I dropped out of St. Luke's University School of Medicine

Jasminegab · Oct 10, 2004

This is something that I think that everyone should read. I'm no longer a student at St. Luke's University School of Medicine and I apologize for all that warned me and tried to have me come to my senses. I truely wanted to be a physician. I wanted to be doctor. Now, I'm a fool. And the president of St. Luke's Medical school is making me out to be one. He clearly blames me for all that is happening to St. Luke's University School of Medicine. He has sent me more than one email stressing how I caused all this to come about. He even says that I've caused the accreditation of his school in both Liberia and Ghana to be in jepordy now.

Now, the very organization which I defended is saying I'm to blame. He's making out like I'm the one who called the Ministry of Ghana to verify what he has on offical documents stating St. Luke's University School of Medicine is accredited in both Liberia and Ghana. Have you noticed that everything that states that has been removed from the internet? I have an offical catalog from St. Luke's University School of Medicine dated just last year stating this:

Quote:
St. Luke School of Medicine is a private medical school accredited in both the Republic of Liberia (Lie) and the Republic of Ghana in West Africa (Lie). The Basic Science campuses are located Monrovia, Liberia (Lie) and Cape Coast, Ghana (Lie). It wqs established in June 1998 and accredited in January 1999 in Ghana (Lie), and August 2000 in Liberia (Lie). St. Luke School of Medicine is registered with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Students and graduates of St. Luke are approved and eligible to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), administered by the Educational committee for Foregin Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Students and graduates of St. Luke School of Medicine can do internship and residency in the United States and Canada.

That's on the front cover of the St. Luke School of Medicine Catalog which I printed off their website before I sent in my application.

Also, look at this. This was in my acceptance package which I recieved.

Quote:
Please indicate below your preferred country of registration, Liberia or Ghana. Please expect to begin studies September 2003 in Ghana, Liberia or the USA.

At the end of each page, it has your name, Date, Location and you circle the country of registration which you want to belong. I belive I circled Ghana on each of my pages.

I will not post the email this President of the school sent me blaming me for all that has come about with St. Luke's. However, after the first one, I sent an apology and he sent another with much stronger language blaming me for the exposure of St. Luke's. He even went as far as saying that I'm the one that now may put his school at risk of not being able to become accredited in Liberia or Ghana.

I do hope you are reading this Mr. President of St. Luke's and tell your lawyers to contact me so I can show them all the deception you put in writing claiming St. Luke's was legal when it never was. Yeah I would love to argue this in court. Your words of denial of what you have put into writing. You can't take back what you wrote and signed. You can delete it off the website and claim you never said that, but I have all in writing. Did you think I would throw that stuff away? You got me mistaken for someone else. Your right about one thing, I didn't make a fool of St. Luke's, I made a fool of myself believeing your fraud and deceptive words. You have taken over $800 of my money all in the name of fraud and deception. I would love to see that in court.

Lastly, word of warning to Azsepktic and others who are exposing this fraud and deceptive school, Mr. President is threatening to sue you for expressing a fact in open forum. It's not opinion any more Mr. President of St.Luke's that you lied about accreditation in Ghana and Liberia. It's not opinion anymore that you were in fact enrolling student in Ghana and Liberia. It's all on offical papers. You enrolled these students knowing that the school was not accredited nor legal in Ghana or Liberia. This is not opinion and you dang sure can't sue a person for stating the facts. You've committed a major fraud and now your looking to blame someone when you've been exposed? How dare you. You've got alot of cojones.

Let this be a lesson to all those out there who want to go to medical school. If the school doesn't request MCAT scores, doesn't have any graduates, doesn't have any standards on who they admit, doesn't have legal status in the country you want to attend (Call every government offical you can and stay away from medical school that open up in the middle of a war torn country), has no students in the US in residency that you can call and verify and has no licensed graduates, stay the hell away from these schools. That includes all those new medical schools that have only been around for less than 10yrs and makes promises that they can't prove. Apply to the schools which have reputation. Don't fall for the cheap tuition or how easy it is to get into the medical school.

I feel so stupid. I'm holding back the tears in my eyes over the gal of this man blaming me for all that is happening. But it's ok. I'll re-register at my legit accredited recognized in all 50 states undergraduate university and do it right this time. I only pray that I can get into one of the more established medical school when it comes time for me to go to a real medical school. I should have listened. Azsepktic, NeilC and others, I'm so sorry. To SDN people, I'm so sorry. I ask each and everyone of you to please forgive me. Please don't look down on me because of this.

-Dr.2B

CaptainJack02 · Oct 10, 2004

hi

i don't know the history you have here but i'm very sorry about your situation. at least you found out in time what was going on and backed out. now your next step is to regroup your thoughts and try to get into a legit medical school. i hope you figure things out and do what makes ya happy. you don't want to look back in 10 years and regret what you do - so figure out what you do want and what will make you happy and go for it wiht everything you've got. :luck:

good luck!

Swaydaa · Oct 11, 2004

Once again..if you are chossing to go overseas, please pick between SGU, Ross, AUC, St. Matthews, and SABA. I listed these schools because I work with them every day and know many who have obtained residencies.

Your leg work should start with deciding between these programs. They are all good, but in my opinion your best bet is to stick with the "big" three.... SGU, Ross, AUC (It's not really hard to go to each website and look at their match list). Ross University matched more students last year than any U.S. or foreign school in the world....impressive stat.

You will find a residency through all if you work hard.

WaZoBia · Oct 11, 2004

hi swaydaa,

you say people should pick from a list of only 4 schools, as if those are the only "good" medical schools out there. and why are they "good" because you've worked with them.

dude, there are many other medical schools out there, i think people should follow the advice given in jasmingab's post and if anyone has doubts, then post the name of the school in this forum, i'm sure we'll be able to help you figure it out.

Swaydaa · Oct 11, 2004

I'm sorry, but I just don't have much knowledge about other schools when it comes to actually seeing them work in clinical situations.

I'm sure there are other schools out there that are pretty good. Sorry if I pissed anyone off.

Miklos · Oct 11, 2004

Jasmine,

Everyone makes mistakes. It takes courage to admit a mistake publicly.
I believe that your actions should be applauded.

This way, perhaps you will have prevented a few others from falling into this same or a similar trap.

Hang in there and good luck.

Miklos

Winged Scapula · Oct 13, 2004

Jasmine...

I am truly sorry to hear that our collective "crystal balls" clearly showed this result. For those who were not privy to earlier discussions with Jasmine (aka jasminegab), she is an older student (early 30s as I recall) without an undergrad degree who was anxious to start her medical career. Despite tons of advice to the contrary she elected to enroll in a combined BA/MD program at St. Luke's. There was a great deal of controversy over her consideration of this program and eventual decision to matriculate.

If what she writes is true, I am indeed sorry for her experience and hope that this will serve as a lesson to others considering such a path. There really is no free lunch here - take your time to research things and do it (study medicine) the right way (ie, not that there is ONE right way, just the best way for you) which will allow you to practice medicine in the country of your choice.

azskeptic · Oct 14, 2004

Kimberli Cox said:
Jasmine...

I am truly sorry to hear that our collective "crystal balls" clearly showed this result. For those who were not privy to earlier discussions with Jasmine (aka jasminegab), she is an older student (early 30s as I recall) without an undergrad degree who was anxious to start her medical career. Despite tons of advice to the contrary she elected to enroll in a combined BA/MD program at St. Luke's. There was a great deal of controversy over her consideration of this program and eventual decision to matriculate.

If what she writes is true, I am indeed sorry for her experience and hope that this will serve as a lesson to others considering such a path. There really is no free lunch here - take your time to research things and do it (study medicine) the right way (ie, not that there is ONE right way, just the best way for you) which will allow you to practice medicine in the country of your choice.

Kimberli and all, I believe that some of these schools go after people who want an MD degree so bad they don't use common sense. Some of these schools are telling DC's, PAs, RNs, Pharmacists/Veternarians,podiatrists that they can come to them and they don't have to take the normal science classes. They tell them that they can continue to work their normal jobs. They don't require MCAT's and they take ANYONE who either has the money for tuition or the credit ability to borrow. I am aware of the possibility currently of a lot of students who are going to lose their 'med school' and they will have wasted millions of dollars. It is time for the Carib. and other areas to clean up the 'cesspool' schools. Students are being victimized. Govts should be fixing it; not folks like us on discussion forums. Jasmine will get into another school and luckily she didn't lose alot of time or money in it but it hurts your soul to be wrong. It takes a while to heal. Good luck to her. and as someone else said If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

azskeptic
www.internetmedicalschool.homestead.com

Winged Scapula · Oct 15, 2004

azskeptic said:
Kimberli and all, I believe that some of these schools go after people who want an MD degree so bad they don't use common sense. Some of these schools are telling DC's, PAs, RNs, Pharmacists/Veternarians,podiatrists that they can come to them and they don't have to take the normal science classes. They tell them that they can continue to work their normal jobs. They don't require MCAT's and they take ANYONE who either has the money for tuition or the credit ability to borrow. I am aware of the possibility currently of a lot of students who are going to lose their 'med school' and they will have wasted millions of dollars. It is time for the Carib. and other areas to clean up the 'cesspool' schools. Students are being victimized. Govts should be fixing it; not folks like us on discussion forums. Jasmine will get into another school and luckily she didn't lose alot of time or money in it but it hurts your soul to be wrong. It takes a while to heal. Good luck to her. and as someone else said If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

azskeptic
www.internetmedicalschool.homestead.com

You are absolutely right. Astute conmen and women pray on those who are most vulnerable. Jasmine was nearly desparate in her quest to get into medical school as soon as possible, without taking the MCAT or the prereq classes. She was unwilling to listen to our advice - which frankly, is not unreasonable in most respects because we/SDN is not the ultimate resource in most matters, just an adjunct. However, this time we were right, sadly so. As you and I have both stated, these schools prey on people who hear what they want to, don't use their common sense and then find themselves in financial and emotional ruin. Its schools like these that sully the reputation of other foreign schools who run legitimately and accept students with the qualifications needed to complete the program and prepare them to function as physicians in whatever country they're destined for.

Interesting link in your post, BTW.

NonTradMed · Oct 20, 2004

Hm....that's kind of sad.

One of the things I keep in mind is that, with few exceptions, there are no shortcuts to medicine. Somewhere, we all have to pay our dues. True, you can skip the MCAT, but that requires hard work during high school and college to maintain good grades to stay in the various special programs that allows for this. Otherwise, the med school route is done the out fashioned way.

But I think, if you want to be a doctor badly enough, and are willing to work hard, you WILL get in. Good luck. :luck:

LADoc00 · Oct 25, 2004

HUH????

Am I to understand you are an American expat who decided to go to medical school in LIBERIA? Are you insane? No wait, is this a prelude to your PhD in "Biological Defense" in Iran? You have to write a book because this is too good not to fully explain. :laugh:

niko327 · Oct 25, 2004

LADoc00 said:
HUH????

Am I to understand you are an American expat who decided to go to medical school in LIBERIA? Are you insane? No wait, is this a prelude to your PhD in "Biological Defense" in Iran? You have to write a book because this is too good not to fully explain.

How dare she not live her life according to your preconceptions, you jackass.

hospPA · Oct 25, 2004

I reviewed her posts from awhile ago. She has been talking up her application and acceptance to this St. Luke's medical school in Liberia. From those posts to this one, I can see why people would make fun. I am not. She was warned many times over, to be careful of this "school", and did not heed the warning. She is right, she has nobody to blame but herself. Hell, I won't even book a hotel or buy a CD player without reading several reviews online. Surely this outcome was forecasted by many! My Gosh! I am sorry about what happened, but you had a "crystal ball" called SDN and the internet! You just did not use it.
Pat

LADoc00 · Oct 25, 2004

niko327 said:
How dare she not live her life according to your preconceptions, you jackass.

Thats Dr. Jackass to you, I earned it.
Thanks. And I stand by my statement that the whole thing sounds more hairbrained than my ex-roomate deciding hes gonna go on a discounted vacation to Iraq because of the war. Im curious, was the plan to graduate from Liberia then head over to a MGH residency? :laugh:

hospPA · Oct 26, 2004

LADoc00 said:
Thats Dr. Jackass to you, I earned it.
Thanks. And I stand by my statement that the whole thing sounds more hairbrained than my ex-roomate deciding hes gonna go on a discounted vacation to Iraq because of the war. Im curious, was the plan to graduate from Liberia then head over to a MGH residency?

I would have put it a little kinder, but again, what the hell was she thinking?

Pat

Spritz · Nov 3, 2004

I don't think she was, but that's still a very human thing to do.

You know the phrase, "Love is blind"? Well, it doesn't just apply to relationships. Sometimes people want something so much that the hope takes over. Your gut tells you something's not quite on the up-and-up, but you want to believe it so badly that you just take that leap. It sounds like that's what she did, but that the haze cleared before she got too far to turn 'round. So, that's good. A lesson well learned.

Let's face it, our society is all about the quick fixes and shortcuts. I'm not surprised people fall for scams like this one. Hope springs eternal.

rocker · Nov 3, 2004

azskeptic said:
Kimberli and all, I believe that some of these schools go after people who want an MD degree so bad they don't use common sense. Some of these schools are telling DC's, PAs, RNs, Pharmacists/Veternarians,podiatrists that they can come to them and they don't have to take the normal science classes. They tell them that they can continue to work their normal jobs. They don't require MCAT's and they take ANYONE who either has the money for tuition or the credit ability to borrow. I am aware of the possibility currently of a lot of students who are going to lose their 'med school' and they will have wasted millions of dollars. It is time for the Carib. and other areas to clean up the 'cesspool' schools. Students are being victimized. Govts should be fixing it; not folks like us on discussion forums. Jasmine will get into another school and luckily she didn't lose alot of time or money in it but it hurts your soul to be wrong. It takes a while to heal. Good luck to her. and as someone else said If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

azskeptic
www.internetmedicalschool.homestead.com

Azskeptic,
Just because a med school doesn't require the MCAT automatically make that school illegitimate. The MCAT was designed and is primarily used as an assessment tool by LCME approved USA schools. Universities all over Europe, Asia, South America, etc don't require the MCAT. In fact, medical education worldwide is done at the undergraduate level. Schools all over the place in the UK, Ireland, etc don't even require a medical/science type exam equivalent to the MCAT.

The moral of this message is, if you're going to criticize private schools, please come up with more thorough criteria in your own evaluations.
:luck:

azskeptic · Nov 3, 2004

rocker said:
Azskeptic,
Just because a med school doesn't require the MCAT automatically make that school illegitimate. The MCAT was designed and is primarily used as an assessment tool by LCME approved USA schools. Universities all over Europe, Asia, South America, etc don't require the MCAT. In fact, medical education worldwide is done at the undergraduate level. Schools all over the place in the UK, Ireland, etc don't even require a medical/science type exam equivalent to the MCAT.

The moral of this message is, if you're going to criticize private schools, please come up with more thorough criteria in your own evaluations.

schools marketing themselves to US students are supposedly meeting equivalent standards..that is what I am saying...obviously schools that are for the local people meet local standards. MCAT only applies to schools setup to educate US bound docs. azskeptic

I dropped out of St. Luke's University School of Medicine

Jasminegab

psych student

CaptainJack02

let's stir and shake

Swaydaa

Senior Member

WaZoBia

Senior Member

Swaydaa

Senior Member

Miklos

Winged Scapula

Cougariffic!

azskeptic

Senior Member

Winged Scapula

Cougariffic!

NonTradMed

Perpetual Student

LADoc00

Gen X, the last great generation

niko327

Full Member

hospPA

Senior Member

LADoc00

Gen X, the last great generation

hospPA

Senior Member

Spritz

New Member

rocker

Member

azskeptic

Senior Member

Similar threads