MERP vs. BTMD

[sportsquad10]

To preface, this post isn't for people to bash and to say "don't do either". This post is for those who want to know the difference between these two programs. I'm assuming that if you are reading this, you know the risks and that you have an impassioned drive for medicine and are willing to go through fire to make it. Because if you don't, I would HIGHLY consider you use your money on a masters/post-bac. Despite what people say, there have been students who have gone through this and are currently practicing.With that being said, lets dive into it:

"MERP" - Medical Education Readiness Program
Courses covered: Anatomy/Histology, Physiology, Microbiology/Immunology, Biochemistry

• 2 classes per day (2 hours per day) with optional lab
• Academic success available
• Campus located in Miramar, all classes and labs done here
• TA's available per appointment (usually graduates who are waiting on matching)
• Class size of at least 170
• Formal attire required for all classes
• Quizzes are not cumulative
• Quizzes and Exams cover all subjects
• Quizzes are taken over the computer, Exams are written
• 60% required in each class and 65% required average overall
• Grades are based solely on quizzes and exams
• Unable to retake if failed

"BTMD" - Bridge to MD
Courses covered: Neuroanatomy, Physiology/Biophysics, Biochemistry/Cell biology

• 1 class per day (3 hours per day), no lab
• Academic success available
• Weeks 1 (all 3 class lectures, 2 hours per lecture) and 16 are in Miami
• Weeks 2-15 are done online through Live Lecture format
• Classes broken up into modules (1 class for 5 weeks)
• Professors available at all times
• Class size of at least 35
• Formal attire required for Week 1 and 16
• Quizzes and exams cover one subject (except final exam) and are both cumulative
• Quizzes and exams are taken online and are proctored in class or at home via "ProctorU"
• Lecture participation quiz every day after lecture
• 65% required in each class and 70% required average overall
• Grades based on quizzes, lecture participation, and exams
• If you fail 1 module but pass the other two with a grade of at least 70%, you can retake the failed module in upcoming semester

Key Differences:

• MERP focuses on clinical application vs. BTMD focuses on current research and clinical application
• MERP is 15 weeks vs. BTMD is 16 weeks (but that accounts for travel)

Hope this helps. Good luck!

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[Skip Intro]

Personally (and I've said this before on this forum), I would probably be doing something different with my life if I had been offered this option instead of straight matriculation into medical school. These programs were just emerging around the time that I enrolled at Ross. I think they were generally thought to be a way to weed-out the "marginal" candidates. In other words, they offer you a chance to prove yourself without letting you into medical school directly. Again, this was likely the result of trying to address the perception that they will admit anyone and as a way to curb the high failure rate.

I would highly recommend doing this type of program in the U.S. at an accredited program. First, it will provide you with transferable college credits that, if it doesn't work out, will still allow you to work towards (perhaps) a second non-medical and bona fide degree. Secondly, you can do this in the comfort of your own country, which is far better than sitting on an island in the Caribbean still trying to get into medical school... in the Caribbean. (Some of these programs may now be operating in the U.S., I recognize, but I remain uncertain and skeptical that credits will actually transfer.)

Long story short, in my mind there is no reason to go to a Caribbean "pre-med" program. Period. You're either in, or you're not. If this is absolutely your last option and chance, then go into knowing that you still might walk away with nothing - and I mean nothing - to show and a bunch of dollars lighter in your wallet.

Just one man's opinion.

-Skip

 

[sportsquad10]

While I do agree with you Skip, some people, when given this option, have emerged successful. And this post is for all those in the same boat, who are considering these programs. This post was not to encourage nor discourage anyone from doing it, but rather an informative resource to use when considering all options.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

While I do agree with you Skip, some people, when given this option, have emerged successful. And this post is for all those in the same boat, who are considering these programs. This post was not to encourage nor discourage anyone from doing it, but rather an informative resource to use when considering all options.

Skip's post is definitely a option to consider...

 

[torontopharm]

Are you charged tuition for either program?
That should be included in the comparison for anyone considering this (for whatever reason they have).

 

[Sardinia]

@Skip Intro @torontopharm Around $11k for MERP, full reimbursement if you decide to drop or fail it.
@sportsquad10 Out of curiosity how do you know so much about both programs.

 

[Skip Intro]

@Skip IntroAround $11k for MERP, full reimbursement if you decide to drop or fail it.

• $12,572 tuition that, yes, is refundable*
  
• 15 week commitment (i.e. almost four months)
  
• not an accredited "college" course with transferable credit(s)
• cost of travel to and living in Miramar, FL borne by the student
  
• no guarantee that you will "pass" and end-up at Ross
• no "back-up" plan elucidated (i.e., what happens if you "fail" MERP? can you take it again? do you then have to pay? can you ever get into Ross or any other medical school? or is it "one and done"?)

*minus any interest on loans you may take out as well as a $700 "seat deposit" that is non-refundable (i.e., this is different from "full reimbursement")

-Skip

 

[Sardinia]

@Skip Intro You lose out on the seat deposit if you decide to drop/fail out. You're right that it isn't a full return, but aside from the seat deposit my classmates got their money back. If you fail MERP you can't retake it again and as far as I know my Miramar roommate got his tuition reimbursed and should be an M2 at another Caribbean medical school (unfortunately for them, tried to convince them to look into PA/medical sales). If you fail MERP you have no chance of getting into Ross and possibly American University of Antigua (AUA). I would think that AUA would be a ruled out school considering MERP is used by both Ross/AUA for weaker students.

 

[Skip Intro]

@Skip Intro You're right that it isn't a full return, but aside from the seat deposit my classmates got their money back.

Classmates? Plural? So, you are aware of multiple people who, for whatever reason, were unsuccessful at completing this program and gaining full enrollment at either Ross or AUC?

If you fail MERP you can't retake it again and as far as I know my Miramar roommate got his tuition reimbursed...

Minus $700, rent, travel, food, etc. (And, just splitting hairs here maybe, but I prefer the term "fee" to tuition. It is a course fee. Tuition implies that you are enrolled in a nationally-accredited program that gives you some sort of transferable credit. "Fee" is a better word for what is tantamount to a pre-weeding out training course.)

... and should be an M2 at another Caribbean medical school (unfortunately for them, tried to convince them to look into PA/medical sales).

Assuming you lost touch with this person, but the assumption is that he is enrolled at neither Ross nor AUC and is perhaps at some other less-reputable Caribbean program. Caveat emptor.

If you fail MERP you have no chance of getting into Ross and possibly American University of Antigua (AUA). I would think that AUA would be a ruled out school considering MERP is used by both Ross/AUA for weaker students.

The MERP program is set-up for students "pre-admitted" to either Ross University or American University of the Caribbean (AUC), both of which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of DeVry, Inc. There is no affiliation, as far as I'm aware, with American University of Antigua (AUA), which has their own pre-med program located on that island.

It is important to fully know and understand exactly what you're getting into before you get into it.

-Skip

 

[Sardinia]

@Skip Intro You're right the affiliation was with AUC/Ross and not AUA. That is a big my bad. Also I didn't account for rent, travel, and food because I always considered those to be variables that are individually dependent & thought that the only expected listed payment would be course fees. And yes there were multiple people who didn't pass the class, dropped before the final, or transferred to another Caribbean school before the class was finished.

 

[Skip Intro]

The only reference to "Bridge to MD" I could find was also on AUA's website:

https://www.auamed.org/bridge-md-enroll/

This was set-up through an "articulation agreement" with Manipal Education Americas. This webpage was last updated in October of 2013.

Here is a roadmap of the corporation, as filed in Texas and from Hoover's:

https://www.corporationwiki.com/Texas/Grapevine/manipal-education-americas-llc/38955627.aspx

http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.gclr_llc.8e9ce05809b53fb4.html

-Skip

 

[muqalia]

From what I remember, the units for MERP do NOT transfer anywhere else, for.
As you can see above the tuition is quite expensive and living in Florida is definitely not cheap. If it had been offered to me I would not have done it either.
That being said I have friends who did end up matching but all of them were of the opinion that MERP is no joke. It was very fast paced, difficult and faculty were mostly of the " I don't care" type. (personal experiences of some friends of mine and this may not be truly indicative of how things were)

 

[LadiiKay]

MERP is absolutely no joke and it definitely kicks your ass from day 1. As far as the faculty go, they are very upfront with you that they are not here to waste their time and expect for you to keep up and pay attention, but they are very approachable should you need help. Classes run 4 hours a day from 8-12 with 2 hour lectures per subject and attendance is mandatory. The 4 classes you take are: physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, and microbiology. The microbiology course is split into 3 components of: immunology, virology, and bacteriology each spanning 5 weeks. While this program will reimburse you fully should you fail out, it IS STILL A WEED OUT PROGRAM. The average MERP class has a 60% pass rate including the students that matriculate to Ross and AUC. Ross requires you to maintain a 60% in each subject and a 65% overall to pass whereas AUC requires a 70% overall to pass. Most students who fail out, as far as I know, end up going back home or going to AUA.

I will tell you that I studied harder at MERP than I have ever studied before and as a matter of fact, MERP felt a hell of a lot harder than my first 2 semesters at Ross. That said, it definitely prepared me to hit the ground running when I got here and has been a big reason I have been able to get good grades. Was I happy that I was MERP'd? Absolutely not. Am I grateful for it in retrospect? Absolutely yes.

If you're considering this path or want more info I highly recommend you look at this blog: http://d1todr.com/ it's written by a current M2 (4th semester) at Ross who has high passed her entire time on the island as well as MERP
http://bigcronk.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-time-has-come.html --> her first MERP post

 

[Zedd]

Long story short, in my mind there is no reason to go to a Caribbean "pre-med" program. Period. You're either in, or you're not. If this is absolutely your last option and chance, then go into knowing that you still might walk away with nothing - and I mean nothing - to show and a bunch of dollars lighter in your wallet.

Just one man's opinion.

-Skip

I see your point Skip, but as a 5th term St. George's University student I have in my class many students who attended SGU's Foundation Program prior to me being accepted and began with me Term 1. This is purely anecdotal so take it how you wish, but I heard from many students that half the students make it through and half don't. Just like how from term 1 - term 5 we'd lose approximately half of our starting class. With that being said, if you were accepted to the MERP or any other pre-med program, think about your motivation and desire to pursue this career. You basically need to come into these programs with a fire embedded in you to succeed, like a chip on your shoulder. Know you're going to be working every single day in and day out, most of the days, every. day. Get it? I know I would have succeeded in a pre-med program had I not been directly accepted because I had that passion and fire, almost like an excited anxious person. Are you the same? Remember, every. single. day.

This is just another individual's honest opinion.

 

[PossibleDOC?]

If I may just put my $0.02 in......you can do "foundation programs" in the form of masters programs here in the US at DO and MD schools some even have direct linkages.....whether you spend a year up here to get into DO or MD school or down there trying to get an MD that may not work out with the new match coming up is up to you. If I were you I'd take the safer route in the US but also im a realist and look at negatives so as to always have backup plans on backup plans

 

[Skip Intro]

I see your point Skip, but as a 5th term St. George's University student I have in my class many students who attended SGU's Foundation Program prior to me being accepted and began with me Term 1. This is purely anecdotal so take it how you wish, but I heard from many students that half the students make it through and half don't. Just like how from term 1 - term 5 we'd lose approximately half of our starting class. With that being said, if you were accepted to the MERP or any other pre-med program, think about your motivation and desire to pursue this career. You basically need to come into these programs with a fire embedded in you to succeed, like a chip on your shoulder. Know you're going to be working every single day in and day out, most of the days, every. day. Get it? I know I would have succeeded in a pre-med program had I not been directly accepted because I had that passion and fire, almost like an excited anxious person. Are you the same? Remember, every. single. day.

This is just another individual's honest opinion.

I'm not disagreeing with your "motivations" assertion. But, I think this belies selection bias (i.e. those who are successful at MERP/Foundations would've done fine going straight into the medical degree granting program).

What percentage of Foundations/MERP graduates matriculate and graduate? That's the question to answer.

If finishing MERP/Foundations doesn't substantially increase your odds of finishing the program, it's a waste of money.

And, you don't get any transferable credits to another U.S. (or Canadian) bona fide university degree.

Until those criteria are met, I see no upside. This is just a glorified "weeding out" program, not a "prep" course.

Sorry. You're already being challenged into considering the Caribbean pathway. Why add insult to injury?

-Skip