Article for prospective students

[mahmad44]

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I wrote this article for prospective Caribbean medical Students

http://educationahmadiyya.us/post/44083327291

if you have any advice or suggested changes or additions or things I missed, please let me know. and any feedback is greatly appreciated

 

[113]

I wrote this article for prospective Caribbean medical Students

http://educationahmadiyya.us/post/44083327291

if you have any advice or suggested changes or additions or things I missed, please let me know. and any feedback is greatly appreciated

👍
Nice post. I was only able to skim it, but it looks like you put a lot of work into this article.

 

[mahmad44]

Thank you! really appreciate the feedback. People need to know this stuff

 

[DocBlin]

Nicely researched article. Full of great information. Especially the difficulties in obtaining a residency position and full state licensure. Though there are success stories from many of the CMSchools it is a very long and difficult course.

 

[mahmad44]

Thank you DocBlin. I certainly hope to be one of those success stories despite not going to one of the better Carribbean Schools. I just completed step 1....found out I matched!! Now the hard part begins

 

[jackets5]

Good article. From a caribbean student who just matched yesterday wanted to make a point. The biggest problem are the students themselves and their inability to honestly evaluate their abilities.

Looking at the stats you posted USIMG's have around a 50% match rate. If you look at the board pass rates only 73% pass step 1 first time, 78% step 2ck first time and 83% CS first time. That's a big portion of applicants who have pretty much eliminated any chance of matching by failing a part of the step, probably close to 35-40% of applicants. Then you have the people who pass but with very low scores. I would love to see real numbers of students who passed all exams first attempt with average scores ~220 step1, ~230 step 2. I pretty sure those match statistics are much higher than 50%.

Problem is so many people who did crappy in college, crappy on the MCAT just say "I'm going to work really hard etc......" probably not. That is not the schools fault, it's not the schools job to babysit adults and stop them from making a bad decision. If it wasn't for the people who can't be honest with themselves and flunk out after 2 or 3 semesters or can't pass step 1 Caribbean schools would close and plenty of people including myself never would've become Doctors.

 

[Kobebucsfan]

Thank you DocBlin. I certainly hope to be one of those success stories despite not going to one of the better Carribbean Schools. I just completed step 1....found out I matched!! Now the hard part begins

What is your opinion about AUA Antigua ??

 

[mahmad44]

Good article. From a caribbean student who just matched yesterday wanted to make a point. The biggest problem are the students themselves and their inability to honestly evaluate their abilities.

Looking at the stats you posted USIMG's have around a 50% match rate. If you look at the board pass rates only 73% pass step 1 first time, 78% step 2ck first time and 83% CS first time. That's a big portion of applicants who have pretty much eliminated any chance of matching by failing a part of the step, probably close to 35-40% of applicants. Then you have the people who pass but with very low scores. I would love to see real numbers of students who passed all exams first attempt with average scores ~220 step1, ~230 step 2. I pretty sure those match statistics are much higher than 50%.

Problem is so many people who did crappy in college, crappy on the MCAT just say "I'm going to work really hard etc......" probably not. That is not the schools fault, it's not the schools job to babysit adults and stop them from making a bad decision. If it wasn't for the people who can't be honest with themselves and flunk out after 2 or 3 semesters or can't pass step 1 Caribbean schools would close and plenty of people including myself never would've become Doctors.

You are very right. I know my school had many many weaknesses but when I look back on my life, going to this school will be one of the best things that ever happen to me, for the doors that it opened up. And absolutely you are correct that statistics never tell the whole story. You are right match rates are probably higher for average scores/never failed applicants, but I know many many people who did not match despite never failing. My only point is to point out some of the information that I wish I had looked into before I enrolled. I wish there were ways to break down the stats more, but I was unable to find them, so I figured its better to post this information.

When I was researching my school, I went to a few students who had left the island. And to this day, I am astonished that these people told me the information that they told me and they encouraged me over and over to enroll, because I would give people the exact opposite advice. Because its just such a risky financial decision, that it is not worth it, in my opinion, unless you love medicine so much that you are willing to take that risk. While I made it out, I have seen so many people around me fall by the wayside.

Anyways thanks for reading it.

 

[mahmad44]

What is your opinion about AUA Antigua ??

I think even though in my article I said I would only go to AUC, St Georges, or Ross because I think those are the safest and best bets, I think it is a bit misleading. I was too lazy to sort through the rest of the schools to find the best 2nd tier schools. I think it is a reasonable and safe bet to go to any of the offshore schools that are either recognized by CAAM-HP or ACCM.

wikipedia lists the list of schools in the far right column.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_medical_schools_in_the_Caribbean

I was speaking to the VP of Operations of my school and he told he they are working desperately for recognition by those organizations because they need that certification, otherwise they will not be able to operate by the year 2022. He told me that the ECFMG put in place certain rules 2 years ago that will require the offshore schools to be recognized by one of these groups by the year 2022. These organizations require certain things like 85% step 1 pass rate, all ACGME greenbook rotations, etc. He said that he thinks that many Caribeanr medical schools will go out of business if they are unsuccessful at getting the recognition from one of these 2 organizations.

 

[jackets5]

You are very right. I know my school had many many weaknesses but when I look back on my life, going to this school will be one of the best things that ever happen to me, for the doors that it opened up. And absolutely you are correct that statistics never tell the whole story. You are right match rates are probably higher for average scores/never failed applicants, but I know many many people who did not match despite never failing. My only point is to point out some of the information that I wish I had looked into before I enrolled. I wish there were ways to break down the stats more, but I was unable to find them, so I figured its better to post this information.

When I was researching my school, I went to a few students who had left the island. And to this day, I am astonished that these people told me the information that they told me and they encouraged me over and over to enroll, because I would give people the exact opposite advice. Because its just such a risky financial decision, that it is not worth it, in my opinion, unless you love medicine so much that you are willing to take that risk. While I made it out, I have seen so many people around me fall by the wayside.
Anyways thanks for reading it.

100% agree it would be nice if schools were more upfront with their statistics. It goes for all of the, SGU, Ross etc. Though students really need to be honest with themselves.

I remember being on the island and everyone was talking about this "poor" guy who just failed his 4th or 5th class and how he was so much money in debt etc. I never felt bad because here was someone with a mid teen MCAT and a low GPA still "chasing his dream" despite every objective data point showing him he couldn't do it.

 

[Donchissy]

Now I think about it...there are more doctors coming out of medical school than residency spots available... 40,000 doctors for 28,000 spots.....but no probs, we'll get there

 

[Top Gun]

Good article. From a caribbean student who just matched yesterday wanted to make a point. The biggest problem are the students themselves and their inability to honestly evaluate their abilities.

Looking at the stats you posted USIMG's have around a 50% match rate. If you look at the board pass rates only 73% pass step 1 first time, 78% step 2ck first time and 83% CS first time. That's a big portion of applicants who have pretty much eliminated any chance of matching by failing a part of the step, probably close to 35-40% of applicants. Then you have the people who pass but with very low scores. I would love to see real numbers of students who passed all exams first attempt with average scores ~220 step1, ~230 step 2. I pretty sure those match statistics are much higher than 50%.

Problem is so many people who did crappy in college, crappy on the MCAT just say "I'm going to work really hard etc......" probably not. That is not the schools fault, it's not the schools job to babysit adults and stop them from making a bad decision. If it wasn't for the people who can't be honest with themselves and flunk out after 2 or 3 semesters or can't pass step 1 Caribbean schools would close and plenty of people including myself never would've become Doctors.

Very true. Its up to the students to make the most of the education offered by the schools. Those who study hard, pass the boards on first attempt with respectable scores will match. Caribbean schools give students who couldn't get into US schools a chance to prove themselves. The onus is on the students to do so.

 

[futuredoc2389]

Excellent review OP! I read the entire thing! I do however have a question... Would you say that in the coming years it will be near impossible to secure a low-tier residency position? I am considering AUC due to a low sGPA. The article definitely got me thinking and second guessing my choices.

 

[DocBlin]

If one looks at the US IMG match results for the last 3 years you will see that approx. 50% match from Caribbean Medical Schools. Will this continue? in the face of increasing US medical seniors in coming to the future matches. Best advise as always, try to get into US MD schools, next DO schools, finally Caribbean schools as last choice. The "big 4 or 5" are always your best option in that category. But second tier schools like MUA, St Matts, etc. can have successes. But understand the risk of spending or borrowing approx. $250,000+++ and never ever being able to practice medicine is a real and present danger. Just ask those other 50%ers who did not match!

 

[mahmad44]

IMG Performance in the 2013 Match: From the ECFMG reporter

For the eleventh consecutive year, the number of first-year (PGY-1) residency positions offered through the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) Main Residency Match® increased. A total of 26,392 first-year positions were offered in the 2013 Match. This represents an increase of 2,358 positions compared to last year and an increase of nearly 5,800 positions since 2002.

The number of IMGs who matched to first-year positions increased by 1,425 compared to 2012. Of the 12,683 IMGs who participated in the 2013 Match, 6,311 (49.8%) matched. In the 2012 Match, 4,886 (43.9%) IMGs were matched to first-year positions. (These data include a small number of Fifth Pathway applicants who participated in the 2013 and 2012 Matches.)

Of the 7,568 IMG participants who were not U.S. citizens, 3,601 (47.6%) obtained first-year positions. The number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs who obtained positions in 2013 increased for the second year in a row, this year by 826.

Of the 5,095 U.S. citizen IMG participants, 2,706 (53.1%) were matched to first-year positions, an increase of 604 over last year. This is the tenth consecutive year that there has been an increase in the number of U.S. citizen IMGs matching to first-year positions.

The total number of IMGs who will fill PGY-1 positions for the 2013-2014 academic year may be higher than the number obtaining positions through the 2013 Match. Although the majority of PGY-1 positions in the United States are filled through the Match, in past years a significant number of IMG applicants obtained positions outside of the Match. For example, while 4,626 IMGs obtained PGY-1 positions through the 2011 Match, 6,754 IMGs entered PGY-1 for the 2011-2012 academic year.

For the 2013 Match, the NRMP introduced an "All-In" policy. This policy requires that, to participate in the Match, programs must register and attempt to fill all of their residency positions through the Main Residency Match, or through another national matching plan. Programs must place all positions in the Match or no positions in the Match. This policy is a factor in the higher numbers, compared to last year, of both positions offered through the 2013 Match (up 2,358 or 9.8%) and the number of IMGs participating in the 2013 Match (up 1,549 or 13.9%). It also, presumably, reduced the number of positions available outside of the 2013 Match. For more on the NRMP's new All-In policy, visit the NRMP website and Ask the Experts: The NRMP's New "All-In" Policy, a resource of the ECFMG Certificate Holders Office (ECHO).