Need to re-take MCAT to transfer out of Carib Med School

[BellyDancer08]

I really like St. George's University, and am possibly starting there this Jan 2009.
I didn't get accepted to US med schools because of my average GPA and 26 MCAT. I know to transfer back to one of the handful US schools, one needs to have a great MCAT score, as well as GPA, etc.

I'm wondering if I should re-take the MCAT before I start at SGU, in the chance that I would like to transfer to a US med school from SGU.
Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dragonfly99]

That is an interesting question. I would say if I were you I would want to check on what %age of SGU students actually manage to transfer out to a US school before I bothered retaking the MCAT. I have never met/encountered any student or physician at a US school who ever had transferred in from any Caribbean med school. I have occasionally encountered doctors who went to med school in the Caribbean and did residency in the US, though very few (probably few because I've only lived in the Midwest and South, which don't have as many docs who trained in the Caribbean...many more DO's less Caribbean medical grads). In general, transferring in to any US medical school (even from another US medical school) is very difficult because usually the schools don't want or need to take transfer students...not that many people quit or fail out, and usually the school doesn't necessarily try to replace them. I'm not sure why this is, but it's probably because the number of people is small...I mean if 2 or 3 out of 125 people drop out and/or fail out over the course of 3 years or so at a med school, they probably don't feel compelled to get another person whose prior training they didn't supervise, etc.

If you only took the MCAT once, and only applied to US schools once, and you managed a 26 on the MCAT, you might want to at least consider just retaking the MCAT and then reapplying for US schools once more. It will probably end up costing you less money and would make it easier to get residencies in the US, though I do think SGU is a good choice if going to school in the US isn't an option for you. They would still take you in a year, or 1.5 years, if the US application process didn't pan out.

 

[MedMan25]

I would agree with the previous post. It would probably be a good idea to give US MD/DO schools another shot before heading to the Caribbean if you're interested in attending a US school. There is only a very small number of US schools that will even consider an international transfer student. Your odds of being accepted as a transfer student are much lower than being accepted as a new student. If I were in your shoes I would sharpen my application and try again.

 

[basupran]

I transferred from SGU to an on-shore med school and can say that it is definitely possible. Your MCAT may be too low to transfer out of the caribbean, but anything is possible. Most of the transfers I know had borderline GPA/MCATs and were waitlisted at US schools.

I would say your best bet is to stay in the US for now and strengthen your application.

 

[BORNagainSTDENT]

I have heard of people doing it, the people I read about thou had to start over.

 

[dragonfly99]

If they started over they basically wasted whatever time and money they spend down there in the Caribbean then (sort of). Unless you assume that being down there strengthened their application to a US school. I think you could do the same without having to resort to enrolling in a med school abroad. I think I'd only go down to the Caribbean with the idea that I'd very likely have to stay...otherwise you are setting yourself up for disappointment. You can get a US residency coming from somewhere like St George, it just will be harder (or impossible) for the pickier specialties.

 

[basupran]

If they started over they basically wasted whatever time and money they spend down there in the Caribbean then (sort of). Unless you assume that being down there strengthened their application to a US school. I think you could do the same without having to resort to enrolling in a med school abroad. I think I'd only go down to the Caribbean with the idea that I'd very likely have to stay...otherwise you are setting yourself up for disappointment. You can get a US residency coming from somewhere like St George, it just will be harder (or impossible) for the pickier specialties.

On shore schools take MS2 and MS3 transfers. You don't have to start over again.

 

[dragonfly99]

Again, I've been at 3 different academic medical centers, and know people at a lot more, and I've never met someone who transferred in from a Caribbean med school to a US school. I'm not saying it never happens, I'm just saying I've never seen one or met one. I have met IMG's who trained down there and did residency up here (a very few).
This may depend on your region of the country...i.e. perhaps there are more SGU residents, and/or SGU transfer students, out in the northeast.

Just out of curiosity, which US med schools do you all thing that Carib students transfer in to? I'm just curious if there are particular schools that take them.

 

[basupran]

Again, I've been at 3 different academic medical centers, and know people at a lot more, and I've never met someone who transferred in from a Caribbean med school to a US school. I'm not saying it never happens, I'm just saying I've never seen one or met one. I have met IMG's who trained down there and did residency up here (a very few).
This may depend on your region of the country...i.e. perhaps there are more SGU residents, and/or SGU transfer students, out in the northeast.

Just out of curiosity, which US med schools do you all thing that Carib students transfer in to? I'm just curious if there are particular schools that take them.

There are quite a few med schools that take carib transfers. Again, I have transferred from SGU and I have several friends who have transferred out of SGU/AUC/Ross. Out of my 4 year class, I would say ~5-7 percent transferred to an American school. The schools that SGU students tend to transfer into are: drexel, gw, neoucom and suny upstate. Below are the schools that will take carib students:
1. Drexel University
2. George Washington
3. New York Medical College
4. Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine (NEOUCOM)
5. SUNY Upstate
6. Tulane University (last year, they sent me my application back saying they wer no longer taking caribs)
7. University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey (UMDNJ)
8. University of Buf
9. Mount Sinai SM
10.Medical College of Georgia
11. NJ medical school
12. U of Pittsburgh School of Med
13. Jefferson Medical College
14. Meharry Medical College

 

[2medschool]

There are quite a few med schools that take carib transfers. Again, I have transferred from SGU and I have several friends who have transferred out of SGU/AUC/Ross. Out of my 4 year class, I would say ~5-7 percent transferred to an American school. The schools that SGU students tend to transfer into are: drexel, gw, neoucom and suny upstate. Below are the schools that will take carib students:
1. Drexel University
2. George Washington
3. New York Medical College
4. Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine (NEOUCOM)
5. SUNY Upstate
6. Tulane University (last year, they sent me my application back saying they wer no longer taking caribs)
7. University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey (UMDNJ)
8. University of Buf
9. Mount Sinai SM
10.Medical College of Georgia
11. NJ medical school
12. U of Pittsburgh School of Med
13. Jefferson Medical College
14. Meharry Medical College

Good to know.

Which semester did you transfer out?

 

[basupran]

Good to know.

Which semester did you transfer out?

MS3.


Also, to edit my list, some programs will take fmg students despite saying 'lcme schools only'. Someone I know got into a school that would not take fmg applicants.

 

[dragonfly99]

That is good. Quite a few east coast schools there on that list, which probably explains why I never ran into any of such students.

So if one transfers out of a Carib school, do they make you repeat your entire 1st year, etc. ?

 

[basupran]

So if one transfers out of a Carib school, do they make you repeat your entire 1st year, etc. ?

No, you resume your education where you left off. Ie, after 2nd year, you transfer in as a third year medical student.