How often if ever do people do a year or two at a Caribbean medical school and then transfer in to a US medical school?

I have read its happened a couple times, but the chances are very unlikely. You would have to be way at the top of your class, and have a lot of luck for this to happen. And if for some chance it did happen I think you have to start all over again?

On the other hand if you go to SGU you spend two years in the Carrib and then rotate at half decent teaching hospitals in New York for two years.

That's almost as good as transferring to a U.S. school. :)

On the other hand if you go to SGU you spend two years in the Carrib and then rotate at half decent teaching hospitals in New York for two years.


however it seems the down fall is you really dont have many choices of where to go for your clinicals.

however it seems the down fall is you really dont have many choices of where to go for your clinicals.

I don't know, as a backup school this list of clinical sites is not too bad:

SGU Clinical Centers
http://sgu.edu/website/sguwebsite.nsf/Medicine/AffiliatedHospitals.htm

New York
The Brooklyn Hospital Center
Coney Island Hospital
Elmhurst/Queens Hospital Center
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
Long Island College Hospital
Lutheran Medical Center
Maimonides Medical Center
New York Methodist Hospital

New Jersey

Saint Barnabas Healthcare System:
Bergen Regional Medical Center
Saint Barnabas Medical Center
Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ
St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, NJ


Major Affiliated Hospitals

New York
Beth Israel Hospital, Manhattan
Flushing Hospital Medical Center
Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center
Manhattan Psychiatric Center
Metropolitan Hospital Center
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital-South Shore Division
Southside Hospital, Bay Shore

New Jersey
Jersey City Medical Center
St. Michael's Medical Center

Connecticut
Danbury Hospital

Maryland
Spring Grove Hospital Center

Michigan
North Oakland Medical Centers
Providence Hospital and Medical Center
St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital -Oakland
St. John Hospital & Medical Center

California
Children’s Hospital of Orange County
Highland General Hospital
Kern Medical Center
San Joaquin General Hospital

Florida
Miami Children’s Hospital

Limited Affiliations

New York
The Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, NY
Mt. Vernon Hospital, NY
Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester, NY

New Jersey
JFK Medical Center, NJ
St. Francis Medical Center, NJ

Connecticut
Norwalk Hospital, CT

Maryland
Maryland General Hospital, MD

U.K. Affiliated Hospitals

Major Affiliated Hospitals
North Middlesex University Hospital
St. Ann’s Hospital (London)
Watford General Hospital
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital / Norfolk Mental Healthcare NHS Trust
Staffordshire General Hospital
Poole General Hospital
St. Ann’s Hospital (Poole)
Russels Hall Hospital

Limited Affiliated Hospitals
Barnet General Hospital
The Great Western Hospital
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Princess Royal Hospital
Royal Hampshire County Hospital
Salisbury District Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
University Hospital Lewisham
Walsgrave Hospital NHS Trust
York District Hospital

I have read its happened a couple times, but the chances are very unlikely. You would have to be way at the top of your class, and have a lot of luck for this to happen. And if for some chance it did happen I think you have to start all over again?

dude you can transfer. and by going to sgu, you by far have the best chance of doing it.
I think out of my class there must of been 15-20 transfers out of a class of 260. but thats not exactly, 15 out of 260 students. only like 50 or so applied or had the grades to do so. so if the year is good to transfer (lots of spots open) and if your in the top 1/3 of the class with good board scores, you actually have a pretty good chance of transferring out...that is if you actually apply.

I have read its happened a couple times, but the chances are very unlikely. You would have to be way at the top of your class, and have a lot of luck for this to happen. And if for some chance it did happen I think you have to start all over again?

and you dont' have to start all over again. most transfer spots are for the 3rd year. some for the 2nd year and you have to repeat that year again.

and you dont' have to start all over again. most transfer spots are for the 3rd year. some for the 2nd year and you have to repeat that year again.

Ohh seriously good to know. So if you did your basic sciences in Caribbean did awsome and all, and somehow got a transfer to a US School you would then be in your 3rd year in the US medical School? Does this also mean your degree would be from that American school you got into? So once you gradded would you no longer be considered IMG? Thanks for your reply

Ohh seriously good to know. So if you did your basic sciences in Caribbean did awsome and all, and somehow got a transfer to a US School you would then be in your 3rd year in the US medical School? Does this also mean your degree would be from that American school you got into? So once you gradded would you no longer be considered IMG? Thanks for your reply

Transfer almost always have to repeat the first two years in order to get the new degree.

Transfer almost always have to repeat the first two years in order to get the new degree.

You sure about that?

No, you DON'T have to repeat the first two years when transferring into 3rd year. It's best to call each school you'd attempt trabsferring to, and ask for their policy.

McGill, I see you weigh in with lots of opiinions on all sort of subjects on this and another board. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not even in med school, and have never attended one, right?

I'm curious as to where your "expertise" come from under these circumstances.

You sure about that?

The people that have transferred have been consistently told that they have to repeat their classes in order to qualify for the degree.

The logic is quite simple. Why would a US school risk sending out a Caribbean grad on clinical rotations without ensuing that they are taught the basic sciences their way? It is a too risky.

It is usually a year's loss on average.

No, you DON'T have to repeat the first two years when transferring into 3rd year. It's best to call each school you'd attempt trabsferring to, and ask for their policy.


Maybe the English language is not your forte because I said 'most' and not all.

McGill, I see you weigh in with lots of opiinions on all sort of subjects on this and another board. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not even in med school, and have never attended one, right?

I'm curious as to where your "expertise" come from under these circumstances

I have spent about 2 years researching medical schools in Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean. I have spent time speaking to the deans of admission (and other officials) and to plenty of friends that attend these medical schools. That is where my expertise comes from.

Unlike you, I've been through two years of med school, but still don't comment on those things which I've not had first-hand experience with, but only "researched."

Where transfers are concerned, listen to Berkeleyboy who's actually DONE this.

I actually have talked to some one who went to Ross for 2 years and then transferred in to LSU-NO and simply started his clinicals. I guess it really depends on how high your boards/class ranking turns out.

This is topic is turning out to be like the first time I attempted to find something out about the application procedure for medical school. Just a whole lot of rumors it seems.

Also are there any Caribbean medical schools which have there affiliate hospitals in or around Louisiana? Or is Miami the closest?

Unlike you, I've been through two years of med school, but still don't comment on those things which I've not had first-hand experience with, but only "researched."



In other words, you know less than I do about this and are emberassed because you are in medical school already:laugh:

You do not have to transfer or to be in medical school to know what is required. Unless you have tranferred more than once you will not know as much as someone who has asked several deans of admissions.

Envy is a bitch, huh sweetie?

I don't want to start any fights... But Mcill is for the most part wrong... There are a few schools that will make you retake your basic science courses but most US medical schools do not require this. Also there are some US medical schools that accept transfers into their 2nd year class, but most accept only into their 3rd year class with a passing USLME. Your degree will only show the school that you did your 3rd and 4th year at. There are many websites out there that have this information on them...

AAMC has a website devoted to the transfer policies of all the US schools. They update it each year as to what schools accept IMGs and into what year with what policy... Use that as a resource and you will quickly see repeating courses is very rare.

Yes, you don't have to repeat the years you have already done at an IMG.

I personally know 3 transfer students who have been through the entire process (transfered to Creighton, GW, & Robert Wood Johnson-UMDNJ).

Also, you are no longer considered an IMG once you get your US degree...

And my sources...PM me if you are interested. :luck:

Yes, you don't have to repeat the years you have already done at an IMG.

I personally know 3 transfer students who have been through the entire process (transfered to Creighton, GW, & Robert Wood Johnson-UMDNJ).

Also, you are no longer considered an IMG once you get your US degree...

And my sources...PM me if you are interested. :luck:

I hate to call you a liar but you went out of your way to say that I was wrong.

According to the Creighton website only 3 people have EVER transferred with advanced standing and that was for VERY specific reasons.

Admission with Advanced Standing or Transfer to Creighton University School of Medicine is uncommon. Since 1996, only three individuals have so matriculated.

http://medicine.creighton.edu/medschool/admissions/Transfer.htm

ADVANCED STANDING
Admission with advanced standing into the second or third year will be considered for qualified applicants whenever places are available in these classes. The number of such places will be determined by the total facilities of the School for accommodating students in each class and by overall student attrition during any given year.
When openings are available, advanced standing admission is restricted to those applicants who have either:
1. A Creighton University affiliation, i.e. prior matriculation in a Creighton professional school/college, alumni relationship/interest.
2. A compelling reason to seek admission to Creighton, i.e. transfer of spouse to Omaha, proximity to immediate family.
If you do not meet either of the two criteria described above, you will not be eligible for advanced standing admission.


http://www.creighton.edu/Registrar/Bulletin/SchoolofMedicine/Med_admissions.htm

The info about GW is correct, though. Do not know much about Robert Wood Johnson, but you only really have a chance if you are a New jersey resident (as per their guidelines).

I do not even know why I am bothering with this post, because there is little chance that a person who couldn't pull a 3.9-4.0 in undergrad is going to have the near-4.0 and near-220+ Step1 required to transfer.

Let's not even consider the lousy sub-26 MCAT which is highly correlated to Step1 scores.

Lsu guy. Go to the Caribbean or work for your parents. You have little other choice with your stats.

I have accepted it and you need to, too, if you want to move on with your life.

:p

I do not even know why I am bothering with this post, because there is little chance that a person who couldn't pull a 3.9-4.0 in undergrad is going to have the near-4.0 and near-220+ Step1 required to transfer.

Let's not even consider the lousy sub-26 MCAT which is highly correlated to Step1 scores.

Lsu guy. Go to the Caribbean or work for your parents. You have little other choice with your stats.

I have accepted it and you need to, too, if you want to move on with your life.

Mcgillgrad - its possible. I'm walking proof.

undergrad gpa of 2.4, science of 1.9
mcat 21
basic sci gpa in med school = 3.8
step 1 233

Its all possible. Just a matter of righting your wrongs. Also, I did try and transfer. Applied late so only met 2 deadlines. Interviewed at 1 school for transfer into 3rd year.


As to the OP - very few transfer. Some schools will no longer accept fmg/img transfers anymore. Those that do are rare and do so based on the # of open spots they might have.

You can apply, but the chances of you transfering out are slim. One of the things that bit me in the bum was just the inconsistency of my whole academic transcript. Its been a positive upward trend, but what garuntee do they have that I wouldn't go back to my old ways? besides what I would tell them

Mcgillgrad - its possible. I'm walking proof.

undergrad gpa of 2.4, science of 1.9
mcat 21
basic sci gpa in med school = 3.8
step 1 233

Its all possible. Just a matter of righting your wrongs. Also, I did try and transfer. Applied late so only met 2 deadlines. Interviewed at 1 school for transfer into 3rd year.


That is excellent to hear. This is why Caribbean medical schools should always be around.

With that being said, you know that I am not wrong when I say the chances are not high.

Transfer almost always have to repeat the first two years in order to get the new degree.

depends on the school and their policies- for example GW in D.C. takes 3rd year transfers- no repeating anything, and Drexel even takes transfers into 2nd year without step I scores and you don't repeat anything!

depends on the school and their policies- for example GW in D.C. takes 3rd year transfers- no repeating anything, and Drexel even takes transfers into 2nd year without step I scores and you don't repeat anything!


That's why I said 'almost.'

It is a qualifier that allows for exceptions.

i am in my third year with sgu and i personally know four people who transferred at the begining of this year into third year at drexel and north eastern ohio med schools. they all had 230+ boards and a few had 240+.

one girl even was a decel in grenada, but still pulled it off.

personally i intervied at gw to redo second year, but i didn't get in.

more than anything, one has to have a lot of luck. there are a limited amount of schools that accept fmg transfers and from that group there has to be availability, ie somebody has to take a leave of abscence or drop out.

some people "transfer" and redo both years as well. it depends on the school and how lucky you are. a lot of top schools are not going to accept transfers from anyone and that is where you have to do your research.

off the top of my head: vermont, drexel, northeastern ohio, gw, tulane, new york medical college, temple are the schools that have taken sgu folks, there are others as well.