Should I transfer to a caribbean school after withdrawing from a US Do school 2 years ago?

[bkingston]

I attended a US Do school starting 2016. Always had mental health issues and this caused took two leaves of absences. Passed everything except for 4 clinical rotations which I failed. Had to withdraw in 2022 because I couldn't finish the requirements for the school in 6 years. Recently I spoke to Xavier School of Medicine in Aruba and they are agreeing to transfer my credits. Would have to do the 5th semester but clinical rotations and would graduate in 2027. My dream speciality is pathology but I'd be fine with FM or IM. Is it worth going to Xavier?

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[DrStephenStrange]

I mean your chances of becoming a physician in the US are essentially over. Going to the Caribbean is basically a coin flip assuming you make it through. So I think if this is what you want, 40-50% chance is always better than 0%. Although, having failed out of a US medical school will likely add another red flag to your residency application as well (so more like 30-40% chance to be honest). You should also know that Caribbean schools are very predatory, they are always happy to take your money and find a way to fail you without providing much support (likely very different than at your previous DO school). So consider yourself warned that if you go there, you’re basically on your own. Additionally, stick to your current IM or FM (or EM or Peds) mentality, because if by any chance you like anything remotely competitive during clinical rotations, you’re out of luck because you are likely not going to get it in the match as an IMG. Finally, you also have to make sure what happened before with your mental health is not going to happen again, otherwise you’ll just be repeating your past mistakes.

 

[bkingston]

I mean your chances of becoming a physician in the US are essentially over. Going to the Caribbean is basically a coin flip assuming you make it through. So I think if this is what you want, 40-50% chance is always better than 0%. However, you should know that Caribbean schools are very predatory, they are always happy to take your money and find a way to fail you without providing much support (likely very different than at your previous DO school). So consider yourself warned that if you go there, you’re basically on your own. Additionally, stick to your current IM or FM (or EM or Peds) mentality, because if by any chance you like anything remotely competitive during clinical rotations, you’re out of luck because you are likely not going to get it in the match. Finally, you also have to make sure what happened before with your mental health is not going to happen again, otherwise you’ll just be repeating your past mi

Right. But are my chances of matching FM or IM in this case good assuming I don't fail any steps and get through fine?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Right. But are my chances of matching FM or IM in this case good assuming I don't fail any steps and get through fine?

Match rate to FM/IM are about 50% for IMGs in the match usually.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

I mean your chances of becoming a physician in the US are essentially over. Going to the Caribbean is basically a coin flip assuming you make it through. So I think if this is what you want, 40-50% chance is always better than 0%. Although, having failed out of a US medical school will likely add another red flag to your residency application as well (so more like 30-40% chance to be honest). You should also know that Caribbean schools are very predatory, they are always happy to take your money and find a way to fail you without providing much support (likely very different than at your previous DO school). So consider yourself warned that if you go there, you’re basically on your own. Additionally, stick to your current IM or FM (or EM or Peds) mentality, because if by any chance you like anything remotely competitive during clinical rotations, you’re out of luck because you are likely not going to get it in the match as an IMG. Finally, you also have to make sure what happened before with your mental health is not going to happen again, otherwise you’ll just be repeating your past mistakes.

Also want to point out some Edits from my original post.

 

[8jsi37]

Small sample size, but I heard there have been cases of those who failed out of one carib school, transferred to a diff carib school, made it out and matched. YMMV tho and the odds are heavily stacked against you.

You're gonna have to report the medical schools you attended. Matching as an IMG is already difficult but adding that you failed out makes it even harder. Some residency programs might not want to take a chance on an applicant who failed out especially when there are other IMGs who have no red flags whatsoever. As long as you're not picky where you end up, there is a possibility but again, no one truly knows what your exact probability of actually matching is (except that it's probably low).

 

[EthylMethylMan]

IMG + 4 clinical failures and leaving another school puts you in a uniquely bad position. Would not recommend. Cut your losses.

Edit: Also, Xavier is not one of the big Caribbean schools, which is even worse. This sounds like a predatory situation. They’re likely aware that you’ll almost certainly not match. They just want your tuition money.

 

[pokeahontas]

It’s doable; my university has had a number of transfers and they’ve successfully matched. Feel free to DM

 

[Goro]

I attended a US Do school starting 2016. Always had mental health issues and this caused took two leaves of absences. Passed everything except for 4 clinical rotations which I failed. Had to withdraw in 2022 because I couldn't finish the requirements for the school in 6 years. Recently I spoke to Xavier School of Medicine in Aruba and they are agreeing to transfer my credits. Would have to do the 5th semester but clinical rotations and would graduate in 2027. My dream speciality is pathology but I'd be fine with FM or IM. Is it worth going to Xavier?

What is the likelihood of your having continued mental health issues when you enter a Caribbean Medical school, which is designed upon an economic model to fail out as many people as possible because they do not have the rotation sites necessary for all of the students they admit?