Ross in September 2005 or AUC in January 2006?

[Mirella Freni]

My facts:

1. I have been accepted to Ross for the September 2005 class.

2. I have been accepted to AUC for the January 2006 class and waitlisted for the September 2005 class.

3. I was refused from SGU for August 2005 but was encouraged to reapply for January 2006.

My preferences:

1. I like AUC much better than Ross. However, I would not go to AUC if my January entry would delay me in residency match by a year (2009 becoming 2010) I could not live with that.

2. At present, my interests are anesthesiology and internal medicine.

My questions:

1. If I go to AUC in January, will I be eligible for the 2009 residency match? (3.5 years)

2. Same question for SGU. Should I reapply for January 2006? Could I be in the 2009 match? (3.5 years)

3. What is your advice?

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[novacek88]

I would go to AUC regardless even if I had to delay a year. For one thing, your class size will be much smaller if you start in the winter versus the fall at AUC. Most people seem to be happier not entering in the fall. The fall class at Ross is mamoth from what I hear. That is the worst time to enter Ross because that is really when you feel like another rat in the cage among the 300 or so students they get in the fall. It's a real mess and you will feel the cutthroat mentality greater at that time than any other. Remember one word when you think of Ross: Survivor

And in regards to SGU, you know my feeling on that school. Yes, it's the best Carribbean school but what does that really mean? You aren't given a special diploma that says Harvard of the Carribbean when you graduate from there. You are not given special status as an SGU grad such as "semi-IMG". Nope you are still an IMG or FMG just like someone from Ross or AUC. I think the only positive thing about SGU is that it is the structured and organized of the Carribbean schools and it has less of the "Survivor" mentality than Ross. If you are going to the Carribbean, you might as well attend the school that is located on the most habitable island. Let's be honest, you're an American. You like your fast food, shopping, movie-going, cleanliness and safety. Yeah, we all enjoy camping now and then but it's one thing to go camping on the weekend and another to actually live at a campsite for 2 years.

Some will say that SGU's reputation is so good that programs will give you a leg up over the other Carribbean schools. Okay, even if I were to believe that statement, I will say that would only be true for schools in the Northeast and maybe just New York. The rest of the country could give a flying $#%#$ about which school you attended in the Carribbean, especially in the midwest and Texas. To them, you are just a Carribbean grad, not an SGU grad so you might as well go to the island that has some semblance to the United States.

 

[Pleiades]

It's a real mess and you will feel the cutthroat mentality greater at that time than any other. Remember one word when you think of Ross: Survivor............ To them, you are just a Carribbean grad, not an SGU grad so you might as well go to the island that has some semblance to the United States.

Being a "survivor" of Dominica and having matched into radiology, I could not agree more with ya, novacek. SGU, Ross, AUC...same old $hit, they all share the same stigma of being a "Caribbean" med school. Having said that, if you were to choose of the 3...pick the school that will provide you with the best environment to study. If you enjoy more of a "rustic" environment to study, go with Ross or SGU. If you want to enjoy the "real" Caribbean’s with electricity and all the fine luxuries of the U.S., you definitely should go to AUC.

 

[Mirella Freni]

Thank you.

I called AUC and they said that if I start in January 2006 I am eligible for the match in 2009 under the following circumstances:

1. I don't fail anything
2. I take the Step 1 as soon as I finish on SXM.

Just to be sure, I checked with SGU and they said if I start there in January 2005, I would be eligible for the 2010 match only.

So it appears I will be going to AUC.

I am also being told by another source that the September class size at AUC is around 150 and the January class size is around 100. What is SGU class size?

Thanks to all and can anyone confirm my numbers?

 

[blueoval]

Thank you.

I called AUC and they said that if I start in January 2006 I am eligible for the match in 2009 under the following circumstances:

1. I don't fail anything
2. I take the Step 1 as soon as I finish on SXM.

Just to be sure, I checked with SGU and they said if I start there in January 2005, I would be eligible for the 2010 match only.

So it appears I will be going to AUC.

I am also being told by another source that the September class size at AUC is around 150 and the January class size is around 100. What is SGU class size?

Thanks to all and can anyone confirm my numbers?

Yup that sounds about right for the AUC September entering class. I happen to be one of those 160ish. Not sure about the Jan. class though. Just remember this is gonna be a marathon not a sprint. Maybe not what you wanna here, but I have been waiting so long for this that it will be nice to finally just start.

 

[McGillGrad]

I would choose SGU so there would be more time to study for Step 1.

I prefer having a better Step 1 so I can have more flexibility with residency.

 

[mr.weirdscience]

I would choose SGU so there would be more time to study for Step 1.

I prefer having a better Step 1 so I can have more flexibility with residency.

More time doesn't necessarily guarantee higher board scores. I think a part of excelling on the boards is doing well in your classes and making sure you understood things well the first time instead of just purely memorizing and regurgitating the subject matter.

 

[OrGoMan]

just curious, why weren't you accepted to SGU? How were your stats?

 

[omrangassan]

hi ...
thanx , i finally got someone who is newly accepted in Med School ...
May you help me ?

Ok ... I will be grateful if you told about your procedure for getting an admission in those 3 Med Caribbean Schools ..
What is your GPA ? MCAT ? Undergraduate degree ? ... etc

Have you got any idea about the minimum GPA may get an acceptance in any of the Carribbean Med Schools ( any school , include the 3 you get in ... ).

thanx in advance ... hope you will help me.