withdrawal situation *911 response please!!*

[hopingMD]

I am in a situation where, I found out that my school is not accreddited by CA. Basically IAU told me they were going to get accreditted but never did, and are still in the process. I have decided to return back to California, to restart over and try to apply 2nd time around to DO schools, and top 4 in the caribbeans.

Is there a problem for the schools seeing that I withdrew? Should I not even mention about my attendance at IAU even though it was only for 2 semesters since it isn't recognized and I doubt a lot of schools know about it other than the caribbean schools? I've talked to SGU/AUC and such about my situation and they just told me the best bet is to reapply. so they never told me that I won't be able to apply since I withdrew. I am able to reapply there.

I was just wondering because I fell onto Indiana's Medical school page and saw this under their admissions, " Students who withdrew from previous medical school or have been dismissed cannot apply for our first year class program." Basically that means i won't be able to apply to their school at all if i WANTED to. But would they even know if I didn't put IAU on record on my application if it is not very well known of?

please reply ASAP! thank you so much!

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[RussianJoo]

if they did a background check which they probably do for everyone,(especially if you're not getting accepted straight out of undergrad) then they would find out without a problem. The fact that you failed to gain admission even at SGU once before tells me that chances of you gaining admission at a US school are slim to none. What has changed since your first application? How have you improved your application? If you lie you'll have to say you worked at some crappy job for a year and did nothing to improve your application thus making your application even weaker than before. But if you tell the truth and show them a transcript with all A's then it will strengthen your application but will eliminate you from the application process. the best bet might be to tell the truth and apply to SGU or AUC or Ross, they'll take you because you wouldn't be transfering and when you show them your transcript from IAU which they'll definitely ask for that will show them that you're capable of passing medical school classes and even possibly doing well in them if you got A's and B's. That would probably be enough to allow them to give you a chance at their school.

Whatever you do don't lie some how someone will find out and once you're caught you'll be in a lot more trouble then if you just told the truth in the first place. Also you're going to be a doctor, what kind of behavior is that? You're held to the highest of ethical standards if you break that you'll lose your patients, your license and any respect that people had for you.

 

[dragonfly99]

OP, I think worrying about Indiana U's admissions requirements is the least of your problems right now. I think the reason they have that on their web page is that the vast majority of folks who withdrew or were booted from a US medical school either flunked out or did something dishonest. I doubt if IU would consider the school you are in to be a medical school anyway, so you can't know how it would affect you if they found out that you attended there for 1 year. If your grades were OK, I think it would be neutral/have no effect.

I am confused about why you even enrolled in this Caribbean school (which I have never even heard of) if you want to practice in California and California does not recognize the school. I personally would recommend against anyone going to Caribbean schools except maybe 2-3 of them (and I would personally probably only go to St George, and then only if no US options).

Your plan of bailing out and trying for DO in the US sounds reasonable. You could also transfer to Ross or St George and Russianjoo suggests. That also sounds reasonable, and I don't know but I would think you'd have a good shot to get accepted there if your performance at your current school is OK. I hope you have a plan of what to do if/when you go back to the US (i.e. need to think about how you are going to live and support yourself, and/or move back in with family).

I can testify from personal experience that it is a challenge to get a medical license in California (even if you are a US grad like me) and they are serious about investigating your background. I would not worry about having been in a Caribbean school for a year if you end up in a US DO or MD school...the medical licensing boards will be unlikely to care as long as you didn't flunk out or get kicked out of your Caribbean school. What I am not sure about is whether having transferred from one Caribbean school to another would affect your licensing later (i.e. would the California medical board care that you did 1 year basic sciences at your first school and then the last 3 years of school @ another school?). I would try to get the answer to that question from SGU or Ross before you enroll there, if you do, and I would also confirm with the California medical board. In other words, don't just believe anything an admissions officer tells you, as you apparently did with the first school you enrolled in.

 

[howelljolly]

. What I am not sure about is whether having transferred from one Caribbean school to another would affect your licensing later (i.e. would the California medical board care that you did 1 year basic sciences at your first school and then the last 3 years of school @ another school?). I would try to get the answer to that question from SGU or Ross before you enroll there, if you do, and I would also confirm with the California medical board. In other words, don't just believe anything an admissions officer tells you, as you apparently did with the first school you enrolled in.

I'm wondering about this... so if anyone has any information...
How does transferring between Carribean schools affect your licensing? What if you transfer between basic sciences and clinicals?
What if you transfer within the basic sciences?

 

[RussianJoo]

Ohh you definitely can't transfer to SGU.. I might have not made that clear. I thought the OP was talking abotu starting over at another school not transfering.. I know for a fact SGU doesn't take transfers specifically for the reason that you won't be able to get licensed in states like Cali and someothers. You need to have completed all your training at SGU.

Sorry if I miss lead you OP I really thought you were talking about starting over, not transfering.. I heard that some US schools take transfers into their clinical years after you have taken step1, but most people that transfer out don't really transfer any credits but simply start all over.

 

[howelljolly]

Yes, you will need to start over again. You will not be able to transfer. And thats a fact.

But the question is, do you need to disclose all of the schools you've gone to. I suspect the answer is - yes. Though you haven't taken the Step1 yet, and so the ECFMG doesn't know which schools youve gone to yet, I can nearly guarantee that somebody knows. Every application you fill out for a medical school says that you must include ALL prior education.

If you are applying to another Carribean school, having gone to another one for a year shouldnt cause any problems, but as youve seen for a US school, it might.

 

[howelljolly]

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[howelljolly]

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