# Did Anyone Here From North America Go to Pakistan for Med School?



## sunny3027 (Oct 15, 2012)

Hey everyone!

I'm from Canada and have applied for med schools in pakistan for this year...and am eagerly awaiting the results!!

I was just wondering if anyone here has gone to Pakistan for med school after living/being brought up/and going to school in canada or the states. 
I was just wondering what your experiences are like, like do you like it over there, were you able to adjust to the schooling system well (heard its drastically different...and much harder too!), are you coping well, etc etc/

It just seems a lot different then what school and society is like over here in america, so i was just wondering if anyone would be willing to share some experience! 

thanks in advance!

p.s - i go to pakistan often, have all my family there, and am very attached to "back home" as i call it, so i am used, to some extent, to living there and the society...but just not the school life thanks again!


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## Killafornia (Aug 2, 2012)

Hey, I know this doesn't answer your question but I am currently living in, and have lived in California for 18 years and recently applied for Shifa. I just did my interview a week ago and was wondering if you applied to Shifa also?


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## sunny3027 (Oct 15, 2012)

Killafornia said:


> Hey, I know this doesn't answer your question but I am currently living in, and have lived in California for 18 years and recently applied for Shifa. I just did my interview a week ago and was wondering if you applied to Shifa also?


Hey!
No, I unfortunately did not apply to shifa, as I could only apply to med schools in Lahore .
I hope your interview went well!!


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## heartbreak (Jan 31, 2012)

Yes, I'm from Canada too (Edmonton). But I lived most of my life in Pakistan so I'm familiar with the environment. So I wouldn't qualify as being brought up from Canada although my base was built there because I started education there. However, I went to Canada this year too and finished Grade 12 from there. I personally love it in Pakistan!
About adjustment...it depends a lot on gender in that girls are similar in both places, but boys are a bit different (I know better since I am one). In Canada they're all flirts, while in Pakistan they're rowdy (usually in a funny way). I came back to Canada in Grade 2 and lemme tell ya, I was bullied until Grade 6 so it took 4 years to adjust. But after that, it was the funnest experience ever. If you're a boy applying to medical colleges especially in Lahore, be sure that they're gonna make you do some nasty stuff. Seniors will make you like jump in the canal or dance on top of a bus, or stand on top of a wall for an hour etc. The trick is, you've got to enjoy it, otherwise they'll find you boring and you'll lose respect. And then when you're a senior, you do the same to juniors, so it's kinda give and take. I know this because my cousin studies in LMDC and tells a lot of these stories. But if you're a girl, it doesn't happen so you're good!
The schooling system here is certainly harder...the first thing I remember when I came here was there was actually homework, and the students were like a class ahead. Similarly, Canadian Grade 12 is only like a bit more than half of the syllabus in A-Levels or Fsc. But again it shouldn't be a problem since in college, everyone is on a fresh start. So good luck!


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## sunny3027 (Oct 15, 2012)

thanks for your reply  im a girl, so im soo glad i dont have to go through that, i would be mortified 

and yea, thats one thing im bracing myself for; the workload. we get a deece amount in canada, but whenever i saw the load of my younger cousins in pak, ours seems way less.
are you planning on coming back to canada to practice, or stay in pak?


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## heartbreak (Jan 31, 2012)

Yes you would!

I'll let you know Canada barely accepts Pakistani graduates, it is possible but your chance is small. I plan to do MBBS from Pakistan and then head off to England for specialization because England recognizes them easily and these colleges actually are regarded very prestigious there. And since I have a Canadian nationality, it's no problem getting there. After specialization from England, you can practice about anywhere in the world except North America. Personally, I would like to work in Pakistan, most of my family's here, I'm pretty assimilated here. Plus, it's really just a fact that if you have enough money in Pakistan, there is no better place in the world. So I'd like to practice in Pakistan but a lot depends on how it all pans out and how the condition improves as it IA will. But again, with a degree from England, most of the world is open to you, so there's always the Middle East or if you really work hard, you can even continue in Canada but after a whole lot of exams.


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## Rehan (Jan 26, 2006)

A lot of our older members did go to med school in Pakistan from North America. A lot of Americans, and quite a few Canadians as well. As far as regarding the question of adjusting -- 90% of the people who go adjust just fine. 

I have known people who didn't even have Pakistani parents go to Pakistan for med school and they did just fine. So that should put the adjustment question into a little perspective! 

Some of the older members do stop in from time to time and are happy to help answer questions when they see them but as most of us are busy with residencies and other career related work, we don't always get a chance to answer questions on here, but do rest assured that a lot of people go every year from the West, do adjust, and do become successful physicians.

Hope this helps.


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