SGU: 99% of our "eligible" US seniors match in the US. But who is "eligible"?

[franklinave]

SGU claims that 99% of their "eligible" seniors match. What exactly do they mean by "eligible"? Also, does SGU intentionally weed out the weaker students to maintain this high statistic?

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[McGillGrad]

It means those who pass an internal comprehensive exam that are therefore qualified to take step 1. It is am amazingly logical system that the good schools use.

 

[franklinave]

It means those who pass an internal comprehensive exam that are therefore qualified to take step 1. It is am amazingly logical system that the good schools use.

Is this internal exam harder to pass than step 1? What happens if you don't pass it? Do they let you take it again?

 

[oldpro]

Is this internal exam harder to pass than step 1? What happens if you don't pass it? Do they let you take it again?

Again and Again yes.........................

 

[RussianJoo]

OP how does being able to take step1 correlate to a match rate of 99%? The exam that McGill Grad is talking about is stricktly for the school to let you take step1, it has no affect on matching into a residency. Sure high step1 scores correlate to better matches, but if you just pass the exam good luck matching somewhere. There are thousands of MDs that have passed all the steps and still can't match even into family practice, sure those md's are foriegners but they're still just as "eligable" as anyone else. You're mixing your apples and oranges.

 

[RussianJoo]

It means those who pass an internal comprehensive exam that are therefore qualified to take step 1. It is am amazingly logical system that the good schools use.

the OP was asking about sgu seniors having a match rate of 99% not about step1.

 

[oldpro]

the OP was asking about sgu seniors having a match rate of 99% not about step1.

I agree with you, but I find 99% a bit hard to swallow since that is as good as a US Grad.

You know that these schools never lie ( Tongue in cheek)

 

[franklinave]

There are thousands of MDs that have passed all the steps and still can't match even into family practice.

Are you sure about that?

Also I think that one could argue that MDs from SGU are preferred over the vast majority of foreign MDs in general. The SGU office did say, afterall, that 99% of their seniors match. Maybe I'm too trusting, but I don't think that SGU would lie. Maybe they would exagerate a bit but not outright lie.

 

[McGillGrad]

the OP was asking about sgu seniors having a match rate of 99% not about step1.

Right, but I was jumping a step ahead and explained that if you pass step 1, and are not picky about what and where you do your residency, you can match. Thus, to create a high match rate, SGU makes sure the vast majority who take step 1 will pass it. Ergo, high match rate.

Even if you're not a US resident. At least for now. Who knows what it will be like in the future as there is less "extra" spots in ACGME programs.

 

[RussianJoo]

I agree with you, but I find 99% a bit hard to swallow since that is as good as a US Grad.

You know that these schools never lie ( Tongue in cheek)

well sgu's first time step1 pass rate is 91% or at least that's what it says on their website which is also pretty comprobable to US schools. but yes 99% is pretty high. however there are a bunch of international students who go to sgu so maybe if you don't count those and just count US citizens/residents then it's 99%? idk...

 

[RussianJoo]

Are you sure about that?

Also I think that one could argue that MDs from SGU are preferred over the vast majority of foreign MDs in general. The SGU office did say, afterall, that 99% of their seniors match. Maybe I'm too trusting, but I don't think that SGU would lie. Maybe they would exagerate a bit but not outright lie.

I have heard of plenty of people not matching. and all the pathology and pharmacology tutors at SGU are MDs that passed the steps and are using SGU to get a residency because they can't get a residency on their own. I think even the worst residency placements still have standards and won't just take someone just to fill the stop.

 

[franklinave]

Right, but I was jumping a step ahead and explained that if you pass step 1, and are not picky about what and where you do your residency, you can match. Thus, to create a high match rate, SGU makes sure the vast majority who take step 1 will pass it. Ergo, high match rate.

Even if you're not a US resident. At least for now. Who knows what it will be like in the future as there is less "extra" spots in ACGME programs.

I'm not picky about where I do my residency but I would like to match into psychiatry. In your experience, how much harder is this than family practice?

 

[Dreaming]

I'm not picky about where I do my residency but I would like to match into psychiatry. In your experience, how much harder is this than family practice?

It's about the same difficulty, based on Step 1 scores.


All the data is here:
http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2007.pdf

It's on page 11 of that document.

 

[franklinave]

It's about the same difficulty, based on Step 1 scores.


All the data is here:
http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2007.pdf

It's on page 11 of that document.

Thanks for the info.

 

[McGillGrad]

I'm not picky about where I do my residency but I would like to match into psychiatry. In your experience, how much harder is this than family practice?

Depending on the location, it is only slightly easier to score Psych vs. FM. Not that either is "easy" but with passing scores and decent LORs you should gather enough interviews to secure a spot. Heck, you could even prematch at certain places.

 

[franklinave]

Depending on the location, it is only slightly easier to score Psych vs. FM. Not that either is "easy" but with passing scores and decent LORs you should gather enough interviews to secure a spot. Heck, you could even prematch at certain places.

Thanks, good info.

 

[franklinave]

Depending on the location, it is only slightly easier to score Psych vs. FM. Not that either is "easy" but with passing scores and decent LORs you should gather enough interviews to secure a spot. Heck, you could even prematch at certain places.

How common is it to be offered a prematch position?

 

[RussianJoo]

How common is it to be offered a prematch position?

depends on what kind of candidate you are.. if you have strong grades, step scores, letters of rec, and work well with the team then you'll be offered a prematch. for the 2008 match about 50% of the SGU students got offered a prematch, i know of a few that didn't take it because they matched into better programs.

 

[Wet Coma]

OK guys let me clear the confusion. 99% of eligible means grads who have applied to residency, and ended up getting a residency. Eligible means passing USMLE Step 1, Step 2, and assuming no visa issues or whatever. And the overall passing rate for the USMLE exams is extremely high, which would explain the 99%. Look at the attrition rate at SGU which is about 6%. Of that 6%, most end up transferring to U.S. school. I personally only know of 1 person who couldnt make it thru med school for academic reasons, and I know a lot of people in my class. BY the way the "in-house" exam by SGU is nothing like the USMLE, it's extremely easy. In order to be eligible for US residency it's the USMLE that matters.

 

[McGillGrad]

You should start by using sources before posting fake stats as fact.

According to the SGU website:

Attrition: 86% of SGUSOM students graduate from SGU; 6-7% transfer into and graduate from US schools.

How did you even graduate med school without any factchecking skills?

I am sure 99% of eligible grads from almost every carib school get a residency. Why wouldn't they? They passed everything and have no visa issues. That is all you need to get a residency in primary care, which is where more than half of SGU grads end up (55-65% to be exact for FM, IM and Peds)...lol

OK guys let me clear the confusion. 99% of eligible means grads who have applied to residency, and ended up getting a residency. Eligible means passing USMLE Step 1, Step 2, and assuming no visa issues or whatever. And the overall passing rate for the USMLE exams is extremely high, which would explain the 99%. Look at the attrition rate at SGU which is about 6%. Of that 6%, most end up transferring to U.S. school. I personally only know of 1 person who couldnt make it thru med school for academic reasons, and I know a lot of people in my class. BY the way the "in-house" exam by SGU is nothing like the USMLE, it's extremely easy. In order to be eligible for US residency it's the USMLE that matters.

 

[Wet Coma]

OK so the numbers are a little off from a few years ago. What is your point? To prove that I didnt do my latest research? The point is that you can argue all day about it, SGU is by far the best school in the caribbean. Why do you think more people apply to SGU than any other school? Or is that another stat I'm making up? Go do some more research on that and tell me the results.

And by the way many people end up in primary care because they plan on doing a fellowship like cardiology, GI, etc..

You should start by using sources before posting fake stats as fact.

According to the SGU website:



How did you even graduate med school without any factchecking skills?

I am sure 99% of eligible grads from almost every carib school get a residency. Why wouldn't they? They passed everything and have no visa issues. That is all you need to get a residency in primary care, which is where more than half of SGU grads end up (55-65% to be exact for FM, IM and Peds)...lol