Add on to previous question about transfer.

[Good Samaritan2]

Good Afternoon,

Just to state right off the bat, the bottom text with the parenthesis is my previous thread advice question from April 2017. Just wanted to copy and paste it here as a reference to give a background of everything.

(Hello all, hope everyone is doing well.

I had a question. I haven't had the easiest/smoothest of rides through my life at all, and it includes medical school. I am not one of those book smart people at all, I work hard or at least try to but some things just aren't meant to be.

I have been dismissed from SGU (I went over the 6 year limit that was in for me to graduate by then) due to not being able to pass the STEP 2 CK exam. Everything else was completed including the other board exams, but that one test prevented me from getting a degree. I have talked to the Deans there and they were very polite and helpful and explained that I could try to send a letter to 'Withdraw' which will look better going forward than 'dismissed' obviously. They told me that if the Withdrawal letter gets accepted and goes through, I can try to transfer to another medical school in caribbean to try to see if I can join and take the exam to get a degree considering that i have done everything else required including basic science work, clincal rotations, STEP 1, STEP 2 CS and so on. I have done other stuff in between during those years like research, clinic work, etc but that is not relevant at this time.

Basically what I am trying to ask is a couple things.

1. Any tips on how to write a good withdrawal letter?

2. Any insights on how to transfer to another school? like which other schools in caribbean would you recommend in terms of taking in students like me? also what i may have to do, like would I have to take all 3 exams again, do clinical rotations again, or be able to take the one STEP 2 CK exam that prevented my graduation? basically things like that. Cost too would be helpful.


I do have anxiety/ADD/recurrent MDD/insomnia but I will never use that as an excuse personally ever. I take full blame and the school overall has gone above and beyond for me to try to help me out during the time and I am very thankful for their help. I didn't deserve all the help/accommodations/chances they gave me and will forever be thankful for the opportunity.

Sorry, this was kind of a long post but I didn't know how to shorten it up anymore so than it is now. Also want to add that I am not even trying to go the traditional route of medical students in terms of going into a residency and overall clinic based route. I only applied for it once (2015 Match year, my Step 2 CK score release was a couple weeks after the ERAS opened up for applications to be sent). During the meantime I was doing research, clinic work, volunteer, etc while trying to study and retake the exam (which obviously did not work out for those attempts). During my time doing other things i realized that going into something like bioinformatics/administrative/pharma/research/etc route is better for me (I'm not the most typical person unlike most in terms of structured/personality/living/etc). I would like to get a MPH as well in future and maybe a MBA down the road (was always going to have side businesses not healthcare related regardless).

Just wanted to add, Good luck everyone for future endeavors whether it be residency, board exams, rotations, classes.

Thanks)

I have been looking up various Caribbean medical schools' information and have been reading about them on forums like ValueMD to gain insights on them. What I am trying to see is whether it can be possible to transfer credits including clinical rotations that have been completed to another school in Caribbean? I am looking to do a nonclinical career path in healthcare, but with being so close to a MD degree, I would like to complete it by taking the last STEP 2 CK exam and passing it, thus getting a degree to apply for jobs in non clinical path.

and if it is possible, any recommendations on which schools would be willing to take it? I have been looking online for recommendations but my fear is that I read forums with some posters claiming some Schools are a SCAM and others saying it isn't. I would rather not get involved with any online SCAM issues at all and want to make sure it is a legitimate school. I will definitely pay the admin costs to the school of course, but rather not have to repeat all the clinical rotations again and thus spending more money to that which will set me back even more time/money wise.

I have emailed/reached out to the following:
1. Caribbean Medical University SOM
2. Windsor SOM
3. Atlantic University SOM
4. Avalon University SOM
5. American University of St. Vincent SOM
6. Medical University of the Americas (MUA)
7. University of Medicine And Health Sciences (UMHS)
8. American University of Integrative Sciences (AUIS)
9. All Saints University SOM

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[Skip Intro]

You are still going to have to take (and pass) USMLE Step 2 CK if you will ever be able to call yourself a doctor and practice in the U.S.

Do you honestly believe (and that is a question meant for self-reflection) that any of those schools listed are going to help you in that endeavor? You know you. We only know what you've posted here.

-Skip

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If I'm understanding what you're asking, you're hoping that some school will let you take 2CK, pass it, and then give you a degree without repeating any of your coursework. That's very unlikely - most schools would actually want to see your clinical skills before putting their name behind you. Or, perhaps put another way, any school that would just enroll you, let you take Step 2 CK, pass it, and give you a degree -- that the definition of a scam to me.

Also, schools are measured on their step pass rates, so many schools won't be interested in someone who is high risk to fail. And those that are fall into the scam column.

Another question to consider is whether these non-clinical jobs you're thinking about require a medical license. You will have great difficulty getting one.

I certainly understand your frustration -- you seem really close to the end zone. You have set some realistic limits -- i.e. you're not thinking of trying to get a residency. But as already mentioned, it's hard to understand how any of these other schools will help improve your performance so you can pass S2.