Carribean is my only hope..... but do i have a chance?

[iamjoe123]

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[RaaMD]

There's always a chance. Of course, more of a chance with the Carribean schools. Don't listen to the neysayers. Do what you can to improve your undergraduate GPA and improve your MCAT scores. Your going to need to to give yourself the best odds. It seems your extracurriculars are phenomenal.

 

[iamjoe123]

thanks for your lifting words! 🙂

again, i'm not here for words of encouragement, but more like real opinions of what u guys think my current chances are.

i have a lot of community service, but will it help dramatically?

also, would it hurt me in anyway if i applied now and get rejected and then reapply in the spring? vs. to just waiting til spring.

 

[bluenumber6]

2.5?? lol, u're not going to med school with that u dummy.

lol, 95 views and only 2 replies.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

i would be the least qualified to any med school. 2.5+gpa and ~20 mcat score (just recently took it), but with lots of various volunteer activities. i would like to know if i have a fighting chance to get into Ross or SGU. (those are the only 2 i know of the "Top 4" 😳 )

i dicked around my first 2 years of college and my gpa reflects it. but the past year, i straightened out my grades and my act. along the way, started an online business that made enough to pay for med school in full and pay for a new house for the family. so finances are great. but now, already in my senior year w/ bio major, getting into a US med school isn't going to happen for me.

instead of studying for school, i wasted brain space on learning engine dynamics/tuning and built race cars as a hobby. but i still always had a strong passion in the medical field and pediatry, and continued to volunteer at Texas Children's Hospital. and after studying for mcat, i actually realized that med school is for me. (i know....lol) the body works pretty much the same way as a motor, and carry the same challenges when trying to pinpoint and diagnose problems. i've accomplished some feats that many did not believe i, nor anyone, could do, and i'd like to be able to do the same in the medical field.

hopefully by the time i graduate, my gpa will be 3.0+. my Bio grades alone are about a B average. it was the other misc classes that i pretty much pooped. but this semester, i know i'm determined to make A's in all of the classes to bring it up. i've straightened my act, with the help and influence of close friends. but i fear it may be too late.

being away from the states would give me the best studying environment because i am VERY easily distracted.

after talking to an advisor today, she really sunk my spirits by saying i have 0% chance of getting into med school. but then again, i'm guessing she assumed i was aiming for a US-based med school.

so would you guys think i would have a fighting chance to get into either Ross or SGU? these are the main ones i'd love to go to. thanks for all the input and advice 😍

You might want to improve your GPA and retake the MCAT.

Chances are very slim for getting into either Ross or St. George.

 

[McGillGrad]

2.5?? lol, u're not going to med school with that u dummy.

lol, 95 views and only 2 replies.

Did someone bully you when you were young because you are unnecessarily ornery.

 

[McGillGrad]

Your chances are fine, but getting into a Carib school is not the hard part. You should be asking yourself whether you are ready for medical school and the intensity required to do well.

No matter what you will get in via the MERP or FOM programmes (Ross & SGU, respectively).

 

[iamjoe123]

thanks shah & mcGill!

dont mind bluenumber, his dad touched him inappropriately when he was younger.

i am headstrong about going to med school and making it all the way. it actually sounds fun to attend it. i guess i didnt take college seriously b/c i had the mentality of, "ehh...i just get a bio degree here, with 2.0 i'm fine." med school will be a totally different mentality for sure. lives depend on me, and i'm not planning to dick around on it.

 

[oldpro]

What I dont get is the posters who continue to make Caribbean schools out to be so strict in accepting lower stats, they do every year all the time but not everyone with lower stats,

So a 2.5 and 20 MCAT may get into an MD1 but not every 2.5 and 20 MCAT, it depends on time of year, applicant pool, and the total application.

Lets stop making fast judgements here, leave it to the schools, but also dont kid yourself, the top 4 Carib schools do have cutoffs ( Lord knows what they are really) but to post such crap to students asking a question that should not really be asked ie: "what are my chances" is wrong. ( in reality you want to know just apply Dammit!)

Caribbean schools are big businesses, (by the way 2 of the 4 are owned by the same big company if not 3 of the 4). They are out to make $$ and give a second chance, if not why does SGU charge 14 to 16,000 a semester? 😕

 

[bluenumber6]

2.5?? lol, u're not going to med school with that u dummy.

lol, 95 views and only 2 replies.

HAHA who wrote that??? ****zzz I say you can do it joe, I heard someone say that a guy with an MCAT score of a 12 got in and is currently in his 4th year now!

 

[hopefool]

Your chances are fine, but getting into a Carib school is not the hard part. You should be asking yourself whether you are ready for medical school and the intensity required to do well.

No matter what you will get in via the MERP or FOM programmes (Ross & SGU, respectively).

What are the MERP and FOM programmes? linkage programs for Ross and SGU?

 

[signomi]

but i still always had a strong passion in the medical field and pediatry

Are you talking pediatrics or podiatry? Different schools.

 

[premediate]

I think anyone have a chance at admission to a caribbean med school. One of my friend got in with having 21 Withdrawals (and no good reason...just lazy) and a 20 on mcat. His grades were mediocre and he didnt have any reason to his performances beside too much partying. He is now entering his clinicals and doing quite well (he has a 3.8 GPA at Ross). Yes its possible to get in for any student but its hard to stay in. Don't listen to any of these people because the dean of admission at ross told me that there is chance for any student if you show a sign of success. MD=MD

 

[McGillGrad]

What are the MERP and FOM programmes? linkage programs for Ross and SGU?

There are no links because they are not programs you can apply directly (as far as I know).

Search for MERP on valuemd.com and you will find some info.

 

[sdlove143]

I think anyone have a chance at admission to a caribbean med school. One of my friend got in with having 21 Withdrawals (and no good reason...just lazy) and a 20 on mcat. His grades were mediocre and he didnt have any reason to his performances beside too much partying. He is now entering his clinicals and doing quite well (he has a 3.8 GPA at Ross). Yes its possible to get in for any student but its hard to stay in. Don't listen to any of these people because the dean of admission at ross told me that there is chance for any student if you show a sign of success. MD=MD

what was his GPA?

 

[iamjoe123]

Are you talking pediatrics or podiatry? Different schools.

pediatrics 🙂

 

[premediate]

what was his GPA?

His gpa I believe was a 3.0 but without those withdrawals I think it would had been lower. He is a smart guy and was always capable of doing great work. He just never applied himself.

 

[tucomnvms1]

hey guys, i have a 3.98 GPA and a 43 MCAT. Do you think i could get into a carribean school? I have done alot of volunteering and have 30 published papers! PLEASE GIVE ME SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!

 

[Skip Intro]

the body works pretty much the same way as a motor, and carry the same challenges when trying to pinpoint and diagnose problems. i've accomplished some feats that many did not believe i, nor anyone, could do, and i'd like to be able to do the same in the medical field.

First off, dispel this notion above quickly. This is a simplistic analogy at best and, if you enter medical school thinking this, you will be horribly disappointed in what you have to learn. Engines are concrete objects that have easily removable and interchangeable parts. They do not have parents, emotions, opinions, etc. ... you get the drift.

Secondly, going to Ross or SGU is a costly endeavor. It will be filled with hardships you can only remotely imagine now, not the least of which is being far away from friends and family for a substantial period of time. There is also an incredibly high attrition rate at these schools - getting in doesn't automatically equate getting a degree.

Thirdly, it is very hard to both mentally and emotionally prepare for this prior to leaving, and being somewhat "shaky" in the acacdemic arena will add to this. You will be competing - yes, competing - against many nurses and paramedics and physical therapists and chiropractors all who have already had extensive medical training in some way, shape, or form in the past. The information comes at you at light speed. You can do it, but there is no real support system there. You'll get your chance, but no one ultimately will care if you don't succeed. In the Caribbean, only the strong survive.

Finally, you have to be prepared for the probability that, if you do go and do succeed, odds are based on previous graduates' placements that you will likely end-up in primary care. There are only relatively very few of us that get into specialty residencies (and usually have very high board scores and great letters from known academicians etc., which is not - as some people will try to tell you - the norm coming from the Caribbean). So, be prepared to entertain a lot of community primary care programs after you go through this rigorous training process. In other words, if you're really in it for the cash, you may be better off building the business you already started (only you can answer that).

I wish you good luck, and I hope you get a chance to prove yourself. Your experience will be far different than you can now imagine.

-Skip Intro
Ross University, 2005
PGY-2/CA-1 Anesthesiology

 

[bluenumber6]

hey guys, i have a 3.98 GPA and a 43 MCAT. Do you think i could get into a carribean school? I have done alot of volunteering and have 30 published papers! PLEASE GIVE ME SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!

You are a god! *bow down to you* why settle for being a doctor? why not rule the world?

 

[FutureDocHopefl]

i would be the least qualified to any med school. 2.5+gpa and ~20 mcat score (just recently took it), but with lots of various volunteer activities. i would like to know if i have a fighting chance to get into Ross or SGU. (those are the only 2 i know of the "Top 4" 😳 )

i dicked around my first 2 years of college and my gpa reflects it. but the past year, i straightened out my grades and my act. along the way, started an online business that made enough to pay for med school in full and pay for a new house for the family. so finances are great. but now, already in my senior year w/ bio major, getting into a US med school isn't going to happen for me.

instead of studying for school, i wasted brain space on learning engine dynamics/tuning and built race cars as a hobby. but i still always had a strong passion in the medical field and pediatry, and continued to volunteer at Texas Children's Hospital. and after studying for mcat, i actually realized that med school is for me. (i know....lol) the body works pretty much the same way as a motor, and carry the same challenges when trying to pinpoint and diagnose problems. i've accomplished some feats that many did not believe i, nor anyone, could do, and i'd like to be able to do the same in the medical field.

hopefully by the time i graduate, my gpa will be 3.0+. my Bio grades alone are about a B average. it was the other misc classes that i pretty much pooped. but this semester, i know i'm determined to make A's in all of the classes to bring it up. i've straightened my act, with the help and influence of close friends. but i fear it may be too late.

being away from the states would give me the best studying environment because i am VERY easily distracted.

after talking to an advisor today, she really sunk my spirits by saying i have 0% chance of getting into med school. but then again, i'm guessing she assumed i was aiming for a US-based med school.

so would you guys think i would have a fighting chance to get into either Ross or SGU? these are the main ones i'd love to go to. thanks for all the input and advice 😍

well basically everyone answered this before, but yeah you still have a fighting chance. look at it this way, if you don't get in either of the two right away, try again. if you really want this, you won't stop until you get in somewhere.

i've recently learned that you should stop listening or reading people who claim they "aced" a certain test and that their GPA is awesome. forget about them, and focus on what you want to do, and that is to become a physician.

the first step is admitting what you did wrong, and you did that, so good job! now just relax and fix those errors and work harder than ever before.

MJ once said something along the lines of "If I (MJ) only put in half the heart into something, I (MJ) will only expect half hearted results."

Note: This isn't exactly what he says, but a good motivational quote indeed!

 

[doclm]

You are a god! *bow down to you* why settle for being a doctor? why not rule the world?

Yeah, he must be god to make up those numbers. Especially, when he posted this on an earlier post: I scored a 30 on the MCAT and have a 3.68 GPA. I chose DO because TCOM in Texas out scores All MD schools in texas including Baylor and Southwestern on the USMLE..
Which I might add is probably BS as well.

 

[iamjoe123]

First off, dispel this notion above quickly. This is a simplistic analogy at best and, if you enter medical school thinking this, you will be horribly disappointed in what you have to learn. Engines are concrete objects that have easily removable and interchangeable parts. They do not have parents, emotions, opinions, etc. ... you get the drift.

Secondly, going to Ross or SGU is a costly endeavor. It will be filled with hardships you can only remotely imagine now, not the least of which is being far away from friends and family for a substantial period of time. There is also an incredibly high attrition rate at these schools - getting in doesn't automatically equate getting a degree.

Thirdly, it is very hard to both mentally and emotionally prepare for this prior to leaving, and being somewhat "shaky" in the acacdemic arena will add to this. You will be competing - yes, competing - against many nurses and paramedics and physical therapists and chiropractors all who have already had extensive medical training in some way, shape, or form in the past. The information comes at you at light speed. You can do it, but there is no real support system there. You'll get your chance, but no one ultimately will care if you don't succeed. In the Caribbean, only the strong survive.

Finally, you have to be prepared for the probability that, if you do go and do succeed, odds are based on previous graduates' placements that you will likely end-up in primary care. There are only relatively very few of us that get into specialty residencies (and usually have very high board scores and great letters from known academicians etc., which is not - as some people will try to tell you - the norm coming from the Caribbean). So, be prepared to entertain a lot of community primary care programs after you go through this rigorous training process. In other words, if you're really in it for the cash, you may be better off building the business you already started (only you can answer that).

I wish you good luck, and I hope you get a chance to prove yourself. Your experience will be far different than you can now imagine.

-Skip Intro
Ross University, 2005
PGY-2/CA-1 Anesthesiology

thanks for giving me an honest input and advice! (and everyone else as well)

but yes, i was just keeping the analogy simple, so it was intended to relate it with my hobby in a small way.

i'm sure it will be a huge change in my lifestyle and i must quickly adapt to the environment change or i will fail.

and yes, this is what i want, and the rewards later in life will definitely make it all worth it, esp after some child leaving my care with a smiling face. (and i will/should be prepared for the vice versa🙁 )

in the caribs, there nothing much to distract me with, unlike staying here in the US. i'll be away from everything that i enjoy doing, which i need.

 

[OBfan]

I actually sit on the board that SGU created in order to ensure the success of incoming students. SGU is trying to get away from the stigma that they purely in for making money and that they just take anyone. SGU is looking for well rounded students. They really look at the entire application. They want students that can show character and drive to complete medical school and have success on step 1,2, and 3.

I have seen students with GPA's >3.5 and MCAT scores > 26 not get in. SGU knows that those students will definitely get into ROSS and the other programs. I have also seen students with GPA's around 2.6 and MCAT scores of 22 get in but they were amazing as far as life experience eg. overcoming Leukemia and raising children at the same time.

So my advice-apply and see what happens. You will definitely get into Ross but I would really shoot for SGU.
Best of luck!

 

[iamjoe123]

thanks OBfan! i am also looking into SGU.🙂