Offshore medical schools or reapply next cycle?

[Shejeboshease]

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I was just wondering why so many people are against going to schools like Ross, SGU, AUC in the caribbean. You would have to take USMLE I and II whether you go to US schools or caribbean schools. My advisor said to go to offshore school if you don't get accepted to US medical school after two try. Is it really that bad? one of my friends was saying caribbean graduates are just as successful in the US as any other US doctors.
If you had to pick between going to offshore school or taking the MCAT again for the next application cycle, what would you do?
thanks

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

Is this a serious question?

 

[cubbbie]

I personally would re-apply. I would only go offshore after multiple failed attempts. When it comes down to it, no one will know that you were a reapplicant. Everyone will know if you got your degree offshore.

 

[spicedmanna]

If you had to pick between going to offshore school or taking the MCAT again for the next application cycle, what would you do?

Well, it depends on several factors.

1) How many times have you applied?
2) What is your current MCAT score?
3) Do you think you can raise it?
4) What are your other stats?

Basically, Caribbean schools would be my very last resort. They aren't "bad" per se, it's just that going to one can make things unnecessarily difficult; you will likely need to work harder there. If time isn't a factor, you should try to get into a US medical school.

There's practically no stigma in the professional scene, contrary to what premeds believe. Sure there are some ignorant folks, but for the most part people work well together. Caribbean schools have a bad reputation because there is no set standard, some are good, approaching US quality, and others not so good. Some have 3rd and 4th year rotations in affiliated US hospitals, others have no set rotations (do-it-yourself). You won't have as many resources in the Caribbean as you will in the US, for sure. The schools will fail you if you don't perform well, and the class sizes tend to be much larger. You can succeed, you just need to work hard while you are there and score at the top of your class. You will likely be at a disadvantage while matching, but you can compensate for this somewhat with hard work and good scores.

 

[FizbanZymogen]

here are the straight forward problems with the carribean schools

-Costs of living overseas
-Costs of their medical schools
-securing loans (has been a problem for some)
-Less organized help structures
-typically lower USMLE scores
-You apply in the match as a IMG (or FMG) which despite what some believe does put you at a slight disadvantage compared to your American trained counterparts.
-stigma among your peers (some say it doesn't exist and others have other experiences).

Considering all these things its up to you what you want to do. Some prefer to go DO over the Carribean while others are obessed with having MD behind their name. In my opinion I would rather stay in the US and go DO.

 

[scgroat]

The last two posts made some good points. What I have heard is that you are only as good as your boards. Sure, there are exceptions. No doubt. The likely reason for lower scores is, well, many "offshorers" don't test as well to begin with. In addition, they likely will not be pushed as hard. Then again, I hope that most serious students have learned to raise their own level by now. A last resort? Well, it would be hard to turn down a US school. Then again, if you go to the Caribbean (one of the big three...SABA, SGU, ROSS), go there with a chip on your shoulder, kick butt, and disprove the doubters. In all honesty, you might come out ahead in some ways. Whatever you do, ignore the stigma and be objective. Nobody will care where you went 10 years from now. That also goes for Harvard grads(as always, there are exceptions).

 

[ICCONFETTI]

this thread is double posted in allopathic threads and here.

 

[C-Dawg]

There is a post called Caribbean Medical Schools in Pre-Allopathic...

but some notes on this post from someone in Grenada (where SGU is) but going to a US school in the fall:
-Professors here know that their students must preform well so they teach directly whats on Step 1, so students actually preform better on this test
-You can start in the Spring!
-You can transfer after your second term and no one will know that you ever took a class at SGU

Hope this helps!

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

-You can transfer after your second term and no one will know that you ever took a class at SGU

Realistically does anyone transfer to a US school from the Carribean? I thought it was incredibly difficult to transfer into a US allopathic.

 

[AlberttheGator]

It is extremely difficult to transfer from offshore to US med schools. Basically you have to have all As and wait for a spot to open up, as in someone already enrolled at a US med school to drop out. It is a gamble.