I Know Little About Carib...help

[hqt331]

My friend is planning on going to medical school in the Caribbean, I believe at AUA. He has a low GPA in undergrad here in the US, I think around 2.0. I personally believe that he doesn't really know what he is doing with regard to medical school (never shadowed, has little idea about what it requires to become a doctor, little idea about the various specialties within medicine even). However, I also don't know much about Caribbean schools. Can someone let me know something about AUA? As in, will they accept anyone who can pay? Will they allow you to indefinitely take classes there even if you are failing (for the money)?

Thanks.

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[dragonfly99]

He needs to be careful. I can't say for this particular school, but it's a documented fact that many many students fail out of Caribbean schools, or they can't pass the required exams (that are required of ALL students to get back into the US and get any kind of residency here). So yes, he could certainly fail and have spent a lot of money and time in the mean time.

Personally, I think he needs to find out more before he jumps in. Medicine is a long and hard road for anyone, and would be or will be longer and harder if he goes the Caribbean route. For example, I have been working at this (med school, residency, research years/fellowship and now clinical fellowship) for 9-10 years, not counting undergrad, and I'm still not out and practicing yet. Also I have 130k in debt and this is having gone to school several years ago...the schools are all more expensive now. And I still make 50k/year and work many weekends and holidays, many many more hours per week than your average job. He just needs to make sure, as much as possible, that he'll actually like practicing medicine and that he can stomach the academic stuff before he goes ANYWHERE to med school, including the Caribbean. For example, during my 2nd year of med school I had to sit in a classroom 6-7 hours/day and then go home at night and memorize all the stuff for several more hours/day (and I don't mean just 2-3 hours). And then there will be repeatedly staying up all night, probably with no sleep at all, during 3rd and 4th year of residency and during internship and residency too. Honestly, that part sucks and the only way someone can stomach it and not hate his/her life is if medicine is really one of the few things he/she wants to do in life; it really is kind of a brutal lifestyle in many ways, so not something to get into lightly.

 

[Psych2014]

AUA is relatively easy to qualify for (they may be at 2.0, not sure) but it is a decent medical school. Yes, it is an iminent danger to fall into the romantic notion of being a physician, and not being qualified to finish. It is not any school's job to only select applicants who have the ability to finish, pass the formidable usmle's, and gain residency. It is a tough, long road. I'd be concerned too, with a 2.0, that's probably going be a failure story, unless he got his 2.0 with his eyes closed and he could actually do 3.5. Otherwise he's in for either some heartbreak, or some serious growing.

 

[hqt331]

Thanks for the input. Yes, I absolutely agree with the concerns you two have. And I also agree that it is not the school's job to pick only students who absolutely will succeed. This is why I am afraid that he has not done enough research into this whole medicine thing. If a student is not doing well in their classes, will the school (AUA in particular, if you have any knowledge about it) kick them out, or will it simply require the student to repeat a class?

 

[Psych2014]

I can only speak for my school, but I'd expect the same from AUA. They are not any different, largely, than any other university. There are simple remedies for failing a class, or struggling in a class, such as withdrawal without grade periods, and it's not a problem to repeat. I don't think it looks good if you have several of those come residency interview time. But generally if a student is academically strong, and willing to work hard, there are not many beauracratic or policy issues that will weed the student out. There is no conspiracy, it's just not easy, and there may be little to no real support at some schools. But that's not an issue for an academically decent student.

 

[relaxedMD]

There are simple remedies for failing a class, or struggling in a class, such as withdrawal without grade periods, and it's not a problem to repeat. I don't think it looks good if you have several of those come residency interview time....There is no conspiracy, it's just not easy, and there may be little to no real support at some schools. But that's not an issue for an academically decent student.

I do not think that your friend should consider medical school until he can assess his motivation for such a difficult career path.

I am not being negative. I simply think medical school requires massive amounts of INTERNAL motivation.
Does he have the academic ability, the strength of character, and the passion for seeing things through to the end, regardless of the bumps along the way?
I ask this because I am going through an intern year in which no one asks you if you are okay, especially when patients are really sick? They simply expect you to get what is going on around you. It is up to you to seek help, uncover the answer, or advance your personal knowledge of a specific illness/treatment topic.
It takes INTERNAL motivation to prepare for the boards, stay awake until 3AM every night of your 2nd year reading path/micro/pharm, stay alert awake and active for 30 straight hours during call, treat a very ill patient you happen to cross cover after only hearing about him for two minutes, accept when you dont know something and take the time to refresh your memory, etc. No school is going to offer a class on this character trait. Unfortunately!

My advice: Take the pre reqs for the MCATs then take the MCATs. If they score greater than a 25, consider medicine as an option either in the caribbean or via a DO program. IF the CARIB is their CHOICE, PLEASE ONLY go to the BIG ones 1) SGU 2) Ross 3) AUC 4) SABA.

rlxdmd