Chris,
Dr. Taylor was refering to IUHS PBL program, and his impression of the program was from a cousin who is attending it. He doesn't have any experience with the program's graduates because there aren't any yet! He also inquired about the DLP program, so obviously he doesn't know anything about it.
I think PBL is a great way to learn medicine but there is an enormous difference between a PBL program and the DPL that we are discussing here. My concern is that, to begin with, you are going to be hard pressed to find any "green book" hospital that will allow you to do your 3rd and 4th year rotations there once they realize that you did your first 2 years of med school via correspondence. As it is, it is not always easy for students from off shore schools to find rotations sites. Consider also that there are plenty of IMGs who actually attended medical school in their country of origin, got pretty decent scores on their USMLE 1 and 2 and are on the internet begging for leads on residency programs. I truly believe that you are going to be at an even greater disadvantage than they are by getting your medical education through this program.
Do I have concrete evidence that this is a scam or that you will not get your license?! No, I don't. If I did, so would the ACGME, AMA and state Medical Boards and this thing would go the way the Ross Wyoming venture did...Do I think this is an attempt by IUHS to circumvent current US regulations pertaining to medical eduction?! Yes, most definitely. Their DLP is in fact "attending" a foreign medical school on US soil. IUHS is trying to sneak by based on technicalities, as Ross tried and as St. Matthews is trying. I am positively convinced that "the powers that be" here in the US are looking into the matter and, when they are done, a lot of good people will be left with tons of debt and no degree.
I haven't seen posted anywhere, oficially by IUHS or by any of their current students, a list of their rotation sites in the US. Yet, they should have students from their first class doing rotations right now. So, why is this list such a big mistery??? Wouldn't it stand to reason that, if the school was able to secure "green book" rotation sites for their students, they would let others know, as a way to attract more serious students into their program?!
Furthermore, I think the analogy between some universities granting graduate degrees via distance courses and IUHS DLP doesn't hold water. Often, people need a degree just to advance in their work position, a pro-forma thing, if you will. It isn't necessarely that they will be using the skill gained through the aquisition of that degree. Promotions in the military above certain ranks work that way. You must have a degree, nobody cares if it is in physics or horticulture. The same holds true for certain gov't jobs. For these people, long distance degrees are the way to go. You find the same in nursing, where LPNs can get a BSN through correspondence courses and a few on campus stays. That is because the degree is really not adding much to what they already do.
The first 2 years of medical school are NOT just a prep course to pass the USMLE 1. If they were then, sure, a correspondence course would suffice. As one of my professors said: "you are here so that we can mold you into physicians". Medical school goes beyond the simple memorization of facts. It is a socializing experience and an intensive training in aquiring a certain manner of approaching problem solving. It teaches you how to act and think during a medical exchange of ideas, how to relate to your colleagues. It is also an attempt, sometimes not so successfull, at screening those who have the intellectual ability for medicine but not the psychological/psychiatric balance for it (example, dear Dr. Swango). I can't begin to imagine how a long distance course can accomplish these objectives.
Having said all that, I would also like to ask you a question:
Why aren't you considering a US medical school, MD or DO?
