Financing School

[godzflava]

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Hi everyone. I recently got accepted to Atlantic University School Of Medicine located in St Lucia. After getting accepted I found that there are no funding for Med schools with the exception of a few. Any suggestions on how I can get my education financed? Any help is great.

Godzflava

 

[Johnson282]

Hi everyone. I recently got accepted to Atlantic University School Of Medicine located in St Lucia. After getting accepted I found that there are no funding for Med schools with the exception of a few. Any suggestions on how I can get my education financed? Any help is great.

Godzflava

Private loans from banks are your only hope. You can't get federal funding for that school.

Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into before you start med school in the Caribbean, especially at a lower tier school. Make sure you have a realistic idea of what your chances are of matching before you decide to dump 200+k.

 

[GuerreDePlume]

Which private banks offer loans?

 

[Johnson282]

Which private banks offer loans?

Pretty much any of the major ones? I don't know of any that won't give you a loan. But you'll need a fairly strong cosigner.

 

[GuerreDePlume]

Pretty much any of the major ones? I don't know of any that won't give you a loan. But you'll need a fairly strong cosigner.

That would be my major limitation, no cosigner. Everyone in my family is either dead, retired, or poor.

 

[stethan]

That would be my major limitation, no cosigner. Everyone in my family is either dead, retired, or poor.

Are you from the US or International?

 

[godzflava]

Are you from the US or International?

Im from the US. I live in Georgia. I am a Respiratory Therapy Director.

 

[deleted103644]

Im from the US. I live in Georgia. I am a Respiratory Therapy Director.

Just a warning - if you're planning on practicing in the US, you should really think twice about going.

The number of US MD/DO graduates is increasing and the number of residency spots is being held constant. This is being done intentionally to some extent to shut down the Caribbean programs.

By the time you would graduate, there will be enough US grads to fill every US residency spot. Do you really wan to go hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt only to return to the US without a job?

I would seriously reconsider this if I were you, and would hold off and reapply to US programs. Seriously, you're walking into a trap.

 

[druggeek]

I wouldnt do it OP... improve your application by taking an extra year or two.. in the meantime apply to every DO school you can, put in maximum effort on the low-tier DO schools. I'm talking every DO school you have the smallest chance at.
If you were going IMG, I would stick to somewhere like SGU...only.

 

[deleted103644]

I wouldnt do it OP... improve your application by taking an extra year or two.. in the meantime apply to every DO school you can, put in maximum effort on the low-tier DO schools. I'm talking every DO school you have the smallest chance at.
If you were going IMG, I would stick to somewhere like SGU...only.

Hey! We agree on something!

Although to be honest I don't think it's looking good for SGU either unless they get accredited by the LCME (read somewhere they were thinking about it).

 

[prefontaine]

SGU can think about it all they want...they are not eligible.

 

[druggeek]

Hey! We agree on something!

Although to be honest I don't think it's looking good for SGU either unless they get accredited by the LCME (read somewhere they were thinking about it).

I just mean, if you're going carribean... at least go to the best option. Or go to Ross lol.

 

[stethan]

Everyone always jumps to say SGU, Ross, and AUC are good options because of their accreditation, loan eligibility, and reputation. There are still good schools in the Caribbean outside of these three; funding your education might be a problem though. I really would also look for how long the school has been around. There are schools in the Caribbean that have been around since 80's and are still around today. Many of the newer schools simply don't much of have a track record. Not saying that these are bad schools but I personally prefer history.

 

[druggeek]

Everyone always jumps to say SGU, Ross, and AUC are good options because of their accreditation, loan eligibility, and reputation. There are still good schools in the Caribbean outside of these three; funding your education might be a problem though. I really would also look for how long the school has been around. There are schools in the Caribbean that have been around since 80's and are still around today. Many of the newer schools simply don't much of have a track record. Not saying that these are bad schools but I personally prefer history.

With shrinking spots for IMGs, going to a school that doesn't have the highest success rate is highly idiotic.

 

[DrRichand1]

If you look at nrmp results for 2012 IMG aren't going anywhere, to think residency spots will not be around in 4 years is absurd and feeds into the litany everyone loves to jump on. Do your research before making uneducated guess work.

🙂

 

[stethan]

If you look at nrmp results for 2012 IMG aren't going anywhere, to think residency spots will not be around in 4 years is absurd and feeds into the litany everyone loves to jump on. Do your research before making uneducated guess work.

🙂

Well said 👍

 

[Ironmandoc]

If you look at nrmp results for 2012 IMG aren't going anywhere, to think residency spots will not be around in 4 years is absurd and feeds into the litany everyone loves to jump on. Do your research before making uneducated guess work.

🙂

Let me guess where you go to school...

 

[VadMD]

There is way too much money involved between caribbean med schools and hospitals in the U.S.. That said, I don't think residency spots are going anywhere for IMG's.

 

[DrRichand1]

Let me guess where you go to school...

you'll never guess, I'm applying to MD and DO schools this cycle, Carib will be a last but hopeful resort.

 

[deleted103644]

There is way too much money involved between caribbean med schools and hospitals in the U.S.. That said, I don't think residency spots are going anywhere for IMG's.

Indeed. SGU has a much stronger foothold at hospitals in the US than many DO programs. As long as students can do rotations at a US hospital, they can match there.

 

[Ironmandoc]

As more US schools open each year, more US MD and DO graduates will come out each year. More residency programs aren't coming available, so IMG spots will be harder to come by.

 

[deleted103644]

As more US schools open each year, more US MD and DO graduates will come out each year. More residency programs aren't coming available, so IMG spots will be harder to come by.

Generally, agreed, but I think some of the lower tier DO schools will be pushed out before some of the better Caribbean. The only thing keeping low tier DO match rates up are the DO exclusive residency spots.

 

[Ironmandoc]

Generally, agreed, but I think some of the lower tier DO schools will be pushed out before some of the better Caribbean. The only thing keeping low tier DO match rates up are the DO exclusive residency spots.

And the fact that the Caribbean will never have anything like the AOA, funding from the new healthcare bill is going to US schools and not Caribbean schools, US DO students ALL do rotations in US hospitals where MOST Caribbean students don't. The NRMP would take away every IMG to give to US MD and AOA if needed. There are most US MD and DO schools opening up every year with proportionately less residency spots. The IMGs will get pushed out or be left applying to fewer spots against a greater IMG pool of applicants.

 

[deleted103644]

And the fact that the Caribbean will never have anything like the AOA, funding from the new healthcare bill is going to US schools and not Caribbean schools, US DO students ALL do rotations in US hospitals where MOST Caribbean students don't. The NRMP would take away every IMG to give to US MD and AOA if needed. There are most US MD and DO schools opening up every year with proportionately less residency spots. The IMGs will get pushed out or be left applying to fewer spots against a greater IMG pool of applicants.

SGU is throwing more $$$ at US hospitals than any DO school (or even some MD schools) can match.

They may be doing it with the tuition dollars of those who flunk out, but they're still doing it.

I think SGU has been pushing out both NYCOM and NYMC from various rotations in NYC.

 

[Ironmandoc]

That's fine for the 50% of student who make it past year one.

 

[deleted103644]

That's fine for the 50% of student who make it past year one.

Obviously it sucks for those who get cut and I'm not advocating the strategy, but those who survive it are in a decent position - arguably better than a low tier DO.

 

[Ironmandoc]

Obviously it sucks for those who get cut and I'm not advocating the strategy, but those who survive it are in a decent position - arguably better than a low tier DO.

100% not true. Look at NRMP numbers for the lowest DO schools versus IMGs. Enough said...49.1% in 2011 match

 

[Ironmandoc]

Don't you find it interesting how people have to constantly skew statistics, try to rationalize all the "but what if I'm different" reasons, and defend a Caribbean education? No one ever has to do that for a US MD or DO school.

 

[deleted103644]

100% not true. Look at NRMP numbers for the lowest DO schools versus IMGs. Enough said...49.1% in 2011 match

NRMP does not provide statistics for the lowest DO schools (vs all DO schools), nor do they provide statistics that separate SGU from the rest of the Caribbean schools.

 

[deleted103644]

Don't you find it interesting how people have to constantly skew statistics, try to rationalize all the "but what if I'm different" reasons, and defend a Caribbean education? No one ever has to do that for a US MD or DO school.

There's a heavy DO bias on SDN. I sometimes feel the urge to counter it.

I didn't apply to any DO schools, or any Caribbean schools for that matter.

 

[Ironmandoc]

There's a heavy DO bias on SDN. I sometimes feel the urge to counter it.

I didn't apply to any DO schools, or any Caribbean schools for that matter.

So what if there's a bias. Going the Caribbean MD route will always be more difficult than a US DO. Saying otherwise is just leading more hopefuls into the Caribbean premed tourist trap.

P.S. SGU has a sponsored thread in the Caribbean section...interesting why a school needs to advertise. More revenue?

 

[deleted103644]

So what if there's a bias. Going the Caribbean MD route will always be more difficult than a US DO. Saying otherwise is just leading more hopefuls into the Caribbean premed tourist trap.

P.S. SGU has a sponsored thread in the Caribbean section...interesting why a school needs to advertise. More revenue?

How am I giving false hope? Any school but SGU would be a huge mistake, and SGU flunks half its incoming class.

All I'm saying is that those who remain get better clinical opportunities --> better matches than the lower tier DO schools.

 

[DrRichand1]

such is life

 

[deleted103644]

So it goes.

 

[Bancrofti]

I'm extremely bored at the moment and happened to stumble upon this thread...

That's fine for the 50% of student who make it past year one.

I don't know if you were referring to all caribs in general, but SGU has an 83% on-time completion rate and I believe an overall start-completion rate of over 90%. I think most people that post on SDN refer to the big 4, the other 3 of which may not have amazing stats either, but are certainly better than the general statistics people like to use to lambaste caribs which is inclusive of ALL carib schools... so it is a bit unfair to say it's the worst decision every for someone if they're attending one of the big 4... which OPs school is not.

Obviously it sucks for those who get cut and I'm not advocating the strategy, but those who survive it are in a decent position - arguably better than a low tier DO.

This means nothing, because it's anecdotal in nature but I spoke with a PD who said preference for his program goes US Allo > SGU/Ross > US DO > All other IMGs. Again, this is just with 1 person I spoke to and could be biased based on the location, but I thought it was interesting since SDN heavily favors telling students to go DO before going carib, even before the potential residency issue in a few years.

100% not true. Look at NRMP numbers for the lowest DO schools versus IMGs. Enough said...49.1% in 2011 match

OP should check match info for the school of interest. However, again I note that it is unfair to continue throwing around a statistic that encompasses all carib medical schools when a majority of students are interested in pursuing an education at one of the big 4.



Another disclaimer to the fact that I have nothing better to be doing at the moment.Threads debating carib schools always turn sour so I tend to avoid them 😎

 

[deleted103644]

Interesting. I see the SGU students everywhere in NY on rotations, so wouldn't be surprised if they match better here than any DO school except possibly NYCOM.

I don't know anything about how many get cut before getting to the US, so thanks for the insight.

 

[Bancrofti]

No problemo. And again, wasn't trying to come off as a tool.

Aren't you US allo anyways? What are you doing lurking these depths of SDN? I want to say I vaguely remember you posting in a thread saying your gf is in school abroad, but it wasn't carib, right?

 

[deleted103644]

No problemo. And again, wasn't trying to come off as a tool.

Aren't you US allo anyways? What are you doing lurking these depths of SDN? I want to say I vaguely remember you posting in a thread saying your gf is in school abroad, but it wasn't carib, right?

Haha, yes, and no.

The answer to your question is iPhone + boredom. 😛