At what point does someone say, "Caribbean, here I come!!"?

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Originally posted by lawestside
Guys, the thread's original purpose was to provide advice on applying or defering Caribbean med schools. Bottom line is there are "some" top notch applicants at low tier med schools and "some" sub-par applicants at reputable med schools. The person is what makes the doctor. And that's what adcom looks at.
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I think this just about sums it all up. Excellent post, lawestside.
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Originally posted by idq1i
good job pulling that out of your a$$. Don'y know about you, but I had a 35Mcat, and 4 more medschool choice. Et tu?
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Ooooo....35 on the MCAT!!! You're so smart! You had a choice of 5 med schools! wow, you're my hero! Let me guess what schools they were: 1 harvard, 2 duke, 3 stanford, 4 UCSF, 5 NYMC

And you picked NYMC out of all of them because it was sooooo Gooooooood right?

FYI: NYMC: interviewed, accepted, declined....thanks but no thanks...I'm not Goooooooood enough for them..

As for Bio 101 and MCATs, you're joking right?
 
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Originally posted by DrBodacious
Skypilot always makes posts like this, did this in an MD v DO thread. How annoying.
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Whatever dude.
 
Originally posted by idq1i
You mention that there are alot of carribean-educated attendings in some US programs? Great, I'll be sure to avoid those places when applying for residency.
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What arrogance. An extremely large number of practicing physicians in the United States have been educated at medical schools outside of the US in places like India and China for example. These folks are outstanding doctors who are just as competent as any other doctors.

Just b/c your GPA or MCAT score isn't high enough to get you into an American med school, doesn't mean that you won't make a fantastic doctor.
 
BTW I could see going to the carribean over DO. DO = "dick out" to me. LOL not really I just thought of that though (golf joke for those who are offended). I was probably off with my earlier <27 and <3.3 specs for considering the carib. My point however was that if you take a year (or two) off and cant improve above those specs, you don't have a very good chance at MD so either go hollistic shmistic at a DO school or catch some skin cancer rays in the carib. Or try to get into a good grad program (chances are that will be tough w/o a good GPA though).

BTW, a doc from Ross came to an pre-med org meeting at our school and spoke about how the MCAT was all that held him back from on shore schools. He seemed very smart and recently finished an oncology residency.

LOL I didn't mean to be offensive to DO's, sorry if I was! ;)
 
Here is the real bottom line:
I have never heard a patient ask a doctor what med school he went to.
 
Originally posted by ForensicPath
Here is the real bottom line:
I have never heard a patient ask a doctor what med school he went to.
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You don't need to ask an orthopedic surgeon, ENT surgeon, dermatologist, etc... where they went because they ALL MOST ALL OF THE TIME went somewhere good. Either that or they were a one out of a gazillion genius and just wanted to catch some rays in the carib.
 
22.7% of practicing doctors in the US went to medical school outside of the United States.

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1550.html

Many are in primary care but a lot of them are not. Here is the distribution of IMG specialties:

Internal Medicine - 20.9% (32,242).

General/Family Practice - 9.8% (15,065).

Pediatrics - 9.3% (14,352).

Psychiatry - 7.0% (10,767).

Anesthesiology - 5.7% (8,826).

General Surgery - 5.2% (7,987).

Obstetrics/Gynecology - 4.6% (7,138).

Pathology - 3.5% (5,439).

Cardiovascular Diseases - 3.3% (5,024)

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/10275.html

Bottom line - a good doctor is a good doctor, regardless of where he/she graduates from.
 
Originally posted by BigRedPingpong
Ooooo....35 on the MCAT!!! You're so smart! You had a choice of 5 med schools! wow, you're my hero! Let me guess what schools they were: 1 harvard, 2 duke, 3 stanford, 4 UCSF, 5 NYMC

And you picked NYMC out of all of them because it was sooooo Gooooooood right?

FYI: NYMC: interviewed, accepted, declined....thanks but no thanks...I'm not Goooooooood enough for them..

As for Bio 101 and MCATs, you're joking right?
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Aaah yes, when you have nothing else to say, start making snide comments. Do you know where I was accepted?

I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve? Was it bio102? I only posted my MCAT score after it was impugned that I had lousy stats.

Anyway, all you people posting in defense of carribean schools and the people attending them:
I did not say that everyone attending those schools was stupid.

I did not compare or contrast US schools. However, even though most premeds probably believe that (fill in USNWR's "unbiased" top-ranked school) education is vastly superior to a school that falls out side that coveted list, I got news for you. IT ISN'T. Medical school is what you make of it. Yes. Harvard has a reputation, and lots of money. But guess what!! That money won't put the structure of the brachial plexus in your head. Do you know who will? You yourself will, on your own time. That reputation won't give a 250 on the boards either.

My problem with the carribean schools lies with the fact that while most college students diligently work at setting up the right credentials for medical schools, there are others that are either too lazy or too stupid to work hard. Who gets in? Both! Why? I guess I need to ask you, the defenders of mediocre performance.

And bigbaubdi, get hooked-on phonics. There is a difference between IMG and carribean grads (or at least there should be). If you had bothered to read my other post, you would have seen that I make the distinction
The only reasons that carribean schools exist is TO TAKE STUDENTS THAT CAN'T GET INTO US SCHOOLS = ie mediocre performers. Are they stupid? I don't know, but I never said they were. If I use a euphemism for mediocre, would it make you all feel better?
 
................all this drama over nothing............
 
BOTTOM LINE.... try your hardest to do the absolute best you can, otherwise you'll never know where you could have ended up... and besides, who is anyone else to tell you wether you should give up now or not?
 
Originally posted by idq1i
The only reasons that carribean schools exist is TO TAKE STUDENTS THAT CAN'T GET INTO US SCHOOLS = ie mediocre performers. Are they stupid? I don't know, but I never said they were. If I use a euphemism for mediocre, would it make you all feel better?
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My only rebuttal to this comment is that Boston University exists to take students who didn't get into Harvard too. Drexel exists to take students who couldn't get into Boston University.

The other thing to note is that SGU graduates are considered the "cream of the crop" among IMGs when it comes to landing competitive residencies. So an SGU graduate will often be considered before a graduate from other foreign countries.
 
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Fair enough on the 2nd comment

I think I'll stop posting in this thread. IMO, in our politically correct society, people are too intimidated to call things what they really are.

I also really loved how some hotshot-wannabes who have yet to start their education take shots at my school. I'm fine with it. I am where I wanted to be, and I am getting the education that I wanted to get. I had other choices, but I picked this school. If you think that you will get a different education at Harvard et al., go on thinking that. You will see the light soon enough.
 
Originally posted by idq1i
Fair enough on the 2nd comment
I also really loved how some hotshot-wannabes who have yet to start their education take shots at my school.
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You take shots and don't expect to get shot back at?

Originally posted by idq1i Aaah yes, when you have nothing else to say, start making snide comments. [/B]
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You make them, you should expect to get them.

Originally posted by idq1i I only posted my MCAT score after it was impugned that I had lousy stats.
[/B]
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Dude, great self reported scores. Care to share your GPA, UG institution, etc? Want an ad-a-boy? How bout a pat on the back?

Originally posted by idq1i If you think that you will get a different education at Harvard et al., go on thinking that [/B]
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So I guess Harvard= NYMC now? Give me a break... You should take some of your own advice...

Originally posted by idq1i people are too intimidated to call things what they really are. [ie NYMC = third tier trash back up school, borderline carib med school, diploma mill.
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This thread is pretty funny. Alright guys...just simmer down..let's just agree on certain absolutes.

First: SGU and **insert ANY caribbean school here** exists as a toilet for the AMA...all the students rejected from US allopathic schools can gladly pack up their tanning lotion and sunglasses and head out to the Caribbean to spend 4 lovely years learning how to be looked down upon by the graduates of AMA approved US allopathic schools. The AMA can dump out the rejects of US allopathic schools into the Caribbean diploma mill...The AMA just has to pinch its nose and flush.

Second: NYMC isn't really that bad of a school. Trust me...it could get MUCH worse. I.e.: Drexel, Temple (currently on the verge of losing accreditation altogether), Finch, Howard, and Meharry. I would say that Drexel, Meharry, and Finch would form the holy trinity of reject schools.

Personally, I think all US allopathic schools offer adequate training for any physician. I just pray that I won't have to pack up my beachball and tanning lotion anytime soon. The Caribbean is a GREAT place to vacation...but not a great place to receive a medical school education. Whenever I don't feel like studying...I just imagine myself boarding a flight from LAX to Grenada and saying goodbye to my friends and family. This thought usually prompts me to crack open the textbooks immediately. As one of my friends in O-chem told me in lab awhile ago..."Dude...you want to go to a MEDICAL SCHOOL...not a MEDIKAL SKOOL."
 
Originally posted by BigRedPingpong
You take shots and don't expect to get shot back at?

You make them, you should expect to get them.

Dude, great self reported scores. Care to share your GPA, UG institution, etc? Want an ad-a-boy? How bout a pat on the back?

So I guess Harvard= NYMC now? Give me a break... You should take some of your own advice...
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I took shots at the carribean establishments, not at you. You made it personal by insulting my school. Re-read your own damn post. I guess I hit too close to home, sorry.

If you click on "profile", you will see all my "stats". If yours are better, a virtual pat on the back for you. If you think that I lied about my score, that's your problem. I don't need approbation from "internet friends", and that's all I'll say

Learn to read - I didn't say Nymc = harvard. I said that if your second bible, usnwr says harvard>nymc, it doesn't mean you will learn more/better at harvard. As you will find out, learning is done by you, not by the rank of your school. Is that broken down enough, or should I go to flow diagrams?

Nymc is a trash, 3rd rate, backup school? Diploma mills? Haha. Ok. Glad I won't be running into you on campus.
 
Originally posted by BerkeleyPremed
head out to the Caribbean to spend 4 lovely years learning how to be looked down upon by the graduates of AMA approved US allopathic schools.
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Actually this thread got a few laughs. ;)

But it's not 4 years its only 2 since the second two years at SGU are spent in clinical rotations at ACGME accredited hospitals in New York City with other U.S. medical students.
 
I think i can offer objective :rolleyes: insight...

Caribbean schools have all the educational resources to make good doctors...... books, labs, libraries, etc etc. You WILL learn everything if you are diligent enough.

However, most of the students that go there really fukked up during their undergrad years, and they go into med school with the same bad study habits and what not.

the best caribbean schools do have standards. You must pass all parts of the USMLE to graduate. No pass, no grad. So I don't understand how they can be called "diploma mills." You can't just buy your M.D. As you see, it takes work...

so stop bashing on such schools, and start bashing schools like Meharry, which happens to have only a pass rate of 70%. That's even worse than SGU and Ross. :laugh:

What makes you a good doctor is the training you receive, and the knowledge that is in your head, and how well you apply all this on the job. This is regardless of where you went for medical school.
 
Wow, the arrogance some people display..

Look, the REAL bottom line is this: People from Caribbeans are passing the USMLE, a good portion from the better Carib schools are graduating with STELLAR USMLE scores and so far (for the top 3 Carib schools). So what does that mean? It means the US deems them to be competent to practice medicine, and in fact is telling a lot of them that they're scoring above average of those who took the test.

Let's face it, for the most part college is not all that difficult.. the premed classes are not hard at all. What MAKES it difficult are the circumstances of each individual.

People who go to the Caribbeans usually go one of two ways: They prove to themselves and others they have what it takes. They wash out.
 
something to keep in mind: many many of the caribbean school graduates come from california or some other state with no state school or very competitive state schools. these students may be just as qualified as many students from states like texas (no offense meant to you texans...) who can get into their state schools with more mediocre stats. these are also the students who probably make it through and end up eventually becoming docs in the u.s.
 
Originally posted by idq1i
Anyway, all you people posting in defense of carribean schools and the people attending them:
I did not say that everyone attending those schools was stupid.

I did not compare or contrast US schools. However, even though most premeds probably believe that (fill in USNWR's "unbiased" top-ranked school) education is vastly superior to a school that falls out side that coveted list, I got news for you. IT ISN'T. Medical school is what you make of it. Yes. Harvard has a reputation, and lots of money. But guess what!! That money won't put the structure of the brachial plexus in your head. Do you know who will? You yourself will, on your own time. That reputation won't give a 250 on the boards either.

My problem with the carribean schools lies with the fact that while most college students diligently work at setting up the right credentials for medical schools, there are others that are either too lazy or too stupid to work hard. Who gets in? Both! Why? I guess I need to ask you, the defenders of mediocre performance.

And bigbaubdi, get hooked-on phonics. There is a difference between IMG and carribean grads (or at least there should be). If you had bothered to read my other post, you would have seen that I make the distinction
The only reasons that carribean schools exist is TO TAKE STUDENTS THAT CAN'T GET INTO US SCHOOLS = ie mediocre performers. Are they stupid? I don't know, but I never said they were. If I use a euphemism for mediocre, would it make you all feel better?
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Hmmmm, you didn't say everyone who attended a caribbean med school is stupid? Maybe you should read YOUR OWN posts:

Originally posted by idq1i
You mention that there are alot of carribean-educated attendings in some US programs? Great, I'll be sure to avoid those places when applying for residency.
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But wait, I thought "medical school is what you make of it". Doesn't the same principle apply to SGU or Ross? No, it only applies to NYMC, the school that you are currently in.

But we could apply your twisted logic to your school, NYMC:

My problem with NYMC lies with the fact that while most college students diligently work at setting up the right credentials for top medical schools like Harvard and Hopkins, there are others that are either too lazy or too stupid to work hard.

But you wouldn't like this because you wouldn't want to be judged on something stupid like your undergrad GPA or something. However you are more than willing to pass judgment on ppl coming from SGU or Ross. Get off your high horse. There are great physicians who come out of SGU, just as there are great physicians who come out of NYMC and Harvard.
 
Geez, did I miss World War III?

Look, as I see it, there is no such thing as a bad U.S. Medical School. Drexel, Temple, Finch, Meharry are all U.S. Medical Schools and their students do land competitive residencies.

As Carribean schools go, I wouldn't go personally, but there are those who are desperate enough who would. Yet are those graduates deemed less qualified to practice medicine? I don't think so. What makes a good doctor is not where he got his degree from, but how he uses it. We all want to help humanity don't we?

Can't we all just get along?
 
Originally posted by bigbaubdi
Hmmmm, you didn't say everyone who attended a caribbean med school is stupid? Maybe you should read YOUR OWN posts:



But wait, I thought "medical school is what you make of it". Doesn't the same principle apply to SGU or Ross? No, it only applies to NYMC, the school that you are currently in.

But we could apply your twisted logic to your school, NYMC:

My problem with NYMC lies with the fact that while most college students diligently work at setting up the right credentials for top medical schools like Harvard and Hopkins, there are others that are either too lazy or too stupid to work hard.

But you wouldn't like this because you wouldn't want to be judged on something stupid like your undergrad GPA or something. However you are more than willing to pass judgment on ppl coming from SGU or Ross. Get off your high horse. There are great physicians who come out of SGU, just as there are great physicians who come out of NYMC and Harvard.
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As I said earlier, learn to read. I didn't claim that sgu people are stupid. I said that I had a problem with the carribean establishment.

If you insist on equating my school with the carribean, such is your prerogative
 
The truth of the matter is that not ALL qualified applicants are accepted to medical school. How many people with stellar stats, ECs, LORs don't get in? It's really a question of how badly you want to be a doctor.

If you've exhausted all the possibilities i.e. applying to medical schools, post-baccs, and/or Masters programs and STILL don't get in, and you seriously want to be a doctor, then I would say go.

I've heard that while it's easier to get into a Carib school than a US school, it's also harder to stay there.
 
I wonder how many of those "Joe Shmoe" MD's on the infomercials for diet pills, excercise equipment, etc. got thier degrees from the caribbean?
 
Mmm. Beer. With those little umbrellas. In the Caribbean.:love:
 
You can probably get Red Stripe a lot cheaper down there too. :D
 
Originally posted by lola
something to keep in mind: many many of the caribbean school graduates come from california or some other state with no state school or very competitive state schools. these students may be just as qualified as many students from states like texas (no offense meant to you texans...) who can get into their state schools with more mediocre stats. these are also the students who probably make it through and end up eventually becoming docs in the u.s.
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Lola i highly doubt that if a CA resident gets declined in all of the UCs they will flee to the Caribbean. Actually if you check the stats a lot of private universities and even state schools have a huge %of California residents. And no i am not just talking about the top -20 private med schools.
 
uc rejects from california won't flee to the caribbean if they are lucky enough to get into private schools elsewhere. however, had they been raised in a state like texas or vermont or some other state with low mcat/gpa averages for their state schools, they would get into their state schools. i think it is easier to get into certain state schools than it is to get into schools like nymc and drexel (especially if you are a resident of a state that has tons of qualified people applying to nymc, drexel, etc..).

anyway, maybe i'm a bit biased b/c i come from cali, but just b/c schools accept lots of cali residents does not mean that qualified cali residents don't have a harder time than qualified people from certain other states. i highly doubt a private school would fill its class with 100% california residents if they happened to be the most qualified applicants.
 
The biggest form of discrimination in med school applications is the state in which you are a resident.

If you are a resident of certain states you are going to get into an allopathic med school and become an MD even with a 24 on the MCAT.
 
Originally posted by skypilot
The biggest form of discrimination in med school applications is the state in which you are a resident.

If you are a resident of certain states you are going to get into an allopathic med school and become an MD even with a 24 on the MCAT.
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What states are those? You obviously can't be talking about new york.
 
States with med schools that accept students with LOWER avg MCATs and GPAs...if you were you a frat monkey in college, drank yourself into oblivion on the weekends, studied the night before for every exam, and let Jack Daniels destroy 50% of your brain cells...apply to the state schools in these states: Texas, Vermont, Hawaii, Kentucky, and Virginia.


States that have state schools that are nearly impossible to get into even if you have a 4.0, 40Z MCAT, found the cure for cancer in your free time, set up a non-profit organization to feed the children of Zimbabwe, triple majored in electrical engineering-computer science, molecular-cell biology, and comparitive literature, wrote the great American novel while sitting on the can one night, etc: #1 (untied): CALIFORNIA #2: New York
 
sucks11.jpg
 
Originally posted by Kashue
Geez, did I miss World War III?
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Hey you stole my line that I posted on another thread a few days ago :)

I think this is actually World War IV, Bro

BTW, I did hear stuff about Temple and Drexel, but is Meharry really that bad??
 
Originally posted by calebho501
Hey you stole my line that I posted on another thread a few days ago :)

I think this is actually World War IV, Bro

BTW, I did hear stuff about Temple and Drexel, but is Meharry really that bad??
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Hehe, ya I kinda did take that line didn't I =).

Hmm, I don't think Temple and Drexel are so bad (I applied to both and got interviews so maybe I'm biased) but if Meharry has a 70% passing rate on the boards then hmmm. ???
 
why are people so sensitive when it comes to supposedly trashing particular u.s. med schools, but think its funny to trash med schools in the caribbean or some other foreign site? im sure the students going to these schools arent laughing. so please, if you're going to laugh at something, dont be a hypocrite.
 
I'd go to dental school before I'd go to a carribean school. No offense to anyone, it is just that there is too much stigma assoc. w/ carribean schools.
 
Ha, Carribean Med schools,

U know what's funny about this entire things is that few months ago, I didn't even know they existed. It wasn't until last month that I walked into my Pre-med advisor's office and she said that "I should try a carribean school"........I looked at her kinda funny cause I had no idea what she was talking about. She looked down at my transcript (have like a 3.2, BME) (she's notorious for hating engineers) and asked if I had taken the mcats. I told her no and that I would be taking it in April. She looked up and said I may have a shot at a carribean school if I got a 30. (I've been studying for the MCAT for a while and latest avg. 36 - I didn't tell her this); just sat there and took it. Needless to say, she didn't like me much. It's just interesting that she recommended carribean schools right away and told me that I shouldn't really apply to med school in US.

I had no idea what to think of the whole situation and carribean med schools. It's just funny cause, the first time she mentioned it, I was like "sweet!, they have med schools in the carribean".
Good times! (ah, a time before SDN)
 
Originally posted by BerkeleyPremed



States that have state schools that are nearly impossible to get into even if you have a 4.0, 40Z MCAT, found the cure for cancer in your free time, set up a non-profit organization to feed the children of Zimbabwe, triple majored in electrical engineering-computer science, molecular-cell biology, and comparitive literature, wrote the great American novel while sitting on the can one night, etc: #1 (untied): CALIFORNIA #2: New York
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Doesn't California NOT HAVE state schools (medical)?
 
Originally posted by OnMyWayThere
Doesn't California NOT HAVE state schools (medical)?
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Well then UCLA, UCSF, UCSD, UC Davis, and UC Irvine are private schools??? ;)
 
Originally posted by BerkeleyPremed
States that have state schools that are nearly impossible to get into even if you have a 4.0, 40Z MCAT, found the cure for cancer in your free time, set up a non-profit organization to feed the children of Zimbabwe, triple majored in electrical engineering-computer science, molecular-cell biology, and comparitive literature, wrote the great American novel while sitting on the can one night, etc: #1 (untied): CALIFORNIA #2: New York
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Last I checked, the SUNY schools certainly didn't require a 4.0 and a 40. Perhaps you're mistaking the hallowed NYC schools (Columbia, MSSM, NYU, Cornell, AE) for state schools? I can see your argument about Cali, but it doesn't hold for almost any other other state.

tf
 
I'm curious.....who among you would choose a Caribbean school over a DO school, if circumstances forced you?
 
SUNY's would rather take an average to below-avg applicant from yale undergrad than an above average applicant from another SUNY. they want the big names to show off, and the out-of-staters for the money. this is why i have been looked over.
you think my own SUNY would give me a break!
 
Originally posted by Chrisobean
SUNY's would rather take an average to below-avg applicant from yale undergrad than an above average applicant from another SUNY. they want the big names to show off, and the out-of-staters for the money. this is why i have been looked over.
you think my own SUNY would give me a break!
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Yeah, no break from the SUNYs here either. 2 rejections and 2 holds.
 
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