Could someone get into Caribbean medical school with a 2.5 GPA?

[439634]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Title says it all.

Let's say in the scenario that: the student is an undergrad from UCLA with the 2.5 GPA being both the overall and science GPA. The student has a decent amount of research and volunteer experience throughout his college career. Lastly, the MCAT is a medicore grade like 25.

Somebody could get into a Caribbean medical school with a GED scribbled on a dirty napkin.

 

[crmellon]

Title says it all.

Let's say in the scenario that: the student is an undergrad from UCLA with the 2.5 GPA being both the overall and science GPA. The student has a decent amount of research and volunteer experience throughout his college career. Lastly, the MCAT is a medicore grade like 25.

How much money do they have?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Sure, but it doesn't mean you'll be leaving the Carib with a MD and a match in any residency.

 

[Jamie561]

Your question assumes that someone with a 2.5/25 should go to medical school at all.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[439634]

.

 

[Hemorrage]

Probably not SGU but either way the Caribbean blows

 

[Jamie561]

We'll say money is not a factor here. The person has a lot of money I guess haha.

Lol go crazy then? I think investing the 300k is a much better life decision.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[EBTrailRunner]

I'm sure there's a Caribbean medical school out there that would take said student, but I don't think that would be a wise decision. Such an abysmal GPA and MCAT score cause me to seriously doubt that student's potential for success in medicine.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Somebody could get into a Caribbean medical school with a GED scribbled on a dirty napkin.

Hahaha. This made me lol.

 

[Stumpyman]

With that GPA, maybe. It really all depends on the credit score from there.

 

[439634]

.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

What good does a "brand name" institution do if you still have a low GPA?

 

[439634]

.

 

[sector9]

I'm guessing that this hypothetical person would be accepted at some Caribbean medical school but not one of the Big Four schools, which puts the student at an even greater disadvantage than graduating from one of the Big Four schools come match day

 

[Coffee Machine]

Didn't physicians a couple decades ago score in the mid 20s regularly and are still practicing today? Why would a 25 make you doubt his potential to be a good physician?

The MCAT nowadays is very different from the MCAT "a few decades ago". I think his point is that with a 2.5 GPA and 25 MCAT, there's serious doubt as to whether or not the student could handle medical school coursework.

 

[ActiveSite]

mmmcdowe, mind if I use this as my signature? I love it.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Didn't physicians a couple decades ago score in the mid 20s regularly and are still practicing today? Why would a 25 make you doubt his potential to be a good physician?

The test also used to ask how long it took to cook a pot roast.

 

[circulus vitios]

The MCAT nowadays is very different from the MCAT "a few decades ago". I think his point is that with a 2.5 GPA and 25 MCAT, there's serious doubt as to whether or not the student could handle medical school coursework.

I read (somewhere) that no one studied for the MCAT "back in the day" . They just took it. Now there are MCAT prep classes and independent study plans that are 5 hours a day x 5 days a week x 12 weeks.

 

[kexy]

The test also used to ask how long it took to cook a pot roast.

And who wrote The Threepenny Opera.

 

[mmmcdowe]

mmmcdowe, mind if I use this as my signature? I love it.

I'm flattered, by all means.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

I'm guessing that this hypothetical person would be accepted at some Caribbean medical school but not one of the Big Four schools, which puts the student at an even greater disadvantage than graduating from one of the Big Four schools come match day

There are 'tiers' even among Caribbean schools. Any lower tier Caribbean school would be happy to take the applicant's money.

 

[Shalashaska]

What the above posters don't realize is that the Caribbean is a very viable option for someone who fails to gain admission to a US MD/DO school. I personally know several Ross graduates who are now in residencies/practicing in the United States. Hell, here at UF, there is even someone who graduated from Ross in like 2001 and completed an Opthalmology residency at Shands (the medical center here). However, things will be different IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS...

The Caribbean will no longer be a viable option in the next couple of years. It will be very risky. If you are worried about your future performance in an American school and are passionate about medicine, go to the Caribbean now or stay determined and do your best to make it here in the states.

Because you're a freshman at UCLA, you will probably start medical school (if you gain admission) at the earliest in 2016, meaning you'll graduate in 2020. I mention this fact because according to the AAMC, the number of US graduates will come close to the number of residency spots, meaning that it will be very hard for foreign medical graduates to obtain a residency in the US; but then again, anything can happen. Anyways, I know people who have gone to the Caribbean after high school, so as long as you complete some pre-reqs here or on the islands, it doesn't matter, just take the MCAT. But attend the "Big 4" if you must (SGU, Ross, AUC, SABA).

Ignore the people who make fun of the Caribbean. They got it hard, and the people who make it out of there and to the states are truly some of the finest physicians one can have the pleasure of knowing. But once again, the Caribbean option will become extremely risky in the next couple of years.

 

[druggeek]

lolz OP... you can get in with some crap degree after being on probation 5 times combined with a <20 score. Just dont expect to ever be even remotely close to getting the lowest of the lowest residency spot anywhere.

Certainly some schools out there that will take your $$$ in return for nothing (even if you somehow graduated).

 

[DAPI]

I read (somewhere) that no one studied for the MCAT "back in the day" . They just took it. Now there are MCAT prep classes and independent study plans that are 5 hours a day x 5 days a week x 12 weeks.

This is true. We had an older physician give a talk at our school the other week and he was so far out of touch with todays students it was abysmal. He said this and that he ONLY applied to Baylor (probably Baylor University back then, not BCM) and got in. He was also able to just call up the admissions people and tell them what days he would be available to interview

 

[Coffee Machine]

What the above posters don't realize is that the Caribbean is a very viable option for someone who fails to gain admission to a US MD/DO school.

Caribbean is a viable option for good candidates for medical school who for some reason can't get into the US. I say "good candidates" meaning those who will do well in medical school. Only the best med students from the Caribbean get a shot at doing a residency in the US. With a 25 MCAT and 2.5 GPA, the student would probably end up failing out after 1-2 years and wind up with a ton of debt and no degree. Such an applicant would be well advised to take a long, hard look at whether or not he/she could handle the academic demands of medical school before taking the financial gamble of attending a Carib school.

 

[druggeek]

Caribbean is a viable option for good candidates for medical school who for some reason can't get into the US. I say "good candidates" meaning those who will do well in medical school. Only the best med students from the Caribbean get a shot at doing a residency in the US. With a 25 MCAT and 2.5 GPA, the student would probably end up failing out after 1-2 years and wind up with a ton of debt and no degree. Such an applicant would be well advised to take a long, hard look at whether or not he/she could handle the academic demands of medical school before taking the financial gamble of attending a Carib school.

I dont even understand how someone can gamble so much money without having a >95% chance of success (ex. american schools).


Question: Theoritically, is it not possible to get a residency spot if you REALLY want one in the US at all costs? Meaning, couldn't a mediocre IMG from a mid tier carribean school just apply to like 300 residency programs x2 years and probably get into ONE somewhere?

 

[whatbout2morrow]

I dont even understand how someone can gamble so much money without having a >95% chance of success (ex. american schools).

For some people, it's just not that simple when it comes to giving up their dreams.


Some unsuccessful pre-meds accept failure and move on. Others choose to try their best to defy the odds.

 

[CanadianPremed]

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

 

[lucitrea]

i think youll be fine but not with those stats. seeing as how you did something right in order to GET into UCLA and are still a freshman i think you have a shot. you cant study like you did in high school, so do it more often.

if you do end up with a gpa and mcat like that you can retake courses or get a masters then reapply.

 

[druggeek]

For some people, it's just not that simple when it comes to giving up their dreams.


Some unsuccessful pre-meds accept failure and move on. Others choose to try their best to defy the odds.

lol so many semi-pro athletes (D1 NCAA, sub-world class) wanna be pros... yet most will not make it. Does that mean those guys should take every possible drug out there to barely make the cut? Or should they give up on their dreams do whatever else they can?

Same goes for people looking at the carribean. If you cant get into DO, then you're not good enough. Simple as that. I can bet every successful person from the carribean was *good enough* to be a mediocre DO family doctor who can treat basic colds.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

lol so many semi-pro athletes (D1 NCAA, sub-world class) wanna be pros... yet most will not make it. Does that mean those guys should take every possible drug out there to barely make the cut? Or should they give up on their dreams do whatever else they can?

Same goes for people looking at the carribean. If you cant get into DO, then you're not good enough. Simple as that. I can bet every successful person from the carribean was *good enough* to be a mediocre DO family doctor who can treat basic colds.

At the end of the day, it's their life, their call.

LOL at your blanket statement about Carib grads. Granted this is an exception and far from the norm, and probably won't happen in the future, there are Carib grads who are currently residents in fields like plastic surgery, neurosurgery, etc. I doubt these people are as mediocre as you suggest.

 

[druggeek]

At the end of the day, it's their life, their call.

LOL at your blanket statement about Carib grads. Granted this is an exception and far from the norm, and probably won't happen in the future, there are Carib grads who are currently residents in fields like plastic surgery, neurosurgery, etc. I doubt these people are as mediocre as you suggest.

There's people with higher GPAs who give up and go IMG quickly. Those are who you see

 

[CeeEstee0]

Question: Theoritically, is it not possible to get a residency spot if you REALLY want one in the US at all costs? Meaning, couldn't a mediocre IMG from a mid tier carribean school just apply to like 300 residency programs x2 years and probably get into ONE somewhere?

Wouldn't the cost be the main prohibiting factor?

 

[kautionwirez]

apparently you can drop out of 2 schools and attend caribs and practice without a licence before getting arrested by the FBI

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/ar...ie-fbi-charges

(stolen from the other thread)

 

[druggeek]

Wouldn't the cost be the main prohibiting factor?

im sure if someone can dish out 200k in loans they can afford to pay for 200 residency applications.

apparently you can drop out of 2 schools and attend caribs and practice without a licence before getting arrested by the FBI

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/ar...ie-fbi-charges

(stolen from the other thread)

page not found

 

[pfaction]

I'm sure there's a Caribbean medical school out there that would take said student, but I don't think that would be a wise decision. Such an abysmal GPA and MCAT score cause me to seriously doubt that student's potential for success in medicine.

It's almost like Physics, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Verbal Reasoning are used in the medical setting every day!

Get me a nitroglycerin for this man's angina, and while we're waiting, let's discuss the properties of nitroglycerin, solubility in the blood, interactions with the GC receptor, and skim the package insert for random facts.

Oh wait.

SAT=/= how well you'll do in college.
GPA and MCAT =/= how well you'll do in medical school.

 

[EBTrailRunner]

It's almost like Physics, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Verbal Reasoning are used in the medical setting every day!

Get me a nitroglycerin for this man's angina, and while we're waiting, let's discuss the properties of nitroglycerin, solubility in the blood, interactions with the GC receptor, and skim the package insert for random facts.

Oh wait.

SAT=/= how well you'll do in college.
GPA and MCAT =/= how well you'll do in medical school.

Apples and oranges. Why should an applicant's GPA and MCAT score be disregarded when assessing his/her potential for success in medical school? What other criteria are there to evaluate potential for academic success? A 2.5 GPA and 25 MCAT don't demonstrate an ability to handle the rigors of medical school.

Also, I recommend reading this article: http://studentdoctor.net/2010/07/grades-part-1-interview-advice-column. I found this tidbit interesting: "Research indicates a student's GPA and MCAT scores correlate highly with academic success in the first two years of medical school."

 

[druggeek]

It's almost like Physics, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Verbal Reasoning are used in the medical setting every day!

Get me a nitroglycerin for this man's angina, and while we're waiting, let's discuss the properties of nitroglycerin, solubility in the blood, interactions with the GC receptor, and skim the package insert for random facts.

Oh wait.

SAT=/= how well you'll do in college.
GPA and MCAT =/= how well you'll do in medical school.

While I do agree chem/physics have no direct use in med school, they're generally used as "intelligence flags." You certainly don't need straight A+/As in all chem/physics/calculus courses to be considered smart enough to be a doctor, but your brain needs to be able to comprehend these things (like any person with an above average IQ) and understand the concepts in those classes.

Also, it is unwise to say gpa/mcat do not determine med school success. While on the surface it is very true, you're probably comparing 3.7s with 3.8s or 33s with 37s.... I cannot imagine someone with a 3.0/25 doing equally as well as someone who had a 3.9/37 (assuming they have equal interests in medicine, stay equally). Therefore your statement is incorrect.

 

[druggeek]

Apples and oranges. Why should an applicant's GPA and MCAT score be disregarded when assessing his/her potential for success in medical school? What other criteria are there to evaluate potential for academic success? A 2.5 GPA and 25 MCAT don't demonstrate an ability to handle the rigors of medical school.

Also, I recommend reading this article: http://studentdoctor.net/2010/07/grades-part-1-interview-advice-column. I found this tidbit interesting: "Research indicates a student’s GPA and MCAT scores correlate highly with academic success in the first two years of medical school."

I highly doubt such person could even pull off the absolute basics of what a family doctor does....

 

[zherussianbear]

I hear that they have good veterinarian schools in the Caribbean...

 

[druggeek]

So what's the deal with St. Matthew's University medical school? Is it competitive at all? I'm thinking either apply DO or go to SMU since I have a friend there. Thanks

Ya man, go for it. St matthews awaits

 

[CanadianPremed]

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

 

[druggeek]

sure brah. if it makes you feel better, he probably wont have a real job afterwards.

 

[Shalashaska]

Gotta love the sense of entitlement on these forums : |

 

[dazzle42]

Title says it all.

Let's say in the scenario that: the student is an undergrad from UCLA with the 2.5 GPA being both the overall and science GPA. The student has a decent amount of research and volunteer experience throughout his college career. Lastly, the MCAT is a medicore grade like 25.

Yes. I think the requirement for the Carb. is breathing followed by can write a check.

 

[xavier2012]

Did you ever regret studying in UCLA? Well, I did. For me, every thing went so wrong after I transferred from college. I used to have a college GPA of 3.88 when I transfer to UCLA as Biochem major. I was moving into the dorm and hoping a new life from the new environment. And yeah, a "new life" has born. My girlfriend betrayed me and broke up with me, telling me that she will have a new relationship with the guy whom she has car pooled with her lately. I was sooooooooooo upset with this for the rest of the 2 years in UCLA, then I lost all motivation. How does that feel when a person whom you love the most for years cheated and betrayed you? You will feel that the years that you have invested in this relationship, is just a lie and you have been taken advantaged of.
I don't even recall the experience of going to lectures during that 2 years in UCLA. Yeah sure, being a Care Extender helped on the clinical experience, so what? When I graduate, the UCLA GPA is 2.7. I still have the dream of being a medical doctor, thinking whether I should go for the post-bac programs or obtain a master degree first. But all I know right now is I still want my revenge.

 

[TriagePreMed]

SABA and Ross could happen. AUC with some luck, but SGU probably won't.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Did you ever regret studying in UCLA? Well, I did. For me, every thing went so wrong after I transferred from college. I used to have a college GPA of 3.88 when I transfer to UCLA as Biochem major. I was moving into the dorm and hoping a new life from the new environment. And yeah, a "new life" has born. My girlfriend betrayed me and broke up with me, telling me that she will have a new relationship with the guy whom she has car pooled with her lately. I was sooooooooooo upset with this for the rest of the 2 years in UCLA, then I lost all motivation. How does that feel when a person whom you love the most for years cheated and betrayed you? You will feel that the years that you have invested in this relationship, is just a lie and you have been taken advantaged of.
I don't even recall the experience of going to lectures during that 2 years in UCLA. Yeah sure, being a Care Extender helped on the clinical experience, so what? When I graduate, the UCLA GPA is 2.7. I still have the dream of being a medical doctor, thinking whether I should go for the post-bac programs or obtain a master degree first. But all I know right now is I still want my revenge.

Definitely post-bacc it at a CSU and you'll probably get into a D.O. school sooner than later.

 

[NightGod]

I still have the dream of being a medical doctor, thinking whether I should go for the post-bac programs or obtain a master degree first. But all I know right now is I still want my revenge.

So...someone you dated for years broke up with you (a couple of years ago, no less) and you're still overcome with a desire for vengeance? If anything, you should be thanking her for pulling the cord before you got married, bought a house, had kids, etc etc. At 18-20 years old so many things are changing about your life that it's crazy to expect your relationships at that age to last forever. Your best bet is to realize that she actually gave you a gift by getting out of your life when she did and that she's not worth the mental energy or head space to have ANY feelings for her anymore. It's going to sound like I'm being facetious or glib, but I mean it when I say that you might want to find some sort of counseling (whether from clergy, a mental health professional or just a good friend who can be objective) to help you move past this event. You're going to end up destroying your life over someone who's already moved on with hers if you don't find a way to get on with your life.