Foreign MD Training: Vita-Salute San Raffaele
A lot of my classmates have always known what they wanted to be when they grew up – some have been doctors for Halloween every October since they were 5, others took their first steps right through the middle of an OR without touching so much as a single sterile field. I, on the other hand, have been petrified of anything with a needle point or stethoscope since the precise moment when some evil being in a white coat held me by my ankles, slapped my newborn baby booty and shouted “It’s a GIRL!” at my parents.
I didn’t decide until well into college that medical school was what I wanted to do next, so to say I was unprepared when I applied at the same time as my fellow pre-meds would be an understatement. I got one interview that year, followed closely by one rejection and a large dose of reality that left me wondering what to do next.
I briefly considered throwing in the towel, tossed around the idea of improving my application and reapplying, and seriously explored the world of foreign medical schools. While I would highly encourage anyone desiring to work as a doctor in the US to apply to medical school state side multiple times before going out of the country, I did find that some foreign schools had a lot to offer – especially to students who may have decided a little later in the game that medical school was their ultimate goal.
When a representative of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy contacted me requesting my help in spreading the word about their International MD program I was a little hesitant. However, after learning about their program and curriculum, I am confident that this could be a good alternative for some of my readers, so I wanted to share the information with y’all. The program is fully integrated with US licensing exams and you can apply to US residencies upon completing the training.
International MD Program
Vita-Salute San Raffaele University is part of the San Raffaele Foundation which includes Hospitals, Research Centers and the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.
San Raffaele is well known worldwide for its excellence: it is a highly specialized center for molecular medicine, diabetes and metabolic diseases, as well as biotechnology and bio-imaging. The Hospital channels many of its resources into cancer treatment, cardiovascular diseases and numerous acute and chronic-degenerative diseases and a very efficient Emergency Department that serves a vast area.
The International MD Program builds on the institution’s solid presence on the international scene: San Raffaele healthcare centers can be found in many countries of the world, including Brazil, India, Uganda, Poland, Chile, Israel, Mozambique and Algeria.
This degree course provides medical-scientific education at the highest level, allowing students to improve their skills and to upgrade their knowledge. It also provides clinical and laboratory research opportunities and additional education in humanities and cultural sciences: philosophy, communication skills, cognitive neurosciences and psychology, which are the building blocks of human society, regardless of social status, race, or creed.
The International MD Program is designed to train a new kind of doctor; someone who possesses the necessary human, cultural and professional abilities to actively participate in healthcare and share ideas in today’s globalized world. Unlike other Medical Programs in Italy where clinical courses are held in Italian, the International MD Program is fully in English, including classes, lectures, practicals and all clinical activities.
Students enrolled in the San Raffaele International MD Program have access to all the facilities of the Vita-Salute San Raffaele Institute and the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, including skills labs for practical training, a library with more than 20,000 books and several thousand scientific e-publications and resources, as well as to the clinical and research laboratories of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, the largest private research institute in Italy, that further expanded with the inauguration of DIBIT, a scientific facility for basic, translational and clinical research. DIBIT is part of the largest biomedical science park in Italy, which includes the San Raffaele Hospital, Science Park Raf, created to support the
foundation’s development, and the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.Applicants who wish to enroll in the Internation MD program are required to take an Admission Test prior to applying.
It will take place on April 28, 2011 in the following locations:
Milan, Italy
New York, USA
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Candidates interested in sitting for the exam can find more information here.
64 places are available for Academic Year 2011-2012:
32 for Non-EU Citizens.
The deadline to register is April 20th, 2011.
Click Here for guidelines on the admission process for A.Y. 2011-2012.
This post was sponsored by Vita-Salute San Raffaele.
Photo Credit: Student Life Photo Gallery