St. Matthews- disorganized application???

[Greengal]

Does anyone have any experience with applying to SMU for vet school? They appear to be disorganized regarding my transcripts. I have sent a couple twice now, and they have not contacted me regarding a couple others I know they need to have. I had my interview three weeks ago - applying for Spring 2020.

I don't want to keep emailing the admissions director - I'm sure I am being a pain - to see what is going on with my status and if my application is complete. Thanks in advance!

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[supershorty]

I would encourage you to think long and hard about applying to a program that isn't accredited. If you intend to practice in the US, your road to it is going to be significantly harder and more expensive coming from a nonaccredited program.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

I would encourage you to think long and hard about applying to a program that isn't accredited. If you intend to practice in the US, your road to it is going to be significantly harder and more expensive coming from a nonaccredited program.

Second this. A former employee at my old clinic did this, and now 2 years post graduation he still isn't licensed to practice in Canada and really isn't any close to it than he was 2 years ago.

 

[Greengal]

I would encourage you to think long and hard about applying to a program that isn't accredited. If you intend to practice in the US, your road to it is going to be significantly harder and more expensive coming from a nonaccredited program.

Good morning! Would you mind explaining what you mean regarding being harder to practice in the US?

 

[Greengal]

Second this. A former employee at my old clinic did this, and now 2 years post graduation he still isn't licensed to practice in Canada and really isn't any close to it than he was 2 years ago.

Hi. Do you know why he faced these difficulties? I do hear success stories as well.

 

[SkiOtter]

Good morning! Would you mind explaining what you mean regarding being harder to practice in the US?

You have to take extra exams to be able to take the NAVLE and be licensed in the US or Canada since it’s NOT avma accredited. These exams are known for being hard to pass (with a very low pass rate) and expensive to take. And then you still have to study for and take the navle after that to even be able to practice in the US.

 

[supershorty]

You have to take extra exams to be able to take the NAVLE and be licensed in the US or Canada since it’s NOT avma accredited. These exams are known for being hard to pass (with a very low pass rate) and expensive to take. And then you still have to study for and take the navle after that to even be able to practice in the US.

Extremely hard to pass. When I was at WVC in February, they were telling us about the ECFVG and honestly, I was glad I never have to take it because it sounded SO difficult.

Honestly, OP, in my opinion, going to a non-accredited program is not worth the money. You're much better off doing another application cycle and going to an accredited program.

 

[ajs513]

Hi. Do you know why he faced these difficulties? I do hear success stories as well.

I worked for a vet from India, and he had to take the ECFVG to get licensed to work in the US. Everyone is right. It’s EXTREMELY difficult and taxing. Several exams and practical exams over the course of only a few days, and if you fail you have to take them again but they’re not offered very often. From what he said, you also only have a few chances to pass. If you fail a specific part a certain number of times, you have to take the whole exam all over again. Surgery is the most difficult section according to vets who have taken it. It seems that that’s what most people fail on. You have a certain number of minor and major infractions, ranging from things like compromising sterility to something like forgetting ligate something critical. The examiners are extremely strict about everything and it’s very easy to fail. The doctor I worked for had a friend who failed the surgery portion enough times that he needed to take the test again, and couldn’t afford it so he moved back to India.

The only American I know who went to St. Matthews and easily passed the exam was a very specific case. She went to Penn for two years, then had to drop out for medical reasons. Penn wouldn’t let her pick up where she left off so she transferred her credits to st Matthews and only had to spend I think a semester or two there before going back to Penn for clinicals. So she got essentially 75%+ of accredited education and was well prepared. It’s a lot of money to spend on education just to have to spend more money on an exam that’s very hard to pass. For her it was an easier thing to do because she had a husband who could support her in the meantime.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Hi. Do you know why he faced these difficulties? I do hear success stories as well.

I don't know very many specifics; I worked with this guy only briefly before I moved for school.

Basically the required tests were many many thousands of dollars, they happened very infrequently, and he had to go to the US in order to take them. There was also a messy situation regarding proving his English profficiency (which I believe he needed before he could even book the exam) despite him having grown up in Canada going to an English-speaking school.

It is very risky, and in my personal opinion that is not something I would be risking several hundred thousand dollars on. There are other, accredited, Caribbean schools if you are wanting to go to school internationally.

 

[sheltermed]

On the other side of the token, I know two veterinarians who graduated from SMU who own and founded a highly successful practice. However, because they practice in New York, they only needed to take the NAVLE. I believe NY is the only state that only requires the NAVLE to practice when coming out of an unaccredited institution. From what I understand, most states (around 40) require one additional test (sorry, I don't know the name of it off of the top of my head) that isn't overly expensive. The other states require another that costs a bunch of money. That being said, I personally would still not attend an unaccredited school, but it's not impossible post-graduation.

 

[SkiOtter]

On the other side of the token, I know two veterinarians who graduated from SMU who own and founded a highly successful practice. However, because they practice in New York, they only needed to take the NAVLE. I believe NY is the only state that only requires the NAVLE to practice when coming out of an unaccredited institution. From what I understand, most states (around 40) require one additional test (sorry, I don't know the name of it off of the top of my head) that isn't overly expensive. The other states require another that costs a bunch of money. That being said, I personally would still not attend an unaccredited school, but it's not impossible post-graduation.

Preeeeeeetty sure you cannot sit for the navle without having taken one of the foreign graduate exams or having done an internship/residency at an avma accredited institution.
And that other exam for other states, it’s really expensive. With a low pass rate. It’s not an easy path, shelter.

 

[ajs513]

Preeeeeeetty sure you cannot sit for the navle without having taken one of the foreign graduate exams or having done an internship/residency at an avma accredited institution.
And that other exam for other states, it’s really expensive. With a low pass rate. It’s not an easy path, shelter.

It may be because St. Matthew’s graduates do their clinical year at accredited schools, that they’re eligible for the NAVLE that way in New York. New York allows for licensure candidates who did a clinical year at an accredited school. The process is probably different for other foreign graduates who did 100% of their studies at that school, but for SMU that may be why.

Edit: but I’m doing some research on it now so I’ll let you guys know if I find something that says for sure one way or another.

Edit 2: so I found something solid. To sit for the NAVLE as someone who isn’t a student or graduate of an accredited university, you have to complete or be enrolled in either the ECFVG or PAVE. But both are very expensive. Around $14,000 for PAVE I believe and i think around $16,000 for ECFVG including the clinical skills portion.

 

[sheltermed]

It’s not an easy path, shelter.

I realize this, thanks. Just telling them it isn't impossible. I just spoke to these vets on Tuesday who told me about their entire path. Preeeeeeeeetty sure they didn't make any of it up.

They did their clinical years at accredited US schools and were thus eligible for NAVLE. That's all that's required in NY, exclusively.

 

[quarksmom]

As a vet student at St. Matthews, I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. As for additional testing, 43 states accept the PAVE, and the cost for the exam is just under $2000 (including application fee). The exam is difficult, but it prepares you for the NAVLE.