what do I need to take into consideration with foreign medical schools?

[Bevo]

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Just want a checklist of things I should be looking for, things I would need to check up on, etc.

I guess Im looking for in terms of education, preperation for USMLE and CSA?

Where we can do our clinicals? Residency posibilities, licensure?

Im just getting really confused on everything right now. And I think a lot of it is that most of what I read is my school is better than your school and having a hard time discerning the facts about each institution Ive looked at.

Im primarly interested in
SGU
Ross
AUC
SABA
Sackler
Ben Gurion

 

[Stephen Ewen]

Your feelings have been echoed a thousand times over by just as many folks. Perhaps what follows will help.

With this decision, as in so much else, it can be wise to sort of take a utilitarian approach:

Take all the things you are looking for in a school (the below could be incorporated), and assign them a numerical value. And then try to match the school to the things and value assignments you have put down.

--Placement in and locations of clinicals.

--USMLE track-record.

--Residency placement track-record.

--Price.

--Location.

--Quality and number of faculty.

--Quality of labs/facilities.

--Traditional or PBL (or both) curriculum.

--Size of the student body.

--Positive ethos/learning environment.

--Whether you might be "more unique" than most other American IMGs, by language acquisition, new cultural experience, etc.

--The happiness of the majority of students, and the absence of a sizable number of discontents who have had a stint through or are in the school.

--Reputation.

--Support services.

--____________________.

--____________________.

--____________________.

--____________________.

Etc.

This plan will give you a guide with which to research by. You will have to take the initiative to, as far as possible, find the info about the schools as represented by your evaluation criteria entries. This plan lays the matters out in a way that you can give value assignments to each factor. This plan helps clear through opinion and emphasizes objective criteria, though you might also put among the criteria one called something like "my subjective impression." And then, by coupling your research with your evaluation criteria and the value assignments you have made to them...you can best make an objective and informed decision!

Best wishes.

 

[jms2002]

Check out http://www.aaimg.com/misst.html

Especially "Factoids" and "Words of Wisdom"

be weary if a school is listed as not meeting their criteria

 

[Bevo]

Thanks for teh replies.

I have looked at that site. The Israeli schools I trust.

The caribbean schools I have looked at meet the requirements (SGU, AUC, SABA, ROSS).

Right now Im leaning towards SABA because of the small class sizes, but the only problem is that I couldn't get licensure in Texas coming from SABA.
The lady I spoke with at SABA said that a recent grad has hired a lawyer to address this issue, but who knows how long it will take.

I know that I wont be able to do any clinicals in Texas if I want to do a residency in Texas. I have looked at the websites and each school have alumni doing residencies in Texas, but not many.


Ross : all the clinicals in the US is a plus, but the class size is scaring me somewhat. I do like the shelf exam requirement though. I think it would me judge my progress and ability.

AUC : it seems like Ross. More americanized with tourist traps and what not. Not sure if I could get all my clinicals in teh US done in a timely manner if I went there. PLus I heard about students not attending class. Makes me wonder about the faculty and their quality.

SABA : Ive liked what Ive heard, except that it really is the bare essentials enviroment. It would probably do me a lot of good to be in an enviroment like that. A lot of my early academic troubles stemmed from my inability to seperate myself from my computer and my grades have gone up drastically since Ive been able to throw out my computer during the semester (the desktop one).

Im just worried about kicking myself out of being able to practice in my home state if I choose to do so.


Another thing is that I would like to be somewhere where there are jewish people, at least to celebrate the holidays with.

 

[skypilot]

Hi there, just wondering why you would go to SABA when SGU is considered the premier Caribbean school? Other than the high cost there seems to be little downside to SGU with excellent teaching, board pass rates, much better clinical sites and excellent residency placements this year including Radiology and Opthalmology and lots of Surgery.

 

[Bevo]

because honestly Im not sure I have the stats to even get in there.

I got a 2.46 undergrad gpa, 3.22 postbacc, 3.3 science gpa.
21 mcat which Im retaking this spring and will get a higher score provided I dont take melatonin the night before.

At this point Im thinking I might accept to go to a caribbean school and reapply/apply to schools again as a new student while I do my first year at some caribbean school. I dont mind losing the year of study if I can get into a US school. I know transfering out is nearly impossible and not worth the problem.

But i figure at worst I can rejected all over again, I wouldn't have waisted a year and will have done my first year of med school.

 

[skypilot]

You will get in somewhere. Good luck. I definitely wouldn't discount the value of getting a D.O. either. I really believe that if you can succeed at Ross, SGU, or SABA you will be fine. You will probably get into all three. Once you finish your residency no one will care where you went for med school.

 

[Bevo]

i actually prefer the DO schools. But I figure I probably wont get any interest frm them this year considering my state college, TCOM, didn't even invite me for an interview.

I wonder if anyone has tried todo what I would like todo next year.

As for foreign medical schools, I know the education wont be any different, Im worried about being able to practice in Texas in a city I would like to live in.

 

[skypilot]

My sister went for a masters degree in microbiology. All of a sudden all of the med schools were interested in her. If you feel like you can wait this will probably guarantee you admission to DO schools especially if you can raise your MCAT to at least a 25.

 

[ApacheIndian]

Out of the schools you mentioned in your original query, I would list them like this in order of preference:

1) SGU
2) Ross
3) AUC

I'd forget about the rest. In regard to "what you should look for," IMHO it's the school's Match lists--hands down... everything else is IMO irrelevant. This is your whole life on the line... choose carefully... good luck to you.