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SMP or SGU
- Thread starter mkfit
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Moving to the 'what are my chances?' forum.
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1. Think about improving your MCAT.
2. Don't do the SGU thing, sounds not legit.
3. try to get into an SMP.
2. Don't do the SGU thing, sounds not legit.
3. try to get into an SMP.
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235788
Maybe try a SMP with better linkage? (toledo, cinci, drexel, etc.)
Def do SMP.
Def do SMP.
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I'm of the opinion that you should only go to the Caribbean as a last resort--ie multiple failed admissions cycles after doing everything possible to improve your application. You aren't to that point yet.
If you get into a SMP this year, go for it. Also try to improve your MCAT score.
If you don't get into a SMP, study hardcore for several months to work on the MCAT. If you can break 35, reapply to US schools (MD and DO) next year. If no change or minimal improvement, try for an SMP next year.
If you get into a SMP this year, go for it. Also try to improve your MCAT score.
If you don't get into a SMP, study hardcore for several months to work on the MCAT. If you can break 35, reapply to US schools (MD and DO) next year. If no change or minimal improvement, try for an SMP next year.
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235788
You think he could go MD with that low of a GPA (regardless of MCAT unless it is 40+)? I would argue that the door for US MD is nearly closed without an SMP (always exceptions). There is always the DO option too.
If he gets accepted to a SMP, I'd recommend focusing on rocking the SMP, rather than a second MCAT.
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This is ridiculous! There is too much hating towards the caribbean schools! I really think this has gone on way too far. I volunteer at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx (the teaching hospital for Einstein) and I have had the pleasure of seeing residents directly from SGU. One was doing her residency in EM and the other in IM. Both were incredibly up to par with any other resident, to say the least. I guess you have to outweigh the pros/cons. Money, steps, residencies. My mentality is that there are way too many people that shouldn't belong there and that is why it has such a high attrition rate. According to their stats they are superstars, but everyone knows how easy it is to manipulate statistics. Regardless, my point is that there have been many successful graduates from that particular school and it can be done. Whether or not it is harder for you to do so at this school versus another school, is a question I believe is easy to answer. Yet, given the option of deferring a year or two or get started now, I would choose to get started now.
However, I must confess that I'm older (time isn't on my side), the cost of attendance really isn't something that I am too concerned about since I believe it is comparable to other schools I have seen, and I wouldn't mind going into primary care (meaning I am not trying to go to a competitive school to help my chances at a competitive residency). Good luck with your choice and I hope you do what would make you happy in spite of prestige or anyother superficial reason.
However, I must confess that I'm older (time isn't on my side), the cost of attendance really isn't something that I am too concerned about since I believe it is comparable to other schools I have seen, and I wouldn't mind going into primary care (meaning I am not trying to go to a competitive school to help my chances at a competitive residency). Good luck with your choice and I hope you do what would make you happy in spite of prestige or anyother superficial reason.
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SGU has more than a superficial reason of why it would not be a good choice for someone with his stats.
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I dont think SGU is near as bad as people make it out to be. People associate the word "carribean" with it and make it into some god awful wasteland when in reality there are several people from SGU currently practicing medicine in the US, so ask yourself, why cant you be one of those people? You are going to deal with headaches, but thats called life. You suck it up and keep going.
My question is though, did you apply to any DO schools at all? I feel like youd have a good shot at some DO schools.
My question is though, did you apply to any DO schools at all? I feel like youd have a good shot at some DO schools.
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The problem is the changing landscape, which isn't evident by looking at match lists for the last decade, or even last year. More and more US MD schools are opening. Very soon, there will be as many US MD graduates as there are US Residency slots. This means FMG's and DO's will be pushed out of the match. While you might have had a 40, 50, 60, 70% chance at matching from SGU or another "top" Caribbean school in years past (ignoring the huge attrition rate) that is changing, and not in the Caribbean graduates' favor. It doesn't matter if SUG is the "Harvard" of the Caribbean or the bottom of the bucket, unless they become fully accredited as a US MD school (any bets on how likely this is to occur?), anyone who can add and is willing to look at it honestly can tell things are going to keep getting harder and harder for FMG's to match in the US and therefore ever practice as a doctor in the US.
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Im pretty sure if you want to match into a half decent im or FP program it will be more than possible as an SGU grad. Theres a huge shortage of doctors, this will be rectified somehow. It will be interesting to see what happens with the new presidency and what changes are made to health care.
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Right now, if you do well on the boards, it is possible to do so. I addressed this in my prior post, that things are changing. The number of seats at US MD schools is increasing, while there is no indication that residency funding will be increased (if anything, it is a constant struggle to keep it from being cut), so number of residency spots is stagnant. It doesn't matter at all that there is a shortage of doctors, since the number of residency spots determines how many doctors can be trained to practice in the US.
I certainly would not go SGU with the near-certainty that the next few years will give us drastically decreasing numbers of seats available to FMG's with the attitude of "this will be rectified somehow." I would need a heck of a lot more than "this will be rectified somehow" before I bet my $300k in non-dischargeable debt on a Caribbean school.
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I would go for SMP, if you don't get into one of those, apply to other ones next year. Don't go Carib.
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gmcguitar4
It's not really hate.. it's more of a suggestion to try to avoid those schools. The reason is because it is difficult to get a residency after. Many people do not want to become a PCP so therefore it is not a great option for them. IMO, these schools are businesses first and then a school. Whereas US MD/DO programs are the opposite. That is why I am not considering them.
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WIth your stats I would look into a two years masters, those low GPAs will raise questions about your academic merit that one year of SMP might not be enough to promise resolution. Or maybe post-bacc for two or three years...
Probably avoid the SGU, though I would be interested in the Global Master this progam sounds fantastic.
Probably avoid the SGU, though I would be interested in the Global Master this progam sounds fantastic.
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Go DO period.....
