Trinity Student: Ask Me Anything!

[Gambino.]

There's a lot to unpack here but I'm bored of studying for the night so why not.

Based on this post, you're either one of the few people who make up the attrition rate at Trinity, or you're a SDN troll.

The most recent data on the World Directory of Medical Schools (aka FAIMER) has Trinity's attrition at 50% as of 2016 with a laughable 75% in 2015. Things could have drastically changed but considering it puts Ross and SGU at ~25%, the data seems rather consistent. Again, in the past 4 years maybe they had some huge overhaul and are suddenly putting up amazing numbers but there is no evidence to prove it.

Facts: Trinity is a first choice school for anyone who is from the Caribbean or hopes to practice there.

Idk about that one chief but change the word "fact" to "opinion" and sure why not.

I'd hope you've exhausted your options by applying to MD and DO programs In the US/Canada for at least 2 cycles (with application improvement between app cycles) before considering any international schools.

Yes, definitely agree on this one.

If you are from the US/Canada and can't get into a US school, I'd only recommend Trinity or UQ-Ochsner as quality schools for your medical education

These schools are definitely not of the same caliber. Ochsner is a well respected Australian school that doesn't primarily rely on international students.

I do know the attrition rate at SGU and Ross is not worth the risk, and their reputation amongst PD's is slipping.

Yeah...As you are still a student I would doubt you have some vast network of national PDs telling you this. Refer to point #1 regarding attrition rates.

Overall, your post comes off as very defensive but with no actual evidence being provided. You are most definitely entitled to an opinion but making unsubstantiated claims =/= opinion. You can be proud of your school and still give well rounded information.

Anyways, you can see our schools (in your case Trinity and in mine, Ross) as a lifeline to continue with the chance of becoming a physician in the states but fluffing up things without really providing anything only hurts prospective students thinking that there's some hidden treasure hiding in St. Vincent & Grenadines when a Caribbean school like that doesn't exist.

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[Zifish]

There's a lot to unpack here but I'm bored of studying for the night so why not.

The most recent data on the World Directory of Medical Schools (aka FAIMER) has Trinity's attrition at 50% as of 2016 with a laughable 75% in 2015. Things could have drastically changed but considering it puts Ross and SGU at ~25%, the data seems rather consistent. Again, in the past 4 years maybe they had some huge overhaul and are suddenly putting up amazing numbers but there is no evidence to prove it.

Idk about that one chief but change the word "fact" to "opinion" and sure why not.


Yes, definitely agree on this one.


These schools are definitely not of the same caliber. Ochsner is a well respected Australian school that doesn't primarily rely on international students.


Yeah...As you are still a student I would doubt you have some vast network of national PDs telling you this. Refer to point #1 regarding attrition rates.

Overall, your post comes off as very defensive but with no actual evidence being provided. You are most definitely entitled to an opinion but making unsubstantiated claims =/= opinion. You can be proud of your school and still give well rounded information.

Anyways, you can see our schools (in your case Trinity and in mine, Ross) as a lifeline to continue with the chance of becoming a physician in the states but fluffing up things without really providing anything only hurts prospective students thinking that there's some hidden treasure hiding in St. Vincent & Grenadines when a Caribbean school like that doesn't exist.

Thanks for the reply. Not trying to be defensive, just caught off guard by what I can only imagine to be a troll replying to my thread. My point is that of course there will be people who don't make it thru the Trinity program, and of course they'll be disgruntled, and sure my post may be biased because I'm successfully making it thru the program, but I do try to be objective and answer questions honestly. I like Trinity because of the low tuition rate, least amount of time outside the US, and a guaranteed rotation spot in one city (instead of being bounced around from state to state like some DO programs and most Caribbean schools)

I'm not sure about the FAIMER statistics and who tabulated those, but I know the attrition rate at Trinity is in the 5-10% range. That's because they don't want high attrition rates and will let students remediate, decel, or retake classes or terms in order to pass. About half my class elected to do the ILP program which makes 5 terms into 6, and had about 2-3 students quit or get canned from my term of about 60 students, everyone else is either on track, or did ILP, or decelled/remediated. You and I both know the attrition rate at SGU is much highter than 25%, along with Ross, both let in way too many students each term to fit in clerkships.

UQ is the well respected Australian school. Ochsner is the hospital system in Louisiana that partnered with UQ to primarily recruit US students, it's a great program with excellent track record. But, it's to match in the US or Canada, since UQ Ochsner grads don't have a great chance of matching in Australia due to their GME system over there.

I'm not sure what kind of evidence you'd like me to provide. This is a discussion forum after all. People ask questions and can get answers from a current student. If they want facts, they can contact the admissions office or look on the CAAM-HP accreditation website for their official review of the schools. On that note, our CAAM-HP accreditation is at the highest level, whereas SGU is accredited with conditions (may end up on probation if they continue to not improve) and Ross is currently pending accreditation review (who knows what will happen).

It's not about fluffing up the program, just trying to speak to prospective applicants who aren't looking to be a number at SGU/Ross and end up in a queue for rotations.

 

[Gambino.]

least amount of time outside the US, and a guaranteed rotation spot in one city (instead of being bounced around from state to state like some DO programs and most Caribbean schools)

Unsure about the time spent outside the US for Trinity students but Ross takes 16 months for X track and 20 months for C. I don't know how they compare.

Both SGU and Ross have tracks available at various hospital systems. You can do all your cores and most electives at a specific one so you don't have to bounce around if you don't want to.

I'm not sure about the FAIMER statistics and who tabulated those, but I know the attrition rate at Trinity is in the 5-10% range. You and I both know the attrition rate at SGU is much highter than 25%, along with Ross, both let in way too many students each term to fit in clerkships.

Okay, now you're definitely deranged. First off, FAIMER scores are not tabulated by anyone. The data is given directly to them by each school because they have to. FAIMER listing has been an ECFMG requirement for the longest and the data with evidence is given from each prospective school to them.

I have shown the math prior as to why ~25% makes sense (should find it if you dig through my post history) but if you literally don't believe the world directory than there's not a more reputable source out there to show you. If you truly had a 5-10% attrition rate, I'd urge you to tell your school to update their file.

I'm not sure what kind of evidence you'd like me to provide. This is a discussion forum after all. People ask questions and can get answers from a current student. If they want facts, they can contact the admissions office or look on the CAAM-HP accreditation website for their official review of the schools. On that note, our CAAM-HP accreditation is at the highest level, whereas SGU is accredited with conditions (may end up on probation if they continue to not improve) and Ross is currently pending accreditation review (who knows what will happen).

It is a discussion but that doesn't give free rein to literally put "facts:" and provide no evidence for those points.

CAAM-HP accreditation wise; I do not go to SGU so I can't say why they have conditions. Ross is pending because they literally moved islands to a different campus due to a hurricane and needed re-accreditation after that... CAAM was supposed to come during my 1st term but obviously COVID happened and then they extended that review for later this summer due to the ongoing pandemic. Adtalem, the company that owns Ross is a multi-billion dollar company, they won't let their cash cow not meet the requirements.

It's not about fluffing up the program, just trying to speak to prospective applicants who aren't looking to be a number at SGU/Ross and end up in a queue for rotations.

Yeah, after that attrition rate you gave you are definitely fluffing lmao. What queue are you talking about? We had a queue for IMF due to the island changes but it is now corrected with a maximum gap of 45 days from the completion of the last term to start, which is the time you'd take for dedicated and step 1 anyway. For regular rotations you can pick your spots, with those of higher scores/grades getting first dibs.


For the people that have been reading these posts and DMing me asking for advice and which school I recommend. I don't recommend any international school, including Ross. Big 3 have the most resources and track record but apparently Trinity has a lower attrition rate than some DO schools so who knows anymore . Don't go Caribbean, apply 2-3 cycles with improvement to MD/DO, and then if you still want to; do research and if you choose a Caribbean school do it off your own volition and gathered information.

 

[TrinitySoMInsider]

Hello and thanks for the post. Based on this post, you're either one of the few people who make up the attrition rate at Trinity, or you're a SDN troll. Either way, prospective students can take your post with a grain of salt, and of course the SDN anti-carib's usuals will believe the fake news.

Facts: Trinity is a first choice school for anyone who is from the Caribbean or hopes to practice there. It's also a great choice for people from Europe/India/Asia who want to attend a school with US ties and hopes to practice in the US. If you're from the US or Canada, I'd hope you've exhausted your options by applying to MD and DO programs In the US/Canada for at least 2 cycles (with application improvement between app cycles) before considering any international schools. International schools, carib or otherwise, should never be a rash decision that you jump into because medicine in general isn't something to just jump into. Prospective students who are deciding between giving up on being a physician, or risking it with a post-bacc or SMP, should consider Trinity. If you are from the US/Canada and can't get into a US school, I'd only recommend Trinity or UQ-Ochsner as quality schools for your medical education and to have a great shot at matching into a US/Canadian residency (I don't know enough about the various Atlantic Bridge programs to say which are good or not). I do know the attrition rate at SGU and Ross is not worth the risk, and their reputation amongst PD's is slipping. The admin at Trinity has been great in my opinion, they are all former US medical school admins/deans/etc and know how to do things correctly and how to run this school like a US school.

You're obviously entitled to your opinion. Feel free to PM me or reply to this post if you'd like to share more about your experience and how it compares to mine and others who have successfully navigated medical education at a Caribbean school.

Trinity is also one of few schools not owned by a private equity or business firm.

 

[Gambino.]

Trinity is also one of few schools not owned by a private equity or business firm.

The information I was able to find was that it was owned by Trinity LLC with no mention of exactly who or what owns it. Feel free to elaborate or point me to where on their site mentions it as I couldn't find it but I'd rather a known company own it than not know anything about its ownership. I would say anonymous ownership with an unknown board of trustees or a shell company is more concerning than being owned by a firm/equity, not that any of that really had to do with my critiques of the posts.

edit: new account looks like Trinity tryna up their advertising game on SDN lmao

 

[FNFM]

trinity student here -

first exhaust all options. in my experience.
objective. observation. facts. events.

not to unduely bash the school

for prospective students' sakes, avoid trinity.

facade. advertising. consider the website as a storefront.

expect durations of uncertainty. absent leadership.

if no choice last resort. expect above.

administration disappears. students answer logistical inquiries independently.

[the majority of trinity] students [are routinely left with no choice but to] learn this after inconveniences arise.

a great opportunity for the last option.

if your last option do not expect clarity from higher ups. do not expect support.

know this going in. expect it. become comfortable with it

best of luck to you my friend

-mnm_n

Current Trinity student here, about to finish my 3rd year. Decided to make an account to address what is a frankly slanderous, syntax lacking attempt at mudslinging the admin.

I have worked with the administrative team these past 3 years and they are nothing short of excellent. The leadership is very active, especially so at the Georgia campus. My financial questions are always addressed, any information I need about my classes or clerkships has always been an email away, and they have always been transparent. The provost/dean usually visits our clinical campus weekly, and the dean of clerkships has always been available for a 15-30 minute call about my future. The head of student finance has been an incredible advocate for me and an unlimited source of information. The entire administrative team has never disappeared nor lacked clarity when addressing concerns or student needs. I have never heard of any other students complaining of this either. Their advocacy and leadership has been especially amplified since covid began. They went above and beyond to make sure that we stayed on our timelines for graduation, provided virtual learning, obtained additional PPE, and advocated to keep us in clerkships as much as possible.

Of course you explore all your options. Absolutely see if you can get into your preferred US MD/DO program. Understand that medical school is a financial gamble, no matter where you go. Trinity is a great opportunity if you want to put in the work to see through your goals.

I agree with the OP that this sounds like someone who makes up the attrition rate or somebody that didn't attend the program at all. I would challenge those curious about the program to reach out to actual students. I did before I started with the school, and everyone is usually pretty happy to tell their experiences and give perspectives on the program.

New to SDN, but feel free to reach out to me if you have questions.

 

[hopefulDOcter4321]

Didn't realize I was following this thread but since I got a notification, I'll put in my take. Clearly anyone reading can see that these NEW accounts were made within the past 2 days claiming to be students at Trinity and avoiding the statements/questions Gambino has made. If however, they were truly students I'd like to see them answer the questions that Gambino had asked.

**WARNING** ANYONE FUTURE APPLICANTS READING SHOULD BE CAREFUL AND READ UP ON TRINITY!

 

[TrinitySoMInsider]

The information I was able to find was that it was owned by Trinity LLC with no mention of exactly who or what owns it. Feel free to elaborate or point me to where on their site mentions it as I couldn't find it but I'd rather a known company own it than not know anything about its ownership. I would say anonymous ownership with an unknown board of trustees or a shell company is more concerning than being owned by a firm/equity, not that any of that really had to do with my critiques of the posts.

edit: new account looks like Trinity tryna up their advertising game on SDN lmao

Incorrect on all accounts, we are not owned by Trinity LLC or publicly traded either. We were founded by our President and some members of our board. The information is on our website for anyone who needs it. I'm just on here trying to help and educate those who may need options. What students choose to believe with the information is their choice. I realize many folks have their opinions of Caribbean medical schools. I did as well after leading admissions for top 50 large public and private institutions. After doing my own research, meeting with students who secured residencies (yes, in the US), and heard their stories, I was able to separate facts from speculation. This is often the case with many forums where people are relying on focus group of a few. Our students take the same exams and go through the same process US students do. They are able to practice among in the US or Canada among colleagues who graduated from US schools.

Sure there are bad actors out there - in the Caribbean (and the US for that matter.) I'm glad to say we aren't one of them. We're on here to hear the feedback, learn from it, and engage in continuous improvement. I want folks to know there are reputable Caribbean schools out there with administrators and faculty who have moved away from past stigmas. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. At one time, I remember DO schools and their graduates suffered a critique. Now they are considered a solid option and legitimate option for students.

 

[TrinitySoMInsider]

Didn't realize I was following this thread but since I got a notification, I'll put in my take. Clearly anyone reading can see that these NEW accounts were made within the past 2 days claiming to be students at Trinity and avoiding the statements/questions Gambino has made. If however, they were truly students I'd like to see them answer the questions that Gambino had asked.

**WARNING** ANYONE FUTURE APPLICANTS READING SHOULD BE CAREFUL AND READ UP ON TRINITY!

I'm not claiming to be a student, I'm a senior administrator putting myself out here. I'm on here because I enjoy meeting and helping the students who decide to attend Trinity or need options outside of US schools. If people agree or disagree with what I'm sharing, they are entitled to believe what they want.

For those doing their research, they could probably see my account is new. I've been in higher ed for close to 20 years - for-profit, public, private, and flagship schools. I've seen how the sausage is made at every school I've been employed. To be frank, you'd be appalled on how some US taxpayer money is spent (That's discussion for a different day!) Rest assured there is no need to cry wolf either. When I created my account, I was wondering if folks would be fair or quickly resort to their bias. Perhaps I should be prepared to expect both.

And you are correct, future applicants should read up on us . I'm sure they are capable of making an independent evaluation (researching facts, talking to our current students/alums) on whether we are a good fit or not. If we are - great! If not, that's okay too! At a minimum, we hope students who apply to us found the experience educational and pleasant. And for those who are wondering, Trinity isn't made up of some secret cabal of shell-companies trying to misrepresent ourselves

 

[Gambino.]

Incorrect on all accounts, we are not owned by Trinity LLC or publicly traded either. We were founded by our President and some members of our board. The information is on our website for anyone who needs it. I'm just on here trying to help and educate those who may need options. What students choose to believe with the information is their choice. I realize many folks have their opinions of Caribbean medical schools. I did as well after leading admissions for top 50 large public and private institutions. After doing my own research, meeting with students who secured residencies (yes, in the US), and heard their stories, I was able to separate facts from speculation. This is often the case with many forums where people are relying on focus group of a few. Our students take the same exams and go through the same process US students do. They are able to practice among in the US or Canada among colleagues who graduated from US schools.

Sure there are bad actors out there - in the Caribbean (and the US for that matter.) I'm glad to say we aren't one of them. We're on here to hear the feedback, learn from it, and engage in continuous improvement. I want folks to know there are reputable Caribbean schools out there with administrators and faculty who have moved away from past stigmas. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. At one time, I remember DO schools and their graduates suffered a critique. Now they are considered a solid option and legitimate option for students.

I don't think most really care about ownership. Do you have any evidence to provide prospective students that debunks the current World Directory of Medical Schools/FAIMER numbers regarding your attrition rate? Like literally none of this my actual points have been addressed by any of the people that have replied. They have chosen a single easy topic and made it seem like all has been answered.

I commend Trinity for wanting to be transparent and a good school, so if you could start with data regarding attrition (as in hard numbers like the directory not these "percentages" every Carib school puts out) than I think it would be vital information for prospective students seeing this thread. Bonus points for number graduated vs number of 1st time residency placements.

 

[TrinitySoMInsider]

Current Trinity student here, about to finish my 3rd year. Decided to make an account to address what is a frankly slanderous, syntax lacking attempt at mudslinging the admin.

I have worked with the administrative team these past 3 years and they are nothing short of excellent. The leadership is very active, especially so at the Georgia campus. My financial questions are always addressed, any information I need about my classes or clerkships has always been an email away, and they have always been transparent. The provost/dean usually visits our clinical campus weekly, and the dean of clerkships has always been available for a 15-30 minute call about my future. The head of student finance has been an incredible advocate for me and an unlimited source of information. The entire administrative team has never disappeared nor lacked clarity when addressing concerns or student needs. I have never heard of any other students complaining of this either. Their advocacy and leadership has been especially amplified since covid began. They went above and beyond to make sure that we stayed on our timelines for graduation, provided virtual learning, obtained additional PPE, and advocated to keep us in clerkships as much as possible.

Of course you explore all your options. Absolutely see if you can get into your preferred US MD/DO program. Understand that medical school is a financial gamble, no matter where you go. Trinity is a great opportunity if you want to put in the work to see through your goals.

I agree with the OP that this sounds like someone who makes up the attrition rate or somebody that didn't attend the program at all. I would challenge those curious about the program to reach out to actual students. I did before I started with the school, and everyone is usually pretty happy to tell their experiences and give perspectives on the program.

New to SDN, but feel free to reach out to me if you have questions.

In addition, anyone can easily go online review Match data or, dare I say it, Google 🔎where Trinity grads have secured a residency. I think our grads secure some great opportunities. For those who are wondering, you could do that with any school.

 

[mesohappy]

trinity student here -

first exhaust all options. in my experience.
objective. observation. facts. events.

not to unduely bash the school

for prospective students' sakes, avoid trinity.

facade. advertising. consider the website as a storefront.

expect durations of uncertainty. absent leadership.

if no choice last resort. expect above.

administration disappears. students answer logistical inquiries independently.

[the majority of trinity] students [are routinely left with no choice but to] learn this after inconveniences arise.

a great opportunity for the last option.

if your last option do not expect clarity from higher ups. do not expect support.

know this going in. expect it. become comfortable with it

best of luck to you my friend

-mnm_n

I am a current student of Trinity. I am sad to hear that you have had so many complications. I know I have needed to reach out to people for some concerns that I have, but those I have reached out to have been really good about helping me directly or pointing me in the right direction. I think a lot of it is based on attitude and perspective. If you want a good experience you make it happen. Hoping those that have had struggles can reach out to the right people and get things figured out.

 

[TrinitySoMInsider]

I am a current student of Trinity. I am sad to hear that you have had so many complications. I know I have needed to reach out to people for some concerns that I have, but those I have reached out to have been really good about helping me directly or pointing me in the right direction. I think a lot of it is based on attitude and perspective. If you want a good experience you make it happen. Hoping those that have had struggles can reach out to the right people and get things figured out.

I'm glad your having a great experience, and this goes to show folks that you have to do the following no matter where you attend:

1. Be willing to ask for help when you need it.
2. Put in the work and utilize the resources available to you.

For example, I had a first term student I was working with contacted me this semester indicated he was struggled with this courses. I was surprised because he was a phenomenal student with a fantastic academic record and application. I immediately referred him to the Dean's Office and his Advisor. Unfortunately, I found out the student missed several advising appointments and didn't reply any of the emails his advisor sent him. We keep track of this data and have alert systems in place that inform us if a student is not doing well. We've made significant improvements in this area.

 

[Gastrapathy]

@TrinitySoMInsider Such deliberately misleading posts. Trying to search for match data on google is impossible as you know because there is no data on the denominator. We know you have the real numbers and choose not to share. We know why that is. So it’s simple:
# of students who matriculate per year group
# of students who graduate from that year group
# of students who match into prelim slots with no categorical program to follow from that year group
# of students who match into a categorical residency

Provide that data. Easily obtainable for any US school. We’re all holding our breath.

And the reason we care is that not providing it allows you to exploit young people for profit.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Also @mesohappy has to be a troll name right?

 

[member named member_name]

1. PDF attached - Trinity's accreditation status with CAAM-HP (the primary agency for which the NCFMEA comparability decision to LCME depends upon) - November 2020 update:
"The 2020 Progress Report from Trinity Medical Sciences University School of Medicine was presented to the CAAM-HP at its Annual General Meeting held November 18-19, 2020. The Authority considered and accepted the progress report Board but expressed disappointment at the absence of documentary evidence to support some of the claims made. The Authority was also concerned about the financial viability of the School, given its dependence on tuition fees solely, and requested audited financial statements for the past three years."


2. PDF attached - one of Trinity's advertising partners (Cardinal) laying out their targeted marketing approach with Trinity

"They turned to Cardinal for help in improving their yearly matriculations, while keeping their cost per lead down."

"Prior to partnering with us, Trinity’s site was not prominently displayed in search results...Our team worked both behind the scenes (with technical optimizations) and directly on Trinity’s site (with on-page content built around keywords) to improve rankings for these and other valuable keywords"

"Seeing as we had already developed a robust keyword list for Trinity’s SEO strategy, in order to shift those words toward a paid-search campaign, we had to compile a comprehensive negative keyword list...Negative keyword lists allow us to lower ad spend and CPC rates by ensuring our clients’ ads don’t appear in front of audiences who’d never become a qualified lead."

"These ads were designed to pre-qualify applicants – through the use of a Facebook form – in order to reduce Trinity’s cost-per lead."

 

[Prehealth1011]

Off topic but it’s also a little annoying to me that the school is named “Trinity school of medicine”. There’s a highly reputable established medical school in Ireland that goes by the same name. As if vulnerable premeds didn’t have enough to be confused with

 

[Gambino.]

Off topic but it’s also a little annoying to me that the school is named “Trinity school of medicine”. There’s a highly reputable established medical school in Ireland that goes by the same name. As if vulnerable premeds didn’t have enough to be confused with

Most do it on purpose to confuse students. Like half the schools have American university of... like it is technically in America but prospective students associate it with established US schools. There's also some called New York and even a Lincoln university lmao

 

[jazzmiller5]

Hi everyone,

I'm a first year student at Trinity School of Medicine and would love to answer any questions you might have as a prospective applicant!!

I think these AMA's are a great way to learn more about schools you're interested in applying to. I did extensive research on international/caribbean schools, I enjoyed getting current student opinions of their school by reading other AMA's, but there aren't many by Trinity students, so I'm happy to answer questions you might have about Trinity or attending international medical schools in general as well.

Just so we're clear, I'm not endorsed by the school and wasn't asked by Trinity to make these posts, I'm an actual student and have been on SDN for quite some time, so you can expect to get a real perspective on the school with no sugar coating.

Thanks for your time and I look forward to answering your questions as best as I can!

Not sure if you’ll see this, but what was your daily schedule like in the first two years? Was it as hard as you expected, how did you study?

 

[gyngyn]

Not sure if you’ll see this, but what was your daily schedule like in the first two years? Was it as hard as you expected, how did you study?

They haven't been heard from since last year.