Xavier University (Aruba) Questions

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Maka86

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I recently got accepted into Xavier University but am having trouble finding out if this school will provide me with the necessary knowledge and quality of education as compared to other more, well known Carribean schools such as SGU or Ross.

I'm having iffy feelings about actually going to attend this school as they did not requite MCAT scores and the interview was done by phone.

Has anyone graduated from here or have any info on this school?

Thanks

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www.valuemd.com

and to your question, NO, go for SGU, ROss, Saba or AUC.
 
You really should not even consider going to this school until you have exhausted every option in the U.S. for an M.D. and all of the big 4 Carib schools (Ross, St. George, Saba, and AUC).

People will have differing opinions as to whether or not you should even go to the "big 4" if you can obtain entry into an osteopathic medical school in the U.S.

There are 3 factors you need to seriously consider:
(1) is your ability to match (at all) into a residency after you graduate.
(2) is your legal ability to get a residency or to practice in the U.S. after you graduate.
(3) your ability to specialize

With regards to (1), here are this years statistics for those graduates who attempted to match into a residency but were unsuccessful:
US-educated MD's: 6.9 % of those applying (last yr 5.8)
Previous graduates of MD programs: 55.4% of those applying(56%)
D.O. graduates: 30.1% of those applying (28.4%)
Canadian-educated MD's: 28.6% of those applying (28.8%)
5th pathway applicants: 61.3% of those applying (51%)
US Citizen FMGs: 52.2% of those applying (48.1%)
Non US Citizen FMGs: 58.4% of those applying (57.6%)
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Total applicants Unmatched: 28.6% of those applying (last yr was 27.1%)

So, assuming you are a U.S. citizen, the group you least want to be in, is the FMG's. Some FMG's apply several years in a row before obtaining a residency. Also, keep in mind that the 48.8% of US-FMG's who did get residencies weren't all evenly distributed among foreign schools--those from the most reputable schools are going to match at a signficantly higher rate than those from the least reputable--US graduates from Bologna, Cambridge and Sorbonne, almost certainly match at a ratefar higher than 48.8%, and there are plenty of bilingual and dual-citizenship Americans who do go to Europe of a cheaper education in spite of the matching difficulties. Adding to the already disheartening stats for Carib-FMG's trying to match is the fact that by the time YOU graduate from med school, there will be 2 (or 3?)other U.S. D.O. programs and 4 other M.D. programs competing for spots (right now they haven't yet graduated their first classes). And although many schools will tell you that residency spots will be generated to compensate, it is unlikely they will be generated at a pace fast enough to keep the match from becoming more competitive and squeezing out more FMG's.

(2) Depending on your school, there are some states in which you may never be allowed to practice. California is the strictest state for licensure. Xavier is currently "accepted" as a school from which you can graduate and become a licensed, practicing physician in the state of California. There are 10 to 15 other states that follow California's list of licensed schools...you can't practice in those states either (I think some of them include Kansas, Alaska, Illinois, Pennsylvania). NY and Florida are also very restrictive. The only 4 Carib schools who can practice in Ca are the "big 4."

(3) Due to their difficulty matching, many FMG's find that they can't match unless they match into Family Medicine. If you want to do a competitive specialty, you will have an *even* harder time.

If, after you understand all of these aspects, you think it is worth it to spend all of this money, and possibly never be able to practice anywhere b/c you never get a residency...then go to Xavier. Many Carib schools cite match rates ~50% of graduates get a residency w/in 5 yrs of graduation!
 
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I have a friend at SGU right now, and she is doing a year of study in England, which is awesome!

As far as other carribean schools, you have to do a lot of research and know what you are getting, but also know that you can still get where you want to go if you work really really hard... I shadowed a medical oncologist who went to CETEC in República Dominicana (yes, the school accused of selling degrees). He went on to do his residency at a very respectable US allo school and is doing very very well now. Aside from the fact that he is probably the smartest person I have ever met (he didn't know spanish going in and managed to not only learn it well, but to also learn most of his material in med school and take most of his exams in it..) he worked very hard. This decision, like most important things in life, takes careful consideration but also an understanding that it is largely what you make of it. Good luck :luck:
 
The year in England while studying with SGU is a special program that not everybody can just elect to do. I wouldn't sell SGU in that regard. After you're done with the year in England you go to SGU and slog through the same problems everybody else has with that school.

And yes, you can do well after going to the Carib for school and outside of the Big 4, but it is the exception, not the rule. Buyer beware.
 
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