Chances into Caribbean?

[vik41792]

Hey everybody,
My Gpa is a 3.25 science GPa and 3.3 Overall GPA. Im a junior in undergrad. I am applying this year. I have a 25 on MCAT. I have over 100 hours of volunteer. I have 2 publications in science. What are my chances in carribean? I am retaking mcat in july and I am almost guaranteed that I will at least get a point or 2 higher than 25.

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[Wanderlove]

Don't apply to the Caribbean. You'll have a decent shot at DO programs, but not MD.

 

[Eiot]

Don't apply to the Caribbean. You'll have a decent shot at DO programs, but not MD.

Agreed, but to answer your question, you have an excellent shot at Caribbean.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I've researched the Caribbean extensively even though if I were to go to a foreign country, my preference would be to go to one of the schools in Israel (I grew up in the Middle East and love the idea of learning Hebrew and practicing Arabic).

You should be good on the Caribbean schools, but use them as a last resort. Use them after you don't get into a US school. If you do look in the Caribbean my ranking after a lot of research is SGU = AUC > SABA > Ross. If you don't go to one of those, don't bother. SGU and AUC suggest a 3.0/24.

Ross will take you if you have a pulse. Although, if they think you are at high risk of failure they'd suggest MERP. They take way more students than they have rotations for and try to have you fail. I don't like this strategy personally, but as a result of taking more students than anyone, they have produced more physician than anyone (they have a pretty extensive alumni network).

Again, I'm not suggest the Caribbean. You can get into a US school if you improve your MCAT. The only reason to go Caribbean over DO is if you ultimate goal is to practice in a country that doesn't recognize DOs (there are a few). If your goal is US, then DO > Caribbean.

 

[calimdluv]

I agree with the previous responses.

Avoid going to caribbean schools if you can! I worked with a Caribbean MD school graduate while working as a medical assistant. She, as with many of her classmates, did not get matched into a residency. So she had to bear all the loans + interest and work as a medical assistant at $11/hr while reapplying for residency... she also told me that not only are the caribbean schools more expensive (expensive living expenses on vacation islands), but also in terms of residency match, they only get 3rd priority, meaning residency programs will look at US MD and DO graduates before they consider Caribbean graduates. Looking at how many residency spots and med students there are, caribbean students are against some crazy competition.

On the other hand, I have met an ED physician who graduated top of her class from Ross, matched into USC-LA county, and is now working at a profit hospital in San Francisco Bay Area. Pretty baller! but I think the baller population is in the minority.

I have researched extensively on DO schools, if you can improve your MCAT score and get into a good DO school, you have a chance to match into MD residency or a superb DO residency. Also, don't be afraid to retake the MCAT. I have taken the test multiple times and finally did well enough to get into a good med school.

Good luck!

 

[HeyNumber2]

With the exception of SGU, AUC, a pulse is all that is required to get into the Caribbean, for SGU your stats are fine and should get you in, but I concur with everyone else who's said don't go Caribbean! Ross fails over 50% of students, the tuition is crazy expensive. By the time you graduate securing anything but a malignant/undesirable FM program would be highly unlikely. Securing even a malignant/undesirable FM program is going to be harder and harder. If you do go I wouldn't consider anything except SGU.
Retake the MCAT, if you get a 27-28 you will have a good shot of DO.
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[mspeedwagon]

I want to add to the two above posters:
- Finding Caribbean graduates in prestigious places is not completely out of question, but it's very, very rare. I met an SGU grad at Stanford, an AUA grad at the Mayo Clinic (http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/educationyouth/dominican-born-doctor-graduates-with-high-honor/). What they have in common is VERY VERY high USMLE scores. Normally in the top 1%.

More common places to find Caribbean grads are medical assisting positions, Starbucks etc. with crushing loans. Loans that will take years to get rid of. And, remember, student loans aren't discharagable in bankruptcy.

I think SGU and AUC are fairly equal academically. I'd look more into if you want more research (SGU) or more straight clinical (AUC), larger school (SGU) or smaller school (AUC), and all other factors. If I couldn't get into one or the other, I'd not consider it. BUT, AGAIN, YOU ARE CLOSE TO GETTING INTO A US SCHOOL. WHY TAKE THE HARD PATH WHERE YOU LITERALLY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BECOME A PART OF THE 1% TO SUCCEED?

 

[CjOz]

Well if you really would like to develop a stellar tan, I'd go to school in the Caribbean. On the other hand, if you want to go to residency and be a doctor, get a 28+ on MCAT and go for the DO.

 

[as1212559]

No carib.
You can probably find a DO acceptance now.
28+ would make you competitive at most DO programs.
32+ you could try some MD.

Retake the MCAT.