An International Student’s Guide on ​S​​tudying Medicine in USA

​​International students who want to start a medical career abroad might feel clueless as to how to study medicine in the USA. True enough, s​​​tudying medicine in the United States is extremely difficult, but if you have a strong desire and are willing to put in the necessary ​work​, it is well worth the ​time and ​effort. ​Not only will you​​ be able to help those in need​, but you will also​​ make a real difference in people's lives once you graduate. 

 

The road ​can be a​​​ long and difficult​ one​, but the payoff for students who want to study medicine​ in the US​ is a stable, well-paying job that you can be proud of​!​​

 

Where can you study Medicine in the USA​ for international students​?

Here are just a few of the ​m​​​edical schools that you may enroll to: 

• University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth – Texas  

• Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine 

• University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine 

• University of Arizona College of Medicine 

• Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine 

• Saint Louis University School of Medicine 

• Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine 

• University of Alabama School of Medicine 

• Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine 

• Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine 

 

Entry Requirements​ to Study Medicine in USA​

1. 4-year pre-med undergraduate degree

Before applying to any medical school, international students should ensure that they have completed a four-year bachelor's degree that includes all of the prerequisite classes required by the medical schools to which they are applying​ to​. The prerequisites differ from school to school, but almost always include biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. Some schools may also require you to have taken ​​humanities, English, math, and science classes, so look into ​the requirements of your preferred ​medical schools while you're still an undergraduate so ​that ​you can pick the right classes. 

 

2. MCAT

​​To study medicine in the USA, y​​​ou must also ​pass​​ the MCAT, which stands for Medical College Admissions Test. The exam will assess your ability to think critically, solve problems, write clearly, and measure your knowledge of various scientific concepts. A high MCAT score is essential for admission to a good medical school. To prepare yourself for the MCAT, read our blog here.

 

3. CASPer

The Casper Suite for Graduate Medical Education (GME) ​i​​s a set of selection tools to assess and understand students and how they align ​with​ their program. Students can use the tests to demonstrate their communication skills as well as ​their ​non-cognitive abilities such as empathy, ethics, and professionalism. Furthermore, it aids in developing a comprehensive understanding of each applicant. The CASPer examination allows medical schools and residency programs to evaluate applicants in addition to or instead of the traditional medical school interview. 

 

4. GPA

If you are applying to medical school, you must include your undergraduate transcripts in your application. These transcripts will include your GPA, which can be used to screen out your application before it is even evaluated. Admissions officers look at your GPA to see how serious you are about your studies. Low undergrad GPAs on a student's transcript can raise red flags during the applicant evaluation process because medical school is more rigorous than undergraduate programs. While a low GPA will not necessarily disqualify you, it is important to understand how you rank in comparison to other applicants and how ​the ​admissions teams will evaluate your undergraduate work. 

 

 

How much does it cost to study Medicine​ in the USA​?

Medical school is not cheap. Tuition costs are rising in the United States, whether you are deciding between a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) ​or​​​ an MD (Doctor of Medicine).​ Nonetheless, you can still study medicine in the USA with a scholarship given that you have an outstanding record. To apply, make sure to check the scholarship requirements of the medical schools you are applying to.  ​ 

 

To illustrate, we have ranked the following ​m​​edical schools from cheapest to the most expensive: 

 

1. University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth – Texas: $38,836 

2. Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine: $40,826 

3. University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine: $54,916 

4. University of Arizona College of Medicine: $58,937 

5. Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine: $63,869 

6. Saint Louis University School of Medicine: $65,232 

7. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine: $67,481 

8. University of Alabama School of Medicine: $68,927 

9. Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine: $71,255 

10. Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine: $72,982 

 

​​Building a career in the medical field in the United States is not a walk in the park, but i​​f you​ really​ want to study medicine in the U​SA​​​, Intake is here to help​.​​ ​J​​ust as we have helped hundreds of students ​to ​pursue their medical dreams abroad​, we are here to assist you every step of the process.

  

Do you require assistance in preparing for your applications? Schedule a FREE consultation with us!