Honest Advice: Canadian looking at Ross vs. AUC vs. SGU vs. Saba for US-matching

[321nokia]

Hi folks! I am a Canadian interested in learning about the Top 4 (3 now I guess cause of the SGU accreditation issue?) Carib schools. I have a 3.9x GPA and 51x MCAT (left out the final values for anonymity but I have a LizzyM of 70), but have not received any US MD/DO interviews, and Canadian MD is out of the question due to my subpar CARS score (and yes, I have a clean IA/Criminal record). I am shocked honestly, because, in addition to my stats & the 100s of hours as a clinical volunteer, multiple research publications, and 100s of extracurricular hours doing leadership and community service, I have not received any interviews anywhere. As a Canadian applicant with a low CARS, Canadian med is impossible, and US MD/DO is not turning out to be fruitful, as there are already very few Canadian-friendly schools and none of them have even considered me for an interview. I have applied to every single Can-friendly US MD/DO (yes, I actually did 50 secondaries which resulted in nothing). For reference, I am completely open to studying and practicing med in the US or Canada.

Also: Please no rhetoric about not attending Carib schools; I am well aware of the low reward/cost ratio of FMGs matching in the US/Canada. I am honestly left with no options. I truly believe that I am ready for medical school, as evident from my MCAT score and GPA. I just have been put in an SOL situation where I am not competitive for Canadian schools and the few Canadian-friendly US schools have not taken a liking to my stats (considering a 3.9x and 51x is honestly pretty average for US matriculants, nothing exceptional, so why would a US school with IS preferences choose an average Can applicant). I am also 100% okay with being limited to FM/PCP & IM as a Carib FMG. Waiting another year to re-apply to all the schools that have already rejected me is out of the question too. I just really want to become a doc (even if it's a family doc in the middle of a rural, nowhere city).

Can someone clarify whether attending SGU as a new medical school student is even worth it right now? I am specifically concerned about their 2024 ECFMG accreditation deadline thing and am worried that as a Class of 2026 graduate, this accreditation issue may result in me not being able to write my USMLE and match into residencies, specifically US residencies. I know SGU has a longstanding reputation of being the best Carib school but is this a school that I should avoid completely now? Please no SGU faculty/admins or trolls trying to promote the school, I want honest *student-based* advice before I make my 300k commitment to a school that may be jeopardizing their currently-enrolling students' future in terms of matching after the 2024 ECFMG deadline.

Assuming SGU is a no-go right now pertaining to accreditation, I am left with the other major Carib schools. I have no doubts that any of them will accept me, based on my current stats. It's just a matter of choosing which is the best. Can any current Ross, AUC, Saba, and maybe SGU students (or recent alumni) provide insight on why they chose their school over the others? I am aware of the low attrition rates, but I am fairly confident I can power through the rigors of the basic science and clerkship years, and the practice Step exams and stuff; my undergraduate program was fairly challenging so I have polished my studying habits. I've also heard lifestyle horror stories on SDN from Ross and Saba, but honestly, I understand living on an island with a predatory institution will probably result in a ****ty 1-2 years of studying. I am ready for the commitment, regardless.

Also, based on my understanding, continuing with my research (or initiating new research projects) is probably going to be important in my Match CV and maybe LORs. Are there even opportunities on campus to participate in research? Or will I be limited to finding these opportunities on my own, in a virtual format?

TLDR: Apologies for the length of this post. I guess the point of this post was to basically inquire about which of the major Carib schools I should choose (and avoid possibly, looking at you SGU). Thank you in advance to anyone that helps! I will follow up with any respondents, so any help is greatly appreciated!!

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[Gambino.]

1. There is likely a glaring issue in your profile because your stats should've at the very least landed you interviews. It might be worth shelling out some money to have a professional review your application and personal statements.

2. The SGU issue has been talked about plenty in these forums, go read prior posts. It is a no-go until they get clear confirmation on if GMDC will be accepted as an accrediting body by ECFMG starting in 2024.

3. I chose Ross over AUC and SGU at the time. I chose Ross over SGU due to the living situations (the housing, Barbados over Grenada) and cost. I chose it over AUC as it had more name recognition and felt more established. At the current moment I would only think about Ross or AUC if you must go Carib. Saba is ran pretty poorly from what current students have mentioned and even made all exams short answer style for a while until the score averages were just absolutely abysmal.

I'd just see what scholarships you can get from Ross and AUC then just pick the cheaper of the two options if you do go Carib.

4. There are no/very limited small scale research opportunities on campus. Any research you do is likely to be in M3/M4. This isn't that big of a deal when you consider that 80% of matches are in primary care with most being community programs where research isn't required. I'd throw any notions of a surgical subspecialty or other hyper-competitive fields out the window if this is the path you are taking.

 

[8jsi37]

Honestly, I would not apply to the caribbeans if you only had one unsuccessful cycle. Many US students have more than one unsuccessful cycle and still continue to apply to US MD/DOs only. The problem here is that you're Canadian and trying to get into a US school where many don't accept international students. I would rather retake the mcat and try to get a better score in your CARS if you're willing to go to the carib. $300-400 USD and about 3-4 months of your time outweigh the 400k-500k debt you'll accrue if you DON'T match after graduating from the big 4/5

Please no rhetoric about not attending Carib schools; I am well aware of the low reward/cost ratio of FMGs matching in the US/Canada.

This is the biggest thing about carib schools. Why are you trying to ignore this issue. Well, that's contingent on you PASSING out of basic sciences, step 1, etc. The thing is passing through each semester is their own struggles because these schools are for profit and they'll literally throw last minute sh** at you. If you can't adapt, then you're gone. You'll be replaced by incoming students in 4 months. Matching as a IMG via CARMS is significantly harder than matching to the US NRMP. Even for the NRMP, being a Non-US citizen and trying to match back into USA has a lot of difficulties. Not only that, getting back to Canada as a physician can pose some struggles too if you don't have the right steps/guidance. This is a recipe for diaster if you're not well prepared for everything. It's not just being in primary care, it's IF you can get there through the hurdles that not only carib schools throw at you but also the US residencies who have PREFERENCES towards US grads. The system isnt set up for you to succeed as easily as US students.

Can someone clarify whether attending SGU as a new medical school student is even worth it right now?

This statement in itself shows that you dont really know much about the caribbeans and it proves my point above. You're not well prepared. How will you match as a non-US IMG to US residencies? How will you secure IVs? There are many more of these questions. The simple answer is, do more research on these topics. there are many threads on SDN to help you figure out what you're looking for.

I know SGU has a longstanding reputation of being the best Carib school but is this a school that I should avoid completely now? Please no SGU faculty/admins or trolls trying to promote the school, I want honest *student-based* advice before I make my 300k commitment to a school that may be jeopardizing their currently-enrolling students' future in terms of matching after the 2024 ECGMF deadline.

that's a laugh. Idk where everyone gets the notation of SGU is the "Harvard" of the Caribbean. it's not. All Caribbean schools in the big 3 or 4 are pretty much the same in quality. Theres really no significant advantages to going one or the other to match. If you do research on how to match, you know right now, it would be contingent on your Step 1 score more than the "prestige" of your medical school within the big 4. News flash, SGU is more than 300k. You're prob gonna look close to 400k or 500k depending on your expenses on the island and even in the US for rotations. You already answered your question. Why attend a school that has the risk of you not being able to sit for the USMLE and spending 30k+ per semester? Think about it logically. Until they get accredited properly and been approved by ECFMG/WFME, how can you even think about SGU. If you're trying to go because of the prestige or well established, then fix your application and apply to US Schools where they're more prestigious and higher match rate.

Can any current Ross, AUC, Saba, and maybe SGU students (or recent alumni) provide insight on why they chose their school over the others? I am aware of the low attrition rates, but I am fairly confident I can power through the rigors of the basic science and clerkship years, and the practice Step exams and stuff; my undergraduate program was fairly challenging so I have polished my studying habits.

You mean high attrition rates? The drop out rate is pretty high in these schools. Btw, whatever you learned in college, doesn't mean much. Med school is an entire different beast. TBH, i think you're being too arrogant and cocky to these carib schools beacuse the majority of your previous education will not help that much unless you did a SMP. Even doing your undergrad program and polishing your "study habits" doesn't really mean much too because truly NO real undergrad program will ever be replicable towards med school. You have 5x the amount of work compared to undergrad and your ways may work for undergrad but it's not guaranteed to work in med school. Is there a chance that it could? Yes there could. How can you even know that you'll do well on the USMLE Step ? This isnt the mcat. Doing well on the mcat has no implications on doing well on the USMLE Step 1.

I've also heard lifestyle horror stories on SDN from Ross and Saba, but honestly, I understand living on an island with a predatory institution will probably result in a ****ty 1-2 years of studying. I am ready for the commitment, regardless.

The problem with your statement is that many statements or posts tend to be mostly negative. On the internet, more people will share the negative experience than positive experience. You need to learn how to decipher through that. I will say that living on any island in a third world country is terrible. Don't think for one second that SGU, AUC, or the others not mentioned are any better than the ones you "heard" about. Just because you dont hear about them does not mean they don't happen.

Also, based on my understanding, continuing with my research (or initiating new research projects) is probably going to be important in my Match CV and maybe LORs. Are there even opportunities on campus to participate in research? Or will I be limited to finding these opportunities on my own, in a virtual format?

The fact that you're asking this shows that you don't know what it takes to match into primary care. Keep in mind, it's much harder to match as a IMG, let alone a non-US IMG. I suggest you do more research before committing to a 400k decision. You should know what it takes to get to where you want to be. Stop trying to run before you can walk. Your main focus in basic sciences should be getting out in one shot without repeating any semester.

I'm scared for you that you'll be at this current stage again in 4 years when you apply to match and "can't" figure out how to secure a residency spot like how you can't secure a medical school spot with those "stats" of yours. Even if you say that you're not a US citizen and that's why you're rejected from the US schools, but you're gonna try to apply to the US residencies where they have the same preferences towards US citizens and US MD/DO grads.

 

[321nokia]

1. There is likely a glaring issue in your profile because your stats should've at the very least landed you interviews. It might be worth shelling out some money to have a professional review your application and personal statements.

2. The SGU issue has been talked about plenty in these forums, go read prior posts. It is a no-go until they get clear confirmation on if GMDC will be accepted as an accrediting body by ECFMG starting in 2024.

3. I chose Ross over AUC and SGU at the time. I chose Ross over SGU due to the living situations (the housing, Barbados over Grenada) and cost. I chose it over AUC as it had more name recognition and felt more established. At the current moment I would only think about Ross or AUC if you must go Carib. Saba is ran pretty poorly from what current students have mentioned and even made all exams short answer style for a while until the score averages were just absolutely abysmal.

I'd just see what scholarships you can get from Ross and AUC then just pick the cheaper of the two options if you do go Carib.

4. There are no/very limited small scale research opportunities on campus. Any research you do is likely to be in M3/M4. This isn't that big of a deal when you consider that 80% of matches are in primary care with most being community programs where research isn't required. I'd throw any notions of a surgical subspecialty or other hyper-competitive fields out the window if this is the path you are taking.

Wow, thank you for the prompt response, @gambino! I've seen you lurk around the Carib forum, so I am glad you could provide your input here. In response to your points:

1. I have paid for a 3rd party revision of my app (don't want to name any names). The counselors notified me that they didn't see any glaring issues, and were just as confused as I was on how I could not have gotten any US MD/DO interviews, at the minimum. I even made sure to submit all my materials as early as possible during the cycle (Completes by mid-July). Nonetheless, it is what it is, and I am stuck in my current predicament.

2. Yes, this was what I feared. Thank you for this clarification. For now, I will assume SGU is a no-go. HOWEVER, quick question: Say I join Ross for example this incoming intake, and I perform well during MS1 & 2. When SGU receives their full accreditation 1-2 years down the road, is it possible to transfer between Carib schools? Is this an uncommon occurrence? No worries if you don't have this info, thought I'd ask anyway.

3. This info is also consistent based on what research I have done. I guess I will short-list my options to Ross and AUC then. Thank you!

4. Yeah, I figured any even remotely competitive specialties are out of the question for me now. And I am fine with that, hence me being okay with FM/IM. Thank you for clarifying that research isn't really required for Primary care. I guess I will maintain my focus on acquiring optimal LORs instead of research then. Follow-up question: How robust is the LOR-acquisition process for Carib schools? I know many Carib schools send their students all over the US for clerkships. Does this make acquire good LORs to increase the chances of matching into PCP difficult?

Again thank you for your assistance!

 

[321nokia]

Honestly, I would not apply to the caribbeans if you only had one unsuccessful cycle. Many US students have more than one unsuccessful cycle and still continue to apply to US MD/DOs only. The problem here is that you're Canadian and trying to get into a US school where many don't accept international students. I would rather retake the mcat and try to get a better score in your CARS if you're willing to go to the carib. $300-400 USD and about 3-4 months of your time outweigh the 400k-500k debt you'll accrue if you DON'T match after graduating from the big 4/5

I left out (unintentionally) that I have already taken the MCAT twice, to no avail in improving my CARS score. I have accepted that CARS is just something I am not good at. All these Canadian schools emphasize CARS for some stupid reason. I have accepted defeat. My overall MCAT score was in the 51x's both times, if that even matters.

This is the biggest thing about carib schools. Why are you trying to ignore this issue. Well, that's contingent on you PASSING out of basic sciences, step 1, etc. The thing is passing through each semester is their own struggles because these schools are for profit and they'll literally throw last minute sh** at you. If you can't adapt, then you're gone. You'll be replaced by incoming students in 4 months. Matching as a IMG via CARMS is significantly harder than matching to the US NRMP. Even for the NRMP, being a Non-US citizen and trying to match back into USA has a lot of difficulties. Not only that, getting back to Canada as a physician can pose some struggles too if you don't have the right steps/guidance. This is a recipe for diaster if you're not well prepared for everything. It's not just being in primary care, it's IF you can get there through the hurdles that not only carib schools throw at you but also the US residencies who have PREFERENCES towards US grads. The system isnt set up for you to succeed as easily as US students.

I understand what you are saying. I have read the horror Reddit/SDN/news stories of students failing out, not matching, academic probation, etc. because their Carib school didn't really give a **** about them. I am aware. This is a last-ditch effort to make my dream of becoming a doctor come true. I really think I can make the dream true, even if Carib schools will put me at a SIGNIFICANT disadvantage every step of the way.

This statement in itself shows that you dont really know much about the caribbeans and it proves my point above. You're not well prepared. How will you match as a non-US IMG to US residencies? How will you secure IVs? There are many more of these questions. The simple answer is, do more research on these topics. there are many threads on SDN to help you figure out what you're looking for.

I completely understand what you are saying. I'm not happy that I am in this situation. When I was in undergrad, I scoffed at the notion that I would even have to contemplate the Carib. My failures and rejections have significantly humbled me, and I have accepted that I am bound for the Carib. I have done some preliminary research, and am looking for more info, hence this post. Honestly, though, I don't see myself doing anything else in life other than being a doctor. If it means I lock myself in a room for 4+ years, cut off any social life/fun, and grinding my ass off to get by in a Carib school, I am fine with that. I am willing to pay for the consequences of not getting into any Canadian/US medical schools, even if it means I have to cut everything off and become a lifeless studying drone.

that's a laugh. Idk where everyone gets the notation of SGU is the "Harvard" of the Caribbean. it's not. All Caribbean schools in the big 3 or 4 are pretty much the same in quality. Theres really no significant advantages to going one or the other to match. If you do research on how to match, you know right now, it would be contingent on your Step 1 score more than the "prestige" of your medical school within the big 4. News flash, SGU is more than 300k. You're prob gonna look close to 400k or 500k depending on your expenses on the island and even in the US for rotations. You already answered your question. Why attend a school that has the risk of you not being able to sit for the USMLE and spending 30k+ per semester? Think about it logically. Until they get accredited properly and been approved by ECFMG/WFME, how can you even think about SGU. If you're trying to go because of the prestige or well established, then fix your application and apply to US Schools where they're more prestigious and higher match rate.

Yeah, after reading your response, and Gambino's, I've decided to pause any thoughts of attending SGU at the current moment.

You mean high attrition rates? The drop out rate is pretty high in these schools. Btw, whatever you learned in college, doesn't mean much. Med school is an entire different beast. TBH, i think you're being too arrogant and cocky to these carib schools beacuse the majority of your previous education will not help that much unless you did a SMP. Even doing your undergrad program and polishing your "study habits" doesn't really mean much too because truly NO real undergrad program will ever be replicable towards med school. You have 5x the amount of work compared to undergrad and your ways may work for undergrad but it's not guaranteed to work in med school. Is there a chance that it could? Yes there could. How can you even know that you'll do well on the USMLE Step ? This isnt the mcat. Doing well on the mcat has no implications on doing well on the USMLE Step 1.

Sorry, yes I meant high attrition/drop-out rates. I apologize if I came off cocky, that was not my intention at all. Like many students who turn to Carib schools, this feels like a last-ditch effort for me. As I mentioned before, being rejected from everywhere has humbled me. I am willing to accept the consequences of my failures by locking myself in a room to grind the Carib process out. I only really mentioned my undergrad work because I feel confident that I have strong study habits. In no way do I even remotely want to equate my undergrad difficulty to med school, esp Carib med school. I understand that they are VERY different beasts.

The fact that you're asking this shows that you don't know what it takes to match into primary care. Keep in mind, it's much harder to match as a IMG, let alone a non-US IMG. I suggest you do more research before committing to a 400k decision. You should know what it takes to get to where you want to be. Stop trying to run before you can walk. Your main focus in basic sciences should be getting out in one shot without repeating any semester.

I'm scared for you that you'll be at this current stage again in 4 years when you apply to match and "can't" figure out how to secure a residency spot like how you can't secure a medical school spot with those "stats" of yours. Even if you say that you're not a US citizen and that's why you're rejected from the US schools, but you're gonna try to apply to the US residencies where they have the same preferences towards US citizens and US MD/DO grads.

Sorry for getting ahead of myself. I was conflating the idea that research was important for general med admissions to residency matching. As Gambino suggested earlier, I now realize that research doesn't really mean anything for PCP matching. With regards to your second point, I recognize the Canadian citizen issue for US matching. Honestly, I am left with no options here. Re-applying is not going to happen, as I am reliant on my parents for funding and they are adamant that I have exhausted all my options (ex: re-writing MCAT already, applying to nearly 50 schools, etc.). I know you will say that I should try to convince my parents and stuff, but I honestly agree with them that I have indeed exhausted all my options. I am willing to carry the burden of a potential 400-500k loan on my shoulders and become an MD scientist/lab tech if I don't match. I will make sure failing out does not become something I have to contemplate, no matter the costs it may have on my psyche. I guess this is the predicament my life has become. Again, I apologize for any arrogance that I may have portrayed in my original post or reply. I am just trying to figure how this stage of my life will play out.

 

[Gambino.]

Say I join Ross for example this incoming intake, and I perform well during MS1 & 2. When SGU receives their full accreditation 1-2 years down the road, is it possible to transfer between Carib schools? Is this an uncommon occurrence? No worries if you don't have this info, thought I'd ask anyway.

Big 3 don't typically have reciprocity and won't accept transfers. There's also no practical reason to do this as transferring from Ross to SGU would provide absolutely no advantage to your match chances and would look like more of a red flag than anything else.

How robust is the LOR-acquisition process for Carib schools? I know many Carib schools send their students all over the US for clerkships. Does this make acquire good LORs to increase the chances of matching into PCP difficult?

I'd look more into how clerkships and letters work because it doesn't seem like you have a strong grasp on it. The letters come from doctors you work with so it wouldn't matter if you get sent "all over the US." Ross, SGU, and AUC's rotation sites are all located on their respective websites; they have a handful of locations where you do all you cores so no, you aren't moving around often until 4th year when you do your electives and SUB-I's.

 

[jazzmiller5]

Hi folks! I am a Canadian interested in learning about the Top 4 (3 now I guess cause of the SGU accreditation issue?) Carib schools. I have a 3.9x GPA and 51x MCAT (left out the final values for anonymity but I have a LizzyM of 70), but have not received any US MD/DO interviews, and Canadian MD is out of the question due to my subpar CARS score (and yes, I have a clean IA/Criminal record). I am shocked honestly, because, in addition to my stats & the 100s of hours as a clinical volunteer, multiple research publications, and 100s of extracurricular hours doing leadership and community service, I have not received any interviews anywhere. As a Canadian applicant with a low CARS, Canadian med is impossible, and US MD/DO is not turning out to be fruitful, as there are already very few Canadian-friendly schools and none of them have even considered me for an interview. I have applied to every single Can-friendly US MD/DO (yes, I actually did 50 secondaries which resulted in nothing). For reference, I am completely open to studying and practicing med in the US or Canada.

Also: Please no rhetoric about not attending Carib schools; I am well aware of the low reward/cost ratio of FMGs matching in the US/Canada. I am honestly left with no options. I truly believe that I am ready for medical school, as evident from my MCAT score and GPA. I just have been put in an SOL situation where I am not competitive for Canadian schools and the few Canadian-friendly US schools have not taken a liking to my stats (considering a 3.9x and 51x is honestly pretty average for US matriculants, nothing exceptional, so why would a US school with IS preferences choose an average Can applicant). I am also 100% okay with being limited to FM/PCP & IM as a Carib FMG. Waiting another year to re-apply to all the schools that have already rejected me is out of the question too. I just really want to become a doc (even if it's a family doc in the middle of a rural, nowhere city).

Can someone clarify whether attending SGU as a new medical school student is even worth it right now? I am specifically concerned about their 2024 ECFMG accreditation deadline thing and am worried that as a Class of 2026 graduate, this accreditation issue may result in me not being able to write my USMLE and match into residencies, specifically US residencies. I know SGU has a longstanding reputation of being the best Carib school but is this a school that I should avoid completely now? Please no SGU faculty/admins or trolls trying to promote the school, I want honest *student-based* advice before I make my 300k commitment to a school that may be jeopardizing their currently-enrolling students' future in terms of matching after the 2024 ECFMG deadline.

Assuming SGU is a no-go right now pertaining to accreditation, I am left with the other major Carib schools. I have no doubts that any of them will accept me, based on my current stats. It's just a matter of choosing which is the best. Can any current Ross, AUC, Saba, and maybe SGU students (or recent alumni) provide insight on why they chose their school over the others? I am aware of the low attrition rates, but I am fairly confident I can power through the rigors of the basic science and clerkship years, and the practice Step exams and stuff; my undergraduate program was fairly challenging so I have polished my studying habits. I've also heard lifestyle horror stories on SDN from Ross and Saba, but honestly, I understand living on an island with a predatory institution will probably result in a ****ty 1-2 years of studying. I am ready for the commitment, regardless.

Also, based on my understanding, continuing with my research (or initiating new research projects) is probably going to be important in my Match CV and maybe LORs. Are there even opportunities on campus to participate in research? Or will I be limited to finding these opportunities on my own, in a virtual format?

TLDR: Apologies for the length of this post. I guess the point of this post was to basically inquire about which of the major Carib schools I should choose (and avoid possibly, looking at you SGU). Thank you in advance to anyone that helps! I will follow up with any respondents, so any help is greatly appreciated!!

You have good stats, do you have a bad LOR?

 

[Wolvvs]

Have you considered Australian schools? Attrition is far lower because the schools are actually interested in training good doctors rather than just making money. It will be hard to get into the US, but students tend to be reasonably successful matching to Canada, and you'll have the ability to begin training in Australia as a backup option.

 

[8jsi37]

I left out (unintentionally) that I have already taken the MCAT twice, to no avail in improving my CARS score. I have accepted that CARS is just something I am not good at. All these Canadian schools emphasize CARS for some stupid reason. I have accepted defeat. My overall MCAT score was in the 51x's both times, if that even matters.

Have you looked into any other tutoring services. You said you "exhausted" all your options but i dont think you technically have. If you're already willing to go down the carib route, you should truly exhaust all of your options. Do tutoring, do a SMP with a linkage to certain med schools, etc.

I understand what you are saying. I have read the horror Reddit/SDN/news stories of students failing out, not matching, academic probation, etc. because their Carib school didn't really give a **** about them. I am aware. This is a last-ditch effort to make my dream of becoming a doctor come true. I really think I can make the dream true, even if Carib schools will put me at a SIGNIFICANT disadvantage every step of the way.


I completely understand what you are saying. I'm not happy that I am in this situation. When I was in undergrad, I scoffed at the notion that I would even have to contemplate the Carib. My failures and rejections have significantly humbled me, and I have accepted that I am bound for the Carib. I have done some preliminary research, and am looking for more info, hence this post. Honestly, though, I don't see myself doing anything else in life other than being a doctor. If it means I lock myself in a room for 4+ years, cut off any social life/fun, and grinding my ass off to get by in a Carib school, I am fine with that. I am willing to pay for the consequences of not getting into any Canadian/US medical schools, even if it means I have to cut everything off and become a lifeless studying drone.

Based on what you wrote, you are humbled by the failures, but you haven't really learned from it. Doing preliminary research is not enough. Sure, you'll learn more on the way but wouldnt you want to do more research or more before jumping into a 400k+ decision? I mean, you don't really have to social isolate yourself from everything in order to match lol. I think you're taking it way too extreme on both ends. One end you have barely done any research on the caribbeans and on the other end you're trying to "punish" yourself for not making it into any canadian/US med schools.

Yeah, after reading your response, and Gambino's, I've decided to pause any thoughts of attending SGU at the current moment.

Sorry, yes I meant high attrition/drop-out rates. I apologize if I came off cocky, that was not my intention at all. Like many students who turn to Carib schools, this feels like a last-ditch effort for me. As I mentioned before, being rejected from everywhere has humbled me. I am willing to accept the consequences of my failures by locking myself in a room to grind the Carib process out. I only really mentioned my undergrad work because I feel confident that I have strong study habits. In no way do I even remotely want to equate my undergrad difficulty to med school, esp Carib med school. I understand that they are VERY different beasts.

Yet, you still want to transfer to SGU if they get their accreditation. You're literally not listening to what others have to say. Sure, this is an anonymous forum, but you clearly don't understand the full depths of what it takes to get into the match and actually match. This is the biggest issue right now for you because you have the academics right now, but yet you arent able to secure any IIs in US and Canada. There's something else glaring about your application that you aren't telling us or you're not aware of. Idk if you have actually learned from your failures because you still want to go to SGU despite the fact that others including me have said there is NO difference within the Big 4 in terms of matching and the quality of education. Let's be real here, if you're going to the caribbeans, are you really expecting high quality professors? Prob not. Literally the only thing that separates them apart is truly how they grade you and all I can say is that SGU grades fairly hard compared to Ross or AUC. If you can't even get out of basic sciences, then you can't even take step 1, let alone match. And none of these schools will adequately prepare you well to pass Step 1. You will have to do your own "dedicated" study period like how most US med students do. I literally dont know what else to say to you because your head seems to be stuck on SGU. At this point, I have nothing else to say to you but just go to SGU because you will be unhappy at any other place from the looks of it.

Sorry for getting ahead of myself. I was conflating the idea that research was important for general med admissions to residency matching. As Gambino suggested earlier, I now realize that research doesn't really mean anything for PCP matching. With regards to your second point, I recognize the Canadian citizen issue for US matching. Honestly, I am left with no options here. Re-applying is not going to happen, as I am reliant on my parents for funding and they are adamant that I have exhausted all my options (ex: re-writing MCAT already, applying to nearly 50 schools, etc.). I know you will say that I should try to convince my parents and stuff, but I honestly agree with them that I have indeed exhausted all my options. I am willing to carry the burden of a potential 400-500k loan on my shoulders and become an MD scientist/lab tech if I don't match. I will make sure failing out does not become something I have to contemplate, no matter the costs it may have on my psyche. I guess this is the predicament my life has become. Again, I apologize for any arrogance that I may have portrayed in my original post or reply. I am just trying to figure how this stage of my life will play out.

Like i mentioned, you haven't exhausted your options. Do a SMP with a linkage and figure out which SMP will accept you as an international student into their matriculating class. If you said your undergrad was rigorous enough and you have "polished" your studying skills, then do a SMP. SMPs generally replicate the first year US MD/DO curriculum. If you can't pass that, then it might be better to cut your losses. Working as a scientist trying to pay off 400k is rough, but if that's what you really want to do then do it.

You mentioned you were looking for more info about the caribbeans and we've been giving you the info, but it seems like your heart is set on SGU. Just go to SGU because if you go to any other carib school, it sounds like you'll be more miserable and blame it on "if only i went to SGU".

 

[Damson]

Have you considered Australian schools? Attrition is far lower because the schools are actually interested in training good doctors rather than just making money. It will be hard to get into the US, but students tend to be reasonably successful matching to Canada, and you'll have the ability to begin training in Australia as a backup option.

i only read the first sentence of his post saying high GPA high MCAT considering caribbean, and i stopped reading

AUSTRALIA, UQ / Sydney / Melbourne with your stats bro @feellikefire

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Although SGU's accreditation status seems up in the air, I can't imagine SGU losing its accreditation. It's probably the biggest industry on Grenada. But if you go there, I'm sure you'll worry about it until it's settled, and that's worth considering.

 

[8jsi37]

Although SGU's accreditation status seems up in the air, I can't imagine SGU losing its accreditation. It's probably the biggest industry on Grenada. But if you go there, I'm sure you'll worry about it until it's settled, and that's worth considering.

Yeah theres probably a high chance they will get it back, but what if the off chance they dont? It still poses a risk. The reality is that until they actually resolve that issue, it's still a gamble to go there. Why spend like 140k to have a small risk that they don't get it back. These type of stuff are out of your control, but then again, it's still a high risk to go to the caribbeans regardless. At least your performance on exams is in your control unlike the accreditation issue.

Let's be real here, the big 4 are pretty much the same in quality and what you get out of it. One doesn't really provide an advantage over the other. It's the caribbeans. If there's a comparable alternative to SGU that's already established (aka the other big 4), take it. Really, you can't tell me that there's an inherent advantage to go to like SGU vs Ross vs AUC. The reality is that majority of these students will match into primary care like IM, FM, and Peds. Each have certain residencies that'll accept more of them than others, but in general, those hospitals are IMG friendly. Sometimes, a lot of these hospitals are not desirable to US AMGs and you'll rarely see an IMG matching into top IM programs regardless of which big 4 they attended (unless they have connections).

Obv the better plan is to work on your app and get into a US MD/DO school because they will match way better than any of the big 4.