Got Accepted to Ross, should I wait for SGU?

Started by Santario69
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Santario69

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Hi everyone, been reading lots of threads as far as SGU vs. Ross and have been going insane choosing one over the other. I was recently notified from Ross that I was accepted to the May 09 class. Do not get me wrong, I am thrilled about this, but I had also applied to SGU for the August class. Now I will not be getting a response from SGU till April the advisor said because of my late application. By this time it will be pretty late for me to notify Ross that I will not be attending their school. I can postpone my admissions to Jan. of 2010 but would hate to do this. My question is, is it worth it to give SGU a try, and wait till 2010? Aside from pretty island that SGU has and have been reading about, how would they compare? Clinicals? Residency? Also heard Ross opened up additional clinical placements in New Jersey? Please need help as for my decision and I have to pay the $1000 to reserve my spot in Ross.
 
The $1000 is the thing that seals the deal.

Are you so rich that you can "waste" $1000 just for the chance to see if you get into SGU over Ross? An honest question. If the answer is 'yes' then it might be worth thinking about.

If not, I say just go for it at Ross and work hard.
 
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They are two different schools.

Ross = self-study and intense classes

SGU = less semesters and more student assistance with learning to study
 
I know alot of Ross students and their clinical dept sucks. I would wait for SGU if I were u.
 
Thanks, this makes things a bit clearer for me. I also have a friend that attends SGU and she loves it. Her boyfriend goes to Ross and loves it there too. Im in such a dilemma. I know with SGU too, that I get breaks and can come back and visit family.
 
I had to make a choice and picked SGU over Ross. My reasons were breaks between terms, slightly better island (probably not by much). but my biggest reason was the people on the SGU forum seemed a lot more happy than the ones on the Ross forum. Ross students seemed to always complain about something either the living conditions or the classes. Also the attrition rate I believe is much higher from Ross than SGU. Lastly I don't know how much I would believe the Ross in the fact that they have opened up more clinical spots, I have heard a lot of people complain about the lack of clinical spots at Ross, ask some students about this before listening to the administration. Another huge reason for me was support from the school, i.e. weekly review sessions, tutoring, and other support services that Ross simply doesn't have.
Sure if you work hard you can make it from either school and their match lists are pretty equal. But as an average student I felt I had a better chance to succeed at SGU than at Ross.
 
JonathanMD said:
The $1000 is the thing that seals the deal.

Are you so rich that you can "waste" $1000 just for the chance to see if you get into SGU over Ross? An honest question. If the answer is 'yes' then it might be worth thinking about.

If not, I say just go for it at Ross and work hard.
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actually after spending over $200K on your medical education, $1,000 to know that no matter what you'll be going to med school seems like a cheap price to pay.

OP if I you don't want to waste your time then pay the $1,000 deposit to Ross and wait for SGU if SGU say no then go to Ross, if SGU says yes and you want to go to SGU then go to SGU, $1,000 in comparison to how much you'll be spending on your education is a drop in the bucket.
 
Agree with the above post that $1000, though a lot of money, pales in comparision to the total amount of money you'll spend on your application.
You can probably succeed at either school if you work hard and keep focus despite any and all distractions. From what I have seen St George U has a higher USMLE board pass rate, and that's an important consideration IMHO. Both of those schools have plenty of people who match into US residencies, but you want to make sure you are one of those people, not one of the ones who ends up screwed (i.e. paid a lot of money but then flunked out and/or couldn't find a residency at the end of 4 years of school). Nobody (either someone going to a US MD or DO school or an offshore med school) things THEY are going to be the one who has any type of academic problem, but the fact is many people struggle at some point during their medical education, so having adequate academic support is important. Also if one school has better clinical rotations that should be a consideration...3rd year and beginning of fourth year are actually the most important part of medical school because they are where you learn the survival skills you'll need as an intern, and also where you get pretty much all your letters of recommendation for residency.
 
RussianJoo said:
actually after spending over $200K on your medical education, $1,000 to know that no matter what you'll be going to med school seems like a cheap price to pay.

OP if I you don't want to waste your time then pay the $1,000 deposit to Ross and wait for SGU if SGU say no then go to Ross, if SGU says yes and you want to go to SGU then go to SGU, $1,000 in comparison to how much you'll be spending on your education is a drop in the bucket.
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Of course you're right, about the money.

Maybe I'm wrong, but in my mind I just don't see that much of a different between SGU and Ross as far as success. The stats might say SGU is better, but I figure it's all on you and how hard you work. If you work hard in either school you'll achieve everything you want to.
 
I'm also new to this, I just applied to Ross but am going to fillout an app for SGU. Can any one tell me what's up w/ the clinical situations between these 2? Does SGU have more clinical spots (I know Ross has 60+)?
 
This info is coming from someone who knows. I went to SGU and never even applied to Ross. However, I learned a lot about Ross thru Ross students that occassionally rotated thru the same hospitals as SGU students. They were not on their game and the difference in the two schools was quite evident. Furthermore, SGU, although pricy as heck, has yearly basic science exams for its students that other schools do not have. The tests are hard so you have to know your stuff to pass. In addition, they also help to prepare you for the USMLE exams.
I did not know that Ross required a deposit and I would personally hate to waste one thousand dollars (a lot of money to some). But putting it down and losing it would be better than losing the seat in the event that SGU did not want you. And SGU classes are hard, which is why they have to offer education and study assistance to students. Well, that isn't the only reason - SGU wants to see its students do well and will bend over backwards to help its students pass. But if you don't, they will boot your but back home and not waste anymore time on you.
And even on clinic rotations, the attendings seem more pleased with SGU students becasue they are more knowledgeable than others.
Oh, very important fact - my roommate at SGU had a friend attending Temple med school in the states at the same time. And we compared class content, teaching styles and the level of difficulty on exams. Temple was way easier. It is a fact that SGU is known to be a hard-ass school. They were invited to become part of the U.S. system before, becasue of their ability to produce excellent physicians, but turned it down because if they joined, SGU had to lower its tuition or something. I know their reason was financial and over loss of control. But SGU has exceeded even U.S. schools.
ANd in regards to residency - I interviewed 11 programs and got my first choice, as did most of my fellow students. And we all passed our USMLEs hte first times and that really, REALLY matters. How many times you take it is much more important than the scores themselves.
Well, sorry such a long answer but I couldn't ignore an issue that could change your life. SGU will cost you plenty - but it will be worth every penny in the end.
 
Diane Lane said:
This info is coming from someone who knows. I went to SGU and never even applied to Ross. However, I learned a lot about Ross thru Ross students that occassionally rotated thru the same hospitals as SGU students. They were not on their game and the difference in the two schools was quite evident. Furthermore, SGU, although pricy as heck, has yearly basic science exams for its students that other schools do not have. The tests are hard so you have to know your stuff to pass. In addition, they also help to prepare you for the USMLE exams.
I did not know that Ross required a deposit and I would personally hate to waste one thousand dollars (a lot of money to some). But putting it down and losing it would be better than losing the seat in the event that SGU did not want you. And SGU classes are hard, which is why they have to offer education and study assistance to students. Well, that isn't the only reason - SGU wants to see its students do well and will bend over backwards to help its students pass. But if you don't, they will boot your but back home and not waste anymore time on you.
And even on clinic rotations, the attendings seem more pleased with SGU students becasue they are more knowledgeable than others.
Oh, very important fact - my roommate at SGU had a friend attending Temple med school in the states at the same time. And we compared class content, teaching styles and the level of difficulty on exams. Temple was way easier. It is a fact that SGU is known to be a hard-ass school. They were invited to become part of the U.S. system before, becasue of their ability to produce excellent physicians, but turned it down because if they joined, SGU had to lower its tuition or something. I know their reason was financial and over loss of control. But SGU has exceeded even U.S. schools.
ANd in regards to residency - I interviewed 11 programs and got my first choice, as did most of my fellow students. And we all passed our USMLEs hte first times and that really, REALLY matters. How many times you take it is much more important than the scores themselves.
Well, sorry such a long answer but I couldn't ignore an issue that could change your life. SGU will cost you plenty - but it will be worth every penny in the end.
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Nice job selling St. G over Ross. I agree with everything you said. My problem is the line that St. G has surpassed US schools, like Temple. I really think you smoked something before making this post. No problems with St. G here, but I would choose ANY US school ANY ANY ANY over ST.G in every way, shape, and form. JMO
 
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NAVYLABTECH08 said:
Nice job selling St. G over Ross. I agree with everything you said. My problem is the line that St. G has surpassed US schools, like Temple. I really think you smoked something before making this post. No problems with St. G here, but I would choose ANY US school ANY ANY ANY over ST.G in every way, shape, and form. JMO
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I totally agree.

SGU is a good school, but it is delusional to image that you are at any type of advantage coming from SGU vs. any other foreign school (minus the SGU connections from alumni).

SGU is a Caribbean school and that is all people see. Regardless of the excellence of education, it is not LCME and would NEVER qualify for LCME accreditation (based on the non-US location since LCME ONLY accredits American med schools, by definition).
 
McGillGrad said:
and the most students
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I think Ross has more students especially since they have 3 classes per year. Their class sizes are well over 400 ours are very close to 400 but I still believe under 400, my class has 318 students in it and I am finishing up my 3rd year. So even if the classes are equal sizes Ross will always have more students because they accept 3 classes per year as apposed to 2.
 
I stand corrected. I did not mean to imply, by ANY means, that SGU was better to graduate from than a U.S. like Temple, I only stated a fact that their testing regimen was more difficult. And I know it is just so they will be competitive among U.S. school graduates with residencies. I would've LOVED to go to Temple over SGU even if SGU gave me a more detailed knowledge base. Because no matter how good the training, I will never be regarded the same as a U.S. grad. I only meant to sell SGU because I personally spenT time with Ross students and they were really struggling on rotations.
 
Diane Lane said:
I stand corrected. I did not mean to imply, by ANY means, that SGU was better to graduate from than a U.S. like Temple, I only stated a fact that their testing regimen was more difficult. And I know it is just so they will be competitive among U.S. school graduates with residencies. I would've LOVED to go to Temple over SGU even if SGU gave me a more detailed knowledge base. Because no matter how good the training, I will never be regarded the same as a U.S. grad. I only meant to sell SGU because I personally spenT time with Ross students and they were really struggling on rotations.
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I kinda felt this was what you were saying. I just was not 100% sure. Agree with you that ST.G > Ross simply becasue of the advantage that thier "2" classes have during 3/4 yrs than Ross has with their "3" classes. Hey Diane, what are you fellowing in?
 
Diane Lane said:
They were invited to become part of the U.S. system before, becasue of their ability to produce excellent physicians, but turned it down because if they joined, SGU had to lower its tuition or something. I know their reason was financial and over loss of control. But SGU has exceeded even U.S. schools.
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SGU students crack me up...trust me...if SGU could join the status of US med schools...they would...I had a SGU grad tell me that SGU is the "Harvard of the Caribbean"...that statement is SOOOOO wrong on SOOOO many levels...

The MAIN reason why I'd choose SGU over Ross is:
-SGU's campus is nicer
-Bought up a bunch of spots in with NYC for clinicals
-Ross's clinicals are going downhill

Ross's pros: shorter program, allows for no breaks

On a side note: out of the 'Big 4'...I'd go with AUC because St. Maarten is just so much nicer on a socioeconomic level...2nd choice would be Saba because the tuition is well priced...

All 4 will get you to the end if you're a ambitious student.

My father is a doctor and his colleagues and himself can't see beyond the 'Caribbean' thing...my youngest brother goes to NYU Med and he really can't distinguish either...

I'm applying to caribbean schools...why?
1. I'm old
2. I'm taking MCATs on Jan 31 of this year and I don't want to wait to apply for 2010 and find out I couldn't go anyways
3. I have a departmental 4.0 GPA B.S. Mathematics. 3.7 overall
4. 4.0/4.0 in my graduate program in Applied Mathematics
5. 4.0/4.0 in my postbaccalaureate premedical program
6. NO RESEARCH experience
7. NO VOLUNTEER experience
8. Nothing that makes me stand out
9. I'm averaging about a 33 on practice MCATs
10. No healthcare experience
11. Nothing in my past that would indicate that I would be a great physician. Unlike my brother who volunteered all over the world,etc...did research at NIH, etc...Thus I would completely suck during an interview,
so my only choice is to go offshore.

So I'll bust my butt for a year and a half and I'll be back in NYC for clinicals.

Although I appreciate many people advising to wait one year, do a bunch of research and volunteer, and apply to a US med school...for my life I think offshore is better. I'm married and my wife wants to start a family soon, so I'm very anxious to begin my medical education. If I wait until 2010...I won't start clinicals until 2012 versus 2011 and when you're my age...1 year makes a difference.
 
Go to AUC. You can complete the program in 38 months. I started in May 94 and grduated June 97. So you can do the whole thing in 3 years.

You sound very intelligent, you are not likely to get radonc from AUC, but as I've said elsewhere, you can become a cardiologist.

Actually, if you really have your stuff together and rock the USMLE, you can do quite alot. If you pass the USMLE 1 by 1 point you will end up in IM and can still be a cardiologist.
 
dylantanis said:
I'm applying to caribbean schools...why?
6. NO RESEARCH experience
7. NO VOLUNTEER experience
8. Nothing that makes me stand out
10. No healthcare experience
11. Nothing in my past that would indicate that I would be a great physician. Unlike my brother who volunteered all over the world,etc...did research at NIH, etc...Thus I would completely suck during an interview,
so my only choice is to go offshore.
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Without having worked in a health care setting, even having volunteered in one, are you sure you want to take the plunge to go to medical school, much less one that's offshore?

Additionally, judging by your list, you may be overestimating your chances. Even if the school is offshore, they still like to see demonstrated interest in the field, which doesn't seem to be present in your CV above.
 
digitalising said:
Without having worked in a health care setting, even having volunteered in one, are you sure you want to take the plunge to go to medical school, much less one that's offshore?

Additionally, judging by your list, you may be overestimating your chances. Even if the school is offshore, they still like to see demonstrated interest in the field, which doesn't seem to be present in your CV above.
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You have a very good point...I may not even get in...my reply was more of a backlash of SGU students overestimating their school...I just had dinner with my friend and her boyfriend...she just dropped out of SGU this semester...and her boyfriend just finished in Dec. and studying for step 1...he had the nerve to tell me that SGU is the 'Harvard' of the Caribbean...that statement is sooo wrong on soooo many levels...

From my research, if you're a good student, driven, ambitious...I don't think its going to matter much if you go to SGU, Ross, Saba, or AUC...in the end its going to be your step 1 scores and being on top of the clinical game...

But its ridiculous to think that in the US, SGU students are going to get more props...I live in NYC...and the US med students that I know here (NYU & Columbia) don't make a distinction...

In the end...if you go offshore you're just going to have to bust your ass if you want to be seen on par...

For me I'm quite THANKFUL that opportunities in the Caribbean exist...because they are my only way to become a MD...but I'm going to be honest...my friends/family aren't so stoked that I'm going to the Caribbean...my youngest bro who is in clinicals at nyu med wants me to wait out a year do a year's worth of volunteer/research/get published and apply to the fall of 2010 at a US med school...
I just don't have the patience to wait another year...I'm 34, married, and need to get crackin'

It doesn't help that my father went to an ivy med school and my brother is at nyu...a majority of my friends went to columbia/nyu/penn/brown...so telling them i'm going to the caribbean hurts...

Do I care though? Not enough to squash my dreams of being a physician...
But I'm realistic....I know I'm going to have to fight every step of the way to show them I made the right choice for my life...
 
dylantanis said:
You have a very good point...I may not even get in...my reply was more of a backlash of SGU students overestimating their school...I just had dinner with my friend and her boyfriend...she just dropped out of SGU this semester...and her boyfriend just finished in Dec. and studying for step 1...he had the nerve to tell me that SGU is the 'Harvard' of the Caribbean...that statement is sooo wrong on soooo many levels...

From my research, if you're a good student, driven, ambitious...I don't think its going to matter much if you go to SGU, Ross, Saba, or AUC...in the end its going to be your step 1 scores and being on top of the clinical game...

But its ridiculous to think that in the US, SGU students are going to get more props...I live in NYC...and the US med students that I know here (NYU & Columbia) don't make a distinction...

In the end...if you go offshore you're just going to have to bust your ass if you want to be seen on par...

For me I'm quite THANKFUL that opportunities in the Caribbean exist...because they are my only way to become a MD...but I'm going to be honest...my friends/family aren't so stoked that I'm going to the Caribbean...my youngest bro who is in clinicals at nyu med wants me to wait out a year do a year's worth of volunteer/research/get published and apply to the fall of 2010 at a US med school...
I just don't have the patience to wait another year...I'm 34, married, and need to get crackin'

It doesn't help that my father went to an ivy med school and my brother is at nyu...a majority of my friends went to columbia/nyu/penn/brown...so telling them i'm going to the caribbean hurts...

Do I care though? Not enough to squash my dreams of being a physician...
But I'm realistic....I know I'm going to have to fight every step of the way to show them I made the right choice for my life...
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Re "Harvard of the Caribbean" - I told my friend who goes to Harvard Medical School that she goes to the "SGU of the United States." It's a joke, so I wouldn't take it seriously, although others certainly do. I think it stems from the idea that residency programs know SGU well and are thus more comfortable interviewing applicants from the school. The degree of truth to the idea is unknown; I really have no interest in discussing it.

That said, I'm happy at SGU and I am proud of the school, if only because the students and faculty do a decent amount for the local population of Grenada in the way of health and educational programs.

In any case, you are correct - as long as the bureaucratic stuff is taken care of (degree approval, etc.), your own success will be determined largely by the amount of effort that you put in and the opportunities that you take advantage of.

Regarding the original post which I replied to, in any case you wouldn't be starting until May (Ross) or August (SGU), unless you already have. This is an excellent period to try to volunteer or shadow a physician, so that you have a better idea of whether it's for you. I don't know if you already did that as your father is a physician; if so, it wasn't indicated in your post. I just feel that the worst thing that could happen in this situation is that you go down and find out that you really hate medicine. You would be stuck thousands of miles from home and out thousands of dollars.
 
You are doing yourself a disservice by not attempting to apply to US schools at least once.

You have been fooled into believing that extra-curriculars are really important for med school. Your GPA is a 3.7 and your MCAT should be a 30+. That should get you in somewhere...unless you are lying about your stats.

You can apply to US and Carib at the same time and even start in the Carib while waiting for an answer.

Plus, it is 2 years in the Carib....not 1.5 years. SGU has 2 semesters per year, not 3.

As for experience in medicine...your dad is a doc. That is experience enough...plus life experience.

Don't sell yourself short. You are your only advocate.




dylantanis said:
I'm applying to caribbean schools...why?
1. I'm old
2. I'm taking MCATs on Jan 31 of this year and I don't want to wait to apply for 2010 and find out I couldn't go anyways
3. I have a departmental 4.0 GPA B.S. Mathematics. 3.7 overall
4. 4.0/4.0 in my graduate program in Applied Mathematics
5. 4.0/4.0 in my postbaccalaureate premedical program
6. NO RESEARCH experience
7. NO VOLUNTEER experience
8. Nothing that makes me stand out
9. I'm averaging about a 33 on practice MCATs
10. No healthcare experience
11. Nothing in my past that would indicate that I would be a great physician. Unlike my brother who volunteered all over the world,etc...did research at NIH, etc...Thus I would completely suck during an interview,
so my only choice is to go offshore.

So I'll bust my butt for a year and a half and I'll be back in NYC for clinicals.
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@dig: I appreciate your comments...

@mcgill: you make some good points...maybe i'll enroll in AUC or Saba for May...send out some apps to US med schools this summer and make some choices then...i know they won't take any transfer credits, but at least I got a jumpstart on the classes and a nice vacation on a island...
 
f you do that, you will be looked at as a transfer
People do transfer,but it is mostly a matter of phenomenal luck.
Look, your 30 years ld and suddenly you have to start med school immediately?
Here's what I would do Take the MCATs. Plan on starting med school in the fall of 2010. I think it's too late for 09. Apply at US and thebig3. I thinkyou'll e successful in the US. Apply to several schools.

If you absolutely have to start now, then go to oe of the big schools in the islands. I har that St G is the harvard of th Carbbean. AUC is the UCLA of the Caribbean with a spelling problem. I dn't know what ROSS is.
 
Does your wife want to go and live with you x 2 years in the Caribbean? Does she want to get dragged all over the US (potentially) doing clinicals?
I don't have a strong opinion about this all, if you want to do general practice, psych, neurology, etc. If you think there's even a medium possibility of wanting to do surgery, ER, anesthesia, I'd think it might be worthwhile to consider waiting and trying at least once in the US...as others posted above, you could apply to Carib and US in the same year. It sounds like you have a job and degree in the US already...it takes so long to train as a physician anyway, that 1 or 1.5 years kind of doesn't matter. I can totally see why you think it does, but after 10 more years you'll realize that it didn't.

Don't worry about your family too much, though...you REALLY don't need to go to an Ivy med school to be a good doctor. My argument for trying in US once is that it sounds like you'd be competitive, and it will make your life a bit easier later if you can go to school in the US. Actually quite a bit easier. Either way I think you'll end up practicing, but I'd worry you might have to do a specialty you don't really want, and/or might end up doing residency somewhere you didn't really want to go, if you choose the Caribbean.
 
In the grand scheme of things, waiting 1 year is nothing in medicine. We are like the tortoise not the hare. You are doing yourself and family a huge disservice if you don't first apply to a US MD and US DO schools before you apply to the Carib. From what I have seen, DO's have an easier time matching into their desired specialty and location than FMG's. If you don't take our advice now, you'll be wishing that you did in a few years. Oh remember, the MD schools are all increasing class sizes by 30%. So that means it will be even more difficult for FMG's to match in the near future. Think about that.
 
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Taurus said:
Oh remember, the MD schools are all increasing class sizes by 30%. So that means it will be even more difficult for FMG's to match in the near future. Think about that.
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I'm not sure that's true...are they ALL increasing their class sizes? I know the AAMC (or somebody else?) has been saying they should or something, but I think a lot of schools will resist. I mean, they have built buildings and labs, etc. for X number of students, and it isn't that easy to just increase by 20-30%. My school, for example, has probably taken 120/year for the past 20 years...they might be willing to add 4 or 5 more, but 30 or 40 more would be a LOT. They have to set up clinical rotations for all those people, too...
I know there are new med schools starting up, and some schools are increasing their class sizes, but it doesn't seem like it's by that much. It seems like most of the growth is new MD and DO schools starting up, and DO schools expanding.

Anyway, I think it probably will get a bit harder for IMG's to match, but it's hard to say how much. Residency spots might increase, too, though I doubt in the next 2-3 years due to the crappy economy. I could see it happening later, though.

But I agree the OP probably should try in the US first, even if it causes a 1-2 year delay. It would be worth it in the end, to avoid the risk of being stuck in a residency that treats him crappy, and/or not being able to get into the specialty (or one of the specialties) he ends up wanting to do.
 
dragonfly99 said:
I'm not sure that's true...are they ALL increasing their class sizes?
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The increase in enrollment is coming from both increased in class sizes and more schools opening. Two new ones that I know are Oakland University in Detroit, MI and Carilion Heathcare in Roanoke, VA are opening new MD schools. From what people are saying on SDN and my own school, class sizes are indeed increasing. 2008 enrollment was 18,000. Back in 2004, it was 16,000.
 
dylantanis said:
@dig: I appreciate your comments...

@mcgill: you make some good points...maybe i'll enroll in AUC or Saba for May...send out some apps to US med schools this summer and make some choices then...i know they won't take any transfer credits, but at least I got a jumpstart on the classes and a nice vacation on a island...
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you should apply DO, you have nothing to lose and you might be impressed with what you see 🙂
 
RussianJoo said:
I had to make a choice and picked SGU over Ross. My reasons were breaks between terms, slightly better island (probably not by much). but my biggest reason was the people on the SGU forum seemed a lot more happy than the ones on the Ross forum. Ross students seemed to always complain about something either the living conditions or the classes. Also the attrition rate I believe is much higher from Ross than SGU. Lastly I don't know how much I would believe the Ross in the fact that they have opened up more clinical spots, I have heard a lot of people complain about the lack of clinical spots at Ross, ask some students about this before listening to the administration. Another huge reason for me was support from the school, i.e. weekly review sessions, tutoring, and other support services that Ross simply doesn't have.
Sure if you work hard you can make it from either school and their match lists are pretty equal. But as an average student I felt I had a better chance to succeed at SGU than at Ross.
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I'm not sure as to how SGU is and it is true that a lot of people here complain about the place. But I personally like it. And in regards to the support, there are weekly review sessions, tutoring and other support services at Ross. I personally like the school and the way things are. The island is very different than what life is like in the states. It is a much simpler island that is not too well developed. For me, that is a good thing in that I don't have too many distractions. But that varies from person to person. But the thing about the island is that most people views of it become determined within a few days, without giving it a chance. As for the school, the professors and classes seem like crap at first. The way the curriculum is set up doesn't seem to make sense. And for at least the first semester, I'd agree to Ross being a lot of self studying. But things start to come together 2nd semester as they do more systems based learning. And, now that I'm in 3rd, the first two semesters really come together well in Pharmacology, Pathology and Microbiology. But I don't really know what SGU is like, so I can't help you there.
 
Yea.

You should submit your AMCAS on June 1st this year
and defer caribbean admission until jan 2010 in case you dont hear positive responses from the states

but i'm pretty sure you will..
unless u really don't know what medicine is about..
which could be if u've never had ANY exposure to it
in which case i'm wondering why you're gunning for that MD anyway

dylantanis said:
You have a very good point...I may not even get in...my reply was more of a backlash of SGU students overestimating their school...I just had dinner with my friend and her boyfriend...she just dropped out of SGU this semester...and her boyfriend just finished in Dec. and studying for step 1...he had the nerve to tell me that SGU is the 'Harvard' of the Caribbean...that statement is sooo wrong on soooo many levels...

From my research, if you're a good student, driven, ambitious...I don't think its going to matter much if you go to SGU, Ross, Saba, or AUC...in the end its going to be your step 1 scores and being on top of the clinical game...

But its ridiculous to think that in the US, SGU students are going to get more props...I live in NYC...and the US med students that I know here (NYU & Columbia) don't make a distinction...

In the end...if you go offshore you're just going to have to bust your ass if you want to be seen on par...

For me I'm quite THANKFUL that opportunities in the Caribbean exist...because they are my only way to become a MD...but I'm going to be honest...my friends/family aren't so stoked that I'm going to the Caribbean...my youngest bro who is in clinicals at nyu med wants me to wait out a year do a year's worth of volunteer/research/get published and apply to the fall of 2010 at a US med school...
I just don't have the patience to wait another year...I'm 34, married, and need to get crackin'

It doesn't help that my father went to an ivy med school and my brother is at nyu...a majority of my friends went to columbia/nyu/penn/brown...so telling them i'm going to the caribbean hurts...

Do I care though? Not enough to squash my dreams of being a physician...
But I'm realistic....I know I'm going to have to fight every step of the way to show them I made the right choice for my life...
Click to expand...
 
So... I guess I'm hearing that there's no real difference between Ross and SGU? I mean obviously everyone would love to go to a US school.. but if that's not an option does it make a difference which Caribbean school you pick?
 
mvet2009 said:
So... I guess I'm hearing that there's no real difference between Ross and SGU? I mean obviously everyone would love to go to a US school.. but if that's not an option does it make a difference which Caribbean school you pick?
Click to expand...

For vet school?
 
Hello,

I just joined this group relatively recenlty. I was accepted for Fall 2009 at Ross U, but after reading this thread and finding out about the clinical rotations, I am a bit concerned about attending now. I did not even apply to SGU, but I am the type of student that needs a school that is student oriented, which I thought Ross was, but now I am not so sure. I have not had a chance to talk to anyone who went there. So, I would greatly appreciate the advice.
 
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