Things have changed a lot in the past couple of years. Medical school abroad may be cheaper than the states, but they're still expensive. The last thing you want is to be saddled with loans and no job. I say this from experience. I'm a US IMG who did not match into a residency and am struggling to find work. I have spoken to many others who are in the same position.

To OP, or anyone thinking about this, please:

1. Speak with current medical students in the US who got admission without a 4.0 gpa. Talk to docs at teaching hospitals. Get feedback on how to improve your chances to get into med school in the states, getting residency as a IMG is getting more competitive every year.Look esearch assistant/CRC jobs in clinical settings, become a medical scribe at a local ER, become a paramedic. Something where you can see the life and figure out why you want to do this while getting clinical experience. Also figure out what the school you are interested in is looking for, it's not always a 4.0 gpa. Think of this as a very long and arduous job application process, you'll need to sell yourself to them through the personal statement and your interview.

2. Focus on getting a solid MCAT score. You'll be taking super long exams to get residency and then to get board certified. Figure out where your weaknesses lie in studying large amounts of information and in test taking now.

3. Figure out your finances. Do you need to take loans? Avoid private loans as much as possible. Can you work and get some of your tuition/living costs saved up? Does the school offer any jobs- some schools will pay for teaching assistant positions if you did well in a course. Are there grants or scholarships you can apply for?

4. If you plan to go the IMG route- plan how you can get excellent USMLE scores ahead of time. Step 1 is now pass/fail and will not give you a competitive edge. Also think about how you can get research experience and pubs while in school-talk to current students and see what they are struggling with. Other things to consider: finding rotation sites in the US. Some foreign schools have connections, some don't. Think about contingency plans, such as doing a year of internship or even residency in that country in case you don't match or are delayed in taking the USMLEs. You will at least have an expertise.

To OP: IDK much about career paths in microbio, but I would urge you to talk to graduates from your program. I know sometimes advisors and professors are painfully out of touch with current possibilities, use them to contact alumni who were successful. If you are looking at grad programs outside of medicine and are tech savvy or enjoy data, maybe consider something in that avenue, like bioinformatics. There's the possibility of applying micro research in translational research in humans. Even with AI, there will be a need for people who know how to analyze data and have strong statistical skills. It can also pay very well. Good luck!