2019-2020 Sackler School of Medicine

[swanthumb898]

Accepted by mail this Saturday 2/22

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[War of Arts]

Just got the II from here but was wondering if I should attend...

 

[Drwhip]

Everyone has their own unique circumstances to consider. In general for most applicants, if you have applied to US programs two times, without acceptance, then, and only then, would I suggest you look at international programs in the Caribbean or Israel, like Sackler. Sackler is a solid option as a last resort.

If you have Hebrew proficiency I would rank Sackler higher than Caribbean programs and alongside some DO schools. However, if you cannot test out of the Hebrew requirement (which includes about half the class) you will have a tougher time preparing for exams and Step during M1 and M2 and interacting with patients during M3. In this case I would rank top Caribbean programs alongside Sackler.

 

[War of Arts]

withdraw my II

 

[Drwhip]

Stay tuned for this year's match #'s! 66 students are eligible. See my post above.

 

[Obsevation & Reassurance]

Everyone has their own unique circumstances to consider. However, in general for most applicants, if you have applied to US programs twice, i.e. through two application cycles, without acceptance and already speak decent Hebrew, then, and only then, would I suggest you consider Sackler. Sackler is a solid option as a last resort. If you already have Hebrew proficiency I would rank Sackler higher than other foreign medical programs and alongside several DO schools. If you cannot test out of the Hebrew requirement (which includes about half the class in any given year) you will have a tougher time preparing for exams and Step during M1 and M2 and interacting with patients during M3. If this is the case you should consider Caribbean schools alongside Sackler.

Hi guys, a third year student here. I'd like to address some of these statements.

1. Sackler = Carribean: Nope, not even close. Sackler's numbers for attrition and Step 1 averages are better than the #1 Caribbean (SGU). For example, my class (of 2021) started with 51 students and we are currently sitting at 51, having lost four due to exam failure after makeups and gained four from older classes for failure to comply with rules, exam failure, or research years.
Doing the math:
Attrition/Dropouts: 51-4 = 47 students from the original c/o 2021. 47/51 = 92%. So, an 8% attrition rate. Compared to US MD only programs, the attrition rate is just over 3% according to the AAMC. The attrition rate of the #1 Caribbean school has been estimated to be 30-35% and they officially claim 10%. Sketchy. Their class sizes are also ridiculously huge (1000+), so resources are spread super thin: this means less attentive anatomy lab and administration, or when things go wrong like, say, a hurricane. Hurricanes don't happen in Tel Aviv. Carribean schools are also for-profit ($$$), and Sackler is a state-funded institution. Our program was actually created to help alleviate the physician shortage in NY during the 1970s. Even the fundamental philosophies between Sackler and Carribean schools are different. Not to mention Tel Aviv is a first world metropolis and the Caribbean is... not.

2. What about Step 1? Our school's student culture heavily focuses on excelling at USMLE Step 1, which is/was the #1 determinant for residency consideration. My class set a new record for highest average Step 1 score here. Pass/fail will definitely shift the emphasis towards Step 2 CK scores. Why is this news not as bad at Sackler versus Caribbean schools? The State of NY considers us a NY school, which makes NY residency programs consider Sackler graduates US MDs. This is why you'll see several graduates match in NY. The NBME also anticipates making Step 2 CK pass/fail in the future as well; this is a transition period. Nepotism, research, connections, clerkship grades and school name will become more important for residency consideration.

3. What about specialties? Getting publications is of utmost importance here. Research year/LOA is suggested to bolster your residency application for a competitive specialty. Six students in my class are doing this, 2 for Urology, 1 for Dermatology, 2 for Orthopedic surgery, 1 for ENT. AAMC says 6-7% of US MD students take a research LOA; ours would be 12%. That's because, yes, it's harder for IMGs to get into competitive specialties, so research and connections get our foot in the door of American specialties. Consider that we had a match rate of 100% last year, with a healthy amount of specialty matches with and without taking research LOAs. An increasingly popular route to specialties lies in matching in primary care (Internal med, pediatrics, family), learning US medicine and making connections for a year or two, then transferring to your specialty of choice. There's ways to get where you want to go.

4. How close is it to a U.S. school as far as graduation stats? ~83% of US M.D. students graduate in 4 years, 94% within 5 years, and 95% within 6 years. Assuming our remaining original c/o 2021 47 Sacklerites graduate, 80% will graduate in 4 years (41/51) and 92% (47/51) within 5 years. Similar numbers to US MD. I would also like to point out that it is extremely likely students continue to graduation once past first year in both US schools and Sackler. Compared to Carribean: SGU admits ~1500/yr, and about ~1000 graduate. Hmm.

5. What about Hebrew? Gotta be honest here. Hebrew proficiency will definitely give you an advantage over other students during clinical rotations, enabling you to create a more genuine connection with both patients and your hospital teaching staff. It's not necessary, however. Depending on your tutor, they'll try to find patients that speak English or pair you up with classmates that speak Hebrew. Russian and Arabic are also useful. In fact, a minority of patients speak exclusively Russian. Out of everyone in my class, less than a third of them speak Hebrew well enough to fluently interview a Hebrew-only patient, and even less with Russian. 99% of the doctors here speak English fluently, and there are MANY ex-pats from English speaking countries working in TAU-associated hospitals that teach us- from Chicago to England. And yes: it is a pain to deal with mandatory Hebrew class (4 hours/wk 1st 2 years), but don't you want to know how to order coffee or simply ask someone to speak in English anyway? Do it for the culture at least. I had to go through Hebrew class too, and did well on Step 1 despite this "limitation."

Don't listen to people who say you can't do something. If I had to do it all over again, I might have waited and reapplied for US MD. Then again, I've met some lifelong friends here and learned what really matters to me. You are in for a culture adventure and self discovery at Sackler, and you will be more respected than a Carribean graduate based on your CV alone.

 

[Drwhip]

Hi guys, a third year student here. I'd like to address some of these statements.

1. Sackler = Carribean: Nope, not even close. Sackler's numbers for attrition and Step 1 averages are better than the #1 Caribbean (SGU). For example, my class (of 2021) started with 51 students and we are currently sitting at 51, having lost four due to exam failure after makeups and gained four from older classes for failure to comply with rules, exam failure, or research years.
Doing the math:
Attrition/Dropouts: 51-4 = 47 students from the original c/o 2021. 47/51 = 92%. So, an 8% attrition rate. Compared to US MD only programs, the attrition rate is just over 3% according to the AAMC. The attrition rate of the #1 Caribbean school has been estimated to be 30-35% and they officially claim 10%. Sketchy. Their class sizes are also ridiculously huge (1000+), so resources are spread super thin: this means less attentive anatomy lab and administration, or when things go wrong like, say, a hurricane. Hurricanes don't happen in Tel Aviv. Carribean schools are also for-profit ($$$), and Sackler is a state-funded institution. Our program was actually created to help alleviate the physician shortage in NY during the 1970s. Even the fundamental philosophies between Sackler and Carribean schools are different. Not to mention Tel Aviv is a first world metropolis and the Caribbean is... not.

2. What about Step 1? Our school's student culture heavily focuses on excelling at USMLE Step 1, which is/was the #1 determinant for residency consideration. My class set a new record for highest average Step 1 score here. Pass/fail will definitely shift the emphasis towards Step 2 CK scores. Why is this news not as bad at Sackler versus Caribbean schools? The State of NY considers us a NY school, which makes NY residency programs consider Sackler graduates US MDs. This is why you'll see several graduates match in NY. The NBME also anticipates making Step 2 CK pass/fail in the future as well; this is a transition period. Nepotism, research, connections, clerkship grades and school name will become more important for residency consideration.

3. What about specialties? Getting publications is of utmost importance here. Research year/LOA is suggested to bolster your residency application for a competitive specialty. Six students in my class are doing this, 2 for Urology, 1 for Dermatology, 2 for Orthopedic surgery, 1 for ENT. AAMC says 6-7% of US MD students take a research LOA; ours would be 12%. That's because, yes, it's harder for IMGs to get into competitive specialties, so research and connections get our foot in the door of American specialties. Consider that we had a match rate of 100% last year, with a healthy amount of specialty matches with and without taking research LOAs. An increasingly popular route to specialties lies in matching in primary care (Internal med, pediatrics, family), learning US medicine and making connections for a year or two, then transferring to your specialty of choice. There's ways to get where you want to go.

4. How close is it to a U.S. school as far as graduation stats? ~83% of US M.D. students graduate in 4 years, 94% within 5 years, and 95% within 6 years. Assuming our remaining original c/o 2021 47 Sacklerites graduate, 80% will graduate in 4 years (41/51) and 92% (47/51) within 5 years. Similar numbers to US MD. I would also like to point out that it is extremely likely students continue to graduation once past first year in both US schools and Sackler. Compared to Carribean: SGU admits ~1500/yr, and about ~1000 graduate. Hmm.

5. What about Hebrew? Gotta be honest here. Hebrew proficiency will definitely give you an advantage over other students during clinical rotations, enabling you to create a more genuine connection with both patients and your hospital teaching staff. It's not necessary, however. Depending on your tutor, they'll try to find patients that speak English or pair you up with classmates that speak Hebrew. Russian and Arabic are also useful. In fact, a minority of patients speak exclusively Russian. Out of everyone in my class, less than a third of them speak Hebrew well enough to fluently interview a Hebrew-only patient, and even less with Russian. 99% of the doctors here speak English fluently, and there are MANY ex-pats from English speaking countries working in TAU-associated hospitals that teach us- from Chicago to England. And yes: it is a pain to deal with mandatory Hebrew class (4 hours/wk 1st 2 years), but don't you want to know how to order coffee or simply ask someone to speak in English anyway? Do it for the culture at least. I had to go through Hebrew class too, and did well on Step 1 despite this "limitation."

Don't listen to people who say you can't do something. If I had to do it all over again, I might have waited and reapplied for US MD. Then again, I've met some lifelong friends here and learned what really matters to me. You are in for a culture adventure and self discovery at Sackler, and you will be more respected than a Carribean graduate based on your CV alone.

I agree if you speak Hebrew Sackler is a good option compared to Caribbean programs. If you dont the choice is not as clear. Regardless of language ability, I would strongly encourage applicants to reapply to US programs before they consider any foreign program. The vast majority of students in my class share this opinion.

It's misleading to claim that we are a New York State program in form or substance. Sackler students are unequivocally considered foreign medical graduates ("FMG's") by all residency programs in every aspect of the match process. Accordingly many programs do not accept us for 4th year electives, and we apply to the match through ECFMG, which is a separate process from US applicants. Many residency programs (about 50% in my specialty) do not interview FMG's as a policy, Sackler students are no exception in New York or elsewhere.

In total 86% of matriculates have matched into US/ Canadian residency programs over the past 7 years. This does not include the small number of students each year who decide to do residency in Israel. It is also not the 4-year match rate. The 4-year match rate is below 80% since about 20% of students take an extra year for research, for further board exam prep, or for exam failure.

2020 Match statistics will be posted in a week, stay tuned!

 

[angiogram36]

I agree if you speak Hebrew Sackler is a good option compared to Caribbean programs. If you dont the choice is not as clear. Regardless of language ability, I would strongly encourage applicants to reapply to US programs before they consider any foreign program. The vast majority of students in my class share this opinion.

It's misleading to claim that we are a New York State program in form or substance. Sackler students are unequivocally considered foreign medical graduates ("FMG's") by all residency programs in every aspect of the match process. Accordingly many programs do not accept us for 4th year electives, and we apply to the match through ECFMG, which is a separate process from US applicants. Many residency programs (about 50% in my specialty) do not interview FMG's as a policy, Sackler students are no exception in New York or elsewhere.

In total 86% of matriculates have matched into US/ Canadian residency programs over the past 7 years. This does not include the small number of students each year who decide to do residency in Israel. It is also not the 4-year match rate. The 4-year match rate is below 80% since about 20% of students take an extra year for research, for further board exam prep, or for exam failure.

2020 Match statistics will be posted in a week, stay tuned!

Any updates on the match?

 

[deleted731525]

Im a fourth year at Sackler. I dont have any official statistics but the match seemed to be similar to previous years. Anybody that wants more detail(rough estimate of match rate, the experience of applying, how many apps for interviews, etc.) can pm me.

 

[Drwhip]

Any updates on the match?

**PRELIMINARY MATCH NUMBERS**

61 matches in 2020 out of 66 students graduating!*

2013 - 47 US/ Canada matches
2014 - 56
2015 - 45
2016 - 68
2017 - 59
2018 - 49
2019 - 57
2020 - 61*

Classes start with 63.

87% of matriculates have matched into US/ Canadian residency programs over the past 8 years.** This is a total match rate. The 4-year match rate is lower. Up to 20% of students in recent years have taken an extra year for research, for extra board exam prep, for exam failure, or because they did not match. The 4-year match rate for class of 2020 is 79% (50/63).

*Includes 11 students who matriculated with the classes of '18 and '19.
**Small numbers of students in some years decide to forego the match to do residency in Israel.

- Be advised, the match list posted on the website double-counts students who matched into preliminary + specialty pgy2 programs. These 2 separate listings are for a single matched student.

 

[Human_01]

I am not one to post on here, and rarely read anything on here. But as a student/alumni I think it is fair to give my two cents. You are better off going to any US MD or DO program than going here unless you really want to stay in Israel. While we have gotten good matches, that is mostly through personal connections and students taking years off to do research. You will be on your own for most of that, including finding US electives. You will receive no support from this administration, and you will likely encounter resistance and push back from them every step of the way. I am on pretty good terms with the administration, but they have made it a nightmare of an experience and the future is uncertain. Advice that was given to me before applying to Sackler was it should only be your last choice. You should not apply in your first round of applications, if you don't get into medical school on your first try, apply as a backup in your second attempt. If you apply and get accepted in your first round of applications but decide to turn them down, you will not get an offer next year.

 

[chisquared]

Has anyone who applied in early September not receive an interview yet

 

[chisquared]

When's the last time to hear back about an II

 

[FutureMD4444]

Hi Everyone! I am a member of the incoming class of 2024 I have been scouring the internet and the Sackler website for scholarships and grants, but have come up empty handed. Does Sackler offer any merit scholarships? Are there other scholarships I have been overlooking?

 

[chisquared]

When's the last time to hear back about an II

anyone? haven't heard back yet and submitted my application in september

 

[War of Arts]

anyone? haven't heard back yet and submitted my application in september

I m not sure the latest time they would send ii out but I heard my ii in late Jan or early Feb but I withdrew hope it helps

 

[Human_01]

I am not one to post on here, and rarely read anything on here. But as a student/alumni I think it is fair to give my two cents. You are better off going to any US MD or DO program than going here unless you really want to stay in Israel. While we have gotten good matches, that is mostly through personal connections and students taking years off to do research. You will be on your own for most of that, including finding US electives. You will receive no support from this administration, and you will likely encounter resistance and push back from them every step of the way. I am on pretty good terms with the administration, but they have made it a nightmare of an experience and the future is uncertain. Advice that was given to me before applying to Sackler was it should only be your last choice. You should not apply in your first round of applications, if you don't get into medical school on your first try, apply as a backup in your second attempt. If you apply and get accepted in your first round of applications but decide to turn them down, you will not get an offer next year.

After seeing how they are handling the situation with COVID-19 and the effect that it will have on the MS3's, I just want to reiterate that you should do everything possible to go to a US school, MD or DO, before deciding to go to Sackler.

 

[yofuturedoc]

After seeing how they are handling the situation with COVID-19 and the effect that it will have on the MS3's, I just want to reiterate that you should do everything possible to go to a US school, MD or DO, before deciding to go to Sackler.

Um may I ask what you are referring to? May you please elaborate on how they are handling the situation with COVID-19 and how it is negatively affecting the MS3's?
Based off my knowledge, all MS3's have been screwed over due to COVID-19 regardless of whether they go to US med schools or not.

To be completely honest, this forum has been nothing but negative posts this entire cycle... I don't think you guys are giving Sackler enough credit... Yeah WE GET IT Sackler is NOT a US school and YES it will be a harder life. We know that! A lot of the students who end up going to Sackler either love Israel and wouldn't mind working a bit harder to have a bit more challenging life in Israel OR do not want to reapply. I don't think anyone here is deciding between a decent MD program vs Sackler...

So instead of shooting us back down when we just found some hope from one school who has recognized our hard work in this extremely stressful process, maybe tell us the positives about your experience!

And to all those butt-hurt students who just learned they have to re-apply, keep the negativity to yourselves and not displace them on hopeful students on this forum! Thanks!

 

[chisquared]

DO or Sackler?

 

[defnotabot]

Current first year here,
I'd like to give my own two cents and will try to keep it impartial. I have no personal vendetta against the administration or school, that said I think there are some things that needs to be said.

First, non- Covid related:
In November 2019, the dean of the first and second year curriculum abruptly announced her retirement effective January 1st. immediately following this announcement , she took a leave of absent. The stepping down of this dean turned out to be the result of internal politics, primarily between her and the 3rd and 4th year dean --ill leave it at that. Not long after this, the administrative teaching coordinator (the woman who coordinated our scheduling and online material) also "stepped down." Though the first and second year curriculum continued to run on autopilot, it was a bumpy road. Classes were canceled at least 3 times without students being notified, an on campus anatomy lab was scheduled and students were only informed 5 minutes after it had begun, and lastly there were some issues with teachers not understanding the scope of the material they were brought in to teach. What bothered me most during all of this was the fact that not once did the administration directly email the class to apologize for the scheduling mix up and the fact that we waited in class for a teacher who never showed up. They corresponded to us only through our student board, leaving our class president as the one responsible for answering all of our questions.

The position for dean of pre-clinical education has since been filled by a wonderful person! I truly mean that, he has made an unbelievable effort to be available for the needs of his students. That said, he has a full time position at a hospital and is usually only on campus once a week, which in my opinion not nearly enough. Students deserve a full time dean who can devote 100 percent to picking up the pieces left behind by the former dean and to begin steering the school back in the right direction. I say all of this because I feel that it is only fair for incoming students to be aware of the current administrative situation, and I welcome them to ask questions to the admissions office about this matter and how the school plans to provide for their first and second year students.

Covid related
like most US medical schools, Sackler has canceled all in person classes, tests and clinical rotations. For first years, this has meant we are supposed to continue the curriculum as normal via zoom. I wont get into too many details about what has or hasn't been working, but the bottom line is, its been a mess. From the students stand point, the school has made every effort to hide from us, with communication from the administration being almost entirely lacking. We have been online for over a month now, why is it that there are still so many issues? Classes aren't being recorded as promised, links for zoom lectures aren't sent out and usually require one of our student council members reach out to the administration for a link 3 minutes before the lecture starts. Yesterday for example, the link that we were given was to a second year lecture.

These are small things, and every school is dealing with covid related issues. I'd be surprised if any medical student was happy with the way online classes were running. That said, the fact that my class has continuously reached out to the administration asking for more communication and have been either ignored or told that the administration is "dealing with bigger issues" is a sad example of unprofessional-ism which has prevailed long before covid.

 

[Human_01]

Um may I ask what you are referring to? May you please elaborate on how they are handling the situation with COVID-19 and how it is negatively affecting the MS3's?
Based off my knowledge, all MS3's have been screwed over due to COVID-19 regardless of whether they go to US med schools or not.

To be completely honest, this forum has been nothing but negative posts this entire cycle... I don't think you guys are giving Sackler enough credit... Yeah WE GET IT Sackler is NOT a US school and YES it will be a harder life. We know that! A lot of the students who end up going to Sackler either love Israel and wouldn't mind working a bit harder to have a bit more challenging life in Israel OR do not want to reapply. I don't think anyone here is deciding between a decent MD program vs Sackler...

So instead of shooting us back down when we just found some hope from one school who has recognized our hard work in this extremely stressful process, maybe tell us the positives about your experience!

And to all those butt-hurt students who just learned, they have to re-apply, keep the negativity to yourselves and not displace them on hopeful students on this forum! Thanks!

First off - I must say I am hesitant to respond to you openly because of fear of repercussion, either because you are a staff/administrator or because they will see this. Would you really want to go to a program where you fear your administration? What credit is there to give to Sackler, they put in roadblocks without and transparency making your experience far more difficult than it could be. Your education is solely based on your ability the study on your own, take exams, and perform clinical responsibilities. The only thing they provide you is the opportunity to get a degree.

This is not just me being a fear monger on SDN, if you read my previous post, I don't partake in SDN often because I know this the bias that comes with the territory. But know that I am considered one of the more level headed and generally upbeat people in my class, so for me to reach out and talk about this should mean something. You should see the disgust and hate towards the administration among the rest of the class, my commentary is rather tame. Other students want to post but are afraid of the repercussions. I am sorry to rain on your parade about acceptance to this program and lack of any others - that was my situation as well. But I did my fair share of research before coming here, talking to seniors and recent grads - at that time everyone had good opinions. But things have changed with medical education, and DO's have increasingly more recognition. I just want to make sure this information is out there for students considering Sackler.

Sackler was opposed to having students go home despite canceling electives and Israel going into a more restrictive quarantine than the US. Even when the US embassy sent multiple e-mails stating that US citizens should return home, and flights were being canceled to the US, The administration refused to endorse going home until multiple students contacted the NY office filing complaints. Even then they were not too happy about students leaving. The fourth-year curriculum has also switched from clinical electives to online courses - fair, that is what most schools are doing. However, while many US schools are graduating students early because of the situation, Sackler has actually delayed their graduation. I know this because I have been in contact with my co-interns who have told me the situation at their schools. They are threatening to delay graduation more if there is tardiness in the submission of any assignment - even if that delay is because they can not grade the assignment in time. The school was so slow to establish online course work, that through a student-run initiative we joined the Technion for a radiology zoom course they had organized. Once Sackler organized their own courses, they were fraught with technical difficulties - not their fault, but frustrating. One hour videos would take 6-7 hours to watch because they would freeze every few seconds. These recordings were not downloadable. The final online course that has been created consisted of 2 1hr recorded lectures, 4 journal articles, and two write-ups of at least 1000 words per day. Students expressed frustration as the administration came back calling everyone lazy, stating that they worked very hard to organize this. The course is the dean's specialty with only his colleagues recording lectures. The administration is monitoring not only the submission of these documents but also is keeping track of who opened what documents when etc. The videos were originally downloadable, which allowed students to watch them without the interuptions previously noted, and at a faster playback speed. However after the administration found out students were downloading the lectures, they locked them, blocking them from being downloaded. This year our student government quit and was replaced once after dealing with the continual fight between the administration and student body. The new student government is already fed up with it.

As for the third years, their situation is out of their control - but they are getting screwed because they are IMG's (not Sackler specifically) in this situation. Many US programs are allowing away rotations anymore because of COVID-19. If you are in a US program that isn't that big of a deal because you will still do your rotations at their home insitutions and get letters of recommendation from those program directors. If away rotations remain closed, Sackler students will not be able get letters of recommendation from US program for their ERAS applications for residency applications. These letters have a huge impact on your potential to match. US residency programs will not recognize any recommendation from an Israeli letter writer, they are frankly useless. In addition, the Sackler administration is in charge of submitting your Israeli letters, and they submitted letters for the wrong students last year. US residency programs also want students to have US hospital experience, in fact some programs require a certain amount of it. There is always some leeway in this, but it will be a major obstacle.

I'll let @defnotabot 's post speak for the first and second years, as I am not as acquainted with their situation. Although there was a rumor that the administration told the first years that they may not be graduating from Sackler, so I would like to hear if that was true.

 

[Drwhip]

To be completely honest, this forum has been nothing but negative posts this entire cycle... I don't think you guys are giving Sackler enough credit..

An incoming premed who thinks graduating seniors don't give the school enough credit....

 

[Drwhip]

Re-posting.

Sackler is barely a real medical school. Resources are scarce since tuition $$ is siphoned to the Israeli programs. Because theres no budget for actual medicine, the full time administrator (there's only 1 for the whole school) emphasizes mandatory Hebrew classes (2 nights/ wk, 1.5 hours each) and role-playing exercises designed to foster "empathy" and other soft skills instead. Policies are invented and changed at will. At the beginning of 3rd year they surprise you with a "release of liability" form you must sign to protect them from lawsuits (they've had several). No faculty or staff ever took the American boards so they cant offer guidance. When students enter the hospital in 3rd year they discover their basic Hebrew classes were useless. The language barrier makes patient interaction difficult and chart review impossible. It hardly matters: While American students are managing their own patients, Sackler students sit through endless hours of powerpoint presentations in conference rooms at the hospital and might see only 1 or 2 patients per day as a group. This makes Step 2CS far more difficult, time-consuming, and stressful than it ought to be. In fact, 2 years ago almost a quarter of the class failed CS. (By contrast American students have a 96% pass rate.) Students dont see patients and dont learn the basic skills of note writing, and patient management and presentation that they need to pass the exam or to compete with American students during 4th year electives. Speaking of electives, Sackler doesn't help obtain placement and many American hospitals don't offer them to international students. So students spend hours-and-hours searching and applying for them while studying for Step 2 CS and CK, and shelf exams in surgery and Ob/ Gyn for which Sackler sets a minimum passing score above most US programs. Throughout it all students are mystified to find an administration that is condescending and antagonistic. Most students end up matching, but 20% need an extra year or two to do it, and some never do.

 

[yofuturedoc]

An incoming premed who thinks graduating seniors don't give the school enough credit....

DO or Sackler?

How about we hear from some other Sackler students... Your information is very well appreciated, but (with all due respect) your negativity very much unwanted.
Why not mention the amazing match these past couple of years? The fact that someone matched into dermatology at Hopkins (something unheard of at low/mid tier programs in the US) and a bunch of other amazing matches! Why not talk about the strong connections that Sackler has with their alumni across the US who get students into their programs. How about the strong community and lifelong relationships between the medical students (again rare in US med schools)! The direct relationship with attending physicians during clinical rotations... cheaper tuition... living in Tel Aviv... the list goes on and on...
Yes a good administration is lacking, but I think with due time it will get definitely improve. Yes, lectures might be a mess, but which medical student actually got anything out of a lecture! It's all self learning... And with regards to STEP, upperclassmen are the best resource for advice not faculty/staff who took the exam ages ago.
Lastly, with all said, I'm not pretending that Sackler compares to US MD programs because it's not. Just simply looking at facts (eg. the match list) you can see that its very well possible to become a successful physician by going to Sackler. Did you always dream of becoming a dermatologist or orthopedic surgeon, applying next cycle will probably be the better decision. But if your going for a field in primary care (and Sackler is your only accepted MD program) it's a waste to give up on this opportunity. Think of it like this: waiting another year is giving up on (at least) $120,000 that you could have made by graduating one year earlier...
All in all, if you are considering Sackler, do your own research and rely on facts, rather than the negative experiences of biased students who are just butt-hurt they did not match into their top choice. Just saying...

 

[DontIdentifyMe]

The fact that someone matched into dermatology at Hopkins (something unheard of at low/mid tier programs in the US)

This student's father is the chair or something of Neurosurgery at John's Hopkins. That's how he got the position, and I'm sure he worked hard for STEP and during rotations.

Yes a good administration is lacking, but I think with due time it will get definitely improve

Are you joking? Sackler has been downhill for years. They fired the person in charge of teaching CS and then rehired her because they couldn't find someone else to do the job (even though the preclinical dean was a private CS tutor). And when they rehired her, she didn't help at all. The clinical dean has had several lawsuits against him by students because of his conduct.

How about the strong community and lifelong relationships between the medical students

This and living in Israel are the only two positives. Classmates become like family.

 

[defnotabot]

I'll let @defnotabot 's post speak for the first and second years, as I am not as acquainted with their situation. Although there was a rumor that the administration told the first years that they may not be graduating from Sackler, so I would like to hear if that was true.

As far as I know, this isn't true.
so that's another positive...

 

[Drwhip]

How about we hear from some other Sackler students...

I tried to present facts and details, and convey the class feeling. I aim to provide a realistic picture so new students have a clear understanding of what to expect.

With very few exceptions, the vast majority of each graduating class has highly negative views on school and management. Even more than me. To represent the school differently would not be honest.

Why not talk about the strong connections that Sackler has with their alumni across the US who get students into their programs.

News to me.

How about the strong community and lifelong relationships between the medical students (again rare in US med schools)!

This is true. A big part of the bonding is based on a shared disgust toward the administration.

The direct relationship with attending physicians during clinical rotations...

Rarely.

Yes a good administration is lacking, but I think with due time it will get definitely improve.

hahaha!!! You're funny!

Lastly, with all said, I'm not pretending that Sackler compares to US MD programs because it's not. Just simply looking at facts (eg. the match list) you can see that its very well possible to become a successful physician by going to Sackler.

True. You absolutely can succeed here. Most students match, though 20% need an extra year or two. A few dont.

All in all, if you are considering Sackler, do your own research and rely on facts.

Yes, totally agree. Talk to upperclassmen, not premeds.

 

[legitsacklerstudent'21]

Re-posting.

Sackler is barely a real medical school. Resources are scarce since tuition $$ is siphoned to the Israeli programs. Because theres no budget for actual medicine, the full time administrator (there's only 1 for the whole school) emphasizes mandatory Hebrew classes (2 nights/ wk, 1.5 hours each) and role-playing exercises designed to foster "empathy" and other soft skills instead. Policies are invented and changed at will. At the beginning of 3rd year they surprise you with a "release of liability" form you must sign to protect them from lawsuits (they've had several). No faculty or staff ever took the American boards so they cant offer guidance. When students enter the hospital in 3rd year they discover their basic Hebrew classes were useless. The language barrier makes patient interaction difficult and chart review impossible. It hardly matters: While American students are managing their own patients, Sackler students sit through endless hours of powerpoint presentations in conference rooms at the hospital and might see only 1 or 2 patients per day as a group. This makes Step 2CS far more difficult, time-consuming, and stressful than it ought to be. In fact, 2 years ago almost a quarter of the class failed CS. (By contrast American students have a 96% pass rate.) Students dont see patients and dont learn the basic skills of note writing, and patient management and presentation that they need to pass the exam or to compete with American students during 4th year electives. Speaking of electives, Sackler doesn't help obtain placement and many American hospitals don't offer them to international students. So students spend hours-and-hours searching and applying for them while studying for Step 2 CS and CK, and shelf exams in surgery and Ob/ Gyn for which Sackler sets a minimum passing score above most US programs. Throughout it all students are mystified to find an administration that is condescending and antagonistic. Most students end up matching, but 20% need an extra year or two to do it, and some never do.

Hi! Thank you for your insight! I am a current student at Sackler. Yes, there are various difficulties at Sackler. There is an understandable difficulty that comes with running a medical school which follows the American curriculum in Israel. Because of this, some flexibility and understanding is required for the student body. You bring up many negative points in your post!! And I know it has been mentioned already but you forgo many of the positive aspects that Sackler has. Sackler has an incredibly supportive student body. You mention the staff have not taken the boards -that is true, but there is a ton of communication between the various years at Sackler. There are programs in place where MS3s share their experiences regarding Step 1 with MS2. 95% of students are happy to help out others, regardless of if they are friends or strangers. Regarding your comments on 3rd years entering the hospital with useless Hebrew skills -for some this is true. But others who have taken the first 2 years of Hebrew seriously are able to understand and communicate in the hospital. Learning a new language is difficult and requires effort (which is often hard while balancing a medical curriculum). That being said, students who put in effort to take Hebrew seriously do see results. You claim "chart review is impossible" -HIPPAs weird in Israel -you are able to google-translate patient charts and so you are still able to review medical records. Sure some words are translated weirdly (I have sometimes seen gallbladder translated as apple) but you can figure out the gist of it if you are patient. Also the physicians you work with are happy to translate anything in patient interactions. I cannot compare my clinical experience thus far to an American student, but I can say I personally have learnt a lot in the hospital this year. The vibe is very much "you get what you put in". If you want to spend time focusing on studying for shelf/boards exams you can do that, if you want to spend time interacting with patients and physicians and improving your clinical skills, you can do that as well. You mention 2 years ago many students failed CS -that is true, but I am under the impression that CS changed that year and became more difficult. Further, that class had an 100% match rate and all the students still matched despite failing CS. Yes the Sackler administration has some issues and can be frustrating to work with but I believe every administration has issues and problems. I have personally had an amazing experience at Sackler. The culture of the student body is fantastic and it is a unique experience to live in another country for 4 years. It fosters independence, resilience and adaptability. For those of you who are considering Sackler as a medical school option, I urge you to speak to as many students as possible (message me, I can put you in touch) and get a more complete picture of the school. Please don't base any decisions on the ranting of various anonymous students on this forum.

 

[Drwhip]

Hi! Thank you for your insight! I am a current student at Sackler. Yes, there are various difficulties at Sackler. There is an understandable difficulty that comes with running a medical school which follows the American curriculum in Israel. Because of this, some flexibility and understanding is required for the student body. You bring up many negative points in your post!! And I know it has been mentioned already but you forgo many of the positive aspects that Sackler has. Sackler has an incredibly supportive student body. You mention the staff have not taken the boards -that is true, but there is a ton of communication between the various years at Sackler. There are programs in place where MS3s share their experiences regarding Step 1 with MS2. 95% of students are happy to help out others, regardless of if they are friends or strangers. Regarding your comments on 3rd years entering the hospital with useless Hebrew skills -for some this is true. But others who have taken the first 2 years of Hebrew seriously are able to understand and communicate in the hospital. Learning a new language is difficult and requires effort (which is often hard while balancing a medical curriculum). That being said, students who put in effort to take Hebrew seriously do see results. You claim "chart review is impossible" -HIPPAs weird in Israel -you are able to google-translate patient charts and so you are still able to review medical records. Sure some words are translated weirdly (I have sometimes seen gallbladder translated as apple) but you can figure out the gist of it if you are patient. Also the physicians you work with are happy to translate anything in patient interactions. I cannot compare my clinical experience thus far to an American student, but I can say I personally have learnt a lot in the hospital this year. The vibe is very much "you get what you put in". If you want to spend time focusing on studying for shelf/boards exams you can do that, if you want to spend time interacting with patients and physicians and improving your clinical skills, you can do that as well. You mention 2 years ago many students failed CS -that is true, but I am under the impression that CS changed that year and became more difficult. Further, that class had an 100% match rate and all the students still matched despite failing CS. Yes the Sackler administration has some issues and can be frustrating to work with but I believe every administration has issues and problems. I have personally had an amazing experience at Sackler. The culture of the student body is fantastic and it is a unique experience to live in another country for 4 years. It fosters independence, resilience and adaptability. For those of you who are considering Sackler as a medical school option, I urge you to speak to as many students as possible (message me, I can put you in touch) and get a more complete picture of the school. Please don't base any decisions on the ranting of various anonymous students on this forum.

Thank you for posting! I'm happy to hear you're having a good experience! For what it's worth, very few if any students in the 4th year share your perspective and the 3rd year students I've talked to do not share it either.

A few points to consider. In third year, Sackler students do not get to manage patients, write patient notes, review charts, order labs and medications. This is the bedrock of medical higher education, and we don't get any of it. We see very few patients per day, rarely one-on-one, almost always as a large group. In peds and ob I saw fewer than 1 patient per day. Most of each day at the hospital is taken up by powerpoint presentations. Students who spoke no Hebrew coming in were never able to carry out an interview in Hebrew and were at an even greater disadvantage. A year from now I think you will realize these are all big setbacks during 4th year electives.

Despite these and many other issues, I've been clear in my previous posts that Sackler is an excellent "last resort" option for medical school especially if you speak Hebrew. Anyone who puts in the work can definitely succeed here. But I would strongly encourage applicants to reapply to USMD/ DO programs before considering any international school.

 

[cookingclinician]

Hi! Thank you for your insight! I am a current student at Sackler. Yes, there are various difficulties at Sackler. There is an understandable difficulty that comes with running a medical school which follows the American curriculum in Israel. Because of this, some flexibility and understanding is required for the student body. You bring up many negative points in your post!! And I know it has been mentioned already but you forgo many of the positive aspects that Sackler has. Sackler has an incredibly supportive student body. You mention the staff have not taken the boards -that is true, but there is a ton of communication between the various years at Sackler. There are programs in place where MS3s share their experiences regarding Step 1 with MS2. 95% of students are happy to help out others, regardless of if they are friends or strangers. Regarding your comments on 3rd years entering the hospital with useless Hebrew skills -for some this is true. But others who have taken the first 2 years of Hebrew seriously are able to understand and communicate in the hospital. Learning a new language is difficult and requires effort (which is often hard while balancing a medical curriculum). That being said, students who put in effort to take Hebrew seriously do see results. You claim "chart review is impossible" -HIPPAs weird in Israel -you are able to google-translate patient charts and so you are still able to review medical records. Sure some words are translated weirdly (I have sometimes seen gallbladder translated as apple) but you can figure out the gist of it if you are patient. Also the physicians you work with are happy to translate anything in patient interactions. I cannot compare my clinical experience thus far to an American student, but I can say I personally have learnt a lot in the hospital this year. The vibe is very much "you get what you put in". If you want to spend time focusing on studying for shelf/boards exams you can do that, if you want to spend time interacting with patients and physicians and improving your clinical skills, you can do that as well. You mention 2 years ago many students failed CS -that is true, but I am under the impression that CS changed that year and became more difficult. Further, that class had an 100% match rate and all the students still matched despite failing CS. Yes the Sackler administration has some issues and can be frustrating to work with but I believe every administration has issues and problems. I have personally had an amazing experience at Sackler. The culture of the student body is fantastic and it is a unique experience to live in another country for 4 years. It fosters independence, resilience and adaptability. For those of you who are considering Sackler as a medical school option, I urge you to speak to as many students as possible (message me, I can put you in touch) and get a more complete picture of the school. Please don't base any decisions on the ranting of various anonymous students on this forum.

Thank you for these well-founded and optimistic words!

 

[Morula]

Hi! Thank you for your insight! I am a current student at Sackler. Yes, there are various difficulties at Sackler. There is an understandable difficulty that comes with running a medical school which follows the American curriculum in Israel. Because of this, some flexibility and understanding is required for the student body. You bring up many negative points in your post!! And I know it has been mentioned already but you forgo many of the positive aspects that Sackler has. Sackler has an incredibly supportive student body. You mention the staff have not taken the boards -that is true, but there is a ton of communication between the various years at Sackler. There are programs in place where MS3s share their experiences regarding Step 1 with MS2. 95% of students are happy to help out others, regardless of if they are friends or strangers. Regarding your comments on 3rd years entering the hospital with useless Hebrew skills -for some this is true. But others who have taken the first 2 years of Hebrew seriously are able to understand and communicate in the hospital. Learning a new language is difficult and requires effort (which is often hard while balancing a medical curriculum). That being said, students who put in effort to take Hebrew seriously do see results. You claim "chart review is impossible" -HIPPAs weird in Israel -you are able to google-translate patient charts and so you are still able to review medical records. Sure some words are translated weirdly (I have sometimes seen gallbladder translated as apple) but you can figure out the gist of it if you are patient. Also the physicians you work with are happy to translate anything in patient interactions. I cannot compare my clinical experience thus far to an American student, but I can say I personally have learnt a lot in the hospital this year. The vibe is very much "you get what you put in". If you want to spend time focusing on studying for shelf/boards exams you can do that, if you want to spend time interacting with patients and physicians and improving your clinical skills, you can do that as well. You mention 2 years ago many students failed CS -that is true, but I am under the impression that CS changed that year and became more difficult. Further, that class had an 100% match rate and all the students still matched despite failing CS. Yes the Sackler administration has some issues and can be frustrating to work with but I believe every administration has issues and problems. I have personally had an amazing experience at Sackler. The culture of the student body is fantastic and it is a unique experience to live in another country for 4 years. It fosters independence, resilience and adaptability. For those of you who are considering Sackler as a medical school option, I urge you to speak to as many students as possible (message me, I can put you in touch) and get a more complete picture of the school. Please don't base any decisions on the ranting of various anonymous students on this forum.

I endorse this post 100%! Sackler ain't perfect, but we love it here

 

[yofuturedoc]

Your words- however true and personal they may be- are hurtful, entitled (to an extent), and unbecoming. Frustration is completely warranted, and having no one at the school to talk to about this is even worse. It turns you to online forums where you are not accountable for your words or actions, and are free to run your vocabulary wild.

^^^

 

[Drwhip]

2. On Hebrew: I can name you countless students who entered Sackler without knowing any Hebrew at all, and left their classes being able to address patients, converse, and connect in a way that elevated their medical school experience.

“Countless students?” In the entire 4th year class maybe 1-2 students who started with no Hebrew were able to have basic conversations during their rotations.

1. On budget: Your claim of this school not having a budget for medicine is immature, and clearly stems from frustration than fact. These words are unfounded and untrue. I challenge and urge you to take these words elsewhere and effect productivity and change by contacting the financial department directly for a piece-by-piece breakdown of the price it costs you to attend Sackler.

In 4th year Sackler contributes $550 per student to each of the 4 US electives + malpractice (around $3,000) + remaining rotations and electives in Israel ($1000) + exams + admin salaries (around 1,000) + office and classroom space (a few hundred) + graduation / incidentals (a few hundred). Expenses are less than $10K vs 40k in tuition. The other years are basically the same. If I am missing something I am happy to amend.

3. Dr. Allen, Professor Dayan, all of the American doctors that come to teach us- they have all taken American Board exams.

Dr. Allen is the clinical (not preclinical) director. This means you don’t meet with him until third year AFTER you’ve taken Step.

I once asked Dr. Dayan for some basic advice on Step and she laughed and said she "blocked that trauma out years ago."

Not sure what other american doctors you are talking about.

A lot of US and Caribbean schools bring in expert test prep tutors to run structured programs dedicated to Step. There’s nothing like that at Sackler though.

4. On sitting through lectures in clerkships: sorry, move along. Yes, this is a reality. Might I remind you that we are students? Might I remind you that we are students? These doctors are taking time out of their days to lecture us in a language that is not their own.

We sometimes go entire weeks in the hosptial without seeing a single patient. Just hours of powerpoint all day. And we come out of 3rd year not knowing how to write a patient note, how to chart-check, place orders, admit patients etc. The basic skills we need for 4th year electives.

5. On CS. There is no lying here- CS two years ago was a mess! A shame on the students for not practicing properly... 2) that the school implemented several programs to ensure the readiness of future classes. Yes, it is true that this class screwed up. Yes, things like this happen. No, it is not the complete fault of Sackler.

The CS admin is the least liked member of the faculty. She’s antagonistic to students and doesn’t know basic facts about the test.

Despite these pitfalls, there is absolutely no excuse for hate speech and unfounded slander.

Medical student depression is a big problem anywhere, but some student surveys say it’s even worse at Sackler. I don’t know if you’re a student or probably faculty, but whoever you are I think you do a great disservice to current students dealing with this with your attempt to whitewash some very serious problems.

I’ve said many times that Sackler is on par with Caribbean programs and any student can succeed here and get into residency despite the many problems that exist. In fact, I'm one of them that did. However, students deserve to know what they’re getting before they cash their first loan check.

 

[A2033]

3rd year here. Myself, as well as many classmates, are happy with our decision to come to Sackler. If you are considering Sackler, please feel free to message me if you would like another opinion.

 

[n95ninja]

Hi there, upper year here. This thread was passed along to me through the grapevine and I would like to share some of my personal and more positive experiences of Sackler. If anyone has any questions please don't hesitate to message me! I feel this would be the best way to address any concerns or trepidations without running the risk of creating any more altercations or disputes on this thread. Stay safe and healthy everyone

 

[MD_student]

The #1 goal of medical school is getting a residency match. Sackler has a great track record for its matches, and had better matches than some lower tier US MD schools some years. If Sackler gives you a good chance for a good match then why wouldn't you consider it?

I chose Sackler over US DO because Sackler’s matches are better. Go to DO school if you want to go into primary care. If you want to do almost anything else from DO school then good luck taking 2 standardized board exams: COMLEX for DO + USMLE for MD.

Sackler’s match record speaks for itself.

This link contains every single Sackler match in its history from 1981-2019

http://www.sacklerschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RESIDENCY_APPOINTMENTS_1981_2019.pdf

This link is Sackler's match in 2020

Match Day 2020 – Sackler School of Medicine

www.sacklerschool.org

Id recommend US MD>>>>>Sackler>>US DO

Its true the administration isn't good here, but that absolutely shouldn't be the reason not to come to Sackler.
You come to medical school for the match, not minutiae like friendly administration.

Please message me if you have any questions about Sackler.

 

[Drwhip]

The #1 goal of medical school is getting a residency match. Sackler has a great track record for its matches, and had better matches than some lower tier US MD schools some years. If Sackler gives you a good chance for a good match then why wouldn't you consider it?

I chose Sackler over US DO because Sackler’s matches are better. Go to DO school if you want to go into primary care. If you want to do almost anything else from DO school then good luck taking 2 standardized board exams: COMLEX for DO + USMLE for MD.

Sackler’s match record speaks for itself.

This link contains every single Sackler match in its history from 1981-2019

http://www.sacklerschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RESIDENCY_APPOINTMENTS_1981_2019.pdf

This link is Sackler's match in 2020

Match Day 2020 – Sackler School of Medicine

www.sacklerschool.org

Id recommend US MD>>>>>Sackler>>US DO

Its true the administration isn't good here, but that absolutely shouldn't be the reason not to come to Sackler.
You come to medical school for the match, not minutiae like friendly administration.

Please message me if you have any questions about Sackler.

61 matches in 2020 out of 66 students graduating!*

2013 - 47 US/ Canada matches
2014 - 56
2015 - 45
2016 - 68
2017 - 59
2018 - 49
2019 - 57
2020 - 61*

Classes start with 63.

Roughly 87% of matriculates have matched into US/ Canadian residency programs over the past 8 years.** This is a total match rate. The 4-year match rate is lower. Up to 20% of students in recent years have taken an extra year for research, for extra board exam prep, for exam failure, or because they did not match. The 4-year match rate for class of 2020 was 79% (50/63).

*Includes 11 students who matriculated with the classes of '18 and '19.
**Small numbers of students in some years decide to forego the match to do residency in Israel.

 

[A2033]

61 matches in 2020 out of 66 students graduating!*

2013 - 47 US/ Canada matches
2014 - 56
2015 - 45
2016 - 68
2017 - 59
2018 - 49
2019 - 57
2020 - 61*

Classes start with 63.

Roughly 87% of matriculates have matched into US/ Canadian residency programs over the past 8 years.** This is a total match rate. The 4-year match rate is lower. Up to 20% of students in recent years have taken an extra year for research, for extra board exam prep, for exam failure, or because they did not match. The 4-year match rate for class of 2020 was 79% (50/63).

*Includes 11 students who matriculated with the classes of '18 and '19.
**Small numbers of students in some years decide to forego the match to do residency in Israel.

- Be advised, the match list posted on the website double-counts students who matched into preliminary + specialty pgy2 programs. These 2 separate listings are for a single matched stude

For comparison, AAMC retrospective data published in 2018 shows the four-year graduation rate for US MD students ranging between 81.6% and 84.3%:

https://www.aamc.org/system/files/reports/1/graduationratesandattritionratesofu.s.medicalstudents.pdf

The following AAMC analysis shows similar results (published 2013): https://www.aamc.org/system/files/r...onratesandattritionfactorsforusmedschools.pdf

 

[MD_student]

61 matches in 2020 out of 66 students graduating!*

2013 - 47 US/ Canada matches
2014 - 56
2015 - 45
2016 - 68
2017 - 59
2018 - 49
2019 - 57
2020 - 61*

Classes start with 63.

Roughly 87% of matriculates have matched into US/ Canadian residency programs over the past 8 years.** This is a total match rate. The 4-year match rate is lower. Up to 20% of students in recent years have taken an extra year for research, for extra board exam prep, for exam failure, or because they did not match. The 4-year match rate for class of 2020 was 79% (50/63).

*Includes 11 students who matriculated with the classes of '18 and '19.
**Small numbers of students in some years decide to forego the match to do residency in Israel.

- Be advised, the match list posted on the website double-counts students who matched into preliminary + specialty pgy2 programs. These 2 separate listings are for a single matched stude

You can’t count the students who take research years as not matching. The research year is a privilege given to students shooting for the most competitive residencies. Their matches are the most competitive. Sackler is proud of matching quite a few into the most competitive surgical specialties yearly.

Also, students failing out isn’t Sackler’s issue. Students fail out of every med school and they don’t count for match lists anywhere.

Dr. Whip, Sackler’s strength is the quality of its matches. You posted numbers including research students and those who fail out. That’s irrelevant and don’t distract from good quality matches.

A2033, I, and many posters previously have given valid reasons why one should come to Sackler, yet you haven’t given any concrete legitimate reason why one shouldn’t come.

 

[Drwhip]

You can’t count the students who take research years as not matching. The research year is a privilege given to students shooting for the most competitive residencies. Their matches are the most competitive. Sackler is proud of matching quite a few into the most competitive surgical specialties yearly.

Also, students failing out isn’t Sackler’s issue. Students fail out of every med school and they don’t count for match lists anywhere.

Dr. Whip, Sackler’s strength is the quality of its matches. You posted numbers including research students and those who fail out. That’s irrelevant and don’t distract from good quality matches.

A2033, I, and many posters previously have given valid reasons why one should come to Sackler, yet you haven’t given any concrete legitimate reason why one shouldn’t come.

The numbers include students taking research years. They include all the students who have ever matched in US or Canada over the past 8 years. Since 2013 roughly 87% off students who start the program have matched in the US or Canada. This includes research years, exam failure, suspension, personal reasons etc. Effectively it is the overall 6-year Match rate.

By comparison the 6-year match rate in the US is roughly 95% and it would be higher if not for MD/ PhD students who tend to take 7-8 years.

These are simply the numbers. I've written many times that students SHOULD consider coming to Sackler under certain circumstances such as after applying for US programs twice, and/ or having Hebrew proficiency. I've said that anyone can succeed here and obtain residency, despite the many shortcomings. I myself was able to. I've said that tel aviv is great and student bonding is great. I've said that Sackler is an excellent "last resort" medical school option and should be considered alongside Caribbean programs.

 

[MD_student]

I included students taking research years in the overall match rate. The numbers printed are all the students who have ever matched in US or Canada over the past 8 years. Effectively it is the 6-year Match rate. Since 2013 roughly 87% off students who start the program have matched in the US or Canada. This includes research years, exam failure, suspension, personal reasons etc.

By comparison the 6-year match rate in the US is roughly 95% and it would be higher if not for MD/ PhD students.

These are simply the numbers. I've written many times that students SHOULD consider coming to Sackler under certain circumstances such as applying for US programs twice, and/ or having Hebrew proficiency. I've said that anyone can succeed here and obtain residency, despite the many shortcomings. I've said that tel aviv is great and student bonding is great. I've said that Sackler is an excellent "last resort" medical school option and should be considered alongside Caribbean programs.

I think we all would agree that US MD schools are usually better options than Sackler. I am recommending Sackler over US DO schools because the matches are simply better on the average. I think you’d have a hard time finding a DO or Caribbean school with better matches than Sackler.

The Hebrew proficiency thing is a non-factor. Most of my class has never spoken to a patient in Hebrew , and yet we’re still scoring great on standardized exams.

Come to Sackler over DO school because it’s likely you end up with a better match. Call it a 2nd resort for getting an MD Degree and ending up better than the DO counterparts.

 

[Drwhip]

I think we all would agree that US MD schools are usually better options than Sackler. I am recommending Sackler over US DO schools because the matches are simply better on the average. I think you’d have a hard time finding a DO or Caribbean school with better matches than Sackler.

The Hebrew proficiency thing is a non-factor. Most of my class has never spoken to a patient in Hebrew and yet we’re still scoring great on standardized exams.

Come to Sackler over DO school because it’s likely you end up with a better match. Call it a 2nd resort for getting an MD Degree and ending up better than the DO counterparts.
End of story.

I like your enthusiasm. I disagree that Sackler matches better than DO. Maybe some low ranked DO. In 4th year you will see why DO has a big advantage over Sackler. I am happy for incoming students to hear your view and get all sides. I dont think your view is shared by the majority of students though. In 4th year almost everybody is negative on Sackler.

 

[EHR]

Hello, is there a Facebook or some other social media page for accepted students class of 2024?

 

[Morula]

Hello, is there a Facebook or some other social media page for accepted students class of 2024?

It will be sent over to you shortly!! Welcome and congratulations <3

 

[BillNyeTheSciencePhi]

Hi guys! Class of 2020 recent alum here and would like to put my .02.

Overall I really enjoyed my experience. Living in Tel Aviv was amazing, I studied right on the beach, learned a ton, traveled all over Europe, got published in research, and ended up matching well. All in all, as medical schools go, I really felt I had a fantastic work/life balance. I will say the administration could be nicer, but I didn't feel inhibited by them. In the grand scheme of things, I felt the pluses way outweighed the cons.

Notes: You will have to work hard here. With coursework, third-year rotations, and research it is a literal you get what you put in. You can coast, not learn much, and you have a lesser chance of getting matched somewhere good. If you truly put the work in, try to gain as much as you can from your third-year rotations, volunteer to scrub in and be in cases, and reach out to professors and get a good research gig, it will pay off, and you will match.

I wouldn't let the negatives here dissuade you. If you're approaching your mid-20s and you don't want to waste another year applying, and you already got in, go for it. If you have a USMD option, I would honestly go for that. US DO is a bit more of a wash. When compared to a Caribbean school there is absolutely no doubt that this is a FAR superior option by an order of magnitude.

In all due honesty though, if you want an adventure in medical school, in a city with perfect weather, amazing food, and some great classmates and potential friends from around the world, I would go for it. You will get out of your comfort zone, you will do things you never thought possible, and in the end, you are a physician.

My experiences:

First Year: The first few blocks are easy until midway through the year, where they put you into Anatomy/Physio and some other courses lumped in. That one block is hell, but it's smooth sailing after that. Was a bit of a beach bum the second half of first-year and honestly loved it. The full summer vacation afterward was a great way to decompress before second year. I got a bit better at Hebrew during this time as well and ended up making a solid friend circle outside of the program as well as inside the program.

Second Year: This year is stressful, due to STEP 1, not as much of an issue now that it's P/F, but still. I got into research, enjoyed my time studying, and beach bummed it out. Dove into dedicated and busted my butt a few months and then took the exam. Hebrew got much better during this point as well.

Third Year: Starts with Psychiatry right after STEP 1, then a NICE summer vacation. Then you get a huge amount of internal medicine for the first half of the year. The first 4 weeks of IM were a super-intensive physical diagnosis course tied in with your IM tutors done on bedside with real patients. One highlight was rounding with a cardiologist to all the heart murmur patients, and playing an "Identify the Murmur" game until we got proficient. From there continued to see patients, scrub into surgeries during Surgery and OB, work in the Peds and Surgery ERs during their respective rotations, deliver babies, work in labor and delivery unit, do some extra time in the NICU because I wanted to, researched. The last half of the year you begin applying for away rotations, make sure you have all your immunizations, etc. You take CK in the beginning of Summer and CS during April of that year.

Fourth Year: First half is away rotations. You're working hard to impress while also collecting LORs, preparing your ERAS, and then interviewing. Second half would normally be family med, neurology, and radiology, and then electives to do of your choosing, but the electives became an online set of pretty intensive courses instead 2/2 COVID. I learned a lot but worked a bit harder than I normally would have at the end of Fourth Year. Also matched in March.

TL;DR, All in all, you'll do fine, learn a lot, and be ready for residency if you work hard.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions.

 

[EHR]

Can anyone tell a bit about research opportunities at sackler? I’ve heard it’s essential for competitive residencies but I am also interested in research in general and as something I would want to be involved in as a physician.

 

[Thecomposer]

A few things that worry me about Sackler that I hope some of you can address:
1. A huge reason Sackler students matched is doing well on Step 1. Given that it is now P/F and the fact that historically Sackler students dont do nearly as well as US MD students at Step 2 (due to very poor patient and charting experience in year 3), along with new IMG changes, I am petrified of how this will affect Sackler match rates. Is there any information regarding this?

2. How much of the 4yrs do we spend in the US? Is it the entire 4th year? Is there any possibility of doing both 3rd and 4th year in the US like carib students do? To be honest, given that Step 1 is going to be p/f and carib students do their 3rd and 4th years in US hospitals, and given Step 2 will become the new Step 1 for residencies, I would not be surprised if this shifts Carib schools to be more favorable than Sackler (for those who take it seriously).

3. Given that administration is very hands off, where does on get support if matriculating this year in regards to housing, transportation, life in Israel, etc.?

Thanks again. I would greatly appreciate if any current or former students can help, particularly @BillNyeTheSciencePhi @Drwhip @A2033

 

[MD_student]

1)Yes, Sackler students have a track record of doing relatively well on USMLE Step 1 compared to the average. No one knows how the P/F will change things. Its too early to tell.
Are you speaking about Step 2 CK or Step 2 CS?

2)Sackler has 4th year away rotations (electives) in the US from July-January. Then ~3/4 months back in Israel until graduation in May. Year 3 (core rotations) are entirely in Israel.

3)The administration helps a lot in the beginning of the 1st year getting acclimated to Israel. They do step away quickly though and they're sometimes unpleasant to interact with. The real support is from the upperclassmen. Theres a very powerful student culture at Sackler.

 

[Zzzrel]

Hi past applicants, I am currently applying but don't see where I'm exactly supposed to be sending my transcripts and LORs to (through interfolio). My digital transcript site has nothing listed under "tel aviv" or "sackler school of medicine". For the physical address is it the Tel aviv office or NY office and which email? Would appreciate any help!!!

 

[doctobe20234]

A few things that worry me about Sackler that I hope some of you can address:
1. A huge reason Sackler students matched is doing well on Step 1. Given that it is now P/F and the fact that historically Sackler students dont do nearly as well as US MD students at Step 2 (due to very poor patient and charting experience in year 3), along with new IMG changes, I am petrified of how this will affect Sackler match rates. Is there any information regarding this?

2. How much of the 4yrs do we spend in the US? Is it the entire 4th year? Is there any possibility of doing both 3rd and 4th year in the US like carib students do? To be honest, given that Step 1 is going to be p/f and carib students do their 3rd and 4th years in US hospitals, and given Step 2 will become the new Step 1 for residencies, I would not be surprised if this shifts Carib schools to be more favorable than Sackler (for those who take it seriously).

3. Given that administration is very hands off, where does on get support if matriculating this year in regards to housing, transportation, life in Israel, etc.?

Thanks again. I would greatly appreciate if any current or former students can help, particularly @BillNyeTheSciencePhi @Drwhip @A2033

Hi guys! Class of 2020 recent alum here and would like to put my .02.

Overall I really enjoyed my experience. Living in Tel Aviv was amazing, I studied right on the beach, learned a ton, traveled all over Europe, got published in research, and ended up matching well. All in all, as medical schools go, I really felt I had a fantastic work/life balance. I will say the administration could be nicer, but I didn't feel inhibited by them. In the grand scheme of things, I felt the pluses way outweighed the cons.

Notes: You will have to work hard here. With coursework, third-year rotations, and research it is a literal you get what you put in. You can coast, not learn much, and you have a lesser chance of getting matched somewhere good. If you truly put the work in, try to gain as much as you can from your third-year rotations, volunteer to scrub in and be in cases, and reach out to professors and get a good research gig, it will pay off, and you will match.

I wouldn't let the negatives here dissuade you. If you're approaching your mid-20s and you don't want to waste another year applying, and you already got in, go for it. If you have a USMD option, I would honestly go for that. US DO is a bit more of a wash. When compared to a Caribbean school there is absolutely no doubt that this is a FAR superior option by an order of magnitude.

In all due honesty though, if you want an adventure in medical school, in a city with perfect weather, amazing food, and some great classmates and potential friends from around the world, I would go for it. You will get out of your comfort zone, you will do things you never thought possible, and in the end, you are a physician.

My experiences:

First Year: The first few blocks are easy until midway through the year, where they put you into Anatomy/Physio and some other courses lumped in. That one block is hell, but it's smooth sailing after that. Was a bit of a beach bum the second half of first-year and honestly loved it. The full summer vacation afterward was a great way to decompress before second year. I got a bit better at Hebrew during this time as well and ended up making a solid friend circle outside of the program as well as inside the program.

Second Year: This year is stressful, due to STEP 1, not as much of an issue now that it's P/F, but still. I got into research, enjoyed my time studying, and beach bummed it out. Dove into dedicated and busted my butt a few months and then took the exam. Hebrew got much better during this point as well.

Third Year: Starts with Psychiatry right after STEP 1, then a NICE summer vacation. Then you get a huge amount of internal medicine for the first half of the year. The first 4 weeks of IM were a super-intensive physical diagnosis course tied in with your IM tutors done on bedside with real patients. One highlight was rounding with a cardiologist to all the heart murmur patients, and playing an "Identify the Murmur" game until we got proficient. From there continued to see patients, scrub into surgeries during Surgery and OB, work in the Peds and Surgery ERs during their respective rotations, deliver babies, work in labor and delivery unit, do some extra time in the NICU because I wanted to, researched. The last half of the year you begin applying for away rotations, make sure you have all your immunizations, etc. You take CK in the beginning of Summer and CS during April of that year.

Fourth Year: First half is away rotations. You're working hard to impress while also collecting LORs, preparing your ERAS, and then interviewing. Second half would normally be family med, neurology, and radiology, and then electives to do of your choosing, but the electives became an online set of pretty intensive courses instead 2/2 COVID. I learned a lot but worked a bit harder than I normally would have at the end of Fourth Year. Also matched in March.

TL;DR, All in all, you'll do fine, learn a lot, and be ready for residency if you work hard.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions.

Thanks for adding your input, this really helps potential students I think everyone would agree that going abroad shouldn't be anyone's first choice but would you overall recommend Sackler to us, potential new students?
Also, how is the social scene in terms of making friends with classmates, EC's, events/parties, clubs etc?

Thank you in advance!!

@BillNyeTheSciencePhi @Drwhip @A2033 @morulla