I'm a Caribbean Graduate: Ask me Any Question

[SkipJunior]

Except that he's not really on here saying absolutely under any and all circumstances don't do Caribbean. He's already hinted that he thinks SGU would have been a viable option. And that a few of his classmates landed residencies because they were "serious" instead of making a mockery of the situation. So he's really not taking a hardline "don't go down this road" stance. which at his current junction would be the only useful thread he could offer -- the telltale warning -- the "don't end up like me" tale.

Indeed I am making a hardline stance against Caribbean for people who want to practice in North America. I made that very clear in my first post. However that doesn't mean I should be dishonest. I did meet SGU students who ended up matching but as I stated previously, with the upcoming residency crunch, I don't recommend anyone to join a Carib school now. SGU might have been a viable third chance 10-15 years ago. Definitely not now.

However for the students who are interested in practicing in more exotic locales like Africa and the Middle East and don't plan on applying for a US or Canadian residency, then the Caribbean might still be a viable option. However very few American pre-meds fall in that category.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mehc012]

Except that he's not really on here saying absolutely under any and all circumstances don't do Caribbean. He's already hinted that he thinks SGU would have been a viable option. And that a few of his classmates landed residencies because they were "serious" instead of making a mockery of the situation. So he's really not taking a hardline "don't go down this road" stance. which at his current junction would be the only useful thread he could offer -- the telltale warning -- the "don't end up like me" tale.

No, instead he's offering what very few people on this site actually do...a first-hand perspective on caribbean schools, which is more than either the uninformed 'I knew a guy' posts OR the hardline 'I have it all figured out, Caribbean is futile' folks. The Caribbean is a poor choice, but it is equally inaccurate to say that it never works as it is to say that it is a good idea. Can't we just let them present questions about their actual first-hand experience and let the answers speak for themselves?

 

[IslandStyle808]

Except that he's not really on here saying absolutely under any and all circumstances don't do Caribbean. He's already hinted that he thinks SGU would have been a viable option. And that a few of his classmates landed residencies because they were "serious" instead of making a mockery of the situation. So he's really not taking a hardline "don't go down this road" stance. which at his current junction would be the only useful thread he could offer -- the telltale warning -- the "don't end up like me" tale.

I think you are reading too much into this. He stated that SGU would be the better option over his school, not that it is better than DO. Also when he stated about the students partying and paying for exam retakes. He was not only referring to the students attitude over the tests, but also the schools attitude as well. These students could pay for the exam retakes. People live in different shades of gray, you can't expect all of them to give that hardline advice of anti-DO you're expecting. If he did give it to your standards, then I would not take him as seriously (no offense Skip, I still am glad you made this thread).

 

[Law2Doc]

No, instead he's offering what very few people on this site actually do...a first-hand perspective on caribbean schools, which is more than either the uninformed 'I knew a guy' posts OR the hardline 'I have it all figured out, Caribbean is futile' folks. The Caribbean is a poor choice, but it is equally inaccurate to say that it never works as it is to say that it is a good idea. Can't we just let them present questions about their actual first-hand experience and let the answers speak for themselves?

A more useful perspective for you though would be the countless people on here in various specialty residencies who actally help evaluate applicants like this and actually do know "first-hand" how they are evaluated, why they are rejected/accepted rather than the "second-hand" guesses by people as to how viablle their own path might be.

 

[Law2Doc]

I think you are reading too much into this. He stated that SGU would be the better option over his school...

I agree he did, but if you don't already know offshore is a pretty bad option, saying another option would be "better" doesn't convey the real story. The least bad of awful options is still pretty awful. I'm not sure that message gets through when you start saying something would be "better". It's almost not. It mostly means you could point to a few more alumni that have jobs you probably will never get.

 

[mehc012]

A more useful perspective for you though would be the countless people on here in various specialty residencies who actally help evaluate applicants like this and actually do know "first-hand" how they are evaluated, why they are rejected/accepted rather than the "second-hand" guesses by people as to how viablle their own path might be.

And I read those as well. But more information is always better. More sources and perspectives are always useful. I have already learned things in this thread, and while they didn't change my plans, they did reinforce them, which is still nice. I just don't see why people feel the need to crap all over this thread when it does present a perspective which was previously lacking. OP is supporting the viewpoint of those others you mention, and adding color to it. But sure, even though it presents the same conclusions and even adds new info, let's dump all over him because he's not a highly respected adcom, so he should just zip it

 

[Law2Doc]

Indeed I am making a hardline stance against Caribbean for people who want to practice in North America. I made that very clear in my first post. However that doesn't mean I should be dishonest. I did meet SGU students who ended up matching but as I stated previously, with the upcoming residency crunch, I don't recommend anyone to join a Carib school now. SGU might have been a viable third chance 10-15 years ago. Definitely not now.

However for the students who are interested in practicing in more exotic locales like Africa and the Middle East and don't plan on applying for a US or Canadian residency, then the Caribbean might still be a viable option. However very few American pre-meds fall in that category.

Nobody from the US is going offshore to end up practicing in Africa. Is this really the line your school is selling?

 

[SkipJunior]

Nobody from the US is going offshore to end up practicing in Africa. Is this really the line your school is selling?

I've grown up in Africa and I can assure you that there are some comfortable places to live in Africa. Places where someone could run a lucrative clinical practice and live a lavish life with a big house, maids, drivers, gardeners etc due to low cost of labor. Have you ever been to Africa? Yes, Caribbean schools do train physicians who practice in Africa and the Middle East.

 

[Law2Doc]

And I read those as well. But more information is always better. More sources and perspectives are always useful. I have already learned things in this thread, and while they didn't change my plans, they did reinforce them, which is still nice. I just don't see why people feel the need to crap all over this thread when it does present a perspective which was previously lacking. OP is supporting the viewpoint of those others you mention, and adding color to it. But sure, even though it presents the same conclusions and even adds new info, let's dump all over him because he's not a highly respected adcom, so he should just zip it

More perspectives are fine if you can put them in context, but on a board like SDN where you really don't have an equal number of people at different phases of training and experience, you end up with certain "voices" grossly overrepresented and certain voices grossly underrepresented. The weighting is not appropriate and it gives certain views more credibility than it should. In that setting more isn't better. You only have to read preallo a couple of days to see numerous myths being perpetuated. I have no problem with people weighing in, but I do think before you open an "advice" thread you actually should have some advice that WORKED. Anyway just my two cents.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've grown up in Africa and I can assure you that there are some comfortable places to live in Africa. Places where someone could run a lucrative clinical practice and live a lavish life with a big house, maids, drivers, gardeners etc due to low cost of labor. Have you ever been to Africa? Yes, Caribbean schools do train physicians who practice in Africa and the Middle East.

The dozen offshore students who previously lived in Africa may see this as an option. The 99.9999999999% of US born and bred people who go to offshore schools because they couldn't get into a US school have no interest in practicing in Africa no matter how lavish the lifestyle could be. Please.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I agree he did, but if you don't already know offshore is a pretty bad option, saying another option would be "better" doesn't convey the real story. The least bad of awful options is still pretty awful. I'm not sure that message gets through when you start saying something would be "better". It's almost not. It mostly means you could point to a few more alumni that have jobs you probably will never get.

That's just it, sometimes the real story may not be something we want to hear (especially if we have a strong stance against something). SGU is still the better option than his school, this is a true statement. He has not stated how SGU stacks up against other DO schools. If you asked him this, then he would give you the answer you want, that DO schools are far better.

 

[mehc012]

More perspectives are fine if you can put them in context, but on a board like SDN where you really don't have an equal number of people at different phases of training and experience, you end up with certain "voices" grossly overrepresented and certain voices grossly underrepresented. The weighting is not appropriate and it gives certain views more credibility than it should. In that setting more isn't better. You only have to read preallo a couple of days to see numerous myths being perpetuated. I have no problem with people weighing in, but I do think before you open an "advice" thread you actually should have some advice that WORKED. Anyway just my two cents.

I think that if people are incapable of doing their own research and using the information available, that's their problem. This forum is here, and it is an invaluable source of information and perspective, but you still need to use it wisely to get anywhere. For those who do sift through their information, additional perspective is always good. For those who don't it can suck, but I have never been a fan of limiting the resources of those who work in order to benefit those who are not willing to do so, just so that everyone ends up on the same page. That mentality is way too common these days.

 

[mehc012]

The dozen offshore students who previously lived in Africa may see this as an option. The 99.9999999999% of US born and bred people who go to offshore schools because they couldn't get into a US school have no interest in practicing in Africa no matter how lavish the lifestyle could be. Please.

...which is exactly what the initial post said. 'very few American pre-meds fall into that category.'

 

[Law2Doc]

...which is exactly what the initial post said. 'very few American pre-meds fall into that category.'

And yet this guy who actually has lived in Africa and thinks it a great lavish option wants to stay here even if he has to redo four years of US med school. Methinks even he's not buying that.

 

[mehc012]

And yet this guy who actually has lived in Africa and thinks it a great lavish option wants to stay here even if he has to redo four years of US med school. Methinks even he's not buying that.

OK...but again, it's basically "this is one of the best options if you graduate from my school, and it is a terrible option for pretty much everyone'. Do you disagree with that statement?

I'm just not really sure what you are arguing here other than 'shut up, Caribbean grad, no one cares what you think', which is decidedly unhelpful itself.

 

[SkipJunior]

And yet this guy who actually has lived in Africa and thinks it a great lavish option wants to stay here even if he has to redo four years of US med school. Methinks even he's not buying that.

I have family here and other personal reasons for staying stateside that I don't need to divulge to you. However as someone who has attended and graduated from a Caribbean medical school, certainly I know of people from my school who are practicing in Africa. I just visited my friend in Lusaka this past summer who has joined a clinical practice as a co-partner and has a decent lifestyle. He was 2 years ahead of me at Windsor. I also know that very few American pre-meds are interested in this route which is why I stated it in my first post.

 

[Law2Doc]

OK...but again, it's basically "this is one of the best options if you graduate from my school, and it is a terrible option for pretty much everyone'. Do you disagree with that statement?

I'm just not really sure what you are arguing here other than 'shut up, Caribbean grad, no one cares what you think', which is decidedly unhelpful itself.

Again, I have no problem with him expressing his views. I have a problem with starting an "advice" thread. Because that implies he has something to convey that will help others be successful. He may get to that point but so far he's not at the "here's the secret of my success" phase. So no I'm not saying "shut up" I'm saying you have a "perspective" but aren't at the point where you should e calling it "advice" and doling it out as such.

 

[mehc012]

Again, I have no problem with him expressing his views. I have a problem with starting an "advice" thread. Because that implies he has something to convey that will help others be successful. He may get to that point but so far he's not at the "here's the secret of my success" phase. So no I'm not saying "shut up" I'm saying you have a "perspective" but aren't at the point where you should e calling it "advice" and doling it out as such.

Is it not advice to say "you almost certainly don't want to go to a Caribbean school, and if you decide to anyway, make sure it's one of the big 4"?
Cautionary tales can also count as advice. If you made a thread about why being a lawyer was unpleasant and people shouldn't do it, that would be advice. It'd be odd, on a website where people pretty much know they want to do not-lawyer things, but still. Advice.

 

[SkipJunior]

Again, I have no problem with him expressing his views. I have a problem with starting an "advice" thread. Because that implies he has something to convey that will help others be successful. He may get to that point but so far he's not at the "here's the secret of my success" phase. So no I'm not saying "shut up" I'm saying you have a "perspective" but aren't at the point where you should e calling it "advice" and doling it out as such.

I never called myself a professional expert adviser who will help others be successful. I never said I'm always right. All I'm doing is sharing my perspective and my experiences. People are mature adults here, they need to weigh and analyze the information presented to them. I can't do that for them.

 

[Law2Doc]

... If you made a thread about why being a lawyer was unpleasant and people shouldn't do it, that would be advice. It'd be odd, on a website where people pretty much know they want to do not-lawyer things, but still. Advice.

I'm not saying it's not "advice". I'm saying you shouldn't start an "ask me anything" thread if you haven't accomplished anything yet. Advice can be good or bad. Useful or useless. The only reason you should ever start an advice thread is if you've succeeded at something. Until then you aren't an expert, just a guy with a yet unproven perspective. You aren't at the "proof of concept" phase yet.

And fwiw I rarely start threads and would never start an "ask me anything" thread. It is a bit arrogant IMHO and suggests that you consider yourself an "expert" in something, which is a bit arrogant from the get go. Which i guess s fine if you have a reason to be arrogant. But OP sure isnt there yet. you better have walked the walk, and in OPs case really means you better have walked your way into a residency. That's my issue with this, not the definition of "advice".

 

[Law2Doc]

I never called myself a professional expert adviser who will help others be successful...

Disagree. That's the premise of every "ask me anything" thread. You are holding yourself out as someone with expertise. that's why these threads are started by adcoms and neurosurgery or ortho residents, not premeds. You aren't at the sTage where this isn't presumptuous. You should be offering your perspectives in other people's Caribbean threads not holding yourself out as an authority (aka expert) on the subject. You may not have "intended" to hold yourself out as an expert but you certainly did by virtue of starting such a thread.

 

[mehc012]

Disagree. That's the premise of every "ask me anything" thread. You are holding yourself out as someone with expertise. that's why these threads are started by adcoms and neurosurgery or ortho residents, not premeds. You aren't at the sTage where this isn't presumptuous. You should be offering your perspectives in other people's Caribbean threads not holding yourself out as an authority (aka expert) on the subject. You may not have "intended" to hold yourself out as an expert but you certainly did by virtue of starting such a thread.

I'm not saying it's not "advice". I'm saying you shouldn't start an "ask me anything" thread if you haven't accomplished anything yet. Advice can be good or bad. Useful or useless. The only reason you should ever start an advice thread is if you've succeeded at something. Until then you aren't an expert, just a guy with a yet unproven perspective. You aren't at the "proof of concept" phase yet.

And fwiw I rarely start threads and would never start an "ask me anything" thread. It is a bit arrogant IMHO and suggests that you consider yourself an "expert" in something, which is a bit arrogant from the get go. Which i guess s fine if you have a reason to be arrogant. But OP sure isnt there yet. you better have walked the walk, and in OPs case really means you better have walked your way into a residency. That's my issue with this, not the definition of "advice".

I think we fundamentally disagree on the premise of an 'ask me anything' thread.
In my opinion, those threads say 'here are my experiences, ask me any questions you may have because you are not familiar with my perspective'.
There are few Carib grads active on this forum (or at least discussing the topic), so to me, this was a good use of an AMA.

There are all sorts of AMAs on the internet, from 'I am the President of the US' to 'I am a legal prostitute in NZ' to 'I was a foster child who made to xyz' to 'I am the subject of a ridiculous meme photo where I am naked in a wheelchair'. I don't have to want to follow in their tracks to find those interesting. I don't need them to be the best of the best for them to know things I do not. I just need for them to have a perspective which I have never had the opportunity to ask questions of before. If they are not new perspectives, few questions will be asked, and that's all that really needs to be done...the threads will disappear to the depths of the forum.

Fwiw, if you did start my hypothetical 'I decided to leave law, AMA' thread, I would not find it presumptuous and I would have questions, despite you not being Harvey Specter.

 

[Gigantron]

This guy trolls the DPM forums so take everything he says with a grain of salt, if even that.

 

[ciestar]

I think that if people are incapable of doing their own research and using the information available, that's their problem. This forum is here, and it is an invaluable source of information and perspective, but you still need to use it wisely to get anywhere. For those who do sift through their information, additional perspective is always good. For those who don't it can suck, but I have never been a fan of limiting the resources of those who work in order to benefit those who are not willing to do so, just so that everyone ends up on the same page. That mentality is way too common these days.

So many people also are so set in their ways that they refuse to see reality. My friend continues to tell me that SGU is a viable option, that she plans on applying there and that their match rate is great. Also tells me SDN is full of liars.

Ignorance...not bliss

 

[darklabel]

So many people also are so set in their ways that they refuse to see reality. My friend continues to tell me that SGU is a viable option, that she plans on applying there and that their match rate is great. Also tells me SDN is full of liars.

Ignorance...not bliss

I hear you. I know a few people who still chose SGU this year over waiting or applying to DO schools. For some its cultural and/or familial pressure of starting medical school right away and not seeing DO school as a good alternative. I had a friend who went Carrib proudly proclaim that she's getting an MD and not a DO . Its that sort of ignorance that is still perpetuated out there and an AMA on Carrib students may help premeds realize that waiting to build up your resume for an MD or DO isn't the end of the world and that the Carrib isn't the same as it was 5-10 years ago or even today. The number of classes increasing and schools opening for C/O 2017 and 2018...etc means that the number 1 people to be pushed out of the match is Carrib grads and that DO's at least have their own residency to fall back on. I'm at least thankful that not matter what, scoring low on Step 1 or not being a competitive applicant that I still have specialties open to me. A Carrib grad cannot say the same and it is ignorant to think one will score above the Step 1 average without even starting medical school. That is the sort of thinking most Carrib students have anyways as in "W/e, undergrad I didn't try hard but I definitely will in medical school!".

 

[Law2Doc]

I think we fundamentally disagree on the premise of an 'ask me anything' thread.
In my opinion, those threads say 'here are my experiences, ask me any questions you may have because you are not familiar with my perspective'.
There are few Carib grads active on this forum (or at least discussing the topic), so to me, this was a good use of an AMA.

There are all sorts of AMAs on the internet, from 'I am the President of the US' to 'I am a legal prostitute in NZ' to 'I was a foster child who made to xyz' to 'I am the subject of a ridiculous meme photo where I am naked in a wheelchair'. I don't have to want to follow in their tracks to find those interesting. I don't need them to be the best of the best for them to know things I do not. I just need for them to have a perspective which I have never had the opportunity to ask questions of before. If they are not new perspectives, few questions will be asked, and that's all that really needs to be done...the threads will disappear to the depths of the forum.

Fwiw, if you did start my hypothetical 'I decided to leave law, AMA' thread, I would not find it presumptuous and I would have questions, despite you not being Harvey Specter.

Meh, I think you need to look at the ask me anything threads we've had here ON THIS SITE over the years (other than the joke ones) and take note of the level of expertise behind those posts. Adcoms are most common, but we've had a few competitive residency ones as well. And no, I'd say offshore grads aren't less represented on SDN than in real life. I don't think you ought to compare ask me anything threads from other websites because frankly those entire boards don't serve the kind if purpose this one was set up for, which is to be a helpful resource for people on a certain path. So no you get no bonus points because you found a Totally different website talking about New Zealand prostitutes.

 

[mehc012]

Meh, I think you need to look at the ask me anything threads we've had here ON THIS SITE over the years (other than the joke ones) and take note of the level of expertise behind those posts. Adcoms are most common, but we've had a few competitive residency ones as well. And no, I'd say offshore grads aren't less represented on SDN than in real life. I don't think you ought to compare ask me anything threads from other websites because frankly those entire boards don't serve the kind if purpose this one was set up for, which is to be a helpful resource for people on a certain path. So no you get no bonus points because you found a Totally different website talking about New Zealand prostitutes.

lol, I didn't go searching for that, that was literally a list of all nonSDN AMAs I have ever read. And if the Carib grads are common on here, they don't post much in this subforum, and as I said, I learned from this one (pay for retakes ) until it was 100% derailed by self-righteous anger.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I am just going to continue on with the questions...

This maybe a little negative of me, so I apologize if this comes of as offensive Skip.

How many students did your class start off with and how many graduated?
Of those that enter the match, how many of them succeed in matching?

A rough estimate is fine.

 

[ridethecliche]

This guy trolls the DPM forums so take everything he says with a grain of salt, if even that.

The OP accidentally all the salt. They accidentally all of it.

 

[mimelim]

I am just going to continue on with the questions...

This maybe a little negative of me, so I apologize if this comes of as offensive Skip.

How many students did your class start off with and how many graduated?
Of those that enter the match, how many of them succeed in matching?

A rough estimate is fine.

There is no way a normal student is going to have access to match data unless it is public knowledge (ie posted online). If by rough estimate, you mean a wild guess, then okay...

http://windsor.edu/residency.htm

 

[IslandStyle808]

There is no way a normal student is going to have access to match data unless it is public knowledge (ie posted online). If by rough estimate, you mean a wild guess, then okay...

http://windsor.edu/residency.htm

I know what you mean. Pretty much that.

 

[DermViser]

There is no way a normal student is going to have access to match data unless it is public knowledge (ie posted online). If by rough estimate, you mean a wild guess, then okay...

http://windsor.edu/residency.htm

WTF?!?!

 

[SkipJunior]

I am just going to continue on with the questions...

This maybe a little negative of me, so I apologize if this comes of as offensive Skip.

How many students did your class start off with and how many graduated?
Of those that enter the match, how many of them succeed in matching?

A rough estimate is fine.

Windsor ( like most Carib schools) is very secretive about those numbers. However several upperclassmen told me that only half of the entering class graduate and only 1/4 of graduates match into a US residency.

BTW, here's another interesting detail. Windsor has set up Royal USMLE review centers in Carbondale, Michigan and another center in Ohio. I spent my MD 5 semester in Carbondale. Windsor bought out a cheap motel and the students live in the motel and attend review courses at the motel. You end up studying for several months ( max 6 months) for USMLE Step 1. My motel room was roach infested and the review sessions were terrible but I'm glad I had all that time to study for the test.

Yeah with the retake fees, it's easy to party and mess around in the island because there's no fear of failure or being kicked out. Plus there was rampant cheating with previous exam papers being sold to newbies by upperclassmen and even T.As at times.

Also some people have posted online that the founding dean of Windsor, Dr. G, is a drug dealer and that Windsor is a medical school for strippers, prostitutes, and drug dealers. Please don't take that seriously. You see, medical school is a cutthroat business in the Caribbean and it's not uncommon for rival Carib medical schools to flood the internet with negative propaganda about other schools. Sites like ValueMD are full of "students" who are actually medical school admin who spend all day bashing other schools and praising their own.

 

[SkipJunior]

I wonder how it would look if a US MD/DO school posted such a match list?

http://windsor.edu/residency.htm

 

[DermViser]

I wonder how it would look if a US MD/DO school posted such a match list?

http://windsor.edu/residency.htm

They'd be closed down by the LCME with those stats.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Also some people have posted online that the founding dean of Windsor, Dr. G, is a drug dealer and that Windsor is a medical school for strippers, prostitutes, and drug dealers. Please don't take that seriously. You see, medical school is a cutthroat business in the Caribbean and it's not uncommon for rival Carib medical schools to flood the internet with negative propaganda about other schools. Sites like ValueMD are full of "students" who are actually medical school admin who spend all day bashing other schools and praising their own.

too bad, that actually would have been a great school to go to

 

[IslandStyle808]

Windsor ( like most Carib schools) is very secretive about those numbers. However several upperclassmen told me that only half of the entering class graduate and only 1/4 of graduates match into a US residency.

BTW, here's another interesting detail. Windsor has set up Royal USMLE review centers in Carbondale, Michigan and another center in Ohio. I spent my MD 5 semester in Carbondale. Windsor bought out a cheap motel and the students live in the motel and attend review courses at the motel. You end up studying for several months ( max 6 months) for USMLE Step 1. My motel room was roach infested and the review sessions were terrible but I'm glad I had all that time to study for the test.

Yeah with the retake fees, it's easy to party and mess around in the island because there's no fear of failure or being kicked out. Plus there was rampant cheating with previous exam papers being sold to newbies by upperclassmen and even T.As at times.

Also some people have posted online that the founding dean of Windsor, Dr. G, is a drug dealer and that Windsor is a medical school for strippers, prostitutes, and drug dealers. Please don't take that seriously. You see, medical school is a cutthroat business in the Caribbean and it's not uncommon for rival Carib medical schools to flood the internet with negative propaganda about other schools. Sites like ValueMD are full of "students" who are actually medical school admin who spend all day bashing other schools and praising their own.

The stuff you can only get from an insider... wow...

 

[darklabel]

I wonder how it would look if a US MD/DO school posted such a match list?

http://windsor.edu/residency.htm

The COCA would also close down this school since DO schools have a new clause that requires the school to have ~98% of students match.

 

[WillburCobb]

The stuff you can only get from an insider... wow...

...or a quick Google search...

 

[IslandStyle808]

...or a quick Google search...

...with either NRMP data or manipulated residency results from the school. Not this.

 

[WillburCobb]

with either NRMP data or manipulated residency results from the school. Not this.

The info from the post you quoted can be found on Google. The info regarding attrition and match data is conjecture at best from anyone other than school admin. and it's well known that Carib schools cook the books when it comes to these numbers. It's safe to assume that schools out of the big 4 do this to a greater extent. Also, even if the data in the link posted above (which can be found without an "insider") is manipulated it still raises a HUGE red flag regarding the school.

 

[IslandStyle808]

The info from the post you quoted can be found on Google. The info regarding attrition and match data is conjecture at best from anyone other than school admin. and it's well known that Carib schools cook the books when it comes to these numbers. It's safe to assume that schools out of the big 4 do this to a greater extent. Also, even if the data in the link posted above (which can be found without an "insider") is manipulated it still raises a HUGE red flag regarding the school.

It is not like the admin will ever admit such numbers and of course they cook the books. He is giving rough estimate and not an exact one, I don't expect anything more. It is as close to an understanding of what is going on in that school that I may ever get, and I don't use valueMD.

There are somethings that can be found with a google search (ex. 6 month of study). However, the details are sparse (ex. the conditions in which he studied for the boards).

 

[WillburCobb]

It is not like the admin will ever admit such numbers and of course they cook the books. He is giving rough estimate and not an exact one, I don't expect anything more. It is as close to an understanding of what is going on in that school that I may ever get, and I don't use valueMD.

There are somethings that can be found with a google search (ex. 6 month of study). However, the details are sparse (ex. the conditions in which he studied for the boards).

Le sigh...

http://thesouthern.com/news/local/r...cle_abbdd6c4-2c33-11e0-b392-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-plaza-inn-carbondale

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...ale-Carbondale_Illinois.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT


http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...ale-Carbondale_Illinois.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

That took ~1 min to find.

 

[SkipJunior]

Le sigh...

http://thesouthern.com/news/local/r...cle_abbdd6c4-2c33-11e0-b392-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-plaza-inn-carbondale

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...ale-Carbondale_Illinois.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT


http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...ale-Carbondale_Illinois.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

That took ~1 min to find.

sure it took 1 minute, but how long would it have taken you to find out the royal usmle review center was in carbondale illinois? looks like you just put "carbondale windsor" on google.

also I don't think you would have been able to find out about the exam retake fees or cheating issues at Windsor so quickly.

 

[SkipJunior]

Also, responding to this thread is a choice. If someone feels that they can find out all they need to know about Caribbean medical schools through a quick Google search, then they don't need to respond or even look at this thread.

 

[WillburCobb]

sure it took 1 minute, but how long would it have taken you to find out the royal usmle review center was in carbondale illinois? looks like you just put "carbondale windsor" on google.

also I don't think you would have been able to find out about the exam retake fees or cheating issues at Windsor so quickly.

Google Windsor medical school and this is one of the first links http://www.tampabay.com/news/busine...medicine-produces-profits-few-doctors/1069719. It lists all of the things Skip has been able to provide. Google any of the shady details and business ventures listed in that article and you get more info. It's not that complex.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I think we fundamentally disagree on the premise of an 'ask me anything' thread.
In my opinion, those threads say 'here are my experiences, ask me any questions you may have because you are not familiar with my perspective'.
There are few Carib grads active on this forum (or at least discussing the topic), so to me, this was a good use of an AMA.

There are all sorts of AMAs on the internet, from 'I am the President of the US' to 'I am a legal prostitute in NZ' to 'I was a foster child who made to xyz' to 'I am the subject of a ridiculous meme photo where I am naked in a wheelchair'. I don't have to want to follow in their tracks to find those interesting. I don't need them to be the best of the best for them to know things I do not. I just need for them to have a perspective which I have never had the opportunity to ask questions of before. If they are not new perspectives, few questions will be asked, and that's all that really needs to be done...the threads will disappear to the depths of the forum.

Fwiw, if you did start my hypothetical 'I decided to leave law, AMA' thread, I would not find it presumptuous and I would have questions, despite you not being Harvey Specter.

Meh, I think you need to look at the ask me anything threads we've had here ON THIS SITE over the years (other than the joke ones) and take note of the level of expertise behind those posts. Adcoms are most common, but we've had a few competitive residency ones as well. And no, I'd say offshore grads aren't less represented on SDN than in real life. I don't think you ought to compare ask me anything threads from other websites because frankly those entire boards don't serve the kind if purpose this one was set up for, which is to be a helpful resource for people on a certain path. So no you get no bonus points because you found a Totally different website talking about New Zealand prostitutes.

I think it should be pretty easy to see the difference in purpose behind an SDN Pre-med AMA and a Reddit AMA.

This site is intended for medical professionals, both current and aspiring.

While there is certainly an (appropriate) level of levity and humor here, at the same time the majority of the posts/threads/forums are intended to help medical professionals along their journey.

So an SDN AMA should be held to a higher standard than on some other sites.

That said, I don't think every AMA needs to be from an "authority" or from a success story. Hearing SkipJuniors experiences is informative. He is not, in so far as I have seen on this thread, blowing smoke up peoples ass or giving much in the way of "expert advice" (except the basic message that the carib schools are riddled with problems). Giving pre-meds an opportunity to know about what the offshore pathway actually looks like (especially a non top-4 school) does I think add an interesting and potentially educational perspective.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Also, looking at the recent proliferation of these AMA threads...maybe there should be a dedicated AMA forum. Just a thought.

 

[torontopharm]

Apologies if this is a stupid question but..why are Windsor students doing the PLAB exam? I thought Windsor was "under investigation" by GMC.
Also OP did you have any luck with your Pod applications? I've heard NYCPM apparently lets you start from 3rd year if you've passed step 1. I don't know if other Pod schools do the same, but that might be a viable option to pursue.

 

[tmn]

This guy trolls the DPM forums so take everything he says with a grain of salt, if even that.

I can picture it now:

"Hey guys, don't you feel inferior for going DPM?! lulz."

Oh, the irony.