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Puerto Rico (which already has funding issues for it school)
If the PR meds are further damaged with Maria, do you think the states' med school will take in students?
Puerto Rico (which already has funding issues for it school)
What have you decided to do? Will you be going to England? Or will you stay in the US, beef up your GPA next semester, and apply to DO schools next summer?
If the PR meds are further damaged with Maria, do you think the states' med school will take in students?
Do you think only one current year's worth of students will be lost? I think apps will be down, but I also wonder how many students will not be able to easily relocate to wherever their SOM sets up shop.
And don't these schools have enrollments that start 2-3 times per year?
As mentioned above, AUC is moving to England. I wonder how many will not go.
It's quite amazing that they are hoping to relocate hundreds of students in a matter of weeks to a facility in UK having no established presence there.
If I were a British medical school accrediting body, I would block such a deal for the sake of their own reputation.
My situation was this: I had a pretty mediocre GPA from undergrad, and took all my pre-reqs and did reasonably well as a post-bacc student to earn a GPA in the 3.1-3.3 range. I actually don't even remember what my GPA ended up being, since I had to reconcile quarter and semester credit hours and my undergrad (Davidson College) didn't even use credit hours--each class counts as 1 "credit hour" on the transcript, regardless of the course. Davidson is the only institution I know of that does this, and it made it a doozy to even know what my GPA was. But, my guess is somewhere in the 3.1-3.3 range.
Then I took the MCAT and did reasonably well with a 510 (one SD above the mean--yay!). However, I took the January MCAT, not knowing that I needed to have taken the test several months earlier to even be on time to apply for the incoming fall 2017 class for most schools. I didn't have a pre-med advisor and found some conflicting/bad information online, and screwed myself out of applying to all but 4 D.O. schools, which I applied to on the last days of their cycles. Despite my VERY late apps, I still was interviewed at 2/4 schools and also was waitlisted following both of those interviews. I feel like if I had applied earlier in the cycle, I would be in school in the US right now.
HOWEVER, I turned 26 this summer. I started going through the whole pre-med process at 22, immediately after I graduated from Davidson. I want to be a psychiatrist or possibly in family medicine, rather than an ENT surgeon or a dermatologist. I could wait another year, or follow the Caribbean/now-UK path that leads me to almost the exact same place. I honestly gave US schools very little of a shot, and with my personal history I feel like I can reasonably say that I'm not in the Caribbean because I'm "a bad student", I'm in the Caribbean because I'm impatient, lol.
I'm thinking the same thing. Cost alone will be a huge obstacle. And many students are married with children. Imagine suddenly losing many of your personal items (uninsured, probably), then getting back to the states, and then being told you have to quickly MOVE to England, set up a home, and begin classes in a matter of days?!? Where's the money supposed to come from to pay for flights, repurchasing lost items, etc? That $2k loan is likely long gone. Those with spouse/kids may have to leave them behind simply because they lack funding to fly them over.
I suspect that AUC is going to take a huge hit with current enrollment, and with future applicant numbers. Wouldn't be surprised if they don't start recruiting at high schools with the promise that these students can just skip college altogether. (Do they do this already??).
I honestly gave US schools very little of a shot, and with my personal history I feel like I can reasonably say that I'm not in the Caribbean because I'm "a bad student", I'm in the Caribbean because I'm impatient, lol.
Student Visas
Spouse Visas
Work Visas
None of this will happen for 3-6 months
**Posted 9/18 at 9:35 AM ET
Multiple teams have continued to work to address key matters regarding our planned relocation to the United Kingdom, including regulatory approvals, curriculum, housing, facility and IT needs, student support services, and passport and visa issues. We learn more by the hour but still have many details to work out.
The location we are exploring is in northern England, in an area served by the Manchester Airport.
Regarding passport and visa issues, we are getting closer. I know that understanding visa and travel restrictions for families is very important. We have individuals dedicated to this matter and we are working to address your questions as soon as possible.
Finally, as a reminder, the deadline for notifying AUC of your intention regarding the September semester has been extended to tomorrow, Tuesday, September 19 at 5 PM ET. Please contact Rodney Bowen, University Registrar, at [email protected] to inform us of your plans.
Just to add that Ross, AUC sister school on Dominca, was hit hard as well.
A bathroom door saved this med student's life during Hurricane Maria
PR med student here. Getting off the island is our schools major priority right now. I left before the hurricane hit. I remember looking for gas in San Juan before returning a rental and the attendant said that none of the gas stations in the area had gas, with a look of desperation. Got to the airport and everyone just wanted to get the hell out of there ASAP.@gonnif do you know what's going on with Puerto Rico's 4 MD schools? Are their students being brought to the mainland and placed in schools here?
Interesting that PR has four MD schools when the island's population is under 3.5 million.
PR med student here. Getting off the island is our schools major priority right now. I left before the hurricane hit. I remember looking for gas in San Juan before returning a rental and the attendant said that none of the gas stations in the area had gas, with a look of desperation. Got to the airport and everyone just wanted to get the hell out of there ASAP.
I bought a ticket the night before the hurricane online, and all the flights were full and I was freaking out, refreshing the airline websites over and over until I saw openings. I got 2 just in case 1 of them canceled, and I left within 12 hours of landfall.
I've just been following the news about how people are camping out at the airport 4-5 days with no air, food, or water, only to have their flights repeatedly canceled, and I'm so glad I got outta there.
I still have classmates that I haven't heard from in some of the isolated areas of the island that are cut off from highways and communications. No Facebook check-ins, no social media activity, nothing. I just hope they're alright.
PR med student here. Getting off the island is our schools major priority right now. I left before the hurricane hit. I remember looking for gas in San Juan before returning a rental and the attendant said that none of the gas stations in the area had gas, with a look of desperation. Got to the airport and everyone just wanted to get the hell out of there ASAP.
I bought a ticket the night before the hurricane online, and all the flights were full and I was freaking out, refreshing the airline websites over and over until I saw openings. I got 2 just in case 1 of them canceled, and I left within 12 hours of landfall.
I've just been following the news about how people are camping out at the airport 4-5 days with no air, food, or water, only to have their flights repeatedly canceled, and I'm so glad I got outta there.
I still have classmates that I haven't heard from in some of the isolated areas of the island that are cut off from highways and communications. No Facebook check-ins, no social media activity, nothing. I just hope they're alright.
Our classes already started. I'm a 3rd year and I've been hearing that we might get set up with rotations at hospitals in the states. Already got student loans for the semester.Scary. So you have no idea of what is being planned to move your education to the mainland? I did hear about some people here in the states that are trying to arrange PR students education here...so somethings may be going on w/o communication being able to be shared due to limitations.
Had your classes started for fall semester? Is FAFSA loan funding going to be a problem since schools won't be in session in time?
Our classes already started. I'm a 3rd year and I've been hearing that we might get set up with rotations at hospitals in the states. Already got student loans for the semester.
BTW, the AAMC is trying to make a policy and provisions for PR premeds, medical students, and residents
Hurricane Response: Information for Students, Faculty and Staff - Member Center - AAMC