IMG Match Question

[Ultimeaciax]

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Let me tell a little about myself...and maybe someone could shine some light on my problem. I'm a junior with a 3.2 GPA. I'm taking 19 credits this semester, currently doing very well, so hopefully I can boost that GPA up by 0.15 or 0.2. Thus, by the end of my junior year, I'll have maybe a 3.4GPA. I've applied to two Caribbean schools: SABA and UMHS. So...say if I get accepted to SABA, should I attend, or should I skip this year and apply next year for US med schools (since my GPA should be in ~3.5 range, which is semi-compeitive)? I mean, getting into a top choice residency and do something that I'll like should out-weight for going to med school a year earlier. However, high stats doesn't guarantee getting into US med school either, except D.O. anyway. Right now, I'm kind just confused and hopefully someone here could possibly suggest me something. If my dream is do-able at Caribbean school, then I'll attend even with the stigma. So, my question is: Does the Match emphasize more on the person that you are or where you study at? Worst comes, should I go to US D.O. instead of Carib MD?

 

[RussianJoo]

Let me tell a little about myself...and maybe someone could shine some light on my problem. I'm a junior with a 3.2 GPA. I'm taking 19 credits this semester, currently doing very well, so hopefully I can boost that GPA up by 0.15 or 0.2. Thus, by the end of my junior year, I'll have maybe a 3.4GPA. I've applied to two Caribbean schools: SABA and UMHS. So...say if I get accepted to SABA, should I attend, or should I skip this year and apply next year for US med schools (since my GPA should be in ~3.5 range, which is semi-compeitive)? I mean, getting into a top choice residency and do something that I'll like should out-weight for going to med school a year earlier. However, high stats doesn't guarantee getting into US med school either, except D.O. anyway. Right now, I'm kind just confused and hopefully someone here could possibly suggest me something. If my dream is do-able at Caribbean school, then I'll attend even with the stigma. So, my question is: Does the Match emphasize more on the person that you are or where you study at? Worst comes, should I go to US D.O. instead of Carib MD?

the match is very biased. US grads for the most part will always be a better candidate than a carib grad and thus will get much better residencies even with lower board scores and gpa. At first the match looks at where you went to med school, then at your step1 scores and other grades, once that all fits they look at who you are as a person and if you'll fit in with the rest of the resident, attendings, and staff at the hospital. But at some places if you went to the carib their door was never open for you and they'll filter your application out and will never see how good of a person or a fit you'll be at their hospital, if your step1 score or gpa is sub par the same will happen they won't even look at the rest of your application and just toss it in the trash. There are hundreds if not thousands of applicants for a few spots at every hospital picking a few hundred people with excellent board scores and grades to interview and see what their personality is like is not a problem for most hospitals, especially if you're considering a specialty and not primary care.
So yes I suggest you go to US DO before you even think about the carib. Besides why did you pick those two schools? if anything the schools you should apply to are SGU and AUC.

 

[dragonfly99]

I think SABA has a decent board pass rate, but I still would recommend you try at least once (probably twice) for US schools before you think of going down there. It appears you are in undergrad, so you have NOTHING but time. Don't make a hasty decision and then regret it. Besides, you haven't even taken the MCAT yet, and you might get a high score, which could partially compensate for a 3.4/3.5 GPA. At any rate, the GPA you have is competitive for DO schools, which I honestly think would be safer than Caribbean schools...definitely safer than most of them.

I agree w/the post above. Going to the Caribbean will make it very,very hard, if not impossible, to get into some specialties. Going DO would make some specialties very hard to get in the allopathic (MD) residency system, but the DO's have their own residencies in things like dermatology, urology, etc. so essentially they have two ways to go (regular/MD hospital or DO hospitals for residency). You pretty much don't hear of a DO never getting into some sort of residency, but with some of the Caribbean schools, they have a ton of graduates running around with an MD degree but not ever able to get a residency. That's a damned expensive gamble.

 

[relaxedMD]

I think SABA has a decent board pass rate, but I still would recommend you try at least once (probably twice) for US schools before you think of going down there. It appears you are in undergrad, so you have NOTHING but time. Don't make a hasty decision and then regret it. Besides, you haven't even taken the MCAT yet, and you might get a high score, which could partially compensate for a 3.4/3.5 GPA. At any rate, the GPA you have is competitive for DO schools, which I honestly think would be safer than Caribbean schools...definitely safer than most of them.

I agree w/the post above. Going to the Caribbean will make it very,very hard, if not impossible, to get into some specialties. Going DO would make some specialties very hard to get in the allopathic (MD) residency system, but the DO's have their own residencies in things like dermatology, urology, etc. so essentially they have two ways to go (regular/MD hospital or DO hospitals for residency). You pretty much don't hear of a DO never getting into some sort of residency, but with some of the Caribbean schools, they have a ton of graduates running around with an MD degree but not ever able to get a residency. That's a damned expensive gamble.

Absolutely Agreed with these posters....Avoid caribbean schools for now. You have potential to get in to a US MD school. Get your GPA up, then APPLY BROADLY....forty to fifty schools. You should get in!

Please use the caribbean's Big 4 as a last resort, and then be prepared to compromise on a top residency position later.
my two cents!

rlxdmd

 

[dragonfly99]

And if you want to be a doctor, don't take 19 credits at a time if you can't maintain a high GPA. It would be much better to take 14 or 15 credits, and get high grades.