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Is it a good idea to attend Hong Kong University for my pre-med school? I would love to go there but I must take these test called A-levels and O-levels. I have family in Hong Kong so I can get help from them. My cousing Vinniw is from Hong Kong and she is my age and has many friends in Hong Kong who are in the same grade as me. One of her friends also wants to be a doctor and plans to go to HKU, but she does not speak Chinese. Neither do I. If they have classes taught in English and I somehow take A-level and O-level tests, should I go to HKU for my pre-med studies? Will US medical schools still want me if I come back to the US for graduate school? (I plan to do this)

Also, I plan to practice Medicine in the US...

The reason I want to go is because I love the city of Hong Kong and I have family who will support me while I am there (but I would not be living with them...)

Please help! Any advice on the topic would be appreciated, even if I did not address specific points here!

Thanx!!

By Voodoochile (Voodoochile) on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 01:07 am: Edit

There is no Pre-Med course at Hong Kong U, only a 5-year MBBS program. You don't need to take A-Levels if you are from the US.

From the HKU website:

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(requirements for) Students studying at high schools in the USA:

Passes in five Grade 12 courses, provided that at least 70% is achieved in each of those courses; and,

1. either Advanced Placement (AP) Examination of the American College Board, provided that at least two subjects are passed at grade 3 or better;

2. or a combined (verbal & mathematical) SAT score of not less than 1100.
(Note: ACT and SATII are not accepted in fulfillment of the above requirements.)

Students studying at a recognised university/college in the USA:
Successful completion of one year's study on a bachelor's degree or an associate degree programme at a recognised university/college in the USA.

************************************************

My advice is stay in the US. Asian universities are full of career-obsessed students who spend every waking moment studying. You won't be getting a well-rounded education either. If you study medicine there, you wil ONLY study medicine. There are hundreds of people who graduate from top universities in Asia, but find difficulty in writing a legible paragraph in English. And yes, their classes were taught in English.

By Happeepanda (Happeepanda) on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 09:38 pm: Edit

OMG I KNOW!!! That's what made me so excited! that MBBS program! I would love to do that because it is so unique! and I love Hong Kong and I have family there and I am pretty efficient in English already...

Are you saying that i won't learn ANYTHING but medicine? Will this be kind of like how a 6-year advanced medical program is here in the US?? You start learning medicine right away?

Thank you for your help, but there is still one question on my mind...regardless of the cons you just mentioned, will top medical schools (graduate schools) in the US appreciate the MBBS? Or will they think I am not good enough to go to their university??

Also! One last last question! Are there any graduate programs in Hong Kong? or do people become doctors right after getting their bachelor's degrees??

By Happeepanda (Happeepanda) on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 01:06 am: Edit

bumpity bump bump! please help!

By Skiowad (Skiowad) on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 12:15 pm: Edit

I really want to do study abroad my junior year in college. I'd really like to go to an Asian university but I don't know if they're universities are as good as American colleges. There are so few resources and their websites have such limited information. Does anybody know? Probably in Taiwan, Mainland China, or Korea. And would a grad degree from an asian university be enough to get a job in the US, or vice versa?

By Happeepanda (Happeepanda) on Monday, July 26, 2004 - 02:42 am: Edit

i wanna know this toooo!!!