Any AUA (Antigua) current students out there?

[CanadianHope]

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Hello - I recently attended an information session on the AUA Veterinary Medicine program and would love to hear from anyone in the program now. I would particularly like to know whether there are any Canadians in the class who are planning to work in Canada when they complete their DVM whether it's from Virginia Tech or AUA. I've also heard rumours of other accredited school possibly participating in the AUA program. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CanadianHope]

So it looks like I may not get any replies here! I'd just generally like to know how the program is going and current students are happy with their choice.

 

[wuje1]

Have you tried to apply to SGU SVM's?

 

[deleted387118]

I don't know much of anything about AUA, but when I interviewed at VT they told us they only take students from AUA if they have drop outs from their own school. So if you decide on AUA it shouldn't be because you expect to go to Tech.

Good Luck!

 

[CanadianHope]

I will be finishing up my undergrad degree this week, actually. All going well I will graduate officially in June. I plan to apply to SGU but was just curious about AUA as well - my chances for admission may be better because the program is so "new" - but there are downsides to that obviously. If I apply to AUA I wouldn't count on the VT transfer. I would expect to graduate from AUA and then do the required exams to practice in North America. The admissions people do say, however, that other schools are positioned to come on board with their transfer program. I'll be curious to know which schools. As it stands now, AUA offers only 5 semesters in Antigua. The other 2 semesters traditionally done at Caribbean schools have to be done as a "visiting student" in the USA. They say they guarantee a placement, but one would still graduate from AUA, not the visiting school.

 

[jmo1012]

Don't know of anyone who is in the program or even applying. I chose not to mainly because the program is so new. Some of the third year students at VMRCVM expressed how unhappy they were when they learned the school was accepting AUA transfers (they were displeased with the lack of hands on they already had and didnt really want additional new students coming in).

My other concern was that, unlike Ross and SGU, they don't have any established competency in the vet world because they're so new. I didn't want to be looked sown on because people were questioning the strength of the program (although i think they're proving themselves by having partnerships with VMRCVM and an Aussie school and others pending).

The small class size was appealing as was being able to have pets in on campus housing. Everyone I've spoken to in admissions there has been really nice and very helpful.

 

[CanadianHope]

I totally understand everyone's concerns about the "newness" of the program. I wonder, however, what really is the difference between graduating from AUA or, say, St. Matthews, neither of which is accredited or is likely to be anytime in the near future. If you pass the necessary qualifying exams, either in the US or Canada, is there really a stigma attached to the degree if it is actually a DVM? Anyways, I would still love to hear from someone in the AUA veterinary school, just to know their thoughts.

 

[jmo1012]

I totally understand everyone's concerns about the "newness" of the program. I wonder, however, what really is the difference between graduating from AUA or, say, St. Matthews, neither of which is accredited or is likely to be anytime in the near future. If you pass the necessary qualifying exams, either in the US or Canada, is there really a stigma attached to the degree if it is actually a DVM? Anyways, I would still love to hear from someone in the AUA veterinary school, just to know their thoughts.

I think the stigma attached to St Matthew's and AUA are the same (at least from what I've heard from clinicians).

I'd love to hear what people think of the program too (either really)