Physics degree to med school? please help

[enthusiastic_owl]

I have a bachelor's degree in physics (medical physics specialization) and want to go to medical school. However, the medical schools in my country do not accept students who have already earned a bachelor's degree and are over 22 years old. Medical schools abroad are competitive and, most importantly, amazingly expensive. What am I supposed to do?

Context: I went to study physics because my parents were adamant about me going to college and didn't allow me to take another gap year the second time. They said taking a gap year is just a waste of time, so they told me to pick any course available, and physics (medical physics) was the only one available that I quite liked (but not really). I'm a student from Southeast Asia, so when you're applying for undergrad, you're applying directly for the program and can't change (unless you withdraw and start over from the 1st semester of the 1st year), unlike the major/minor system.

 

[jedishrfu]

Some thoughts here:

Ask yourself:
• What draws you to medicine?
• Is it helping people? Working in healthcare? Science applied to real lives?

You might find that there are alternative health careers that align with your values — and are more accessible financially and structurally. Examples:
• Public health
• Physician assistant (in some countries)
• Clinical research
• Health informatics
• Radiology tech / Nuclear medicine / Medical physics roles in hospitals

These careers often have less rigid age or degree requirements, and some allow you to build up toward medicine later.

Some medical schools do accept international students and offer full or partial scholarships, especially if you have a strong academic record. Some options to research:
• Cuba (ELAM — Latin American School of Medicine): Offers full scholarships to students from developing countries.
• China or Eastern Europe: Some offer lower tuition and English-language programs.
• Germany: Medical school is very competitive, but public universities are low-cost or free — you’d need to learn German, though.
• Turkey or Russia: Sometimes offer scholarships through government programs.

Even if these aren’t ideal, they could be stepping stones.

You may not be able to go to med school right away. That’s okay.
• Find a job related to medical physics or healthcare to gain experience and save money.
• Volunteer or work in hospitals or clinics — show long-term commitment.
• Build a strong personal statement and CV to stand out for later applications abroad.

You may even consider doing a master’s program in a related field abroad, which sometimes allows for a transition into medicine later.

Consider starting with online certifications or diplomas in health sciences, anatomy, or related areas from reputable institutions (like edX, Coursera, FutureLearn). Some universities in the UK and Australia have distance learning options that may open future doors.

 

[Choppy]

I'm not sure what kind of answer you're looking for.

If schools in your current country won't take you because you already have a BSc, that means you need to go to another country, where you can apply.

If it's expensive, that means you need to come up with a means of addressing that cost--either work for a few years to save up, or take on debt.

If it's competitive, that means you need to earn whatever grades, exam scores, or do whatever extra-curricular work is necessary to make you competitive for a position.

Unfortunately that can mean for a lot of people that medical school is simply not in the cards, I'm afraid. But as Jedishrfu points out above, there are still a lot of careers open to someone in your position.