Ross University

[yung1108]

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I have been accepted as a Ross student of 2004 class of May. I have several questions regarding to the admission of May 2004. Do I have to buy everything which is coded "REQ" in the order form? Someone told me that I don't have to buy any books in the lists because I won't have time to read the books. I was confused that what studying materials I will base on for studying?How about the Littmann Lightweight Stethoscope, clinical equipment kit and microscope? Are there any used available on the island?
Do you recommend me to bring a labtop or just use computers provided in the school? If I bring one, can I connect it with the interne at dorm?
How the school helps you with housing arrangement? Is there any thing which the school didn't mention in the package I should bring ?
In addition, (I know it will be too eariler to me) , I also want to know that is there any shelf exam before taking the USMLE1 at ross? And what if I failed the USMLE 1? Can I take it again at any time?
Thanks

John
p.s. is there any thing you will concern or think of I should bring or do it before coming to Ross?

 

[awdc]

No, you don't have to buy everything listed as REQ. No one will go around checking whether or not you have all the books. However, most students find the required texts essential... as well as the board review books, either BRS or High Yield. Personally, I disagree with whoever told you to not buy the books. You will have to do a lot of reading. Lecture notes will only get you so far. Myself and a fair number of my friends did very well in our first semester and not one of us did so without the required texts. Sometimes, we even had to consult other texts. Having said this, you do not have to buy from the bookstore. If you wait until you get on campus, there will be many students willing to sell their books from previous semesters. Same with microscopes.

Clinical equipment is tougher to come by. You might want to go to your local med school and see what they have. These items are certainly not cheaper on the island.

I would recommend that you bring your laptop. There are plenty of computers on campus (except during lunch) but I always thought it was nice to have your own. Not only because of convenience but you will find that there are a plethora of electronic resources shared by students that can help you in your studies. Now with wireless internet access on campus, it would make it even more convenient to use your laptop.

We take the NBME subject "shelf" exams as part of our grade for each respective class. If you have below a 2.9 overall gpa by the end of 4th semester, you will have to sit for the comprehensive shelf exam. If you fail that, you will be taking another semester on the island, the Basic Medical Sciences Integration course (basically a semester-long USMLE review course).

If you fail USMLE Step 1, you will be able to take it again... and again but I don't know the time frame.

 

[Shahinh79]

I have searched the site for any new threats in regards to students applying to Ross for May 11 entry. I myself had an interview with Ross a few days back, and was wondering if anyone else had such experience and if yes, have you guys gotten accepted yet?

 

[PteFabulous]

I have searched the site for any new threats in regards to students applying to Ross for May 11 entry. I myself had an interview with Ross a few days back, and was wondering if anyone else had such experience and if yes, have you guys gotten accepted yet?

You'll find more helpful info here: http://www.valuemd.com/ross-university-school-medicine/

 

[Naijaman24]

You'll find more helpful info here: http://www.valuemd.com/ross-university-school-medicine/

Thanks for the hook-up with Value-MD, everything on SDN is so hyper-negative and condescendingly critical of FMGs. 🙂

 

[bizurk]

Thanks for the hook-up with Value-MD, everything on SDN is so hyper-negative and condescendingly critical of FMGs. 🙂

Just be aware that there are valid reasons for some of the criticism. ValueMD is especially useful for getting your feet wet and knowing specifically what to expect once you get to the island. It becomes less and less useful the further you move through the process.

Surely you can find the following trite advice elsewhere, but try your darnedest to gain admission to an American med school: take the MCAT again, beef up your app, apply everywhere, etc..... Ross and St. Georges should represent your last shot, not a backup on your first round of applications.

Ross has been pretty good to me, but not a day goes by that I don't lament limiting my career path.

 

[Skip Intro]

Ross has been pretty good to me, but not a day goes by that I don't lament limiting my career path.

Limiting your career path?

I graduated from Ross. I'm a board-certified anesthesiologist. I am usually in the hospital at 7:00 AM and more often than not home by 3:00 PM (at the latest). Okay, sometimes I have to stay until 5:00 or 5:30 PM, but I also sometimes also get out at noon. I even occasionally get a day off during the week when the surgery schedule is light. I take call only four days a month. Last year I made close to $400,000.

Furthermore, no one questions my medical decision-making. No one questions my education (neither my patients nor my colleagues, many of whom are Ivy-league trained). I have a great job and a good life.

If that is a "limited career path", then I guess I should lament it. 😉

-Skip

 

[yamaraja808]

Limiting your career path?

I graduated from Ross. I'm a board-certified anesthesiologist. I am usually in the hospital at 7:00 AM and more often than not home by 3:00 PM (at the latest). Okay, sometimes I have to stay until 5:00 or 5:30 PM, but I also sometimes also get out at noon. I even occasionally get a day off during the week when the surgery schedule is light. I take call only four days a month. Last year I made close to $400,000.

Furthermore, no one questions my medical decision-making. No one questions my education (neither my patients nor my colleagues, many of whom are Ivy-league trained). I have a great job and a good life.

If that is a "limited career path", then I guess I should lament it. 😉

-Skip

Very cool story.

I think the reason why bizurk is stating this is because matching into residency from Ross or SGU is not what it use to be. There is an increase in the medical schools in the U.S. (more competition). There is also the fact that Ross and SGU are increase the amount of seats (even more competition and preference is given to US grads).

The main problem in all of this is the fact that residency spots are not increasing and thus it is a rising concern.

Good luck to you who have been interviewing and congratulations to those who have been accepted. Try to learn about the process of medical school over there. Make sure your core clinical rotations (in 3rd year) are Green book certified (or no residency). Best of luck!

 

[Flapjacks]

Just a fix, Ross has reduced it seats by at least 200, and not increased.

 

[yamaraja808]

Just a fix, Ross has reduced it seats by at least 200, and not increased.

Thanks for the info. Seems the cali-board told the dominican government to cap the ross class size (well saw it on another board and not sure how much is true).

 

[RussianJoo]

Thanks for the info. Seems the cali-board told the dominican government to cap the ross class size (well saw it on another board and not sure how much is true).

that seems pretty false to me considering Ross is on the island of Dominca not Domincan Rep.

 

[Skip Intro]

that seems pretty false to me considering Ross is on the island of Dominca not Domincan Rep.

Not to be a pedant, but the government in Dominica (dom-in-EEK-uh) would be called the Dominican (dom-in-EEK-un) government, not Dominican (doh-MIN-uh-kin) which would connote the Dominican Republic. Just a clarification.

Look, I'm just saying that you can get your spot if you work your butt off, do well on your exams (both at Ross and the boards), and are willing to be "geographically flexible", as I was.

Most of my class went into primary care. Some of us got choice spots in hot specialties. We worked for those. But... a buddy of mine in my class went into Psychiatry (after failing Step 1 the first time and Step 3 twice, eventually just scraping by on both), and now he's practicing in Chicago making even more than I do.

You gotta be flexible. I know other Ross grads who started in Internal Medicine and then transferred to other more lucrative residencies (one even into Derm, believe it or not) after a year or so.

Going into medicine, and I've said this before, is not "hey! I got into medical school and now I'm automatically going to be a successful doctor". It's a series of steps on stairs or rungs on a ladder. Each step or rung is it's own milestone and, if you look at it in a goal-directed way, you will eventually get to the top. This is true for everyone going into medicine, even the U.S. students.

It's an arduous climb. You gotta be flexible. And, you gotta stay hungry. This is the How to be a Success "12-step" Program as I see it:

1st: Get into an established, respected, reputable medical-degree granting program (e.g., Ross, Saba, St. George's, AUC).
2nd: Study hard and ace your classes the first two years, while continuously starting to prepare for USMLE Step 1 - do not fail any classes.
3rd: Pass Step 1 and, hopefully, beat the U.S. average by a good margin.
4th: Show-up early and learn as much as you can on your clinicals, while preparing for Step 2 CS/CK.
5th: Pass Step 2 (both parts) and, hopefully, beat the U.S. average by a good margin.
6th: Do some early away rotations in 4th year at a couple of programs you want to consider for residency and work on getting good letters.
7th: Apply early for residency and apply wide.
8th: Secure a good residency spot at, preferably, a U.S. medical-school affiliated hospital/university.
9th: Be a stellar resident. Show-up for everything, take an interest, study for and do well on your in-service exams, work hard, know your patients, don't be a jerk. Make connections with department heads, places you might want to work, etc. early.
10th: Near your end of residency, apply for jobs or fellowship early. Exploit those connections you made.
11th: Get permanently licensed in the state you want to practice as early as possible. Guard and protect that license with your life.
12th: Register and pass the board-certification exam early and on the first try.

Notice a theme there? The old saying is true: the early bird gets the worm.

You can do it. Despite what my mom and my wife might tell you, I'm nothing special. I just worked for it.

-Skip

 

[Skip Intro]

One more thing and not to beat the dead horse...

Of my "12 steps" listed above, most of you coming to the forums are not thinking past the first two (based on my years of coming here, posting, and reading other posts). Some of you are not even thinking past the first one.

When you make the decision to go this route, you gotta start thinking of all twelve of those steps. It took me 8 years to get there. Eight years! Most of you coming out of college now at age 22 will be 31 before you get where I am now. It's hard to fathom that. It's a long, arduous journey that is just beginning the moment you set foot on some Caribbean island.

If you can't reasonable commit to those twelve steps and the time it's going to take, don't do it. You'll just be bitter and in debt you can't now imagine (i.e., if you fail or drop out after the third or fourth semester, not only will you not be a doctor you'll still have to pay back those big loans... sometimes that's $30,000 or $40,000 even at that point... with nothing to show for it).

Think about it. Keep your eye on the prize. It's a long journey.

-Skip

 

[SuperHumane]

Limiting your career path?

I graduated from Ross. I'm a board-certified anesthesiologist. I am usually in the hospital at 7:00 AM and more often than not home by 3:00 PM (at the latest). Okay, sometimes I have to stay until 5:00 or 5:30 PM, but I also sometimes also get out at noon. I even occasionally get a day off during the week when the surgery schedule is light. I take call only four days a month. Last year I made close to $400,000.

Furthermore, no one questions my medical decision-making. No one questions my education (neither my patients nor my colleagues, many of whom are Ivy-league trained). I have a great job and a good life.

If that is a "limited career path", then I guess I should lament it. 😉

-Skip

Hi Skip @Skip Intro , I am currently a fourth semester student at Ross. I am inspired by your accomplishments and hope to do the same as you. Keep doing the good job!

 

[Xorthos]

Dude if i were a mod, youd be getting a warning for bumping a 5 (really 12) year old necro thread as your first and only post. Knock that off please.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Dude if i were a mod, youd be getting a warning for bumping a 5 (really 12) year old necro thread as your first and only post. Knock that off please.

That's kind of over kill for a 1st time poster. Just a friendly reminder should suffice, unless this has happened multiple times.

 

[Xorthos]

Yeah but it seems like lately necro threads have been being bumped a tremendous amount....normally it wouldn't be a big deal, but lately it seems like all the top posts are from 5-10 years ago due to random meaningless bumps.