Medicine in the USA Unlike medical education in the UK, the study of medicine in the U.S. generally begins AFTER completion of four years of undergraduate study which includes meeting the pre-medical school course requirements along with obtaining a bachelor's (B.A.) degree in any subject. Medical school itself usually lasts four years and is followed by 3-7 years of graduate medical education (internship/residency). A few medical schools provide limited programs beginning after high school that combine undergraduate college study with medical education. Students are admitted provisionally to these programs based upon their high school credentials and, if their performance is satisfactory, are permitted to progress to the M.D. degree. This program generally takes six or seven years and admission to it is extremely competitive for foreign students.

There are very few opportunities for foreign students to obtain the Doctor of Medicine degree in the United States. American medical schools receive twice as many applications from qualified U.S. citizens as can be accommodated and many of the publicly-supported medical schools are required by law to admit only state residents.

Most institutions require foreign students to have completed at least the last two years of their undergraduate study in a U.S. college or university. An increasing number of medical schools require a bachelor's degree from a U.S. school. Even with a U.S. bachelor's degree, medical schools admit few foreign students since space is so limited. In 2001, of the 34,859 submitted applications, there were 17,456 accepted of which 230 were foreign students.

Admission
All applicants to medical schools are also required to take the Medical College Admission Test. The MCAT examines understanding of the basic concepts in Biology, Chemistry and Physics as well as verbal reasoning skills and it includes two writing samples.

The test should be taken 18 months prior to the intended date of enrollment. The deadlines for registration at overseas centers are two months in advance. Application materials for the MCAT are available directly from :

MCAT Program Office,

2255 North Dubuque Road,

P.O.Box 4056

Iowa City, IA 52243

USA

Pre-Medical Studies
The majority of American students who intend to apply to medical schools take their bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry or another science-related subject, although this is not mandatory (or even encouraged). The nature of the American liberal arts degree allows students to obtain a strong foundation in the natural sciences and humanities. All medical schools advocate the importance of such an education.

A "pre-medical curriculum" is a particular sequence of subjects including Calculus, Psychology, Biology, Organic/Inorganic Chemistry, Physics and English. Note that a "pre-med" degree does not guarantee entry into a medical school and may not be the best curriculum for all students, depending upon your individual interests. It is also possible to take this sequence of subjects while majoring in an unrelated subject.
A "pre-medical curriculum" is a particular sequence of subjects including Calculus, Psychology, Biology, Organic/Inorganic Chemistry, Physics and English. Note that a "pre-med" degree does not guarantee entry into a medical school and may not be the best curriculum for all students, depending upon your individual interests. It is also possible to take this sequence of subjects while majoring in an unrelated subject.

Expenses
Annual tuition and fees at public medical schools in 2005-2006 averaged $19,961 for state residents and $38,865 for non-residents. At private schools, tuition and fees averaged $36,271 for residents and $37,872 for nonresidents. These figures do not include housing or living expenses.

Foreign students seeking admission must be prepared to cover the entire cost of their medical training, as there are no scholarships announced for international students.