices in my junior and senior year in high school.
During this time, I became certified for the following things: CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), CPT (Certified Pharmacy Technician), CPR and First Aid administration, and my Life Guarding license.

Leaving high school, I entered my freshman year at a state university. I joined a fraternity and lost focus of my goal that first semester. I ended up experimenting, and starting to give up on medicine. I wasn't sure what I wanted. I dropped my CHEM class in order to avoid getting a C or F, and was only able to complete 9 hours, but at least maintain a 4.0. I decided by the end of the semester that I wanted to be closer to home and that I was already tired of the distractions in the uni, so I transferred to a local college here in Dallas. For my second semester of college I took 14 hours which I was able to manage an A in all my classes, including BIO, except for GOV, which I got a B.
I'm a sophomore right now and I'm taking 16 hours for the fall semester, and am fairly confident that I'll get As, CHEM this time as well, but possibly get a B in GOV again.

Main point: At this point in my life I feel that I know exactly where I want to be in the next few years, and I am very motivated, to do whatever it takes to get there as quickly as possible.
Firstly, I want to start off in Dentistry, and later specialize in Endodontics or OMFS (Surgery). For this reason, I was wondering if I could just complete my Associates Degree here locally, and then instead of transferring to another university, make my way straight into my career field at some school overseas, avoiding my last two years of college in the states. I ultimately want to come back to Dallas by the time I get certified or live somewhere stateside.

What are your thoughts on the idea of studying medicine overseas? The thing I worry about is getting residency, or being able to get certification here.
Opinions? Thoughts? Advice?

Honestly at this point I'm going through a lot of drama on the side and feel the need and very determined to do something in my life, so overseas classes seems like a nice way to avoid distractions, here, and get ahead/back on track.

[py335]

Do NOT do dental school overseas. International dentists need to apply to dental programs back in the states if they wish to establish their career here. I'm not sure how many dental schools accept international students but not every school does. Once accepted in the program they basically have to do like 2 more years as if they were a D3 and D4 (from my understanding).

My cousin had to go through that because she finished her dental schooling in India. But she then had to apply to NYU's dental school and doña couple years there as if she were a dental student all over again. Another girl I know is going through the same process right now and this shit is tough. And that shit adds up to a lot of money.

So moral of my post. Do not go to dental school overseas

[Myrder]

Going overseas for medical or dental is a horrible idea. Especially if you want to come back and practice in the states.

[upstatedoc]

finish undergrad here in the states doing the best you can and apply to american dental schools, they are easier to get into than medical schools, relatively speaking.

[DOCTOR 3VIL]

The time you may save by skipping couple of years by going over seas will be made up later once you try to get credited here in the states. Not to mention all the hassle you have to go through. Not worth it.

[Brunotheboxer]

My cousin went to med school over seas and now she's a cat gynecologist.

[ddk632]

First few comments echo my thoughts too. I know nothing of medical profession, except that I've known several immigrant family friends who were either doctors or dentists, who all had to go to school in the US to be able to practice here. Agreed, a horrible idea.

[amanda hor$t]

well if you have a friend with a yacht, you could set up practice near port (but officially offshore) and pick up the uninsured guys that obamacare rejects

yeah i know sounds dumb, but could very well be a viable option (cruise ship hospitals) in a few years

[Rotorocious]

Originally Posted by Brunotheboxer

My cousin went to med school over seas and now she's a cat gynecologist.

Bahahaha

[stL325]

Study your butt off for the DAT and apply broadly in the US. I also know ppl who came from overseas. They had to go to dental school again for 1-2 years in the states. You can avoid distractions by going to the opposite coast or something. Try to get over a 21 on DAT, you should be set.

[Rotorocious]

Originally Posted by m_sung

Everytime I go to the library and study I end up getting distracted by the ladies instead

Shhh.
get back to work.

[grimlock]

Originally Posted by Brunotheboxer

cat gynecologist.

pussy-squared?

[BASTOS HUMARUROT 335i]

Not too sure about dental school but I don't see anything wrong with getting your medical education overseas. Majority of the best and brightest in my area of speciality have had their schooling overseas and now practice/work in the US. Take for example, Johns Hopkins Hospital for sure acknowledges a handful of foreign medical schools and their graduates successfully absorbed by the Johns Hopkins network worldwide. Hope you end up joining us. Let's get together and banter about our Bimmers. I know where the great parties at all the time. Good luck.

[NemesisX]

^ the problem is that "overseas" for medical school is almost always a euphemism for "Carribbean medical school" which are among the worst medical schools on earth.

You're right, there are foreign medical graduates who have had success in the u.s. but these people come from premier institutions that are often highly selective and world-renowned.

We have a family friend who's a foreign medical graduate from a foreign medical school that boasts a 0.1% acceptance rate (yeah, 1/1000)

Caribbean medical schools have essentially turned into "diploma mills" for (typically) low scoring students. These institutions are neither selective nor world renowned.

You'd be much better off getting a D.O. than a Carribbean M.D.

[NemesisX]

Note: please notice the qualifiers in my post ("almost always" "typically", ...) before you hound me (because someone is bound to do it )