Anyone heard of Sint Eustatius?

[Sage75]

I have been looking into carribean schools and have applied to SGU and St. Matthew's. I received an email from a friend about Sint Eustatius and it looks like a nice island, but I was wondering if anyone had any constructive criticism about the school itself? I would like to hear positive along with the negative.

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[billydoc]

I have been looking into carribean schools and have applied to SGU and St. Matthew's. I received an email from a friend about Sint Eustatius and it looks like a nice island, but I was wondering if anyone had any constructive criticism about the school itself? I would like to hear positive along with the negative.

Try this forum http://www.valuemd.com/st-eustatius-medical-school/
I've heard they have some really nice clinicals, but i'm not at that school. I think the biggest drawback is there is no NY and Cali approval, which will prevent you from being licensed in some States. Also Statia is rather underdeveloped, but from what I hear livable.But there is no comparison among those 3. SGU is by far best known among all the carib schools, it is also the most expensive one. SMU is on the great island (Grand Cayman), but is also known for it's disapproval by the Cali medical board. St Eust is probably the youngest among those, but has some graduates, moderately priced, but again lacks State approvals. It's your call at the end. One thing is for sure, no matter where you go (among those 3) you will be regarded as an IMG, but also you'll get a chance to be a doc.

Best of Luck

 

[Sage75]

Is being regarded as IMG a bad thing? Also, I read on it's website that it's approved in 30 states.

If anyone knows someone or has first hand knowledge of the school I would appreciate it.

 

[oldpro]

Is being regarded as IMG a bad thing? Also, I read on it's website that it's approved in 30 states.

If anyone knows someone or has first hand knowledge of the school I would appreciate it.

YES its bad when there are many schools you can get approved in 45 to 48 states then the Big 4 that are all 50 states

why go to a school that will keep you out of practicing in half of the USA, the rest of your life............................................

 

[billydoc]

Is being regarded as IMG a bad thing? Also, I read on it's website that it's approved in 30 states.

If anyone knows someone or has first hand knowledge of the school I would appreciate it.

Let's put it this way....being an IMG is a lot worse than being an American / Canadian grad. I didn't read St.Eust website, but you may be reading it wrong. I think they have clinical rotations in 30 States. The only States you won't be able to practice are Cali, and those that use Cali guidelines, also Kansas b/c of 15 years rule. TX is on case by case basis.

 

[dr aaron]

just pick a school that fits your needs,,(i.e. what state do you want to practice in, finances etc.) if you work hard you will be fine, dont listen to the constant whining and worrying of people on this board who either didnt have what it takes or who simply get off on bashing others...good luck

 

[McGillGrad]

just pick a school that fits your needs,,(i.e. what state do you want to practice in, finances etc.) if you work hard you will be fine, dont listen to the constant whining and worrying of people on this board who either didnt have what it takes or who simply get off on bashing others...good luck

Bad advice. It is like telling some to buy a car without reverse if you only plan on going forward. The problem is that sometimes you have to reverse and you cannot know that ahead of time.

So, telling someone to go to a school with less than 50 state approval (without trying to get into them first) is bad advice because you do not know what state you will end up in later in life.

Unless, of course, you are 100% sure or are old like oldpro...lol

 

[spartanwarrior]

Bad advice. It is like telling some to buy a car without reverse if you only plan on going forward. The problem is that sometimes you have to reverse and you cannot know that ahead of time.

So, telling someone to go to a school with less than 50 state approval (without trying to get into them first) is bad advice because you do not know what state you will end up in later in life.

Unless, of course, you are 100% sure or are old like oldpro...lol

Interesting coming from a guy that feeds off insulting those who are not here for games and name calling but for medical school

 

[spartanwarrior]

just pick a school that fits your needs,,(i.e. what state do you want to practice in, finances etc.) if you work hard you will be fine, dont listen to the constant whining and worrying of people on this board who either didnt have what it takes or who simply get off on bashing others...good luck

The important thing is to get through med school. Everyone makes their own decisions and has to live with them. All we can do on this forum is give sound advice without belitting those who have made certain choices and give them all the encouragment in the world. Period!

 

[McGillGrad]

Interesting coming from a guy that feeds off insulting those who are not here for games and name calling but for medical school

Says the man on probationary status for breaking the rules...lol

Ironic, don't you think? (...no need to answer because this is a rhetorical question...)

 

[Sage75]

Thanks...I guess, for those intriguing pieces of advice. Now, seriously... does anyone know anything about the school and island. It supposedly has the lowest crime rate in the Caribbean.

 

[spartanwarrior]

Says the man on probationary status for breaking the rules...lol

Ironic, don't you think? (...no need to answer because this is a rhetorical question...)[/quote

 

[billydoc]

Thanks...I guess, for those intriguing pieces of advice. Now, seriously... does anyone know anything about the school and island. It supposedly has the lowest crime rate in the Caribbean.

Did you check valueMD? I don't go to that school, but when I gave you the link (above), I briefly saw a post by the guy who just visited the school and the island. I doubted that you'll get more milage on that school out of SDN. Unless you really want your thread completely hi-jacked....lol

 

[Top Gun]

Did you check valueMD? I don't go to that school, but when I gave you the link (above), I briefly saw a post by the guy who just visited the school and the island. I doubted that you'll get more milage on that school out of SDN. Unless you really want your thread completely hi-jacked....lol

I actually saw the survey results on value MD. Generally, the school got positive reviews. Not bad for a relatively new school.

 

[dr aaron]

Bad advice. It is like telling some to buy a car without reverse if you only plan on going forward. The problem is that sometimes you have to reverse and you cannot know that ahead of time.

So, telling someone to go to a school with less than 50 state approval (without trying to get into them first) is bad advice because you do not know what state you will end up in later in life.

Unless, of course, you are 100% sure or are old like oldpro...lol

it must be so hard for you living on saba with nothing to do but come on this forum once every 15 minutes and try to act like some sort of expert...lol it is quite sad, oh but wait you could possibly practice in california(yeah right) one day so that is worth putting up with that type of life,,,,good luck to you in surviving that crap hole island

 

[McGillGrad]

Saba, eh?

Try again...lol

The problem with assumptions is that...well you know the rest

If that is all you can come back with, then I feel sorry for you. Even if I were on Saba, it would only be for two years. That is barely a blink of an eye in a lifetime. If you are trying to console yourself by justifying your choice by living on a nice island for 2 years, then it is true that self-deception is the most powerful type of deception.

it must be so hard for you living on saba with nothing to do but come on this forum once every 15 minutes and try to act like some sort of expert...lol it is quite sad, oh but wait you could possibly practice in california(yeah right) one day so that is worth putting up with that type of life,,,,good luck to you in surviving that crap hole island

 

[SabaMed]

it must be so hard for you living on saba with nothing to do but come on this forum once every 15 minutes and try to act like some sort of expert...lol it is quite sad, oh but wait you could possibly practice in california(yeah right) one day so that is worth putting up with that type of life,,,,good luck to you in surviving that crap hole island

Don't be insulting an island which you have never visited.

 

[oldpro]

Don't be insulting an island which you have never visited.

Could McGill and you survive on the island together? WOW reality TV on SABA.........................It would make a good show LOL

( I know MCGill does not attend SABA, If I told you where he is I'd have to Kill Ya)

 

[spartanwarrior]

Could McGill and you survive on the island together? WOW reality TV on SABA.........................It would make a good show LOL

( I know MCGill does not attend SABA, If I told you where he is I'd have to Kill Ya)

Simple, it's easy to explain why McGillGrad and others going to Caribbean Schools have this tension; they have to be better than 99% of the US grads to do well, so they have to be serious about what they are doing and not take anything for granted. Give McGillGrad a break, he's a driven dude who knows that despite whatever happened before med school, being an MD is the only thing that matters once you land a good residency and establish yourself in the medical profession with time!! Period.

 

[Sage75]

thanks billydoc for the info. I took your advise and checked out valuemed forum. I found out a lot of info, you were right.

 

[Sage75]

oh, and thank you to everyone who gave me sound advise

 

[McGillGrad]

thanks billydoc for the info. I took your advise and checked out valuemed forum. I found out a lot of info, you were right.

Advice, not advise.

 

[billydoc]

thanks billydoc for the info. I took your advise and checked out valuemed forum. I found out a lot of info, you were right.

Yeap, honestly, so far from what I've heard it's not a bad school at all. Just be aware of it's limitations for the permanent licensing. I was doing some search as well, and found one guy who was a transfer from AUC to their clinicals. He landed PM&R residency (that's something I really want due to my previous training, experience, and life interests), and seems quite happy about the whole thing. I don't know all the detailes, but the fact of "transfering down" vs "up" from the school with all of the approvals to the one with no approvals didn't seem to get in the way. Really, it's what you make of it. It's all subjective in nature, except for the licensing issues.

Best of luck in what ever you will decide

 

[GoSouthernGo]

I attended the Old Premeds conference in Chicago earlier this month and Sint Eustatius had a booth with THE most annoying representative I've ever met from a med school.

I was browsing other booths and approached by this rep. and badgered because I'm not applying to Caribbean schools. I have a business and a husband that cannot be easily uprooted to a 10 mile squared island in the Caribbean. Apparently, according to this rep from Sint Eustatius, I'm not serious about becoming a physician because I'm not considering their school.

When I got home and looked at their website, they list that they are a WHO-approved school, but I saw nothing about being an accredited school for the US. Maybe someone else can clear this up, but honestly, I would not send my dog to Sint Eustatius after my experience with their rep.

If I were considering the Caribbean, I've heard good things about Ross.

 

[silas2642]

I have been looking into carribean schools and have applied to SGU and St. Matthew's. I received an email from a friend about Sint Eustatius and it looks like a nice island, but I was wondering if anyone had any constructive criticism about the school itself? I would like to hear positive along with the negative.

I would be very wary of St. Eustatius, and would probably think twice about St. Matthew's as well. If you're going to go Caribbean, try to stay with the big four if you can help it, if not, then consider the others. The big 4 (SGU, Ross, AUC, SABA) are generally better regarded by residency directors and it will make it easier for you to match. I believe that with all four of these schools you will be able to practice in all fifty states, so that's kind of a big plus too-- no restrictions.

Graduating from a Caribbean school does make you an IMG or an FMG, I can't remember which. Either way, it does put you at a disadvantage come match time. Having an MD from a Caribbean school is going to make it far more difficult for you to match into specialties such as derm, optho, rads, ortho, etc., and it is going to make it more difficult to match into competitive programs. This is why it's important for you to take every advantage you possibly can, including going to the more reputable Caribbean schools. You also need to make sure that once you are there, that you study hard, do well on your boards, and do well on your clinicals and externships. Good luck with your decision.

By the way, what were your mcat scores and gpa? Are you sure that reapplying to US allopathic/osteopathic schools aren't an option for you?

 

[oldpro]

I attended the Old Premeds conference in Chicago earlier this month and Sint Eustatius had a booth with THE most annoying representative I've ever met from a med school.

I was browsing other booths and approached by this rep. and badgered because I'm not applying to Caribbean schools. I have a business and a husband that cannot be easily uprooted to a 10 mile squared island in the Caribbean. Apparently, according to this rep from Sint Eustatius, I'm not serious about becoming a physician because I'm not considering their school.

When I got home and looked at their website, they list that they are a WHO-approved school, but I saw nothing about being an accredited school for the US. Maybe someone else can clear this up, but honestly, I would not send my dog to Sint Eustatius after my experience with their rep.

If I were considering the Caribbean, I've heard good things about Ross.

no caribbean school is accredited for the US, the WHO and IMED are it,

There is California, FL and NY approvals, the Big 4 have those.

There is a body called the ACCM from europe not US that accredits some schools like Mine, SMU, MUA and the big 4.

The only schools that have LCME in the Caribbean are in PR.

 

[BSRADSCI]

Check for the track record of residencies placements, that should generally give you a good enough idea of how the school is doing and also the state you want to practice in. Make sure the school in accepted by the state medical board.

 

[oldpro]

Check for the track record of residencies placements, that should generally give you a good enough idea of how the school is doing and also the state you want to practice in. Make sure the school in accepted by the state medical board.

ALways this is the best advice!

But remember some state boards when called give a wrong answer and even misunderstand what the actual board approves, since the ones giving you the answers in 99% of the cases are the highschool grad secretary, in this trust no one and know the laws and rules and what hoops if any to jump through.

 

[NewHope]

Check for the track record of residencies placements, that should generally give you a good enough idea of how the school is doing and also the state you want to practice in. Make sure the school in accepted by the state medical board.

So I googled "medical residents Sint Eustatius school of medicine" and was really pleasently surprised by how many relavent info turned up. For a school that was chartered in 1999 it's really good. Oldpro, I don't want to take a cheap shot at you, so pleeeeaaaaaase don't take it personally....But St. James was chartered in the beginning of 2000 almost at the same time with St. Eust. But I could barely come up with 4-5 names on a simple google search. I know google doesn't necessarily links to everything, but c'mon now....just compare the numbers. So if the OP wants to go to St. Eust knowing the limitations I'd say go for it. You're going to work hard no matter where you go.

Good Luck.

 

[oldpro]

So I googled "medical residents Sint Eustatius school of medicine" and was really pleasently surprised by how many relavent info turned up. For a school that was chartered in 1999 it's really good. Oldpro, I don't want to take a cheap shot at you, so pleeeeaaaaaase don't take it personally....But St. James was chartered in the beginning of 2000 almost at the same time with St. Eust. But I could barely come up with 4-5 names on a simple google search. I know google doesn't necessarily links to everything, but c'mon now....just compare the numbers. So if the OP wants to go to St. Eust knowing the limitations I'd say go for it. You're going to work hard no matter where you go.

Good Luck.

Add 4 more Docs to the list here in GA, I have met them and the Graduated from SJSM, many of these small Hospitals do not list residents on the web as do other hospitals around the country in small towns, the world is not always on the web.

Im not offended but do like some hard facts time to time.
I know you do not like SJSM as much as I do not like other schools due to my own bias but you will learn as you get through medical school that it matters little where you go and graduate from only that you pass the steps and practice.

 

[BSRADSCI]

OLD PRO may I ask you which med school are you in if you don't mind.
Many thanks.

 

[oldpro]

OLD PRO may I ask you which med school are you in if you don't mind.
Many thanks.

The lovely low budget (Super low budget, we are talking the lowest of all the schools, which means you get what you pay for LOL) St. James, Boniare

Has cadavers
Has old run down buildings for the classrooms ( air works)
Has PHD and MD professors most are Indian ( nothing wrong per my feeling but some seem to have a fit over that)

Has WHO and ECMFG
ACCM came to review for accreditation ( Have no Idea of the outcome as of today?)

Now the school does not have
Approvals by
California so no License there
NY, FL, TX so no core clinicals in those states but License is possible ( I know you can apply for one without this approval in fact one of the Grads from SJSM has a NY License )

Would I go there again? If I could have gotten into one of the big four AUC,SGU,ROSS or SABA no I would not have, compared to the others like MUA and AUA, maybe gone to MUA instead but the others? No don't care because as far as I care I will get to the same place I'm going.

at this point I think practice is the goal and any one should pick a school they will do well.

SJSM is not in the class of the big four by a long shot!

 

[Meatwad]

Man, a hell of a lot of Statia grads end up in Sleezy-ana

There's 4 of 'em at this LSU hospital in IM alone:

http://www.sh.lsuhsc.edu/internal_medicine/residents.htm

Strange; this Statia Med grad apparently left their undergrad school in Nova Scotia and finished some sort of bastardization of a BS/MD program at Statia:

http://www.mgh.org/residenc/resident.html

^ I almost had a heart attack when I saw MGH on the google results page; I thought they meant Massachusetts General!

Another IM and an exotic Med/Peds:

http://www.goodsamim.com/resprog/internalmedicine/residents.htm

More IM... are we seeing a trend here?

http://www.mountcarmelhealth.com/641.cfm

Here's a rare bird (birds, in this case): two OB/GYN's!

http://www.siumed.edu/ob/resident.html

A Family Med:

http://www.utmem.edu/sffammedresidency/Residents.html

One in Pathology:

http://www.pathology.iupui.edu/Education/current_residents.htm

One matched into gas:

http://text.usg.edu:8080/tt/www.mcg.edu/som/anes/residency/current2007.htm

... and I'm spent.

I'll be honest, I'm somewhat surprised and, dare I say, a bit impressed with the amount of hits I've gotten for scouring around for Statia residents. Overwhelmingly majority are in primary care (could have guessed that, ha..) but surprising nonetheless.

 

[nvrsumr]

I graduated from St. E, did my medicine internship at a university program, completed an excellent PMR residency, currently in what is considered a prestigious pain medicine fellowship, have had limited licenses in VA and MI and have a full license in OH and MA.

Make your own luck and you will succeed.

 

[Meatwad]

I graduated from St. E, did my medicine internship at a university program, completed an excellent PMR residency, currently in what is considered a prestigious pain medicine fellowship, have had limited licenses in VA and MI and have a full license in OH and MA.

Make your own luck and you will succeed.

Nice job landing pain from PM&R; should be raking in the big bucks in no time.

 

[BSRADSCI]

That's a great attitude to have man, Going to a not very famous school is not going to make you a good or a bad doc. It's all dependent on the student's personal hardwork while in med school.

Peace.

 

[BSRADSCI]

So how hard it is to get into saba or mua with no mcats?
How important is the bachelor's degree in order to get into med school in caribbean.

OLDPRO bro why you do you like MUA. Is really a good school they still don't have a CALI license. Excellent matching list no doubt.


Thanks.

 

[Meatwad]

Saba is considered a good Caribbean school these days, so I'm sure without an MCAT, you're going to need a strong GPA. Someone with a 4.0 can most likely persuade the school to accept them without a score. Someone with a 3.2, however, is not going to get in without it (barring some extraordinary circumstances and being related to the dean).

MUA shouldn't be hard to get into without an MCAT score. MUA's matchlist impressive? I guess I'm a little harder to please.

 

[oldpro]

So how hard it is to get into saba or mua with no mcats?
How important is the bachelor's degree in order to get into med school in caribbean.

OLDPRO bro why you do you like MUA. Is really a good school they still don't have a CALI license. Excellent matching list no doubt.


Thanks.

MUA is owned/Run by the owners of SABA, Having Cali means little from what I know, Cali is on my SH_T list because they are messed up when it comes to medical schools they approve some schools that are almost Diploma mills in other countries but because a school is in the Caribbean it needs to be reviewed personally by them, they do not go to every school around the world but they do to the Caribbean ( DO I hear Vacation? Free dinners ect ?)

MUA has a solid record thus far too.

SABA chance of getting in without MCAT just about 0
MUA Fair chance.


Lets put it this way, If Arkansas had a list of approvals would this then make a school not on the list a bad school? Or just make Arkansas stupid? I believe Stupid!
Anyone who passes the steps and gets through a residency is now just as competent as the other grad who did the same in the same residency. Same training and same in the end (May not be equal for other reasons) But the point is a MD is an MD the lousy ones will always get through at times the system is not perfect but some great awesome Docs are kept form Cali for stupid reasons, its not an intelligent way to do this, let the tests and Residency weed out the worst as it does now.


(SOrry if I make sense, the world does not, not for a long time)

 

[Meatwad]

I agree with you, OldPro, that I'd never want to practice in California. However, I wouldn't want to limit myself from the copious residency positions available there for post-graduate education. That's the only reason I'd choose a Cali-approved school. Their approvals are at times questionable, but we all play the game and don't draw up the rules.

 

[AlleghenyPOD]

I was actually admitted to Eustatius, Spartan, MUA, Saint James and awaiting replies from SGU, Ross and SMU. However, ive talked to several USE students and clinical students, and all said pretty good things about USE. They enjoy a high residency match list as well as a variance in residencies; there are many going into surgery, ER, IM, Psych, Neuro etc. The school is in a small island, which is rather conducive for learning, and students enjoy a high success rate on their USMLEs; and the attrition rate isnt as high as compared to other Caribbean allopathic schools.

Right now, USESOM is my top choice.

 

[Inkabellous]

My friend who has had the phone interview told me that they are trying to set up an agreement with some med school in the midwest to have their students complete parts of the 2nd year there. I'm not sure how reliable this info is. My friend said that the interviewer told him this during the interview. That would be kind of nice...

 

[McGillGrad]

My friend who has had the phone interview told me that they are trying to set up an agreement with some med school in the midwest to have their students complete parts of the 2nd year there. I'm not sure how reliable this info is. My friend said that the interviewer told him this during the interview. That would be kind of nice...

Not legal to do that.

 

[billydoc]

My friend who has had the phone interview told me that they are trying to set up an agreement with some med school in the midwest to have their students complete parts of the 2nd year there. I'm not sure how reliable this info is. My friend said that the interviewer told him this during the interview. That would be kind of nice...

Though I don't claim to know it for sure, I just don't think it's true, b/c they've just purchased huge chunk of land on Statia to build the new campus. That would kind of be defeating the purpose? But on the on the hand SMU ran 4rd and 5th semester on their "campus" in South Portland, ME. They had an agreement with St. Joseph College of Maine for students to be enrolled in MHSA (?) (sounds almost like MRSA lol) program. They've done away with it now probably to avoid potential licensing problems in the future, and probably b/c the degree from St. Joe's looked like a padding (which came with MD from Carib school). I believe that basic science may only be completed in the country which granted the charter. The only exceptions that I know of is the aftermath of hurricane Ivan. SMU campus on GC was nearly flattened, and since they had a little place in Maine, which btw was approve by ME ed dept, they were able to relocate for the Fall of 2004 and January 2005 there. I believe Grenada was hit pretty hard by the same hurricane and the've held temprorary classes at some of NYCOM facilities, and were able to use their anatomy lab. And, of course, SGU is approved by NYSED.

Hope it helps

 

[AlleghenyPOD]

My friend who has had the phone interview told me that they are trying to set up an agreement with some med school in the midwest to have their students complete parts of the 2nd year there. I'm not sure how reliable this info is. My friend said that the interviewer told him this during the interview. That would be kind of nice...

Actually they do. There is an option in which USESOM students study in Lincoln University. Clinical rotations for USESOM students are rather varied; there are alot of green-schools for us, and I know three students personally who are doing clinic rotations close to their hometowns. I'm definately thrilled.

USESOM is really a great school.

 

[Meatwad]

If any of your basic science courses are done on US soil, it's quite the opposite of ; it will most likely void your degree in many states. Any Caribbean school advertising any didactic learning, aside from a Kaplan review course or an intro to clinicals on US soil, is one I'd stay far away from.

 

[AlleghenyPOD]

Thanks for the input, sir, it was just an option that USESOM provides for its students. Which I thought was rather interesting. Again, its optional, and id have to check out if it would void practice ability.

Thanks for the input tho.

Peace

 

[JoeNamaMD]

Try this forum http://www.valuemd.com/st-eustatius-medical-school/
I've heard they have some really nice clinicals, but i'm not at that school. I think the biggest drawback is there is no NY and Cali approval, which will prevent you from being licensed in some States. Also Statia is rather underdeveloped, but from what I hear livable.But there is no comparison among those 3. SGU is by far best known among all the carib schools, it is also the most expensive one. SMU is on the great island (Grand Cayman), but is also known for it's disapproval by the Cali medical board. St Eust is probably the youngest among those, but has some graduates, moderately priced, but again lacks State approvals. It's your call at the end. One thing is for sure, no matter where you go (among those 3) you will be regarded as an IMG, but also you'll get a chance to be a doc.

Best of Luck

SGU is the best school overall, if you want to be able to work in all 50 US States. I think the best school for those who want to work in California would be UAG, for some rather obvious demographic reasons. SGU is always labeled as the most expensive, but this is misleading, a lot of people in more developed islands like St. Maarten and Cayman will pay a lot more in living costs.

 

[Meatwad]

Thanks for the input, sir, it was just an option that USESOM provides for its students. Which I thought was rather interesting. Again, its optional, and id have to check out if it would void practice ability.

Thanks for the input tho.

Peace

No problem... definitely make sure you complete all your didactic learning on the island where your school is chartered. Rules like this are in place so you can't go to an online medical school (although that doesn't stop some members...), where learning is not done in the country of charter, and still get a license here.

 

[AlleghenyPOD]

No problem... definitely make sure you complete all your didactic learning on the island where your school is chartered. Rules like this are in place so you can't go to an online medical school (although that doesn't stop some members...), where learning is not done in the country of charter, and still get a license here.

Thanks for the input man. So what year are you in med school? Hows everything going in your neck of the woods?

Вы от России? Что часть?

Hey, вы знаете JonamaMD будет? Он будет такой тупоумной ВАНТОЙ. Вероятно одна из тех вант никогда не получали в школы США или любые школы caribbean. Уныло.