Med School Dilemma (Seeking Honest Advice)

[onebigbadwulf]

I'm having a serious dilemma right now. I'm finish up my last year of college right now and I have a problem in regards to Medical school.

I may have to decide between medical school in New Zealand or school in America.

The problem is that NZ starts in March and I won't know if I was accepted to any American med schools until after March.

Do I go to NZ a for sure thing, or stay here and gamble on the possibility of not going anywhere?

[Syncronaut Seven]

1. You have an opportunity to flee...I mean leave the country?

.

[onebigbadwulf]

3. Yeah that's why it looks so appealing

[nostamj]

2. i hear NZ is great (and no chimp!)

but don't know how that degree impacts on your career stateside...

good luck either way!

[kainah]

4. I say go to New Zealand

Seriously, unless you have very strong considerations tieing you to this country, I'd get out. I believe things here are going to get worse and worse. Building an ex-patriot life seems like a great opportunity, at least until you see how things play out.

That's my political take on your question. From a medical career perspective, New Zealand also wins. Your education will almost certainly be much more human-centered and less focused on the 'miracles of modern medicine.' And when you finish, you could choose to practice in a country that believes in providing their citizens with medical care rather than practicing in a country where at least 1/5 of your time will be consumed in filing paperwork.

[onebigbadwulf]

6. Thank you.

I really appreciate your analysis!:-)

[southerngirlwriter]

5. My best friend's wife and my cousin-in-law are both in med school

right now. My cousin-in-law, who is an immigrant, was accepted to med school in his home country, but after investigating what he'd have to put up with as far as regulations, licensing hoops to jump through, and continuing education requirements to practice in the USA with his foreign M.D., he decided it wasn't worth it. He waited an extra year to get accepted to the school he wanted here, but does not regret the decision.

My best friend's wife is one of the few in her study group who is not popping ulcers over the workload and the stress of it all, because they are near family who help out a lot. I cannot imagine that trying to adjust to a foreign country at the same time as you were trying to be a good med student would be easy.

Hope that helps??

Edited for clarity.

[onebigbadwulf]

8. great points

I appreciate the response.

[readmylips]

7. Go to Mexico...medical school is less...

expensive and you're closer to home. The draft is coming, just go anywhere.

[onebigbadwulf]

9. ahahahahaha

suggestion noted.

[Booberdawg]

10. I would take the opportunity in NZ if for no other reason than it is

a foreign country and an opportunity of a lifetime.

I would not consider it an opportunity lost in America to take the NZ post. Don't be silly!

[SoCalDem]

11. You are young.. BE DARING.. Go to NZ..

What's the worst that could happen?? You get accepted to med school here after you have already started there?? If that's the case, you finish your year there and then decide which you really wnat.. You already know what it would be like here, and sfter a year there, you might be so hopelessly in love with the place, you would never want to leave..

Life hands you dilemmas like this for a reason.. If you are young and unencumbered with debt, wife, kids, mortgage...GO FOR IT..

You do not often get these opportunities..

In NZ, you will have a whole part of the world open to you , that you would never have here.. There will be time off, and think of all the wonderful places you can see and all the adventures you can have that you would never have here...

[onebigbadwulf]

12. my thoughts as well. Thanks for the help!

[thebaghwan]

13. I would not base such an important decision on merely political

considerations. I have survived the Vietnam War and so on. Things do change. I would think about where you want to practice medicine when you graduate. What type of medicine. Could you sit out NZ for a year to see what your chances are for an American school. If you want to practice in the U.S. I have heard it is very difficult to pass the test to practice medicine here if you went to a foreign school.

I have always found the Ben Franklin approach to reaching a decision very good. Get a piece of paper and state the question to be decided at the top, draw a line down the middle and label the left column Pros and the other column Cons. Over several days and with the help of friends fill in the columns and this will help you to drive out all the factors.

Good Luck!

[jonnyblitz]

14. experience life outside the USA if you have the opportunity

and haven't yet. I highly recommend it! :hi:

[DemBones DemBones]

15. I'd go to NZ. To quote Yogi Berra, "If you come to a fork in the road,

take it." I must add the disclaimer that I grew up in a military family and like to travel so going to a new country would be an easy choice for me.

If you're accepted to an American school this year, write them a letter thanking them for their confidence in you and explaining that you've decided to study medicine in NZ for at least a year or two because you're interested in seeing other parts of the world. Ask about deferred admission (I have no idea if they'll do that but you may as well ask.) If you don't like NZ , apply to transfer.

If you're not accepted anywhere in the US, you can stiil apply again as a transfer student. If you make good grades in NZ, that should be a big point in your favor.

I assume you know that many med school applicants are turned down on their first attempt but those who go out and work as EMT's, get a nursing degree, or otherwise show their commitment to the medical field usually get in the next time they apply. I'd think going to med school abroad would display the same commitment, wouldn't you? ;-)

[Snow]

16. Compare the costs.....

college tuition in general in the US is outrageous compared to most countries. But check out not just med school tuition but total cost of living. I'm betting you'll be huge bucks ahead in New Zealand, but I don't really know. They do have national health care which my kiwi friends tell me works pretty well. One friend flew back to NZ from Seattle to have her baby, with husband in tow, and the total cost was less than if she'd given birth in Seattle.

[onebigbadwulf]

17. Thanks everyone!

I really appreciate all the advice. I think I'm going to go if I'm given the choice!

Love you guys.

:hi: