Carribean Medical Schools?

[Gabi]

I just got accepted to med school in the carribean, and I'm somewhat excited.

You see, I'm in the US, and I tried to get into med school here, however I didn't. I then decided to become a biologist/chemist but it wasn't enough for me. It's been 2 years since I graduated and I've noticed that i'm not satisfied. I then decided to apply to med school in the carribean, and so be it, I was accepted. I actually cried.

You see, medicine is not just a form of physcial healing, but also emotionally. I love to work with people and bring joy to the lives of children. I've travelled extensivly to 3rd world countries in my college years and loved it. Thus, to get accepted to med school was a blessing.

My question is this. If you really want to do medicine for the right reasons, does it really matter what school you go to? I guess if you want to do residency in the US, it matters. But if it's medicine you really want to do, shouldn't you go into it with full force? Shouldn't you put down all negative forces?

I have seen a lot of negative commets regarding foreign med schools. I often wonder where these comments are coming from. I understand that if I go to the carribean for med school, it may be extremely difficult for me to do residency in the US. If that's the case, I'll do it somewhere else because I'm going into medicine for a different reason; a reason i think is overlooked by many pre-med students.

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[Magree]

Hi:

I think your question is very personal. Many people go into medicine for similar reasons but believe me after years of deprivation and so/so education you can become jaded no matter what your beginnings. I think you should ask yourself if you will be happy if you don't do it. Have you tried to get into one of the Commonwealth schools? They seem to be good by reputation and some say they are cheaper.

Many people in U.S. residencies went to Carribean schools so it is possible. Its just more difficult to get into competitive specialties or even the top residencies of non-competitive specialties. It all depends upon your persistence, scores, U.S. rotations etc. Good luck! Congratulations on your acceptance.

Cheers,

M-

 

[silver_eyes]

Gabi,

why didn't u get accepted in to medical school in the US?

just curious.i am pre med myself...a freshman.

 

[Stephen Ewen]

Well, it in part matters WHERE in the carib you were accepted.

But if serving the disadvantaged in the US is your goal, and the school has a track-record of grads being able to well do this, there should be no hesitation in my view. PEDS is not as easy to get res in as say FP or PSY--since you mentioned children--but doable. Most schools will provide a history of where and in what their grads got residencies if you ask, or even just browse their www site.

If you wish to serve the disadvataged abraod, consider going to med school in the country of the people you wish to serve--it is an excelent option and smoothest too.

 

[Gabi]

It amazes me how many individuals seem to be experts on what scores are needed to get residency and etc. It also amazes me that many individuals base FACTS on own personal experience. If one gets jadded after so many years of education, then that's their own personal experience and not that of a million. If one does not get into residency due to Lord knows what, then that's their personal down fall and not mine. It amazes me that all facts are based on friends family or even your own experience. If you want to give advise then give me some fact based material so I can research it myself. Don't tell me about your own experience. By the way, for the one that asked, I applied to med school, but only a few. It may be my personal statement that set them off. I really don't know. But whatever it was, I decided not to apply again and 2 years have gone by. LIKE I SAID, I was not satisfied with my position in life so I decided to take the other route and apply abroad. So the answer to one of the questions is "NO I don't need to ask myself whether I'll be happy without medicine. Lived it...Done it. Time to move on.

Peace.

 

[Magree]

Hi:

I don't think any of the responses given intended to put you on the defense. Given that this is a very difficult and emotional decison for you, Gabi, why don't you just call some program directors of residencies you might be interested in to see what they say. Or better yet, email past grads of the school you were accepted to (the admissions office can usually supply you with some alum who will talk to you) and find out their experiences and insights. They can tell you better than us. Best of luck with your decision.

Cheers,

M-

 

[UHS2002]

Holy spaghetti!!!! I think you got very nice and thoughtfull replies and yet they set you off!!!!

I would not be too surprised if your personal statement "set the admcoms off" as you yourself put it, if it had any inkling of the chip on your shoulder you seem to carry.

The NRMP website carries tables of matching %s for FMGs vs US grads. There are many books in the market that carry similar tables, broken down by specialties. Obviously, you think you are a special case in itself, so other people's experiences don't apply to you. Actually it sounds to me like you are a mentally unstable individual, perhaps the adcoms picked up in that too.

 

[Gabi]

In regards to the last post. Mentally unstable? Far from it. I reread my post and it may sound that I'm screaming from head to toe about the replies that I have received, but I actually wasn't feeling that way. It just seems to be that the replies that are posted on the site are more negative than postive for current pre-medical students. Thus my post was directed towards that. I was reading through many postings before I checked my replies. Sorry 'yall.

Nevertheless, a post from Magree really made sense and I'll take that advise. Nevertheless, they are individuals who resort to personal insults, such as UHS2002, for reasons that are beyound me. It seems to me, UHS2002, that you obviously aren't in the feild of medicine. If you were, you'll have enough patience for the messages that I posted earlier on. If you want to resort to personal insults, and I do mean personal, that I suggest you get off the site. There are going to be upset individuals on this site; people that may not seem logical. But resorting to personal insults is just...unfair.

Everyone elso, I did not mean to offend anyone by my earlier post. I really didn't. If I did. I do apologize for any inconveniece. Thanks to those who replied. Your advise was very well appreciated.

 

[J.S. Legaspi]

Congrats! Despite all that was said, I wish you the best of luck. When you set out and try to do what you want to do and do it, don't let others judge you for it. It is your own decisions for what you do with life and therefore you make your destiny. Where ever you go to medical school doesn't matter. It is how you make yourself a doctor that does. I know plenty of IMG's that are very, very successful in their fields. So just strive your best and your dreams will be fulfilled.

 

[UHS2002]

Hmmmmm, let's see, what part of reading posts are you having trouble with, Gabi?

If you check the member# by my name, you will notice that I am listed as member#226, which means that I have joined this board several years before you even knew it existed (as a matter of fact, when I was a pre-med myself). My board name is UHS2002, which should not be too hard to decipher either: UHS is the med school I attend, 2002 is my graduation year, DUH. Well, last I checked, that makes me a 4th year medical student so I guess that makes me a little more "in the medical field" than a pre-med such as yourself.

I am glad that you reread your own initial reply, which gave you some insight into how you might have come across as unappreciative towards people who took of their own time to address your questions.

Sorry if what I said sounded like a personal insult, but I think that people who come on this board trying to be insulting to others, which is exactly what you did, deserve nothing but insulting sarcasm as a retort.

A selection of your insulting posts:

"I'm going into medicine for a different reason; a reason i think is overlooked by many pre-med students"
Who are you TO JUDGE what motivates other to become physicians? How do you KNOW what motivates other to become physicians? Wake up, your are not the only one that wants to go into medicine to help people. My class is full of people who have gone into medicine to help others. But I guess you don't want to know it, as it would make you feel less special and "altruistic".

"It amazes me how many individuals seem to be experts on what scores are needed to get residency and etc. It also amazes me that many individuals base FACTS on own personal experience. If one gets jadded after so many years of education, then that's their own personal experience and not that of a million. If one does not get into residency due to Lord knows what, then that's their personal down fall and not mine"

"Don't tell me about your own experience"

People are kind enough to share their experiences with you and you dismiss it as uninportant and valueless? People who have been through the process and know first hand what it is about. I think only mentally ill people think their life experience is so unique that they could not possibly learn from other people's experiences. It is called "being delusional". Ooops, I stand corrected, I have just thought of another group of people who have the same attitude. Sorry, perhaps you are not mentally ill, you could be just immature. In which case, I do hope you grow up.

So, I guess I will have to disappoint you on two fronts:
1) after 4 years participating of the discussions on this board, I am not getting off, I am just continuously hoping people can be more appreciative of other people's input.
2) Yep, I am in the medical field. As a matter of fact, by the time you graduate from medical school, I will have finished residency and started in private practice.

As many people on this board know, I am not someone who likes to be a part of flaming wars. So my last message to you is:
I hope you do become the physician you want to be and I hope you do so while maintaining your ideals of helping others. It is my personal belief (and exclusively my personal belief) that you will not get too far if you do not learn to value other people's experiences. I think it is imperative that you learn that are not the first to travel this path and, unless you walk on water, there is nothing that makes you any different from others who have traveled it before you. Hubris was the source of all grief for the Greeks, and I think they were wonderfully insightfull.

 

[Gabi]

Okay UHS2002.

I know you meant no harm with the things you said. Nevertheless, I'll be the bigger one to say that I may have jumped into conclusions, and as a result, may have offended you. But don't disregard the fact that you scooped to the same level of insults, which were directed towards me. You don't know me, nor do I know you. And that was what I'll was trying to get across to you.

Yes! you may have been a member for so many years and all, but... to tell you the truth, you've been very... Let's just say that you jump to conclusions about people without some form of proof. This is what's bothers me.

I cared less to reply to your latest message at a earlier date because I felt that there was really nothing for me say. You seem bitter about some of the things I said ealier on. I can't change that.

I'm sure you have seen, many times on this site, some individuals dead against Foreign Medical Schools. They base their negative facts about these school on personal life experiences. I mean, I feel for them, but if someone were to tell me "You'll be lucky to get residency if you go to medical school abroad", I would like them to base their statments with facts. THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY. Really, no offense to you, okay.

Like I said in my earlier message, if I offended you then I'm sorry for that.

I feel this is a wast of time here. Writing back and forth and really not having any kind words. You're in the medical field and you may have some insight on some of the questions that I have here. I would honestly love to hear your opinion. I really would. It would help.

It's a shame that things started out like this. But hopefully, we'll be able to get off on the right start next time.

Good luck with your career, and hope to hear from you soon.

P.S. By the way, I take what I said back. You do have patience because you keep replying. I hope you continue. Again. sorry for any misunderstanding.

Gabi.

 

[med_skool_fool]

hey people...what's with all the arguing on the baord...can we just try to stay on the topic of the thread instead of bashing others all the time?

 

[J.S. Legaspi]

I think med_skool_fool is right. Let's try to keep a positive attitude and work on trying to help each other out. Can we all just get along?

 

[Gabi]

I agree. Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone could help me out here. I recently just got accepted to med school in the carribean, but recently I have been drawn to the research aspect of medicine.

Does anyone know if it is possible, after obtaining your MD degree, if one could use that degree and do research? Or does one need to go to graduate school as well for their masters and PhD.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[med_skool_fool]

i almost 100% positive that one can do research with an MD instead of a PhD...

 

[Gabi]

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah! That's what I thought initially. You see, I was thinking that maybe I would be able to do a fellowship in medical research. But as I was scanning via internet for this information, many fellowships require that you have a Masters or PhD. I'm thinking that maybe an MD is not enough to do medical research. Maybe if one had research experience it would help. But I'll research some more. Thanks though.

 

[nyskindr]

If you are truly interested in clinical research then an MD is fine.Many residencies and subspecialty fellowships are reseach oriented and most people in them are MDs not phDs.Be aware that there is generally a great disparity in potential income between private practice medicine and pure research.