I'm a 4th year student in the Ben Gurion program. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have:
[email protected].
As always, Dr. Cox's response is cogent and balanced and worthy of consideration. In general, I'd say I don't fully agree with it, however. For one, she is correct that there are a number of schools with some form of affiliation to prestigious universities (Kigezi U rents space at Cambridge), but our affiliation with Columbia truly does open doors. Specifically, we get first pick of Columbia clerkships after Columbia students themselves. This gives us the opportunity to pick up very strong and valuable recommendations. The collaboration does aid in residency interviews, etc as well. Be adivised, we are NOT Columbia students and our admission standards are slightly less stringent (surprisingly close, tho), but the collaboration is genuine and helpful.
I can agree with Dr. Cox's characterization about how international health cirriculum isn't all that important to med school. But the opportunity to live outside the US - more specifically, if you are white, to live as a distinct minority - is priceless in my opinion. And by living, I don't mean a tour through Europe for a month, or a semester abroad. I mean living. Learning the language. Being afraid in an uncertain and strange environment. Feeling lost and alone and forgotten. These are all the things most patients feel in the hospital. You can relate to patients intellectually, or you can relate to them emotionally. Simply put, after an experience like this one, you are more inclined toward the latter. Relating to a patient emotionally, in my opinion, unequivocally makes a better doctor.
I despised myself when my entire life perspective was constrained to my expreience as an American, in America. Not that I despise all Americans who haven't lived overseas. I just know that in my life, nothing has had a more profound impact on me...except my marriage and kids. Furthermore, no training is more demanding and limiting than medical school/residency. Few people can work in a semester abroad during undergrad. Even less find the energy to set up a overseas clerkship during their 4th year of medical school. During residency, you MAY get a month of elective time to go abroad if you're lucky. But in essence, you're GROUNDED for 11 or more years of your life. So, if you're going to live overseas anytime in your youth, now is the time to do it. You'll be in mid-life when you have the opportunity again.
All that being said, the residency thing is always there. You just won't get an ENT or optho residency coming from our program. At least, no one has yet...although basically nobody from here has even tried, even though plenty of our students were in the 99th on the MLE's and all that. In general, though, our students get their top choice of residency. Few scramble. None have not found a spot during the scramble. It should be remembered that students come here not entirely because they couldn't get in elsewhere. UWashington, Georgetown, Einstein, UColorado, SUNY and lots of others have been turned down by students for our program.
For the right kind of person, this is really a special program. For others, this just isn't where they should go. But apps are going waay up as word gets out that our residency spots are impressive and as our students make a strong impression on programs in the US. In the end, all I can say is that I'd do it again without hesitation.
Geoff
