COFUSED!... Need advise, SMU or UNSW?

[anomorato]

Trying to decide between med school in Carribean (St Matthews) and University of New South Wales in Australia.

I already gained admissions in SMU and just recently got offered admission into UNSW for the upcoming term.
The curriculum at SMU is a little under 4 yrs and UNSW is usually a 6 yr program, howevery I was offered a yr credit for my Bs.

I wouldnt mind going to UNSW and even eventually staying there after I am done. But it just seems to be a more lengthy process to graduate from AUS (doing 5 yrs of med school, 2 yrs of internship, then another 3 yrs of practice to become fully licensed). Also, as I hear you may not be guranteed an internship spot after graduating.
And the other thing is that, even if you become a permenant residant or a citizen (lets say u find that perfect one there) after graduating, you will have to do your training after the 2 yr internsip in a rural area.

WIth all said, if you were in my shoes, which would you chose, the SMU of carribean or UNSW of Australia??

Thanks everyone

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[leorl]

I'd definitely go for UNSW. UNSW is a very well-reputed school especially in science (and probably indirectly medical) subjects. Not to mention the chance to experience Aussie life. Yes, it is more lengthy...but in the grand scheme of life, what's a couple years? True, it doesn't cater to the USMLE...but I'd prefer lifestyle and different experiences vs. that kind of "security."

 

[anomorato]

But when it comes to staying in AUS to live and practice as an interantional after graduating? What ist he procedure or process after graduating from Med school.
I know that after completing my 5 yrs at UNSW, theres 2 yrs of intersnship, and then you gotta complete 4 yrs or so of training? Those 4 yrs of training, are you paid as a regular physician or as somone that would be doing resideny in the US??

Thanks

 

[JoeNamaMD]

UNSW is WAY BETTER than SMU which is a second tier Caribbean school. SMU isn't even California approved. And since you are from Canada you have better chances returning to Canada if you go to a Commonwealth medical school.

 

[D30417995]

nothing new to add except to say that UNSW is an extremely good school and has excellent international reputation. SMU and any other carribean schools are simply not in the same league, far from it. It's like comparing Harvard with Manitoba. Being a graduate of UNSW looks far better than a SMU grad.

 

[firstcranialner]

I grew up in Sydney and tons of my friends went to UNSW straight after high school. I think it is an excellent school and medicine is highly respected in Australia. Also, with the new medical schools being added in Sydney, UNSW will remain at the top of the Aussie med school bunch. There was never a ranking superiority thing in Australia, but I suspect with the new schools opening up it will begin as they will be fighting over hospital space for the students.

UNSW is like a big american school, like the University of Illinois for example. There are many talented and brilliant students, internationals and the I got into med school time to party students. I think the education would not be as good as a several smaller US schools with excellent clinical facilities. In the long run, if you want to be a specialist UNSW might not be the best place for an international student. But it hands down still beats the heck out of any Carribean school as far as I can tell.

Not to mention, I love the city of Sydney and I date like crazy when I visit there.

 

[Meddie83]

I'm a Canadian interested in going to Australia for med school. Is it possible to stay in Australia once I have graduated?

 

[nwhilk]

It's certainly possible, but at least from what I understand it's very difficult.

But I'd recommend asking the question by starting a new thread, as you'll likely get better answers than I can offer. Sorry.

 

[us-aussie]

no, it is NOT difficult. I just did it!! I am a U.S. citizen who went to med school in Adelaide. They are begging for doctors, I filled out one piece of paper and I had a job. They really need doctors. It is only hard if you want to stay long term and get into a training program. But at the end of the day, they need doctors!!

Also, I could have done the Carribean thing, but I choose not too, and I am so much more respected in teh U.S. hospital system for going to a real 4 year med school. It looks SOOOO much better going to a great foreign school than a Caribean school. I am so glad i did this.

It was not an issue coming home to the US either. My husband just matched in radiology and I in pediatrics. We had lots of interviews and people were very receptive of us going to Australia.

I have a lot of Canadian friends in my school too, and they have had the same success going back to Canada, even matching in Orthopedic surgery.

 

[jon stewart]

Also, I could have done the Carribean thing, but I choose not too, and I am so much more respected in teh U.S. hospital system for going to a real 4 year med school. It looks SOOOO much better going to a great foreign school than a Caribean school. I am so glad i did this.

Good to hear this from someone who actually has been though the process as a FMG...

Aus med schools...>>>> carribean

i miss sydney.....

 

[anomorato]

Do you guys thing you were well prepared for the USMLE coming from an Ausi school?
Cuz I am at the UNSW now , and they have this new Scenario group curriculum, sort of like the PBL , so not sure if that will put me in a good position to pass the USMLE.
And if you guys dont mind sharing your scores on the USMLE

Thanks agin

 

[nwhilk]

Do you guys thing you were well prepared for the USMLE coming from an Ausi school?
Cuz I am at the UNSW now , and they have this new Scenario group curriculum, sort of like the PBL , so not sure if that will put me in a good position to pass the USMLE.
And if you guys dont mind sharing your scores on the USMLE

Thanks agin

Hey anomorato,

Please dont take this the wrong way, but you seem to have a penchant for asking the same question multiple times (like when you were deciding to go or not go to the UNSW), not sure why that is?

But anyway, I gave some of my thoughts to you here already, although I'm sure others have much better advice:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=377300

But, in my opinion, since youre already at the UNSW, it's not really worth worrying about whether or not Aussie schools like hte UNSW offer good prep for the USMLE. Wha'ts more necessary now that you're already there is that you take advantage of whatever opportunities and resources are available at the UNSW (and only you yourself can judge if things like the new scenario group will be worthwhile to you; it could be helpful to some, but maybe not to you, or vice versa), and do the best you yourslef possibly can to learn what's needed to pass the USMLE. And if the UNSW is lacking in USMLE prep (of course, who can blame them, since Aussie schools obviously do not primarily exist to prepare for another country's medical system), then it's up to you to study on your own, make up any deficiencies, etc.

Please, you gotta stop worrying about whether this school is good or bad, or if it's good for the USMLE or whatever else, especially now that you're already there. It could have a phenomenal pass rate for the USMLE, but you could be the one person that doesn't pass. Or it could have a terrible pass rate but you could be the one person that does pass. Just do your best with what you have now that youre already there. Spend your time finding more about what's on the USMLE, getting books like First Aid, learning how to match into a residency in the USA if that's what you really want, etc., rather than worrying about how the school is, now that you're (presumably) committed to the MBBS course at the UNSW.

Sorry if that's too blunt, but please forgive me and look past the tone if you dont like it, and see whether what I'm saying makes sense?

 

[JoeNamaMD]

Six year Australian students perform quite well on the USMLE, you will definitely be treated better than graduates from Caribbean schools, still you will be an IMG so US MD and DO graduates rank above you when it comes to matching into a residency in the USA. The other plus is that if things don't work out in the US, Australia has a serious shortage of physicians so that could be a possibility, although my research suggests its difficult to get an internship spot in NSW and Victoria. The person who went to school in Adelaide did not have the issue because there are many open spots there and other regional areas of the country like Queensland. Obviously doctors in the US earn more money but in reality Australian doctors have an excellent lifestyle as the cost of living is generally lower than most big US cities. I thought Sydney which is expensive by Aussie standards, was a bargain compared to San Francisco, the second most expensive city in the US after NYC. My girlfriend comes from Sydney, she went to the States with her sister for a holiday and when she came back she told me she thought things were very expensive in the big cities.

 

[JoeNamaMD]

Six year Australian students perform quite well on the USMLE, you will might be treated better than graduates from Caribbean schools but only by slight margin. The other plus is that if things don't work out in the US, Australia has a serious shortage of physicians so that could be a possibility, although my research suggests its difficult to get an internship spot in NSW and Victoria. The person who went to school in Adelaide did not have the issue because there are many open spots there and other regional areas of the country like Queensland.

http://www.baptistresidency.org/residency/people/residents/class2007.htm
Here's web page of a US Family Residency program, there is a resident who is a Flinders grad, there are several other IMGs including several Caribbean graduates. Still SMU is a low tier Caribbean school. If you are going to a well reputed program like St. George's University there would be a close tie since you are planning to go back to the USA. For me I made up my mind, and am staying in Australia.

Your USMLE score talks and everything else walks, this is especially so if you are foreign medical graduate.

 

[PEN15]

UNSW!!!!!!! That is all.