Residency

[Morpheus]

I was wondering if some SGU alumni can provide me some information about how hard it is to get US residency after grad from SGU. I heard that you can only get residency in ten states if you to any foreign medical school. This is of concern to me. Also is SGU a very competitive school are students pretty cut throat???

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[girlMD2be]

Hi. My understanding is that SGU grads have no problem getting licensed in almost all the states. The fact that SGU is recognized by California's state licensing board speaks volumes since CA is one of the toughest states for foreign grads to get licensed in. Also, almost all SGU grads are able to match into residencies in the USA, and some students do get the "harder" residencies like Ophtho, Surg, etc... I believe that the high success rate for SGU students is due to the strict admissions standards. It seems to me that they won't take you if they don't think you can handle the rigors of med school. As for "cut throatedness", I can't really say since I won't be starting there till Jan. I have spoken with students who are currently attending and they seem to like it there. I have the impression that it is very competitive but since the curriculum is fair everyone has a chance to do well. It seems that all you need to do is study, study, study, and study some more. Have you called the school or visited their web site?

 

[girlMD2be]

Sorry I missed one of your questions. I believe that there are few states where you can't do a residency as a foreign grad. I think that most IMG's end up doing residency in the East coast area because that is where most of their clinicals are done. Check out SGU's web site and see the list that shows where grads have placed. I plan to head back to Texas and I know that plenty of SGU grads have gotten residencies there.

 

[MRF1366]

Originally posted by girlMD2be:
I believe that the high success rate for SGU students is due to the strict admissions standards.

Uuuuuuhhhhhmmmm.... Did I miss something? When did SGU develope admissions standards?

And also, last time I checked, they had about a 50-60% drop-out rate. How does that indicate a "high success rate?"

Look, I'm real sorry you didn't get in anywhere else, but you can't honestly believe that ANY Carib. school has admission standards anywhere near as high as a US school! BE HONEST. You would actually travel to a Third world country, risk infection by things like malaria, live in a place that is completely non-conducive for medical learning, and tell me that you will come back to the states with the same skills that I will have?

I am being brutally honest, because I have NO idea where you draw this motivation from. Yes, I've always wanted to be a doctor. Yes, I put my heart and soul into the pursuit of med school. YES, I would have been devistated had I not been accepted anywhere. However, NO WAY IN HELL, would I decide that traveling to an island was the best solution for my problems!

There are other things you can do! For instance:

1. Check out DO schools, YOU WILL STILL BE A DOCTOR!!! And DO schools have the added advantage of BEING IN AMERICA!!!

2. Check out post-bac or graduate programs. This may be the key to boosting your stats enough to get into a school in the country that you wish to practice in!!

3. Get some clinical experience (or more than you already have). Work in a hospital, be a nurses aid, WHATEVER, it will all help you.

4. Take the MCAT again, if you are willing to spend YEARS in a foreign country to pursue your "dream," than you should at least be able to spend three months studying FOR ONE TEST! I promiss you that it's much easier than some of tests that you'll face in med school!

5. If all else fails, check out PA school, it's a great option!

And then, if ALL of those things fail, then maybe, you should consider the fact that medicine is not the end-all-be-all of life! There is a world outside of hospitals and doctors offices. Although, I'm sure you will discover that on a small island in the middle of the carribean. Good luck, and try not to ever sell yourself short.

Jake
MS1

[This message has been edited by MRF1366 (edited 09-15-2000).]

 

[girlMD2be]

I am sorry you feel that way, Jake. Perhaps you should do more research on St. George's University BEFORE you post your opinions here. Good day.

 

[stephew]

Im afriad I have to clarify things here.

The drop out rate at SGU is about 2-5%.

As for success rate; lets take it by the boards first of all.

94% pass rate for US citizens on the first go for step 1. Here's a key question though: how many actually MAKE it to the boards with their class? the answer 90%. Where are the rest? 1) above mentioned attrition; 2) people who take added time to study 3) people who chose a slower tract 4) failed students. Question: how does this compare to US schools. Variable. Some US schools have comparable numbers; others have just about all make it to the boards with their class. Be wary of other schools who dont tell you how many "make it" to the board with their class.

Grenada has no malaria.

Im not sure how its non conductive for study. Frankly there's not a hell of a lot going on by way of night life and the like so its pretty easy to study.

Im now at Johns Hopkins in residency in a field in which 17% of US seniors failed to match this year.. I teach Hopkins medical students. I opted to train in part in the UK where the teaching of clinical skills is an art. Suffice to say mine are just fine, thanks.


DO school is as good an option. I dont know too much about what its like so I wont post my ignorance on the topic.

I invite you to visit my sgu web site http://travel.to/sgusom. Its due for an update but you can get an idea where people matched for residency, etc.

BTW 99+% US citizens obtained residency. Most are in Internal med/peds/psyc/surgery. Also included at Rt-Oncology/ER/optho/radiology/obs gyne and one woman just got neurosurgery (alright, that's an anomoly!)

I know of no one who regrets attending SGU.

All the best,
Steph

 

[stephew]

BTW you can practice in all 50 states. My good pal just went to texas where she is in a triple boarded program.
Steph