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The Korea Times Education Abroad, an admission program for entering U.S. colleges, offers a joint honors program called USMD for Korean students to become a U.S. medical doctor.
USMD is an educational cooperation program supported by both State University of New York (SUNY) and New Tokyo Medical College (NTMC).
"This program aims to foster U.S. medical doctors whose competitiveness is on par with graduates from U.S. medical schools," said Park Ji-wong, marketing department head of the education abroad program..
The USMD program recruits students from May 26 to June 25. During this period, students can either apply for the program through the online admission system or visiting the office.
The high school graduates or graduate-to-be, collegians and college graduates are eligible to apply for the program.
For those who only have high school diploma, they can apply for BS/MD course which provide two degrees ― bachelor's degree in biology or chemistry and doctor of medicine degree from NTMC ― while those with bachelor's degree can apply for Post-Bacc/MD which consists of one-year pre-med intensive course of SUNY and four-year regular course of NTMC.
BS/MD and Post-Bacc/MD recruits 10 people, respectively.
Special feature of USMD is that the students are able to receive clinical training education at U.S. medical schools.
"As it is very important for students to have clinical training experience at U.S. hospitals in order to work as a resident, which is the last step of becoming a doctor, this is a good opportunity," said Park.
Given that it is almost impossible for international medical graduates without U.S. green cards to enter U.S. medical schools and thus to have clinical training experience at U.S. hospitals, taking USMD course is truly a favorable option.
Some might question whether those who finish the USMD course can really be a medical doctor in America, because also in Korea it is a near impossible for international medical graduates to earn a medical license.
According to the data release by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2010, the total number of overseas medical school graduates since 1960 totaled 60.
But if the students follow USMD program well, they are likely to be a U.S. medical doctor by receiving the same curricula with U.S. medical schools.
"One of the main problems in becoming a doctor in the U.S. is English proficiency in order to treat the patients. Unlike overseas medical schools where students study medicine in native language, USMD takers can naturally improve their English," Park said.
A briefing session for the USMD program will be held on June 14 and 21 at Renaissance Hotel Seoul in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul.
For more information, call 1600-3597.
