Do vets who went to an American school look down upon Caribbean grads?

[ILikeDrugs]

This is very common amongst those going into and who are currently involved in human medicine. Is this same pompous attitude found in vet medicine? I would guess no since the animal lover population seems to be less anal, and also because it attracts less power/prestige hungry people. Am I right?

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[alliecat44]

I would say that just like anything else, it depends on who you talk to. Me personally? Absolutely not. Some of my favorite/best classmates were transfers from Caribbean schools. Some of the best doctors I (and others) have worked with are Caribbean grads. Plenty of Caribbean grads match into very competitive internships and residencies because they're well-thought of.

I think the few vet people who do "look down" on them are vets who have been out several decades and who have no personal experience with Caribbean grads. Otherwise, all the attitudes I've witnessed have been quite positive.

I would imagine part of the discrepancy isn't just because we're much kinder, gentler people than health folks (😉) but also because the reason for going to Caribbean schools is slightly different. There are over 130 medical schools in the US compared to just 28 veterinary schools. There are 200 (? if I remember correctly) Caribbean medical schools and there are only 3-4 Caribbean veterinary schools. I would imagined there's a larger discrepancy in education quality among the Caribbean medical schools just due to the sheer numbers--probably giving a bunch of the Caribbean grads a bad rep. Also, if you can't get into any of the 133 medical schools...bit of a different situation than if you're rejected from 28 veterinary schools. 😉 My personal opinion...

FYI, everything I've heard about Carib med students from my friends who transfered from Carib vet schools (often sharing a campus with the med students) is that the med students PARTY HARD and are MUCH less inclined to study than the vet students. Again, the type of student who's attracted to education in the Caribbean, perhaps...? Versus the vet students who are there out of necessity and burning passion...?

 

[Nechochwen]

As always, I wish I had some personal opinion insight or opinion to be able to give...but I don't, so here is a link to a lot of people who do know something.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=594591

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

All of the Caribbean students/grads I have met have been top notch students and doctors. Especially in the SA sector. I hold absolutely no prejudice against them. For them to have achieved so much in such a "drop you in the deep end" curriculum speaks volumes. Carib schools are noted for dropping you in and making you work, you are not spoon-fed things as you are in the US. At least in Vet Med. Unfortunately it is usually due to low faculty: student ratios and whatnot, but still, you get the picture.

Remember, Carib schools accept a lot, but a lot also can't cut it and drop out. The ones that make it to fourth year and beyond are true go-getters and I very much respect them. I don't think the prejudice is nearly as bad as the MD one....maybe because of what alliecat mentioned - vet students that go Carib and generally much more determined than med students (despite a larger proportion of slightly poorer *initial* resumes, and I do NOT mean that in a demeaning sense, I just couldn't find a better word at 11 pm hah), who tend to go because they think it will be easier to get in/stay in.

 

[VeganSoprano]

I am sure *some* people look down on Carib grads. Those who want to look down on someone can usually find some reason to do so, but this says a lot more about them than about those they are looking down on. Every licensed vet has earned that license through brains and hard work. They are worthy of anyone's respect.

 

[racccjlm]

I am sure *some* people look down on Carib grads. Those who want to look down on someone can usually find some reason to do so, but this says a lot more about them than about those they are looking down on. Every licensed vet has earned that license through brains and hard work. They are worthy of anyone's respect.

Seconded.

 

[Nexx]

Being a comparatively small field, most veterinarians are judged on how they practice medicine and not where they learned it. We all know of "that clinic" which seems to have all their clients seen by "us" as a second opinion.

 

[Walsh1122]

As a current student of a Caribbean Vet School (SGU), I have yet to experience any outright prejudice in the field, although I'm sure in one form or another it does exist. A DVM is a DVM whether it was achieved in the US or Caribbean. If you can pass the required exams and obtain your license to practice in the states then you are just as qualified as a vet who graduated in the states.

Vet school is what you put into it as is med school. The vet school at SGU shares a campus with the med school at SGU and I don't feel that their students are any less motivated or dedicated. There will always be those who sort of float through in vet and med, but in both instances I don't think a majority of the students uproot their lives to move to another country and pay ridiculous amounts of money just to float through school.

I think any credible employer will focus more on your skills as a veterinarian or physician than where your degree is from. Just because you go to a prestigious vet/med school does not make you a great veterinarian/physician.

 

[jpeterman13]

Just because you go to a prestigious vet/med school does not make you a great veterinarian/physician.

Absolutely, I've worked with some terrible vets that graduated from some amazing schools. And I've worked with some amazing vets that went to Carib/International schools. It's irrational to think that, even though they had to pass all the same exams as US grads (plus an extra one), they are any less prepared than their US counterparts. I think that the one time that it might come into play is if two grads, with identical stats, were competing for an internship/residency--one from a Carib school and one from a US school. My gut is telling me that the position would go to the US grad.

 

[VeganChick]

I like the irony of the fact that I wrote the original post of the thread that Nechochwen linked to.

Anyway, I thought before I came here (Ross) that there was a huge Caribbean stigma but since I started, I have had a number of vets that I know tell me how highly they think of Ross grads. In fact, we were something like #7 on the list of schools for how many students got internships/residencies last year.

There is the perception that Ross admits anybody which is not true. I worked with an outstanding tech who was turned down by Ross because her prereq grades weren't up to snuff. I do think that Ross is MUCH more lenient in taking students that have low GPAs; however, once you get here, the academic load is tough. You do have to prove yourself academically. In fact, I think that Ross goes out of its way to ensure that its students can handle the tough stuff.

Overall, I think it's like previous posters have said - vet school is what you make of it and the veterinarian you become has more to do with you than where you went to school.

 

[luplodw]

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[thearsonist]

I agree with Jpeterman13. I've had the blessing of becoming really close friends with many vets that have graduated from Ross. They have taught me more about veterinary medicine than I would have probably learned as a student alone.

I had a friend in college who was Pre-Med and seemed to be humored/offended that I suggested applying to Ross for med school. Alliecat44 made an excellent point when talking about the number of medical schools versus veterinary schools. We pre-vet students see 28-30 US/CB schools to choose from, whereas pre-med students see more than 200 schools to choose from. Therefore making a caribbean education a "last resort."

EDIT: Oddly enough, I find myself asking more Ross vets for second opinions of my research and blind-diagnoses. It's not always where you go to school, but the knowledge you have gained. There was a vet at my previous clinic who graduated from Ohio State, but never wanted to take challenging cases, ok'd refills on almost any med (despite the last time the pet was seen or had bloodwork), and didn't seem to care about anything. I started to notice this more and more, and eventually I stopped going to her for questions or help.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

Thanks for the informative responses. I keep forgetting that there are so few vet schools. With such a few number of schools to apply to, it seems like Carib schools would just be another school to apply to and not necessarily be a last resort.

 

[breenie]

I know a recent grad who only applied to Ross and not the US schools. 🙂 She had a kid, didn't want to wait around a long time, was probably a competitive applicant, but just sort of wanted to get going. Didn't know her well, but she was very nice. 🙂

 

[nyanko]

Thanks for the informative responses. I keep forgetting that there are so few vet schools. With such a few number of schools to apply to, it seems like Carib schools would just be another school to apply to and not necessarily be a last resort.

Well, I don't know that I'd quite say that the Carib schools are really "just another school to apply to." Obviously there are exceptions (like the one breenie gave) but by and large it's still a "last choice" and "backup" option for most people. This is probably only the case because of the lack of accreditation, though. Graduates from the Caribbean have more licensure hurdles to jump than those from US or AVMA accredited international schools. I'm sure cost plays a role too, though if one doesn't have an IS vet school it may not really even be that much of a difference for them! But yeah, by and large any stigma doesn't really affect it like it seems to in human med.

 

[david594]

I think something else that factors in is that all the MD's need to compete for residency spots. And being from a carib school can put you at a disadvantage if you are shooting for a more competitive field. Since the vast majority of veterinary graduates don't pursue additional training after vet school, where they graduated from is of less consequence.

 

[flyhi]

I think something else that factors in is that all the MD's need to compete for residency spots. And being from a carib school can put you at a disadvantage if you are shooting for a more competitive field. Since the vast majority of veterinary graduates don't pursue additional training after vet school, where they graduated from is of less consequence.

agree kinda. Internship/residency in human med much different than in vet med, since it is a requirement to become an MD. When a carib school does not support a required part of the medical education and leaves you to fend on your own, it's no wonder that the Carib MD is looked so poorly upon by most.