"best time to Transfer"!

[abdull2004]

Hi
I"m just wondering the best time to transfer to US med-schools; is it 2nd/3rd years after usmle 1 or what ?? thanks in advance..

[ribosome]

Most of the transfers seem to switch after they have taken Step I and have a couple of years of basic science coursework under their belt. I transferred into Northeastern Ohio Universities when I was part way through my first clinical rotation (medicine) at Highland Hospital early in my third year. Others I know repeated the third year to transfer.

There are some schools that will take transfers into earlier yrs (usually second yr) and they might not care as much about Step I. But Univ of Vermont wanted a Step I score and then you went in at year 1.5.

From my limited experience, those who transferred out early in basic sciences seemed to be 1) Floridians going to Univ Miami, 2) people with connections (a guy went to Columbia during term 2 but his mother worked their according to the scuttlebutt) or 3) those that had been previously waitlisted at a particular US school.

So I guess that my advice would be to contact the schools that you are interested in applying to for their policies. For more info on transferring see the mulitple various posts here in the archives.

[Dr.SP]

Hey Ribosome, did you ever get asked you mcat scores when you were applying/transferring?

[ribosome]

My interviewer went ballistic on me regarding my MCAT even though my scores were OK. And she did not seem interested in my 94 percentile on Step I. This was one of my main reasons to withdrawal my app from MCP after I was offered a spot at NEOUCOM. I thought her line of questioning was silly and not germane.

[abdull2004]

hi
NEOUCOM is one of the schools that want to transfer, and actually it's one of the schools that take high number of transfers from SGU...I'm from Ohio...so that could help me...even though i'm hoping to apply OSU (ohio state)/MCO(medical college of ohio)..all these schools accept some limited transfers...but I don't know if they require USMLE 1 or not. Any additional inputs would be appreciated in advance..thanks.

[stephew]

My interviewer went ballistic on me regarding my MCAT even though my scores were OK. And she did not seem interested in my 94 percentile on Step I. This was one of my main reasons to withdrawal my app from MCP after I was offered a spot at NEOUCOM. I thought her line of questioning was silly and not germane. and you know, I would actually have written than in my withdrawal (ie rejection) letter. They should know why they were turned over.

[mzjigglypuff]

Sorry, I'm not familiar with all this code talk. What is NEUCOM again?

[CptPlanet]

NEUCOM = Northeastern University College of Medicine?

[ribosome]

Oh Steph, I most certainly did. I gave them a page and a half of thoughtful (and respectful) information on my decision primarily contrasting what they did wrong and what NEOUCOM did right. I sent the note to the admissions committee and to the Dean. I never did hear back from anyone, which reinforced my negative opinions of the school.

BTW Capt - NEOUCOM is Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, and not University. It is a consortium school formed by Univ of Akron, Kent State Univ and Youngstown State Univ which explains the plural.

Abdull - Good luck with the application. Once you get an interview, let me know and I will be happy to share my experiences and give you advice on the process. You might also try Case Western as well, although I am not familiar with their transfer policy. Having Buckeye residency will definitely help as NEOUCOM is a state school and the out of state tuitition is pricey (esp in M3).

I encourage all who are seeking to tranfer to consider NEOUCOM. The support system there is great and I feel like I received a great clinical experience, even though it is a community based hospital system instead of university based. The school is well known in the midwest, but less so in the East and hardly so on the West Coast. The graduates have been doing quite well though in getting competitive residencies in and out of Ohio.

[stephew]

well done. And btw a good pal just transfered to U Buffalo from SGU.

[Silenthunder]

wow,

was that SUNY - Buffalo?!

great school.

Cheers,

Silenthunder

[stephew]

yes.

[bobdole]

Should we seriously consider transferring into a domestic medical school? I've heard from most medical schools that applying for transfer is a hassle; is overcoming the FMG stigma worth the effort?

Thanks,
--Kit

[stephew]

Should we seriously consider transferring into a domestic medical school? I've heard from most medical schools that applying for transfer is a hassle; is overcoming the FMG stigma worth the effort?

Thanks,
--Kityes but only if youre a realistic candidate. very few can do it. BUt i would if i could.