Considering the Caribbean.

[frantic983]

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[Brian Pavlovitz]

I think the big 3 are approved for federal student loans and private loans to cover the remaining (at least that's how it is at SGU). I'm on full loans, so don't frett if you don't have the cash for tuition (rarely anyone does). At SGU, we fill out the same FAFSA that other schools do, and our school provides applications to the private loan company. Provided your credit is good, you will get approved without a co-signer. You do end up having to fill out all the same paperwork for each cycle; in other words, you aren't given the full 4 years of aid at the outset.

Match stats are quite good, despite the naysayers of the Caribbean-trained physician. You should be fine for most states (SGU students just recently started doing clinical rotations in Michigan, by the way...)

The education you receive, at least in my opinion, isn't based soley on where you attend. It's how hard you work once you're there. If over 90% of the class at SGU can pass the USMLE on the first attempt, either the students or the school must be doing something right (probably a little of both). I've heard good things about Ross and AUC, too.

Good luck!

Brian
MS-3, SGUSOM

 

[awdc]

The same thing that Pavlovitz said for SGU can be said for Ross regarding financial aid. Our first-time pass rate on the USMLE Step I isn't as high as SGU's but I really think that it has to do more with the students themselves than the profs or the curriculum. You really get what you put into it. I have a couple friends here whose parents are US grad physicians who work/have worked with Ross grads and were impressed enough to give their full approval for their son/daughter to come here. And coming from Ross or SGU, you should be able to practice in any state. Maybe except Texas but, I know Ross is fulfilling all of the TX medical board requirements... I think it's just of matter of time before Ross regains its TX approval. As far as I know, all caribbean schools are having problems with TX right now due to their new licensing rules.

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

The same thing that Pavlovitz said for SGU can be said for Ross regarding financial aid. Our first-time pass rate on the USMLE Step I isn't as high as SGU's but I really think that it has to do more with the students themselves than the profs or the curriculum. You really get what you put into it. I have a couple friends here whose parents are US grad physicians who work/have worked with Ross grads and were impressed enough to give their full approval for their son/daughter to come here. And coming from Ross or SGU, you should be able to practice in any state. Maybe except Texas but, I know Ross is fulfilling all of the TX medical board requirements... I think it's just of matter of time before Ross regains its TX approval. As far as I know, all caribbean schools are having problems with TX right now due to their new licensing rules.

Yeah, I've met a couple of residents from Ross, and they were very bright, indeed. From what I've heard, it's pretty equal to SGU.

 

[frantic983]

Thank you for your input so far.

 

[erichaj]

I went to Ross. I'm no a Board Cetified Family Practice physician.

Many Students that I know that went to Ross or SGU have been able to get the residency of their choice.
I KNOW THERE ARE DOCTORS THAT WENT TO ROSS OR SGU THAT ARE PRACTICING MEDICINE ANYWHERE FROM SURGERY TO ER IN ALL 50 STATES.

There is financial aid. The total cost will be anywhere from around 120000 to 200000 dollars depending on your fianances.

Do yourself a favor and drop the work "gimped" from your vocabulary when you start Medical School.

Good Luck.
EH.

 

[Skip Intro]

4)Preparedness. I don't want an inferior education. I understand that the Caribbean has less name recognition, but I don't want to be a "gimped" doctor.

You will only be "gimped" if you perceive yourself to be that way. Most attendings don't give a crap where you went to school so long as you do a good job.

-Skip

 

[Skip Intro]

I'm a Caribbean grad. But I am not a gung-ho Carib advocate like many on these boards. My advice is to do whatever you can to go to a U.S. Allopathic school first... use the Carib route as a last resort. If you go offshore go to 1) SGU, 2) Ross, and 3) AUC. Good luck.

Define "gung-ho".

If your definition and mine are the same, then I'm definitely not gung-ho about the Caribbean. But, unlike yourself, I'm also not ashamed about my Caribbean education. I'm currently doing a fourth-year elective at a U.S. teaching hospital that is an affiliate with a U.S. medical school. There are U.S. allopathic students there, as well as residents and fellows in all fields.

When people find out that I'm a student, I'm asked almost on a daily basis where I go to school. Unabashedly, I answer Ross. If someone is going to hold that against me, then so be it - that's their problem, not mine. No one has so far, at least if they have they haven't shown it.

Additionally, during this rotation I've had attendings talk to me like I'm running the case in the O.R. They don't even ask if I'm a student or a resident. They assume that I am a fellow or attending. In fact, today an attending surgeon asked me if it was okay to proceed with a case while my attending was standing right next to me. After the case was over, she asked me if I'd just started recently working at the hospital, and I told her "no, I'm a fourth-year medical student." She said, "Oh, I thought you were in charge." That's a credit not only to me, but also to my attending who had enough trust in me to pretty much let me run the case. You know why? Because I carry myself professionally, I listen and apply what I learn, and my skills are good and getting better. I don't even have to ask if I can intubate the patient anymore, it's just assumed that if I'm in the room I will. I listen to criticism, but I also speak-up when I disagree. That's the way you need to comport yourself - graciously and with confidence. If you can do that, you will get respect... and that's all that really matters, isn't it?

-Skip

P.S. I think you can go to any three of those schools you list in your post. Or any other school for that matter. You may have more hurdles to climb getting back to the U.S. if you don't go in the order you suggest, but you can still end up doing what you want to do. Can't you, Dr. Cuts? After all, aren't you living proof?

 

[cpb80]

How do schools in Puerto Rico (ie Ponce and Universidad Central del Caribe) measure up to the "Big 3" taking into account that PR schools are LCME?

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

How do schools in Puerto Rico (ie Ponce and Universidad Central del Caribe) measure up to the "Big 3" taking into account that PR schools are LCME?

That's a good question...anyone??

 

[Hotsauce21]

my advice, being allopathic trained, is if you go to a carib school, and do a great job afterward, is you will bring respect to your school. There are enough intelligent students who get screwed/or have slipups in life that prevent them from getting into u.s. schools. i have no doubt caribbean schools can be excellent. they need a bit more quality control, but like i said, if you are a graduate from there, and you do a good job, the program directors will respond to that.

 

[Skip Intro]

my advice, being allopathic trained, is if you go to a carib school, and do a great job afterward, is you will bring respect to your school. There are enough intelligent students who get screwed/or have slipups in life that prevent them from getting into u.s. schools. i have no doubt caribbean schools can be excellent. they need a bit more quality control, but like i said, if you are a graduate from there, and you do a good job, the program directors will respond to that.

Hear, hear.

-Skip