Admissions requirements for different medical schools around the world

But all the effort the student puts in will give them a great reward. A doctor is a noble profession which is also among the best and most lucrative ones in the world too.

Applying for admission to medical school is something a student needs to do cursorily. They must choose their school wisely. To make their mission an easy mission, here are some common requirements for admission in medical school in different regions of the world.

1. Taking admission in a European Medical School

The following is some of the most common criteria for admission for studying medicine at top European universities:

• High school diploma (certificate).
• Good marks in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics.
• A well written letter of recommendation and letter of motivation.
• Voluntary or work experience which is related to both medicine and healthcare.
• Candidates who took the international baccalaureate diploma (IB) must offer three subjects at standard level. But not all universities ask for an IB diploma
• Good results in IELTS and TOEFL.

The requirements listed above are quite common, but we must understand that Europe may be smaller than North America but has more countries than it. Also, each key country in the European Union has a different criterion for admission as well as the system.

For instance, in France, the criteria is different and varies per each institution. Medical studies are divided into three cycles.

The first cycle is PCEM and lasts 2 years. At the end of year 1, a difficult exam takes place determining who goes into the 2^nd year. Often, around 15 to 20% of students clear it.

The second cycle (DCEM) lasts 4 years. It includes theoretical classes and examinations, practical training methods and cycles in healthcare institutions. In the final year, medical students take a national examination whose grade determines their specialization.

The third cycle is split into General and Specialized medicine. The internships for general medicine often last around 3 years. Whereas internships in specialized medicine can take around 4 or 5 years for completion.

At the end of the third cycle, all students receive a specialized studies diploma (known in French as Diplome d’Etudes Specialisees (D.E.S)).

The last step in the degree is to write and successfully defend a thesis before an examination jury. Upon successful defence, the graduates receive their diplomas in medicine and to practice it, they must register with the Conseil National de l’Ordre des Medecins.

In Germany, the seats are limited as their availability depends from one semester or year to another dependent on a certain overall grade for admission.

Degrees of medicine in Germany take at least 6 years and 3 months to complete. They aren’t divided in bachelors and masters. If students wish to graduate, then they must take a state examination.

The path to becoming a doctor in Germany can be split into several main stages:

• Stage 1 studies: comprises of 4 semesters followed by the first 3 sections of the state examination.
• Stage 2 studies: comprises of 6 semesters
• Completing a practical year at either a clinic or a hospital.
• The second and final state examination after which you receive your license to practice medicine in Germany.

If a student wishes to study medicine in Germany, they must learn German and polish on their German language skills. Most lectures and examinations will be in German.

2. Taking admission in medical school in the United States of America

In the United States, medical degrees are second entry degrees. To gain admission in medical school, students need to have an undergraduate degree in a related science subject (or a pre-med) before entering medical school.

Here are the general medical school requirements for American medical schools:

• A high school diplomas.
• A pre-med degree or an undergraduate degree in the sciences field (4 years) with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Good TOEFL scores.
• Strong letter of recommendation.
• Extracurricular activities.
• Minimum MCAT exam result.

Additional requirements which some American medical schools require are as under:

• College biology with laboratory (1 year).
• General college chemistry with laboratory (1 year).
• Biology & chemistry (a minimum of 24 semester hors in areas of humanities).
• Mathematics (calculus or statistics, or both, for 1 year and 6 to 8 semester hours).
• General college physics with laboratory (1-year, 8 semester hours).
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