St. Georges vs. Us. Vs international

[WorldClassNeurosurgeon]

Dear Veterinary Forums!
Hi all. I have been thinking & I have a question!! I have about 11 schools Im applying to this cycle. I have the opportunity to start a little earlier in the spring of 2018 if I go to St. Georges, but I'm confused on the ranking of this school. There's almost no info about ranks & outcomes and most forums I see are over 4 years old...

Is St. Georges a good program? It's virtually similar to US schools? How about USydney or RVC or Edinburgh?

Are all these programs not "as good as" us schools? Is there really that much of a difference?

I just want to know that each of these are good programs. I don't want to colleages to look down on me if I go to one of these.

Let me know your thoughts!?
Thank you

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[Ashgirl]

Dear Veterinary Forums!
Hi all. I have been thinking & I have a question!! I have about 11 schools Im applying to this cycle. I have the opportunity to start a little earlier in the spring of 2018 if I go to St. Georges, but I'm confused on the ranking of this school. There's almost no info about ranks & outcomes and most forums I see are over 4 years old...

Is St. Georges a good program? It's virtually similar to US schools? How about USydney or RVC or Edinburgh?

Are all these programs not "as good as" us schools? Is there really that much of a difference?

I just want to know that each of these are good programs. I don't want to colleages to look down on me if I go to one of these.

Let me know your thoughts!?
Thank you

SGU, and all those other international schools are AVMA accredited, and so they are great schools to go to. There used to be a stigma for the Caribbean schools, but unless you find that "one" old crotchety vet who still doesn't trust "island vets," you will not have trouble finding employment based on where you went to vet school.

Ranking is neither here nor there. It is a silly, nonsensical system that has zero predictability on how great a vet you will be, so most people (who aren't pre-vets) completely ignore it.

 

[johnsmith123]

SGU, and all those other international schools are AVMA accredited, and so they are great schools to go to. There used to be a stigma for the Caribbean schools, but unless you find that "one" old crotchety vet who still doesn't trust "island vets," you will not have trouble finding employment based on where you went to vet school.

Ranking is neither here nor there. It is a silly, nonsensical system that has zero predictability on how great a vet you will be, so most people (who aren't pre-vets) completely ignore it.

The dean of my college was giving a presentation about vet school and he made the point that you can see a positive correlation between a school's ranking and how long they have been open. It really makes you realize the school's ranking doesn't mean a whole lot.

 

[WorldClassNeurosurgeon]

This is a great post. It makes sense. Its us accredited and we all need to learn and take the NAVLE I m also interested in aquatics which somewhere like midwest wont offer. Thank you

 

[WorldClassNeurosurgeon]

My only question about this is what's up with Rosses program why are students coming out with 300k vs the average 200k debt?

 

[cdo96]

My only question about this is what's up with Rosses program why are students coming out with 300k vs the average 200k debt?

I believe that Ross (and a couple island schools) doesn't receive money from the government that some of the public schools get. The school needs to pay for its expenses, so it falls into the tuition.

Edit: I just looked it up, and it appears that Ross's program is 10 semesters long instead of the standard 8. So that's a large chunk right there.

 

[WorldClassNeurosurgeon]

I believe that Ross (and a couple island schools) doesn't receive money from the government that some of the public schools get. The school needs to pay for its expenses, so it falls into the tuition.

Edit: I just looked it up, and it appears that Ross's program is 10 semesters long instead of the standard 8. So that's a large chunk right there.

Hmm well that's problematic I think. It's probably not the best program for people looking to save!

 

[supershorty]

Island living in general is very expensive, from what I understand.

Schools that are AVMA-accredited will give you a quality education, regardless of what ranking they're assigned by Newsweek or US News or whoever does those. Cost should be one of your biggest considerations, if not THE biggest. I don't know the island schools' curricula but I'm not sure you're going to find any more focus on aquatics there compared to stateside - that seems like an area where most of your learning is going to come from externships and experiences outside of the classroom.

 

[DVMDream]

Hmm well that's problematic I think. It's probably not the best program for people looking to save!

Any program that saddles you with more than $150k in debt isn't good if you are wanting to save or live a somewhat decent lifestyle and be able to afford things.

 

[jmo1012]

Hmm well that's problematic I think. It's probably not the best program for people looking to save!

It's not, but there are a few us programs that are actually more expensive, so pay attention to that too when you are looking.

There is only 1 extra semester in the road curriculum, they do 7 preclinical semesters instead of the more traditional 6. The clinical year at most institutions is considered 3 semesters since it is year long. Tuition is still adjusted accordingly at the places that call it 2 semesters.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

Get over the idea that US schools must be better than international schools......at least in veterinary medicine, some of the best schools are AVMA accredited schools outside of the US (UK and Canada). Still, if it's AVMA accredited, you're still going to get a good veterinary education, so look at cost (including living and traveling costs if it's not near your home). Also consider your personal comfort in living away from home, especially if you're considering a Caribbean island.

 

[Vannandy]

Hey there. I'm a current student at St. George's right now and here are my thoughts. As some have mentioned before, there are some out in the veterinary profession that still have a stigma against island schools. That is totally understandable. They probably heard of the schools when they first began and its normal to have doubts about new programs within your profession. However, Ross and St. George's have both received full accreditation by the AVMA. Therefore, ensuring that both academic programs sufficiently prepare you for the responsibilities of a veterinarian.

The most important factor to consider for veterinary school is cost. Yes, island living is a bit more expensive (almost everything is imported thus more expensive.) For me, St. George's is the 13th least expensive school (domestic + Caribbean.) I'm using the VIN cost of education map (VIN Foundation Cost of Education Map - I Want to be a Veterinarian - VIN Foundation - VIN)

I'm feel extremely fortunate to be at St. George's. The weather is amazing. The faculty gives their 110% to help you out. Although being on an island away from home may at some times be isolating, know that because you're on and island, you will forge a bond with your friends and classmates so strong that you don't get back in the states. Feel free to message me if you have more questions about SGU. I'm more than happy to share with you my experiences.