Deleted
Started by AKG21
I'm not a Ross guy, but I'll level it with you: going the Caribbean route is probably a mistake. You can read stories about Caribbean med schools on here and on reddit but suffice to say the answer is this: Unlike MD and DO schools, Caribbean schools care not one iota about how you do, if you graduate and if you match. Their entire business model is built on luring in unsuspecting students, placing them in an overcrowded/underresourced community, and then lopping them off, one by one. Whatever details you see about step scores and match rates are falsely inflated because of the degree to which they cull the class. And if you're dismissed, you'll be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt with no degree to your name.
And in the event you do make it through preclinical and the maze of their clinical years, matching will always be an uphill battle. US IMGs will always be at the bottom of totem pole and have to work significantly harder than their MD and DO counterparts to achieve the same goals. EM and Primary care are certainly doable, but anesthesia and radiology would be more akin to winning a lottery. And unfortunately, many MDs from Ross find themselves unmatched, then forced to teach at Ross or pursue some other career in the US, with, again, several hundreds of thousands in debt.
I think we need to know a WAMC (see profile in this forum) to assess what went wrong and what next steps should be.
I really agree with @AJS59 . Post a WAMC grid. Fill it in completely. And see what the smart people on here say.
How many times have you applied MD , and how many times have you applied DO? How many interviews did you get? What were the results (WL or R)?
From the little you have shared with us it sounds like you are the kind of student the Caribbean schools prey on. They are always glad to accepted you and take a few semesters of your money and then dump you on the island with no degree and several hundred thousands of dollars of crushing debt and absolutely no way to pay it back.
So fill out the attached grid and maybe someone can figure out what went wrong.
How many times have you applied MD , and how many times have you applied DO? How many interviews did you get? What were the results (WL or R)?
From the little you have shared with us it sounds like you are the kind of student the Caribbean schools prey on. They are always glad to accepted you and take a few semesters of your money and then dump you on the island with no degree and several hundred thousands of dollars of crushing debt and absolutely no way to pay it back.
So fill out the attached grid and maybe someone can figure out what went wrong.
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There is a Caribbean forum on SDN. Not sure how active it is but if you are going to get some appropriate advice it might be there. Good luck.
I know you want firsthand experience, though I think it's unlikely you will get it.
However, why do you think that the Ross MERP would be a better filter than the Columbia post-bacc, or the MCAT? It seems like you have already gotten the answer to your question through personal experience. Why will this additional experience provide you further insight than the ones you've already had? And what guarantee do you have that your medical and personal issues won't continue to de-rail you going forward?
Seems like you're looking for confirmation that going to Ross is a good idea. You're unlikely to get it. But ultimately it is your time and money
But my point is that there is no such thing as a "controlled experiment" when it comes to med school. There is always going to be some real world distraction that you need to overcome. The MCAT is a single snapshot, but then why don't you retake it? Similarly, your steps will be a single snapshot, and you need to be able to excel "on any given day."
Like I said, I think you're seeking advice not only that Ross is a good school, but that your plan is reasonable. It's not. I think you either have your answer now, or that there is no reason you couldn't try again at a less costly/more reputable school without going to the Caribbean. But I think you're looking for one person to tell you that this is a reasonable plan, and you're going to follow that person's advice... so regardless, best of luck to you
I agree that OP here is clearly just seeking for affirmation rather than advice.
Clarify for me... isn't MERP for Canadians?
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Moved. Not sure you'll get "more" responses, but you may be slightly more likely to get the firsthand feedback you're looking for.
I think your understanding of the situation and plan are relatively reasonable.
Of course going to a US medical school is always a better option. But with what you've posted here -- presumably a less-than-stellar UG performance, a (likely) sub 500 or 505 MCAT, and an unsuccessful SMP, you would only be successful on that pathway with a complete reboot, lots of time, and some good luck. So you're left with Ross's MERP program. As others have said, you've already shown that you're high risk to proceed -- You haven't done well on a national standardized test, nor on your SMP which is essentially the "practice run" you're looking for. But your explanation for proceeding is that outside circumstances were not good and hence you couldn't perform to your peak. Perhaps that's true. Perhaps it's what you hope is true and is not. You want to know.
You already know that Ross has at least a 30% attrition rate - by people just like you. Who are convinced that their prior performance isn't reflective of their real aptitude. Some of them make it. Some of them don't.
So, attending MERP is like a second chance at an SMP. It's a 15 week online program. If you succeed, then attend Ross and succeed, you'll be able to match in the US. Family Medicine is almost a sure thing. At the moment, Emergency Medicine isn't terribly competitive and also is likely reasonable. Anesthesia is possible but a stretch -- you'd need to do exceptionally well at Ross. Looking at their published match outcomes, there were only 4 (out of 573) people who matched to an Anesthesia PGY-1. There are another 9 whom are listed as PGY-2's -- impossible to know whether they matched to a program that has a prelim, or if this was a "second match" (which although is success, is really tough). 13/573 = 2.2%. And Anesthesia has been getting more competitive. Radiology is even worse, with only 3 people listed. Of course, field competitiveness could shift by the time you're applying.
The only two of your questions I can comment upon:
Of course going to a US medical school is always a better option. But with what you've posted here -- presumably a less-than-stellar UG performance, a (likely) sub 500 or 505 MCAT, and an unsuccessful SMP, you would only be successful on that pathway with a complete reboot, lots of time, and some good luck. So you're left with Ross's MERP program. As others have said, you've already shown that you're high risk to proceed -- You haven't done well on a national standardized test, nor on your SMP which is essentially the "practice run" you're looking for. But your explanation for proceeding is that outside circumstances were not good and hence you couldn't perform to your peak. Perhaps that's true. Perhaps it's what you hope is true and is not. You want to know.
You already know that Ross has at least a 30% attrition rate - by people just like you. Who are convinced that their prior performance isn't reflective of their real aptitude. Some of them make it. Some of them don't.
So, attending MERP is like a second chance at an SMP. It's a 15 week online program. If you succeed, then attend Ross and succeed, you'll be able to match in the US. Family Medicine is almost a sure thing. At the moment, Emergency Medicine isn't terribly competitive and also is likely reasonable. Anesthesia is possible but a stretch -- you'd need to do exceptionally well at Ross. Looking at their published match outcomes, there were only 4 (out of 573) people who matched to an Anesthesia PGY-1. There are another 9 whom are listed as PGY-2's -- impossible to know whether they matched to a program that has a prelim, or if this was a "second match" (which although is success, is really tough). 13/573 = 2.2%. And Anesthesia has been getting more competitive. Radiology is even worse, with only 3 people listed. Of course, field competitiveness could shift by the time you're applying.
The only two of your questions I can comment upon:
- I would not expect Ross to be "supportive". Most carib schools are DIY / you are on your own. Either you pass, or you don't. If you don't score high enough on the Comp, they won't even let you take Step 1 to keep their pass rate up. They will have no problem dismissing you and not feel bad about it at all. It will all be on you. Don't plan on any support, at all.
- There is absolute zero value to a partial MD from a carib school. Some may give you a "masters" of some sort if you complete the basic science but then can't proceed. But it's useless and just for show.
- You could fail MERP. In many ways, this isn't a risk. It's what you want to know. But if you fail, whatever it cost is lost.
- MERP is online. I assume the rest of medical school is not. Living in Dominica is a challenge. It may uncover some of the issues that caused you to struggle in the past.
- You could just barely pass MERP. This is the bigger risk IMHO. If you just get by, then you're on to the full MD program. It's very unlikely you'd decide to quit at that point. And then if you proceed, you might fail a course here or there. And skim along the bottom for others. But when you fail, you're given a chance to remediate. Hard to say no, so you do, and pass. And before long you've completed the basic sciences with a checkered performance. Then you either don't qualify to take S1 or can't pass it -- and now you're out 2+ years of tuition. Or you pass with a low score - and now your only options will be FM or community IM.
Thanks for the clarifications. Post Bacc and SMP are relatively similar, although my sense is that SMP's are "harder" in that they deliver the material at the same speed expected in medical school, where a Post Bacc is more variable. That said, not all Post Bacc's are equal.
Your UG GPA is obviously fine. The problem is your MCAT scores. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know: those are terrible scores. But we know that MCAT only moderately predicts performance in medical school. The AAMC pub on this is here: https://www.aamc.org/media/18901/download (Note: this takes quite a while to load for me. If it's all blank, just wait). The data shows a correlation R=0.5 - 0.6 between MCAT score and lots of performance metrics (Step scores, clerkship scores, etc). Per their footnotes, an R of 0.5 is considered "Strong correlation" in social sciences. In medical practice, it certainly isn't -- it's something, but there's still plenty of randomness or other factors at play. You can see that with a low MCAT (lets assume 480) your risk of failing Step 1 is 10-20% (although your uGPA would suggest it would be on the lower side, your poor Post Bacc might suggest otherwise).
In any case, you're not going to get any better info than what you know now. No US school is taking you with those MCATs, and taking it again for the 5th time is already a problem. You are correct this is your only chance at an MD. If you do well at Ross, no one will care about any of this. Neither Anesthesia nor Radiology are impossible from Ross, but both are uphill climbs -- you'd need to thrive, not just survive. If you can afford this, then go right ahead, assuming you'd be OK with a primary care spot if that's what happens. Shoot for the stars, but plan to have both feet on the ground.
Your UG GPA is obviously fine. The problem is your MCAT scores. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know: those are terrible scores. But we know that MCAT only moderately predicts performance in medical school. The AAMC pub on this is here: https://www.aamc.org/media/18901/download (Note: this takes quite a while to load for me. If it's all blank, just wait). The data shows a correlation R=0.5 - 0.6 between MCAT score and lots of performance metrics (Step scores, clerkship scores, etc). Per their footnotes, an R of 0.5 is considered "Strong correlation" in social sciences. In medical practice, it certainly isn't -- it's something, but there's still plenty of randomness or other factors at play. You can see that with a low MCAT (lets assume 480) your risk of failing Step 1 is 10-20% (although your uGPA would suggest it would be on the lower side, your poor Post Bacc might suggest otherwise).
In any case, you're not going to get any better info than what you know now. No US school is taking you with those MCATs, and taking it again for the 5th time is already a problem. You are correct this is your only chance at an MD. If you do well at Ross, no one will care about any of this. Neither Anesthesia nor Radiology are impossible from Ross, but both are uphill climbs -- you'd need to thrive, not just survive. If you can afford this, then go right ahead, assuming you'd be OK with a primary care spot if that's what happens. Shoot for the stars, but plan to have both feet on the ground.
IMO if you were put into a MERP program it's because you need a foundational program and the admissions committee feels you aren't yet ready for a direct admit. Odds are, currently, with the strength of your application, without enhancement, your only option is going to be Caribbean medical schools. Ross, SGU, AUC, SABA even places like UMHS (Ross 2.0) have a track record of matching students into residency. So the question is are you willing to bet on yourself to handle the Caribbean basic sciences programs? Thousands of students match into residency every year from caribbean schools. Now if you are looking for the super competitive specialties, the caribbean is prob not going to get you there. But matching into the cores( Family, IM, Peds, Psy, Gen Surgery, OGBYN) you will be fine. If you are worried about financials, then go to a place that rewards you for killing it in the MERP programs and offers you a scholarship so it's basically free.
IM PGY2 here. I am a 2023 Ross grad, did Merp in 2018 and if I’m not wrong if you fail merp they will refund your tuition. AtLeast that’s how it was when I was there.
I would highly recommend you give merp a try if it is indeed your last shot at medicine. I really think merp taught me how I study best and most efficient. I ended up passing merp with a 90% average and got a 10K scholarship for first semester at Ross, and first semester was cake. If you fail merp all you’ll lose is 4 months of your life, and at least then you’ll know whether you’re cut out for this.
I would highly recommend you give merp a try if it is indeed your last shot at medicine. I really think merp taught me how I study best and most efficient. I ended up passing merp with a 90% average and got a 10K scholarship for first semester at Ross, and first semester was cake. If you fail merp all you’ll lose is 4 months of your life, and at least then you’ll know whether you’re cut out for this.
I am in the same boat as you. And a fellow UM grad!!
I wouldn't listen to anyone discouraging you but I think understanding your financials and readiness is important.
I am thinking of going to Ross Jan 2026. Shoot me a message if you do! I'll need a study buddy
If you are a strong student then you can succeed at sunscreen schools. Especially the ones with small class sizes, since they do not set out to fail students from the start. Strong students also get sizable scholarships which takes out one of the big factors against going sunscreen.
All in all given your circumstances, if you can save 2 years of your life by going sunscreen and just want to practice medicine, and are a strong student, then it's worth considering. Sunscreen is not a "shortcut", it just gets you to doing the work you actually want to do sooner. It will be much more difficult than a stateside school in aggregate.
Sunscreen is a desperation / 'last chance' if you are a weaker student. In this case it would be advisable to improve your academics and apply stateside.
All in all given your circumstances, if you can save 2 years of your life by going sunscreen and just want to practice medicine, and are a strong student, then it's worth considering. Sunscreen is not a "shortcut", it just gets you to doing the work you actually want to do sooner. It will be much more difficult than a stateside school in aggregate.
Sunscreen is a desperation / 'last chance' if you are a weaker student. In this case it would be advisable to improve your academics and apply stateside.
I graduated from Ross in 2006. Matched at a good university program in Psychiatry. I work in outpatient and make around $336k yearly. No weekends and no call. I love it.
MedSchoolAfter40
New Member
I am not a Ross student---YET---but I am considering attending. I was just accepted to SGU about an hour ago in their MD Start program and it sounds like it may be similar to Ross's MERP. I haven't interviewed with Ross yet, but I anticipate an invite any day this week. If medicine is truly what you want to pursue, DO IT. Most of the people on these SDN threads have yet to even experience life and are barely out of undergrad, so I take what they say with the tiniest grain of salt, especially when they fail to offer anything constructive. If this is your ONLY path to medicine, then WALK IT! and walk it with pride!
MedSchoolAfter40
New Member
And Psychiatry is the route I am pursuing as I am currently a Psych NP!
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Just be careful, Psych has gotten more competitive compared with 2006. Getting a Psych spot from the Carib is possible, but difficult. Don't go to the Carib unless you're willing to do Primary Care.
MedSchoolAfter40
New Member
I am already a Psych NP in private practice. Not worried about that at all. I am also a FNP, so that answers the primary care bit.
doctorwannabe02
New Member
(If Ross doesn’t work out…) Have you considered CAA or Pharmacy? Crazy high acceptance rate for pharmacy right now, well respected, stable job in the US.
OP I’m sorry for your situation and I hope things work out. You’re in a tough spot but you’ll make it through.
OP I’m sorry for your situation and I hope things work out. You’re in a tough spot but you’ll make it through.
Best to ask your school. They should have a probation policy. Most likely means that if you fail anything, you'll be dismissed immediately. The probation policy should be in the student handbook.
If you did terribly in both the SMP and the MCAT, you're very unlikely to succeed at Ross. If you look at the CVs of the docs at your local community hospital, you'll absolutely see Ross on the list of schools attended. They are talented and compassionate clinicians, compensated identically to US grads in those specialties. But, I see nothing to convince me you're like those Ross alumni.
If you can't handle the MCAT you don't have the test-taking prowess to succeed at those schools. 34 is old by pre-med standards, but many have started at an older age.
If you can't handle the MCAT you don't have the test-taking prowess to succeed at those schools. 34 is old by pre-med standards, but many have started at an older age.
Did you end up making it to Ross? I’m here starting next week. Hope you found answers
I passed MERP but by 1% and am now worried what is to come. Have you heard of students doing well and not being dropped after passing MERP by that much? Seeking honest advice
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Consider this: for a good class, 60% of the students starting M1 at Ross are going to make it to match day within five years. The others are going to fail out. If you are at the very bottom of MERP, why are you going to be in the top 60% of the class? What changed?
Keep in mind that the top students at Ross are no less studious than state MD matriculants- they just didn't get through interviews, or had institutional actions, or had weak ECs.
Keep in mind that the top students at Ross are no less studious than state MD matriculants- they just didn't get through interviews, or had institutional actions, or had weak ECs.
And low MCAT's or GPA's. It's more than not having soft skills.
I went to MERP and passed but not by a high margin, I got offered to do Med Origins which I am doing now and doing well ranging 75-80% on exams. Do you think I will do well directly in medical school semester 1? How have people adjusted from med origins to regular semesters of medical school? I improved since MERP. Anyone who has gone through both, please give your insight
My friend, I am giving you this advice as someone who knows more about the Caribbean than anybody here because I attended a Caribbean medical school and now attend an osteopathic medical school...
It's not about YOU or your abilities. Those schools all create barriers for you not to make it to subsequent steps on the journey to become a licensed physician. I used to think that the problem was me and that I wasn't working hard enough but then I realized, irrespective of that, there will be barriers that are out of my control.
I am not going to tell you what to do but I will say that, unless you are wealthy and can afford any losses, don't continue down this path considering that they are cutting federal loans and you will have absolutely no protections should you not graduate and become a doc.
The advice I will give you is to try and get into an osteopathic school. I did it and you can too. If not, there are other careers in healthcare where you can make good money and avoid the potential headaches associated with going to the Caribbean.
Thank you for your honesty I appreciate your insight but may I ask the barriers you have faced that made you decide to leave?
Bro, when I was at another one of those schools we had mandatory class till 5PM, no recorded lectures, minimal resources to care for your mental health, and then the inconveniences of living in a foreign country on an island.
That environment is not conducive to becoming a successful medical student. Some people obviously can do it but they are OUTLIERS.
That's the argument here. Sure, someone will succeed at these Caribbean schools because they do produce a match list but I would not attempt something, where the stakes are so high, with the hope that I will be one of those outliers.
Honestly, you have to go through it to understand. As a current DO student, I can't believe I went down that path knowing what I know now.
Caribbean medical schools used to be more legitimate in the early 2000's when everyone was more into before and after accomplishments, like students who've been through a lot, and then came back on top to defy all odds, but the big ones, like Ross, ruined a lot of it by rejecting students going through hardship and said they have to censor their hardships on their applications and can't include it on their essays. When I was in college, everyone was all about going to the Caribbean to become a doctor and setting examples that you can come out on top through difficult situations, like the death of a loved one in your family or losing friends. In the early 2000's, a lot of hospitals were more open to Caribbean medical school grads, and anyone from the Caribbean could get residencies anywhere in any specialty, even Neurosurgery in New York. But a lot has changed since then after the schools did that applicant hardship censorship revolution thing with their admissions. I have friends in hospitals in formerly Ross friendly hospitals that reject Caribbean med school grads carte blanch because of the what the schools were saying was better to do with their admissions, like rejecting fatherless applicants, applicants with deaths in their families from diseases, etc. They officially blacklisted applicants with legitimate hardships, like losing a support figure in your family, and distorted definitions of hardship to be analagous to losing a pencil in class. When I talk to my friends in hospital hiring positions, they said the psychologies of Caribbean medical school applicants are very poor and they have significant demented mental states that could impede the performance of their clinics due to the schools' hardship definitions changes. To make it worse, there's cities in rural areas that used to hire a lot of Caribbean med school grads that are completely abandoning their domestic foreign medical students programs with the Caribbean. What was a lot easier to get in the millenium is a lot harder now, even in rural areas with high doctor demands. The schools changed their curriculum to reflect the changes, and don't incorporate live cadaver dissection in Gross Human Anatomy anymore to shift surgical positions away from Carribean medical school grads and to restrict their practice to diagnostics in Primary Care, which only pays $120,000 a year, after taxes, child expenses, and other taxes, like property taxes, gas, car insurance, home insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, medical insurance, vacations, only comes out to be around $55,000 a year after vacations and wining and dining. And not a lot of people go to Caribbean doctors anymore, even in rural areas. When asked why, the number one answer was quality change of physicians from earlier school epochs. A lot of my friends in rural areas have hard times getting patients, and one friend, who used to have a full clinic on weekdays, only gets in 3-5 patients a day, mostly for checkups and lab tests. The rural areas changed, and they don't go to Caribbean doctors a lot anymore, and a lot of doctors I know who graduated from the Caribbean, like Ross and AUC before Ad Talem, are struggling to find rural areas with a lot of people that go to clinics with Caribbean graduates and move around a lot shifty trying to find jobs. Some are even finding other jobs in logistics because they're only getting 15% of their original patient loads from previous epochs. Is it worth it? Not really. It was in the early milennium when everyone was about sanctuary medical school comebacks, but the schools changed, and everyone else changed after. You will have a MD degree, but it's going to be like how it was in the 70's when everyone was against it, and you have to struggle around a lot and move around a lot to keep up with the bills. Before, it was wherever you were, you never had to worry about it, but now, you have to struggle a lot more to get patients and try to wiggle in in a network, where you'll get 2-5 patients a day and get paid as much as a pharmacist after bills and expenses and never get a surgical position or a competitive residency. You could do surgery, but nobody will go to your clinic after they find out you're from the Ad Talem group of schools or other Caribbean schools. It's actually better to go to a Caribbean pharmacy or allied health professional school than it is to go to a Caribbean medical school, but that'll probably change soon too. The best thing to do after that weird school revolution thing is to bockbreak a crackstar MCAT score and apply to a domestic or real foreign medical school, like University of Paris. Those are the only foreign medical school chances you have with a real job as foreign medical graduate. The dreamy offshore Caribbean medical school dream used to be legit when the schools were different and weren't doing that with their applicants. Things have changed a lot since then with the schools, and if you do graduate from one, you'll have to run around for the rest of your life finding a job where you only get $65k a year after everything with no surgical opportunities or real physician opportunities to cure real physician diseases.
You're unlikely to succeed if you graduate from Ross or any other Caribbean medical school, even if you think you have a moonshot opportunity in a rural area. Rural area jobs, you'll only get 2-5 patients a day if you're in a network, and the hospital chooses which patients you get. You'll get patients with routine lab work for cholesterol and patients with skin tags who want referrals. They don't dissect cadavers in Caribbean medical schools anymore to shift jobs away from surgery into light primary care diagnostic work. It's not going to be the same like how it was in the early millennium when everyone could work anywhere in any specialty. You'll be on call 5 days a week with 3 call ins, one for psychiatry, and the other two for lab work, and you'll be on downtime 34 hours of the 40 hour work week at home, driving around town and looking at the fast food restaurants to try out. You'll have no surgery opportunities, even though you have an unrestricted medical license because nobody will go to you and hospitals will use domestic graduates for primary and urgent surgeries, and you'll be competing with others for non-invasive skin surgeries and cysts that might trickle down a month or so from domestic grad cancellations.
Take a year off, crack the MCAT, and stay domestic. That's the only sure way you'll be the physician you want to be.
Withdraw, crack the MCAT, and stay domestic, even if you think you have a moonshot rural position lined up. There's no shortage of physicians in rural areas, and you'll be competing with other domestic FMG's for mole removal referrals. Take your time, crack the MCAT code, and stay domestic. That's the only sure fire way you'll be the physician you want to be.
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Even if you graduate from the Caribbean, you'll be competing for skin tag referrals with other domestic FMG's. Take a year off, crack the MCAT code, and you'll be the physician you want to be.
With Caribbean medical schools, even schools from Ad Talem schools, they brag and boast about their residency placements, which are high and accurate as they state. However, it's after residency where everybody bites the bullet and everyone contemplates allied health after after the realization blow. And to make it even worse, Caribbean medical schools don't offer dissection anymore in Gross Human Anatomy, even Ross, St. George, and AUC anymore because nobody gets jobs as surgeons anymore like they used to during the millenium. Domestic foreign medical school graduates have a very hard time getting jobs that pay in subspecialty salary ranges, and in the end, after income taxes, student loans, property taxes, child expenses, like school, gas, car insurance, health insurance, home insurance if you bought a house, and wining and dining and trying to keep up the Jones's with cars and stuff, you only end up with around $50k with a primary care position that pays up to $150,000 a year. And you can't have a lot of kids because the pay is not enough, you only can have like 1-3 and still have $35k after everything. It's not worth being a doctor from the Caribbean anymore because the schools changed, and patient preference changed. A lot of doctors in rural areas from the Caribbean who graduated from schools like Ross, AUC, St. George, etc., lost between 33-55% of their patients who chose to go to domestic medical school graduates instead. They're even losing their patients to naturapaths and podiatrists who are taking on the roles of primary care in rural areas over Caribbean medical school graduates. At least six of my closest friends who graduated from Ross moved at least 6 times in the passed 3 years to find jobs they lost in rural areas. They can't even make money anymore and some of my other friends from Ross got jobs in logistics and the railroad yards and they're too depressed and ashamed to make it back out to civilization. Before, like during the millenium, Ross and Caribbean medical schools were awesome and everybody was about making it out alive through adverse situations. But then the schools changed, and everybody else changed their minds about Caribbean medical school grads from the United States. Some Caribbean medical schools aren't offshore U.S. medical schools, but real medical schools on their island nations for the people of their islands. Ross, AUC, St. George, etc., are offshore U.S. medical schools, not native indigenous medical schools on Caribbean island nations for the people of the islands. There's a huge difference in legitimacy, especially after the offshore U.S. medical schools got weird with their admissions and said everybody has to censor their hardships on their applications otherwise it could affect someone reading it or finding about it. The best thing to do if you're stumped and thought about going to a offshore U.S. medical school in the Caribbean is to crack it out for a year and crack the MCAT and stay domestic, or go to a real foreign medical school, like in France or Europe.
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It's a scam. Offshore U.S. medical used to be legit in the millenium, but then they changed and got weird with their admissions, and wouldn't let anyone in with familial hardships. They even said nobody can use family hardship expositories in their essays otherwise they get rejected. The scam is they get everyone to think it's like how it was during the millenium when the admissions committees didn't use that admissions rubric for students so the students who didn't get in wouldn't develop mental health disorders after their rejection decisions. Then the schools said it was better to let the students develop mental health disorders with their admissions rubrics and filter the fittest of their rejected students for jobs as mental health professionals. The best thing to do now after the offshore U.S. medical school scandalasso is to stay domestic or foreign in a developed nation, like Germany, England, France, Italy, etc.
It's a scam. In psychiatry, as a graduate from an offshore U.S. medical school in a Caribbean island nation, you'll get refill patients from other clinics or in-network referral refills. Nobody will go to you for therapy sessions. You won't have a job as a therapist, but as a refill manager for in network referrals from patients who get therapy from forensic psychologists and therapists working in a hospital network in a strip mall clinic. Nobody goes to Caribbean medical school therapists anymore. They used to during the millenium, but the schools changed, and everybody else changed their minds about Caribbean medical school graduates.
It's a scam to get you to think that they're like how they were during the millenium when everybody loved graduates from Ross University and offshore U.S. medical schools in the Caribbean. Then the schools changed their admissions rubrics that caused more mental health damage than the previous admissions rubrics to their applicants, and now the schools are shunned by even rural networks with high physician demands who give their primary care appointments to naturapaths and podiatrists instead. Stay domestic, crack the MCAT, and you'll be the physician you want to be.
Crack the MCAT and stay domestic. You'll be the physician you want to be.
Yeah. You shouldn't have to defend yourself for being desperate. Being poor is not your fault. If that's what you're fighting about with yourself about graduating from there, choose another school. You don't have to let yourself get taken advantage of as a medieval Swedish grave wife because some crackpot from an offshore U.S. medical school said you can't be different and the way you want to be. If the school said you have to apologize for being poor, screw that school. Sue them if you want and take them to court and libel them as slander offenders.
This reads a lot of like old man yells at clouds. There's plenty of reasons to criticize Caribbean schools but the whole no places take them anymore and you're making $120k a year if you make it through is completely whack. If anything, there's been a continued diminishing match list of the smaller schools while the bigger ones cannibalize. Ross' primary care specialty match rate (FM/IM/peds) has dropped from the 70s to low 60s. The lists are largely unchanged otherwise, showing between 1-3 hypercompetitive residency matches per year. I successfully couples matched just this cycle and neither of us chose a primary care specialty.
Again, the attrition is unacceptable, the loans are very high, and most matches are community or university-affiliated programs instead of ivory towers but most people that make it through the school do well for themselves (in the context of matching into a specialty and finding jobs afterwards). The match rate this year if you count all the prelim/transitional year matches that don't have an advanced position attached to them at Ross was around 92% and if you count them it was 95%. My napkin math a couple years ago was about a third of matriculants will not graduate; take that as you will.
Again, the attrition is unacceptable, the loans are very high, and most matches are community or university-affiliated programs instead of ivory towers but most people that make it through the school do well for themselves (in the context of matching into a specialty and finding jobs afterwards). The match rate this year if you count all the prelim/transitional year matches that don't have an advanced position attached to them at Ross was around 92% and if you count them it was 95%. My napkin math a couple years ago was about a third of matriculants will not graduate; take that as you will.
Hello friend, just adding some of my 2c
A lot of students who come sunscreen are either forced to, or are clueless. It's difficult to adequately quantify the amount of students here that are only there because their parents and culture strongly warranted it. There are others who did 0 research and come here thinking it is like undergrad, only to immediately wash out. Others, just don't take it seriously, refuse to study, get overly involved in "extracurriculars." Most of those do not make it.
If you were to take the number of students who were as serious / mature / professional as you would a typical stateside course, I doubt the number would be 60%. You can absolutely see this in the Canadian students, who are miles ahead of the average US premed. They come here and absolutely crush.
isn't the declining match rates largely due to FMG?
Not opening that can of worms, just noticing US IMG still seem to be doing much better.
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