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FINANCIAL AID
The cost of attaining a medical education has increased
significantly in
the last decade. The same is true for the other health
professions of
dentistry, optometry, podiatric and chiropractic medicine. The
average
tuition for private medical schools for 2002-2003 was between $30,971
and
$32,612. The average tuition for public medical schools for 2002-2003
was
between $14,577 and $30,924. The average debt for indebted medical
school
graduates in the class of 2003 was $109,457. Dental education is very
similar.
The topic of financial aid is a very large one and would take several
more
pages here to cover fully. For now, know that you should consider
how
you will finance your education at the same time of application.
It
may be a factor when you choose schools. Keep your credit in good
standing
now because loans will be a necessity for most everyone. If you
would
like to read more information about financing your professional
education,
both the Medical School Admission Requirements for United States
and Canada and the American Dental Education Association
Official Guide to Dental
Schools have comprehensive sections on this topic as well as
scholarships, loans, and budgeting. You can purchase these
resources in the University bookstore as well as on-line.
National
Health Service
Corps and Military Service Scholarships are competitively awarded
based on academic
promise. These scholarships pay educational costs plus a living
stipend,
but they require one year of service for each year spent in
professional
school.
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FOREIGN PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS
The statistics vary from country to country and school to school
regarding the quality of medical education at foreign schools. While
there are some foreign medical programs that do have dismal records,
there are others that
are doing considerably well - graduating medical students with great
success.
Foreign medical schools have developed significantly over the past
decade.
There used to be considerable stigma with attending these programs;
however,
recently, USMLE test scores (Exams taken at the end of the second year
of
medical education) have been comparable to those of US Medical School
students.
Likewise, because many of the quality programs have copperative
agreements
with US medical schools and teaching hospitals, foreign medical
students
usually spend part of their education at tyhe foreign facility and part
of
it in the US. Those who contemplate investing precious years and
a
considerable sum of money in foreign medical studies owe it to
themselves
to thoroughly investigate the situation. There are two
programs
that I would encourage UF students to look into: St. George's
University
and Ross University. Further details, brochures and videos are
available
in the Office of Health and Legal Professions Advising under "Foreign
Medicine."
Know that a foreign medical education will take some
sacrifice. Not
only will you be undertaing an intense education of difficult subjects,
you
will also be required to transition to a new country, be further away
from
family and friends, and give up some of the amenities that you are used
to
in the United States. For some students, these adjustments are
small
sacrifices to becoming a doctor. Foreign medical education is for
adventuresome
and flexible students. The cost of a medical education is similar
in
cost to many of the private institutions in the United States, but you
will
also need to add a large amount to your budget for the costs associated
with
travel.
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