Help need to decide on low tier Caribbean Med School

[shjaffri]

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Need help, 4th year med student of top tier Caribbean med school , passed step 1 with 87 but due to tough NBME 79% passing requirement, school does not vouch to register for Step 2, now need to transfer to low tier Caribbean school to graduate. Please help to determine best school from low tier Caribbean med schools, concentrating on following criteria.

1. Overall match rate
2 New York acceptance
OR 3 California acceptance

4. Reasonable NBME score conditions (like 70% etc )

 

[torontopharm]

AUA - 50 state approved. MUA - NY approved. SMU - NY approved. Out of these, AUA probably has the highest match rate.

Good luck!

 

[shjaffri]

AUA - 50 state approved. MUA - NY approved. SMU - NY approved. Out of these, AUA probably has the highest match rate.

Good luck!

Thank you for value able advise. Any suggestions for these schools listed below ?
Tier 5: Accredited

• All American Institute of Medical Sciences(AAIMS)
• American International Medical University (AIMU)
• American University of St. Vincent (AUS)
• Atlantic University (AUSOM)
• College of Medicine and Health Sciences St. Lucia (COMHSSL)
• International American University (IAU)
• Spartan Health Sciences University
• St. James School of Medicine (SJSM)
• Trinity School of Medicine (TSOM)
• University of Health Sciences Antigua (UHSA)
• University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS)
• Windsor University
• Xavier University

Also by NY approved what does it really mean, does it mean that you can get NY residency match OR for your practice license after passing USMLE and residency training. I need some clarification, can student can do practice in all 50 US states if he/she passed USMLE steps, gets 3 years residency training and the school is listed on WHO and ECFMG accredited by not NY / FL or California approved ?

 

[torontopharm]

All of those schools will welcome you with open arms, but i'm not sure how credible they are. My experience with Carib schools are purely anecdotal, as many of my friends are taking this route. From what i know, being NY approved is a big deal because otherwise you can't do residency there, which limits your options severely ..considering NY is the most IMG friendly state. If your school isn't "state X approved", you can't do residency there but can become a doctor there once you finish your residency elsewhere. Please do double check though. Perhaps an actual Carib grad or Valuemd would be of more help to you.

 

[shjaffri]

Thanks

 

[jakeislove]

AUA - 50 state approved. MUA - NY approved. SMU - NY approved. Out of these, AUA probably has the highest match rate.

Good luck!

Considering the 79% Comp requirement, OP is likely trying to transfer away from AUA.

No one will say how big of log jam raising the comp requirement to 79% has created. What I will say is people (personally known to me) that did well studied hard, used some degree of tutoring, practiced NBME exams, and did not rely on remembered questions.

OP has to consider the impact of transferring schools on matching versus trying to work things out with their school. Only a few Caribbean schools have student loans, if that's an issue.

 

[Goro]

Gawd, this entire forum is so sad.

 

[bedevilled ben]

Transferring out of Saba to a lower-tiered school is almost a guaranteed death sentence for your residency applications. I'm going through the application process now and it's probably the biggest red flag you could possibly have on your application. Do whatever you can to stay there and complete their requirements, silly though they may be.

 

[Skip Intro]

Gawd, this entire forum is so pathetic.

Then don't come here... and save us your pointless and irrelevant opinion. Duh!

-Skip

 

[the argus]

Gawd, this entire forum is so pathetic.

Gotta love the full-grown adult, who has made >17,000 posts on an anonymous message board in the last five years, who is not even in the profession of said message board, making derogatory posts that contribute nothing, and then calling other people pathetic. Keep winning bro!

 

[Del Caribe]

Thank you for value able advise. Any suggestions for these schools listed below ?
Tier 5: Accredited

• All American Institute of Medical Sciences(AAIMS)
• American International Medical University (AIMU)
• American University of St. Vincent (AUS)
• Atlantic University (AUSOM)
• College of Medicine and Health Sciences St. Lucia (COMHSSL)
• International American University (IAU)
• Spartan Health Sciences University
• St. James School of Medicine (SJSM)
• Trinity School of Medicine (TSOM)
• University of Health Sciences Antigua (UHSA)
• University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS)
• Windsor University
• Xavier University

Also by NY approved what does it really mean, does it mean that you can get NY residency match OR for your practice license after passing USMLE and residency training. I need some clarification, can student can do practice in all 50 US states if he/she passed USMLE steps, gets 3 years residency training and the school is listed on WHO and ECFMG accredited by not NY / FL or California approved ?

None of the "Tier 5" schools are NY or California approved. This means graduates cannot do residency in New York, but they can get licensed and practice there if they finish residency in some other state. Graduates also cannot practice in California until they are at least licensed and in continual practice for 10+ years in another state.

 

[md-2020]

Gotta love the full-grown adult, who has made >17,000 posts on an anonymous message board in the last five years, who is not even in the profession of said message board, making derogatory posts that contribute nothing, and then calling other people pathetic. Keep winning bro!

He decides who gets to go into the profession of said message board though...

 

[the argus]

He decides who gets to go into the profession of said message board though...

Well,
1. He is a non-physician on the ad com of 1 DO school out of the ~170 medical schools in the US, so saying he decides who goes into the profession is a bit of a stretch.
2. His position makes it even sadder that he posts things like that on an anonymous message board.

I have mostly stopped responding to the nonsense he posts, but sometimes it's just too ridiculous to let go. No one with the letters MD or DO after their name takes this guy seriously. He preys on premeds who don't know any better, but everyone actually in the profession thinks he's a joke.

 

[md-2020]

Well,
1. He is a non-physician on the ad com of 1 DO school out of the ~170 medical schools in the US, so saying he decides who goes into the profession is a bit of a stretch.
2. His position makes it even sadder that he posts things like that on an anonymous message board.

I have mostly stopped responding to the nonsense he posts, but sometimes it's just too ridiculous to let go. No one with the letters MD or DO after their name takes this guy seriously. He preys on premeds who don't know any better, but everyone actually in the profession thinks he's a joke.

Pretty sure that's not true....
These guys are both MD adcoms @LizzyM @gyngyn, and they seem to respect Goro's thoughts as much as anyone.

Did you happen to go to a Carib school?

 

[SabaChampion]

Goro edited his original post guys. People slip up and say things off-the-cuff. No point in beating this to death.

 

[gyngyn]

Pretty sure that's not true....
These guys are both MD adcoms @LizzyM @gyngyn, and they seem to respect Goro's thoughts as much as anyone.

Did you happen to go to a Carib school?

The downstream effects of a decision to attend a Caribbean school are apparent to those of us on the receiving end of ERAS applications. This tends to color my view of those to appeal to vulnerable populations. The facts are hard enough to parse when there is full disclosure. Obfuscation and deception make it very challenging to counsel those who want to make an informed choice

 

[Goro]

Preying on pre-meds? That's what the Carib schools do. I do get it, I really do, that you went to a carib school and now you have to justify what was a risky decision, with a significant chance that you will never practice medicine in the US. But if you don't believe me, ask the wise gyngyn.

And my apologies for my original harsh post. But one cannot deny that majority of posts in this forum is filled with pathos, if not outright tragedy.

No one with the letters MD or DO after their name takes this guy seriously. He preys on premeds who don't know any better, but everyone actually in the profession thinks he's a joke.

 

[the argus]

I do get it, I really do, that you went to a carib school and now you have to justify what was a risky decision

I don't have to justify my decision to go to Ross by posting on an anonymous message board. That decision has been justified multiple times, from when I received >40 interview invites last residency season, to when I matched at a University program, to a month ago when I started residency.

with a significant chance that you will never practice medicine in the US. But if you don't believe me, ask the wise gyngyn..

This boils down to the crux of the problem here. I don't need to ask the wise gyngyn. He/she is just one person, at one hospital, in one single residency program. Yes he/she has a right to present their opinions, but what you and he/she does is present your opinions as fact, which is ridiculous.

All I have ever done on this board is try to present the OBJECTIVE data about caribbean medical education, but you guys aren't interested in that. I've previously already collected and posted some of your most ridiculous quotes on the subject, so I won't do it again. But what those quotes show is not someone who is trying to objectively look at the situation and come to some kind of understanding. They show someone who is just bashing other people in an attempt to be funny, make themselves feel better, etc.

 

[Skip Intro]

But one cannot deny that majority of posts in this forum is filled with pathos, if not outright tragedy.

I deny it.

-Skip

 

[Winged Scapula]

Users are reminded that discussion is to be civil, professional and without insults directed toward other users.

 

[jakeislove]

I'm sorry but as a resident I would think you'd have more class....

1. Just because someone is a non-physician adcom doesn't devalue their opinion... after all it is up to the students to weigh each opinion and make an informed choice. You of all people should understand that it's not about which school you come from, but the years of work you put into your field and what you gain from it. Does this person decide who gets in everywhere... obviously not... but if you're looking for that level of opinion you won't be satisfied anywhere.

2. You want to be the bigger man? Just let it go. No one will deny that going to the Caribbean relative to NA options is more risky. In the same sense no one denies that if one works hard they still have a fighting chance at whatever specialty they hope to achieve. It's a huge burden and calculated risk... something I had to think about hard as a potential option for me. Everyone wishes that the "odds be ever in your favor" but that's not always the case. That's also part of the reason why this entire section can seem dismal...among many positive or balanced points of view there are also many defeated or abysmal posts. Not sure why you'd react so viciously to a harsh, but understandable position that this forum is "bad".

Honestly this is going nowhere since it's derailing the OP's question. One would think that grown adults can have more civil discussions, and if there was something you'd disagree with you would debate them with some class.

Generally speaking, I think a few members post things on the Caribbean forum (regardless of how articulate) that would be perceived as incredibly disrespectful in other forums. If someone were struggling in a US MD school and I posted "You have no chance of being a physician", "You'd be DOA", "decisions have consequences", "good luck paying back those loans","Join the circus", "try a DO school", etc... the world would stop turning. I'd choose to say nothing over pooping on someone who already feels their world is falling apart. That doesn't make me a good person by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just not smart enough to convince myself that acting cavalierly towards someone in pain will prevent others from making the same decision.

Caribbean students should learn from bird who refused to migrate and not automatically discount what knowledgeable posters have to offer. Even if it's "Our program doesn't take Caribbean graduates", that's $26 saved!🙂

 

[Goro]

People don't come here for hugs and kisses, but for realistic advice.

Generally speaking, I think a few members post things on the Caribbean forum (regardless of how articulate) that would be perceived as incredibly disrespectful in other forums. If someone were struggling in a US MD school and I posted "You have no chance of being a physician", "You'd be DOA", "decisions have consequences", "good luck paying back those loans","Join the circus", "try a DO school", etc... the world would stop turning. I'd choose to say nothing over pooping on someone who already feels their world is falling apart. That doesn't make me a good person by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just not smart enough to convince myself that acting cavalierly towards someone in pain will prevent others from making the same decision.

Caribbean students should learn from bird who refused to migrate and not automatically discount what knowledgeable posters have to offer. Even if it's "Our program doesn't take Caribbean graduates", that's $26 saved!🙂

 

[jakeislove]

I'll bear that in mind when someone asks for realistic advice on other forums.

People don't come here for hugs and kisses, but for realistic advice.

 

[ZedsDed]

Generally speaking, I think a few members post things on the Caribbean forum (regardless of how articulate) that would be perceived as incredibly disrespectful in other forums. If someone were struggling in a US MD school and I posted "You have no chance of being a physician", "You'd be DOA", "decisions have consequences", "good luck paying back those loans","Join the circus", "try a DO school", etc... the world would stop turning. I'd choose to say nothing over pooping on someone who already feels their world is falling apart. That doesn't make me a good person by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just not smart enough to convince myself that acting cavalierly towards someone in pain will prevent others from making the same decision.

Caribbean students should learn from bird who refused to migrate and not automatically discount what knowledgeable posters have to offer. Even if it's "Our program doesn't take Caribbean graduates", that's $26 saved!🙂

Most of those things and more are regularly said on pre-allo/osteo and the postbacc forums. The postbacc forum is particularly harsh on those who show up with foolish notions. I don't think the language is abusive like you are making it out to be. I think most of the premeds do appreciate the candor.

 

[Dreamstoo]

Transferring out of Saba to a lower-tiered school is almost a guaranteed death sentence for your residency applications. I'm going through the application process now and it's probably the biggest red flag you could possibly have on your application. Do whatever you can to stay there and complete their requirements, silly though they may be.

Agreed with this. I have heard of someone doing this from a Big 4 school and it backfired big time. They eventually did get residency but not on first attempt.