Dismissed Caribbean

[MedMD89]

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Hey guys! Here's my story and I would really appreciate some constructive advice. I know my situation does not look good, so I could really use the help

When I was a junior in college, I took the MCAT, scored a 23. Kept a 3.5 GPA, and good extracurricular. At that point, I don't think I really knew how to study for the MCAT, so I decided, with all the pressure from my family to go SOMEWHERE the following fall after I graduated, I went to a Caribbean medical school. Four months, trying to adjust, I had a solid start. Then my dad was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, and my aunt with colon cancer. From then, my grades started to slip. I did well about the first 30-40% of my classes, but the last few tests I bombed. Needless to say, I was dismissed from the school due to my grades (albeit, I was 1-2% away from passing). I am back home, with a new spirit. My family members are doing better after the initial shock of the diagnosis last October. I know what a person I have grown to become, and am studying to retake my MCAT in May. With everything that happened, I am more than motivated to become a physician. A year older and wiser, after going Caribbean, I am now, more than ever, sure I want to go to a school in the US. I am applying to WesternU's MSMS program and want to apply to MD and DO schools this coming cycle. I know a dismissal from a medical school doesn't look good, and I don't want to lie about it on my master's program app and medical school app. How do you guys think I should address this situation on the application and in interviews? Is all hope lost? Any help will be appreciated! Thank you

 

[dsk89]

Be prepared to be bashed by the anti-Caribbean wolves on SDN.

But my advice, definitely study hard for the MCAT! I'm not familiar with how US schools would view dismissal from a Caribbean school, but an explanation of your family circumstances might help. Either way, you have an uphill battle ahead of you, I would definitely take some time off to work/volunteer and really put together some great EC's to apply MD/DO ( I would only apply lower-tier MD if I were you, unless you happened to have a ton of money laying around). Which Caribbean school did you attend? Was it one of the big 4? If it was, it's surprising that they would dismiss you so quickly, but if it wasn't, probably not that big of a surprise. Just work hard from this point on and stay positive. Good luck to you.

 

[Medstart108]

Hey guys! Here's my story and I would really appreciate some constructive advice. I know my situation does not look good, so I could really use the help

When I was a junior in college, I took the MCAT, scored a 23. Kept a 3.5 GPA, and good extracurricular. At that point, I don't think I really knew how to study for the MCAT, so I decided, with all the pressure from my family to go SOMEWHERE the following fall after I graduated, I went to a Caribbean medical school. Four months, trying to adjust, I had a solid start. Then my dad was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, and my aunt with colon cancer. From then, my grades started to slip. I did well about the first 30-40% of my classes, but the last few tests I bombed. Needless to say, I was dismissed from the school due to my grades (albeit, I was 1-2% away from passing). I am back home, with a new spirit. My family members are doing better after the initial shock of the diagnosis last October. I know what a person I have grown to become, and am studying to retake my MCAT in May. With everything that happened, I am more than motivated to become a physician. A year older and wiser, after going Caribbean, I am now, more than ever, sure I want to go to a school in the US. I am applying to WesternU's MSMS program and want to apply to MD and DO schools this coming cycle. I know a dismissal from a medical school doesn't look good, and I don't want to lie about it on my master's program app and medical school app. How do you guys think I should address this situation on the application and in interviews? Is all hope lost? Any help will be appreciated! Thank you

I don't know but the truth certainly won't go well. I mean all things aside if i was an adcom, unless you presented to me an undisputably good application and this was the only thing wrong i would probably pick an applicant that just had a normal application.

The truth is a long story that if you are a borderline matriculant/ average applicant would count against.

I'm not sure if this is wrong, but unless they specifically ask, why can't u just not talk about the Caribbean at all? It wouldn't really be lying it would just be withholding the truth.

 

[dsk89]

I don't know but the truth certainly won't go well. I mean all things aside if i was an adcom, unless you presented to me an undisputably good application and this was the only thing wrong i would probably pick an applicant that just had a normal application.

The truth is a long story that if you are a borderline matriculant/ average applicant would count against.

I'm not sure if this is wrong, but unless they specifically ask, why can't u just not talk about the Caribbean at all? It wouldn't really be lying it would just be withholding the truth.

but don't they usually ask if you have ever matriculated at another medical school? In that case, OP cannot say "no", because that would be lying, not withholding the truth.

 

[MedMD89]

Be prepared to be bashed by the anti-Caribbean wolves on SDN.

But my advice, definitely study hard for the MCAT! I'm not familiar with how US schools would view dismissal from a Caribbean school, but an explanation of your family circumstances might help. Either way, you have an uphill battle ahead of you, I would definitely take some time off to work/volunteer and really put together some great EC's to apply MD/DO ( I would only apply lower-tier MD if I were you, unless you happened to have a ton of money laying around). Which Caribbean school did you attend? Was it one of the big 4? If it was, it's surprising that they would dismiss you so quickly, but if it wasn't, probably not that big of a surprise. Just work hard from this point on and stay positive. Good luck to you.

Yes! I am definitely studying extra hard for the upcoming MCAT. I am applying for the Master's program to show medical schools that I can keep up with the curriculum. It's a combination of anatomy, microbio, MCB, and a number of different classes. The downside is, the program asks about prior dismissals, and this might not go well for them. I attended AUC, but they weren't willing to work with me. I am very upset that they didn't even look at my case, stating I was "merely a first semester." Thank you for the well wishes

I don't know but the truth certainly won't go well. I mean all things aside if i was an adcom, unless you presented to me an undisputably good application and this was the only thing wrong i would probably pick an applicant that just had a normal application.

The truth is a long story that if you are a borderline matriculant/ average applicant would count against.

I'm not sure if this is wrong, but unless they specifically ask, why can't u just not talk about the Caribbean at all? It wouldn't really be lying it would just be withholding the truth.

I am I guess a normal applicant, which is why this scares me! All applications ask about prior dismissals. The WesternU MSMS app asks:
"Have you ever discontinued attendance at or been dismissed
from any school, college or academic program?" so I have to report it, I'm guessing.


A friend told me, "well, the Caribbean school doesn't use an AMCAS ID, so how would the US schools know?" but I'm afraid they could still find out.

 

[MedMD89]

but don't they usually ask if you have ever matriculated at another medical school? In that case, OP cannot say "no", because that would be lying, not withholding the truth.

yeah, exactly This is the dilema.

 

[MedMD89]

I really want to get into the program at WesternU, but I'm afraid they're going to hold it against me. Would explaining my family situation in the explanation of my dismissal help?

 

[CrimsonKing]

It's honest to report it.

On the flip side, if you do report it, your chances are pretty much zero, regardless of how your new MCAT goes. Look at things from an adcom's perspective: why would I accept this individual to a US medical school when they couldn't even academically cut it in the caribbean?

If I were you, I'd set my sights on another career, as difficult as that may seem to do.

In b4 "it's never out of reach OP, you just have to work really really hard for it!"

 

[487806]

It's honest to report it.

On the flip side, if you do report it, your chances are pretty much zero, regardless of how your new MCAT goes. Look at things from an adcom's perspective: why would I accept this individual to a US medical school when they couldn't even academically cut it in the caribbean?

If I were you, I'd set my sights on another career, as difficult as that may seem to do.

In b4 "it's never out of reach OP, you just have to work really really hard for it!"

Unfortunate, but true.

 

[azide10]

I'm not sure if this is wrong, but unless they specifically ask, why can't u just not talk about the Caribbean at all? It wouldn't really be lying it would just be withholding the truth.

Nice ethics. Purposefully misleading people = Purposefully misleading people. Trying to call it by a different name and saying it's OK is ridiculous. Any school or organization will see it the same way and not be happy when the truth is discovered.

To the OP, I would try to call or get face time with someone at schools to address the situation and have an honest assessment of whether you would be considered. If they won't consider you time to look for a new career path, if they will then rock that MCAT and don't let them doubt their decision. This way you won't be wasting any time.

I'm also surprised the school you were dismissed from wouldn't grant you another chance now that things are settled. Did you attempt that route?

 

[MedMD89]

It's honest to report it.

On the flip side, if you do report it, your chances are pretty much zero, regardless of how your new MCAT goes. Look at things from an adcom's perspective: why would I accept this individual to a US medical school when they couldn't even academically cut it in the caribbean?

If I were you, I'd set my sights on another career, as difficult as that may seem to do.

In b4 "it's never out of reach OP, you just have to work really really hard for it!"

Unfortunate, but true.

This was my concern

Nice ethics. Purposefully misleading people = Purposefully misleading people. Trying to call it by a different name and saying it's OK is ridiculous. Any school or organization will see it the same way and not be happy when the truth is discovered.

To the OP, I would try to call or get face time with someone at schools to address the situation and have an honest assessment of whether you would be considered. If they won't consider you time to look for a new career path, if they will then rock that MCAT and don't let them doubt their decision. This way you won't be wasting any time.

I'm also surprised the school you were dismissed from wouldn't grant you another chance now that things are settled. Did you attempt that route?

Thank you. I will be calling some of the Master's programs first and rocking the MCAT. I figure, if a Master's accepts me, and I can do well and show my potential, a medical school should hopefully give me a chance.

 

[gravitywave]

Lots of unwarranted negativity in here. At this point I've heard enough crazy stories of how people got into medicine and medical school that I would not discount OP's ability to get into a US MD/DO school. On the face of it, with a solid app and competitive MCAT, I think it's possible. I can't imagine there aren't people on this side who would be willing to take a look at the file regardless of history with an offshore school, especially if everything else was in line.

You will have to disclose this history when you apply to medical schools, and you get a space on the application to explain the circumstances. I think the only real way to know what your chance are is if you ask admissions people. Us internet strangers are relatively ignorant on specifics for these kinds of things.

 

[deleted127837]

It would've been better if you had withdrawn from the Caribbean - a dismissal probably seals your fate (unless you want to head back to the Caribbean). Worth a shot, though, if you represent it correctly and do really well on everything else. Working "really really hard for it," as CrimsonKing put it, will make it easier to transition to something else if you're unable to bring yourself to do that now.

In b4 "it's never out of reach OP, you just have to work really really hard for it!"

You shouldn't belittle supportive people. SDN is cynical enough as it is.

 

[IncognitoGuy]

OP, you should also consider this scenario - what if you DON'T report it and gain admission to a school, and they find out down the line and you have to suffer the repercussions then? Then all of the work you put into getting in is going to be in jeopardy, which isn't something to be taken lightly.

I would report it, but I would also follow azide's suggestion and talk to the schools about being seriously considered before putting in effort/money/time towards applying. This would certainly warrant it.

Good luck.

 

[BABSstudent]

If I were an adcom member and you told me the truth about your situation, I would worry than you would drop out of medical school again if something else were to happen. Why would I risk a possible seat and future physician? You would need an amazing answer to this before I would worry about studying for the MCAT.

 

[MedPR]

I really want to get into the program at WesternU, but I'm afraid they're going to hold it against me. Would explaining my family situation in the explanation of my dismissal help?

What happens if your family has health problems again? Are you going to wash out of a US MD/DO school?

Why didn't you have the presence of mind to take a medical LOA?

 

[MilMD01]

So much time and $$ wasted... I can't imagine.

Hope you figure you're stuff out and everything works out for you...
Before you invest more money.. I recommend evaluating your goals, and making sure that you are committed enough to complete medical school the next time around.

Also if you are committed, get a good tutor for the MCAT.

**Just read the part about reporting. That's a difficult situation... but you're best bet is to be honest. Maybe write about your issues in your PS and try to explain yourself.

 

[txMed7]

If you could manage a 40 on the MCAT and make straight As at a top ranked SMP, you'd have an intriguing application.

I'd give an application like that serious thought. 40 MCAT plus straight As in (virtually) first year medical school course equivalents.

Compare this to an average matriculant at an average DO school, traditional path notwithstanding.

I mean this is all hypothetical of course. It'd make for an amazing comeback story.

 

[TriagePreMed]

If you could manage a 40 on the MCAT and make straight As at a top ranked SMP, you'd have an intriguing application.

I'd give an application like that serious thought. 40 MCAT plus straight As in (virtually) first year medical school course equivalents.

Compare this to an average matriculant at an average DO school, traditional path notwithstanding.

I mean this is all hypothetical of course. It'd make for an amazing comeback story.

Why do so many premeds come here to make up magical scenarios?

Unfortunately, the OP has a huge upward battle. However, if he/she does go into one of these Osteopathic SMP and gets to know the faculty and what not, they could give him/her a chance into an Osteopathic program. This is very thin, however, as probably no MD program or DO program outside the SMP would even consider the applicant after being dismissed. Sure, there could be a scenario where the OP could perhaps catch a break in a non-SMP situation, but definitely so soon after the dismissal is simply impossible. At the very least 4-5 years time has to transgress with other merits before applying.

Now, if you want to get back into the Caribbean at some hell hole like Saba University, you might be able to catch a break if you inflate your stats with a good MCAT score.

My best advice would be to find an alternative career. If you want to be in health care, you can definitely make it into an allied health program and become successful. It's not ideal to be an NP, but it's a way to get there. Alternatively, you can look into a research career or something else.

 

[MedPR]

If you could manage a 40 on the MCAT and make straight As at a top ranked SMP, you'd have an intriguing application.

I'd give an application like that serious thought. 40 MCAT plus straight As in (virtually) first year medical school course equivalents.

Compare this to an average matriculant at an average DO school, traditional path notwithstanding.

I mean this is all hypothetical of course. It'd make for an amazing comeback story.

If he could manage a 40 he wouldn't have gone to the caribbean in the first place.

 

[txMed7]

Why do so many premeds come here to make up magical scenarios?

Unfortunately, the OP has a huge upward battle. However, if he/she does go into one of these Osteopathic SMP and gets to know the faculty and what not, they could give him/her a chance into an Osteopathic program. This is very thin, however, as probably no MD program or DO program outside the SMP would even consider the applicant after being dismissed. Sure, there could be a scenario where the OP could perhaps catch a break in a non-SMP situation, but definitely so soon after the dismissal is simply impossible. At the very least 4-5 years time has to transgress with other merits before applying.

Now, if you want to get back into the Caribbean at some hell hole like Saba University, you might be able to catch a break if you inflate your stats with a good MCAT score.

My best advice would be to find an alternative career. If you want to be in health care, you can definitely make it into an allied health program and become successful. It's not ideal to be an NP, but it's a way to get there. Alternatively, you can look into a research career or something else.

If he could manage a 40 he wouldn't have gone to the caribbean in the first place.

It's totally unfeasible and unrealistic - I agree. I was just throwing out an (admittedly) magical cinderella story scenario for the heck of it.

 

[d12]

I think you're asking the wrong people here, as most people around these parts are either pre-meds like myself or medical students. Some of us know a lot about the admissions process, but nobody on this thread sits on an admissions committee.

My initial guess would be that you'd have a minuscule chance at making it into a MD/DO school even if you improved your MCAT by 10 points and got straight A's in an SMP, but again, what the hell do I really know.

If I were you, I would do everything in my power to either sit down with the dean of admissions at a few different schools or at the VERY least get them on the phone. Explain your situation and try to get your questions answered by people that actually have meaningful opinions. If they believe you still have a shot, then by all means go for your dream. If they don't think it's at all likely, then I'd suggest looking into other careers in healthcare (PA, APRN, etc).

But please, please, please don't make a big decision based on what people in these forums think. If you got false hope, you'd be wasting a lot of time and money. Good luck!

 

[487806]

Why do so many premeds come here to make up magical scenarios?

Unfortunately, the OP has a huge upward battle. However, if he/she does go into one of these Osteopathic SMP and gets to know the faculty and what not, they could give him/her a chance into an Osteopathic program. This is very thin, however, as probably no MD program or DO program outside the SMP would even consider the applicant after being dismissed. Sure, there could be a scenario where the OP could perhaps catch a break in a non-SMP situation, but definitely so soon after the dismissal is simply impossible. At the very least 4-5 years time has to transgress with other merits before applying.

Now, if you want to get back into the Caribbean at some hell hole like Saba University, you might be able to catch a break if you inflate your stats with a good MCAT score.

My best advice would be to find an alternative career. If you want to be in health care, you can definitely make it into an allied health program and become successful. It's not ideal to be an NP, but it's a way to get there. Alternatively, you can look into a research career or something else.

If he could manage a 40 he wouldn't have gone to the caribbean in the first place.

Unfortunately, OP has close to zero chance of getting into any med school. The least thing a med school wants is to enroll a student who was dismissed from another med school.

 

[d12]

Oh yeah, and DEFINITELY don't be any less than truthful if you do decide to apply. Let's say that you rock the MCAT, boost your GPA and "forget" to mention your past-life as a medical student you could very well slip past AMCAS/adcoms. Even if you could get past this initial hurdle, there is still a good chance that the truth could come out by any number of sources. You'd be swiftly kicked out of medical school (or have your medical license revoked if you had already finished) and have a mountain of debt that you'd immediately have to pay back. To put it delicately, you'd be screwed. Even if you did manage to keep it a secret, you'd be living in fear the entire time. And above all of this, it's completely immoral and you'd be hurting somebody else's chances of fulfilling their dream. From your OP, it doesn't seem like this is an option you're really considering, but I wanted to give my two cents just in case.

 

[mdhopeful7]

After reading this trend, I couldn't help but to register and ask a question..

I know this is nothing similar to the OP's situation, but my issue is dealing with a Caribbean medical school as well.

I have a high GPA but a fairly low MCAT score. I applied to a caribbean medical school and got accepted to a program where you have a semester to basically prove yourself to the committee. Well anyways, I paid my deposit for that school, but it doesnt begin until Aug.

Since then, I have decided to study and retake the mcat. I really dont want to go to that medical school.
Now, is there any way that the seat deposit will hurt my chances at a US medical school (MD or DO)? I don't want US medical schools to not give me an interview because of that deposit..

Thanks in advance for the help.
And sorry to be asking a question in someone else's post

 

[flodhi1]

It's honest to report it.

On the flip side, if you do report it, your chances are pretty much zero, regardless of how your new MCAT goes. Look at things from an adcom's perspective: why would I accept this individual to a US medical school when they couldn't even academically cut it in the caribbean?

If I were you, I'd set my sights on another career, as difficult as that may seem to do.

In b4 "it's never out of reach OP, you just have to work really really hard for it!"

+1 It's great to tell the truth but expect to get rejected for it.

 

[Xenops]

Even though it's a yucky situation, I would try anyway. Kick butt on the MCAT, do a SMP to prove you got what it takes and apply to U.S. schools. And be honest.

As they say in Japanese, がんばって！( ganbatte!) Or "Work hard! Do your best!"

 

[TriagePreMed]

Unfortunately, OP has close to zero chance of getting into any med school. The least thing a med school wants is to enroll a student who was dismissed from another med school.

I agree for the most part, but if an Osteo school gives him/her a shot into an SMP program, he/she might catch a break because got to know the faculty and did really well.

 

[hallowmann]

Unfortunately, OP has close to zero chance of getting into any med school. The least thing a med school wants is to enroll a student who was dismissed from another med school.

Unfortunately, this is the main uphill battle OP will be dealing with. No Adcom, even a Caribbean one wants to admit a student that has been dismissed. You'd have trouble even getting into Saba (which someone else mentioned as a possibility).

OP, first and foremost, you need to really decide whether this is right for you. Are you willing to put in the time, effort, and money that this LONG process will take? Are you comfortable with the idea that you could spend 3-4 years just trying to get into a US medical program, with the possibility of not getting in at the end of it all? Does your family support this decision?

If any answers to the above are no, then look for a different career. PAs, NPs, optometrists, etc all make good money with lower cost programs than medical schools. Either way though, you may/will need to improve your stats to get into these schools.

If the answers to the above are yes, you need to do 3 things:

1) You need to get an amazing MCAT score. 35+ should be your target, and anything below a 33, will be a letdown. Also, keep in mind that MCAT scores only last 3 years, so you will have a ticking clock on that score until you are accepted.

2) You need to bring up your GPA, either through a post-bac or through a DO SMP/Linkage program. Its very possible that you will not get into an SMP/Linkage so soon after being dismissed from a medical school, so be prepared to do some DIY post-bac. Focus on courses that will bring your science and cumulative grades up the most. You will likely have to do this for at least a year to get somewhere close to 3.7/3.8/3.9 with grade replacement. This will demonstrate that you are motivated and that you can succeed after your dismissal. You need to sell to schools that you've grown a lot, and you can't really do that in less than a year. After that, you can try reapplying to SMP/linkage programs and applying to DO schools.

3) You need to talk to as many admissions officials, deans, etc as possible. You need to go on your two legs to the closest programs (SMP/linkages) and see if you can talk to anyone who can give you advice. Explain your situation, get a genuine assessment of how they would look at you and your chances, and see if there is anything you can do to show them that you can make it. If they say you will have to do X, Y, Z for even a shot, do it, and keep in touch with them throughout the process. In other words be like Rudy (sorry, just watched it again recently).

Your situation isn't hopeless, its just usually not worth it to do what you need to do... If you have the drive, you really can achieve almost anything, but you have to be sure that what you sacrifice for that achievement (time, money, family, etc.) is worth it.

Also, just as a note, 1 & 2 above are more just to get as many pros in your app as possible. If you are standard deviations above the GPA and MCAT averages of the schools you apply to, you will have a much better chance of someone giving you a second look or forgiving the dismissal long enough to give you an interview.

After reading this trend, I couldn't help but to register and ask a question..

I know this is nothing similar to the OP's situation, but my issue is dealing with a Caribbean medical school as well.

I have a high GPA but a fairly low MCAT score. I applied to a caribbean medical school and got accepted to a program where you have a semester to basically prove yourself to the committee. Well anyways, I paid my deposit for that school, but it doesnt begin until Aug.

Since then, I have decided to study and retake the mcat. I really dont want to go to that medical school.
Now, is there any way that the seat deposit will hurt my chances at a US medical school (MD or DO)? I don't want US medical schools to not give me an interview because of that deposit..

Thanks in advance for the help.
And sorry to be asking a question in someone else's post

Listen man, your deposit won't even be seen by any other schools. It is meaningless. It is just money you put down to hold a spot. US programs don't care if you apply to the Caribbean, get accepted, hold a spot. As long as you don't matriculate there, there will be no problem. Its not even something they ask/want to know about.

The issue is if you get dismissed from ANY school, especially a medical school. You could even go there and get good grades in that MERP program or whatever, and then come back and go to a US school (but why would anyone do that? its not worth the money).

 

[Law2Doc]

Even though it's a yucky situation, I would try anyway...

Although there are people on SDN who like to play cheerleader and say "you can do it!" there is a point where you might want to cut your losses.

The issues OP faces:
1. Did very poorly on the MCAT.
2. Already enrolled in a med school in the Caribbean.
3. Was dismissed by that med school.

I think this makes the OP less desirable to med schools than all of the folks coming out of undergrad with no strikes against them, and all of the postbacs and career changers. A high MCAT won't fix this. An SMP won't fix this because frankly the whole point of an SMP is to show med schools that you have what it takes to survive the med school curriculum, and already failing out someplace speaks much louder to this.

Realistically the OP can either find another Caribbean school that will take his money and let him finish his degree --many offshore schools may do this because they are happy to take people's money and just fail them out if they don't pass everything, unlike US schools where attrition is pretty nominal. The downside to this is you hit the exact same hurdle when looking for a residency slot, where the number of applicants, US and foreign, without red flags is even greater. Getting a med school degree without a residency doesn't serve you well -- it just wastes another four plus years. Or he can cut his losses and find another career path, be it healthcare or otherwise. A decade or so from now, it might be possible to wash all this a way as having been "young and stupid" and try again, but that would depend a lot on market forces.

Just my two cents at the cold hard truth. I personally don't care if OP gives it a shot and proves me wrong. But I kind of think it's throwing bad money after good at this point.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Although there are people on SDN who like to play cheerleader and say "you can do it!" there is a point where you might want to cut your losses.

The issues OP faces:
1. Did very poorly on the MCAT.
2. Already enrolled in a med school in the Caribbean.
3. Was dismissed by that med school.

Does the reason for dismissal factor in at all? I mean it's one thing to just screw up, it's another to have a sick parent. Obviously he should have taken a leave of absence, but do you really think a couple years maturity, a strong MCAT, and solid SMP won't help at all?

I mean wouldn't a solid SMP speak to the fact that his performance was hindered by the family stuff, not his ability. I mean sometimes life sucks and stuff happens that's hard for anyone to deal with. He should have had handled it differently, but I bet he's learned his lesson on that and will be able to explain why other situations like that wouldn't be an issue in the future/how he'd deal with it differently so as not to interfere with is performance (not saying he's good to get in, just I can't imagine the contributing factors wouldn't be important and give him just a little hope)

 

[deleted480308]

Op, LizzyM has a question answer thread....ask her, us students have no idea. This is like asking the chimps if your banana company can win the vendor contract at the zoo

 

[ToldYouSo]

I think your chances are 0%. OP, read the threads of people who were dismissed from US medical schools. Most of the replies say that getting back in is next to impossible, and then they will recommend going to the carrib as a last resort. You don't have that option because you were dismissed from a carrib school. If dismissed US med students have a slim to none shot of getting back, a dismissed carrib student even more so. You also said you did well in 30-40% of classes, which frankly is very low.

Wasting time and money to pursue this goal is insane... you probably have school debt as well. If I were you I'd cut my losses and find another career path.

I was a student interviewer a couple of years ago for a guy who was dismissed from a U.S. allopathic school. He had stats strikingly similar to you (but I know for certain you are not this person). He tried for years to be readmitted, taking the MCAT five times in total, and going through SEVEN application cycles. In addition, he did TWO masters degrees after being dismissed, and petitioned to take all the medical school courses he could as well as the shelf exams. He was denied admission to every U.S. allopathic and osteopathic school every year. Interestingly, he did interview at an allopathic and a couple of osteopathic schools every year--with immediate rejections. Personally, I felt that he was richly deserving of a chance. Based on his determination and his performance in his M.S. degrees, he was clearly capable. However, I was overruled. He was told he should have gone to the Caribbean years ago. I think that will be your best option. Good luck, and stick with it.

 

[911 Turbo]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5-P9v3F8w[/YOUTUBE]



I believe in you OP.

 

[MedPR]

Op, LizzyM has a question answer thread....ask her, us students have no idea. This is like asking the chimps if your banana company can win the vendor contract at the zoo

The first rule of that thread is no wamc. Also I believe it was closed weeks ago.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[Ashley1989]

I think if you bring up her name she's notified (or at least that is my hypothesis) so hopefully she can give you insight. I would take what all the non-ADCOMs say with a grain of salt. Of course, what she says you should consider very seriously. Personally, I would think that your chances with a US medical school are pretty slim since you already had the chance.... But.... If you bring up your MCAT and re-apply somewhere in the Caribbean then it might work?

 

[Law2Doc]

Does the reason for dismissal factor in at all? I mean it's one thing to just screw up, it's another to have a sick parent. Obviously he should have taken a leave of absence, but do you really think a couple years maturity, a strong MCAT, and solid SMP won't help at all?

I mean wouldn't a solid SMP speak to the fact that his performance was hindered by the family stuff, not his ability. I mean sometimes life sucks and stuff happens that's hard for anyone to deal with. He should have had handled it differently, but I bet he's learned his lesson on that and will be able to explain why other situations like that wouldn't be an issue in the future/how he'd deal with it differently so as not to interfere with is performance (not saying he's good to get in, just I can't imagine the contributing factors wouldn't be important and give him just a little hope)

Not to sound overly harsh, but I'd say the reason for dismissal doesn't save the OP. Life happens while you are med school. You aren't justified to fail because you are dealing with family health issues. You find a way to take off time if you need it, seek counseling if you need it, but to just fail because of too much going on doesn't inspire confidence in your ability to handle things as a physician. Hundreds of med students deal with death and divorce in med school. They are still expected to pass unless they take a semester off. At the end, it's the patients who suffer if their doctor can't juggle life and school/work issues. No school is looking for applicants who say I recently failed out but I've learned my lesson. That something you can maybe argue a decade from now, but without a long, clean track record to show things are different, I'd say not a realistic sell. Sure, there's always a "little hope". Much like there might be every time you buy power ball ticket. Still not the kind of thing I'd invest much time and money into.

 

[MedPR]

Not to sound overly harsh, but I'd say the reason for dismissal doesn't save the OP. Life happens while you are med school. You aren't justified to fail because you are dealing with family health issues. You find a way to take off time if you need it, seek counseling if you need it, but to just fail because of too much going on doesn't inspire confidence in your ability to handle things as a physician. Hundreds of med students deal with death and divorce in med school. They are still expected to pass unless they take a semester off. At the end, it's the patients who suffer if their doctor can't juggle life and school/work issues. No school is looking for applicants who say I recently failed out but I've learned my lesson. That something you can maybe argue a decade from now, but without a long, clean track record to show things are different, I'd say not a realistic sell. Sure, there's always a "little hope". Much like there might be every time you buy power ball ticket. Still not the kind of thing I'd invest much time and money into.

Concur

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[LizzyM]

Op, LizzyM has a question answer thread....ask her, us students have no idea. This is like asking the chimps if your banana company can win the vendor contract at the zoo

Great analogy!


I do AMA from Christmas Eve to New Years Eve. And I don't do WAMC.

 

[Gut Shot]

Does the reason for dismissal factor in at all? I mean it's one thing to just screw up, it's another to have a sick parent.

When I was a resident one of my immediate family members died on a Saturday. I was back at work Tuesday morning. In retrospect that may not have been the sanest course of action, but when the stakes are high you can't sacrifice your future over something you have no power to change.

 

[solitarius]

Sometimes, there is a reason for everything.

You got rejected from U.S. medical schools because your record suggested you couldn't hack it. They were right.

You got into a Caribbean school because their business model is to take high-risk candidates. They were right.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I think if you bring up her name she's notified (or at least that is my hypothesis) so hopefully she can give you insight. I would take what all the non-ADCOMs say with a grain of salt. Of course, what she says you should consider very seriously. Personally, I would think that your chances with a US medical school are pretty slim since you already had the chance.... But.... If you bring up your MCAT and re-apply somewhere in the Caribbean then it might work?

Like a good neighbor, LizzyM is there!

If you didn't get the reference, it's the State Farm commercials.

 

[deleted480308]

Great analogy!


I do AMA from Christmas Eve to New Years Eve. And I don't do WAMC.

LizzyM likes my analogy! (swoon)

 

[Ashley1989]

Like a good neighbor, LizzyM is there!

If you didn't get the reference, it's the State Farm commercials.

Lol my mind literally sang it when I read your comment hahaha

I was thinking like a fairy godmother.

 

[sector9]

Now, is there any way that the seat deposit will hurt my chances at a US medical school (MD or DO)?

This will have 0 impact on your chances of an interview at a US school. They won't even know about it

 

[GopherMD]

your dad was diagnosed with osteomyelitis?? big deal

your aunt was diagnosed with colon cancer?? seriously. who the f.uck cares about their aunt

this is your excuse for failing out of a caribbean med school?

do you actually think any U.S allopathic school will look at your application?

considering the thousands of applicants that apply to med school every year, each med school can be pretty selective in whom they decide to interview/accept. why would someone choose you... someone who was dismissed from the caribbean for academic failure not to mention the 23 on the MCAT which isn't even good enough for the low standards of the osteopathic route.

i don't mean to sound harsh, but some people just need to the face the facts that they were not meant to be doctors. listen to the false hopes posted by the people above me if you wish, but I think you'll be wasting your time (and money)

Woah, John Kerry. Calm down.

 

[wholeheartedly]

When I was a resident one of my immediate family members died on a Saturday. I was back at work Tuesday morning. In retrospect that may not have been the sanest course of action, but when the stakes are high you can't sacrifice your future over something you have no power to change.

Understood, but I did state that he made a mistake in not taking leave. The point is if he learned from it and wouldn't repeat it in the future. Also to make it clear, I agree he's very much a long shot.

 

[Law2Doc]

...The point is if he learned from it and wouldn't repeat it in the future...

I think the problem is this too recently happened. Adcoms have no evidence he "learned" anything. The only track record right now is that when the going gets tough the OP can't manage everything. That's a really big red flag. And not one a one year SMP will address. And it's on top of the other smaller red flags of a poor MCAT, already enrolling in a med school previously. It becomes very hard to compete with even the undergrad with a 3.2/27 who was never dismissed from anything, and there are really no shortage of them in the applicant pool.

I'm not saying that family illness can't or shouldn't be upsetting. I'm saying to be a future doctor you need to find a way to cope, compartmentalize or to get the counseling or time off you need. To just half ***** it and fail out doesn't score you any points with adcoms.

 

[Law2Doc]

...The point is if he learned from it and wouldn't repeat it in the future...

I think the problem is this too recently happened. Adcoms have no evidence he "learned" anything. The only track record right now is that when the going gets tough the OP can't manage everything. That's a really big red flag. And not one a one year SMP will address. And it's on top of the other smaller red flags of a poor MCAT, already enrolling in a med school previously. It becomes very hard to compete with even the undergrad with a 3.2/27 who was never dismissed from anything, and there are really no shortage of them in the applicant pool.

I'm not saying that family illness can't or shouldn't be upsetting. I'm saying to be a future doctor you need to find a way to cope, compartmentalize or to get the counseling or time off you need. To just half ***** it and fail out doesn't score you any points with adcoms.

And again, even if OP were to find a med school to take him, probably offshore, a lot of these issues would come back to haunt him on the residency trail.

 

[Gut Shot]

Understood, but I did state that he made a mistake in not taking leave. The point is if he learned from it and wouldn't repeat it in the future.

The OP's stats predict a relatively high risk of academic problems, and lo and behold he crumbled. This stuff about family health problems is just a set of excuses. There is no lesson to be learned here.