AUC vs. SABA as a Canadian

[onedayyoumay]

SABA was my go to option because of how Canadian friendly it is, however, things seem to have changed.

I've heard the following:
- Changes in curriculum, a lot of self studying, high failing rates
- Loss of some good instructors
- Long mandatory class hours with no online lectures
- Switching their diploma from MD to the Netherland's equivalent MSc

AUC seems to be the better option right now, however, it doesn't seem as Canadian friendly and is significantly more expensive.

Can anyone weigh in?

Thanks in advance!

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[pms_testosterone]

What's your situation? Have you applied to Canadian med schools at least 5 times?

 

[concernedsponge]

What are your stats? MCAT? GPA?

 

[Medic_90x]

Neither.

 

[olabrador23]

SABA was my go to option because of how Canadian friendly it is, however, things seem to have changed.

I've heard the following:
- Changes in curriculum, a lot of self studying, high failing rates
- Loss of some good instructors
- Long mandatory class hours with no online lectures
- Switching their diploma from MD to the Netherland's equivalent MSc

AUC seems to be the better option right now, however, it doesn't seem as Canadian friendly and is significantly more expensive.

Can anyone weigh in?

Thanks in advance!

I was looking at Saba and MUA and heard the same things. Too many changes = too many uncertainty.

Carib should be your last option. But if you decided on Carib, Ross / St. George / AUC are the schools many recommending as safer bets. I have also talked to UMHS and its allumina and my impression is very excellent.

Anyway, you are probably aware that Step 1 might potentially go P/F as early as end of 2019 and throughout 2020. That could change how Carib students study and prep for residency in the States. It is better to wait to get more clarity on this matter before you are heading out imho.

 

[onedayyoumay]

I was looking at Saba and MUA and heard the same things. Too many changes = too many uncertainty.

Carib should be your last option. But if you decided on Carib, Ross / St. George / AUC are the schools many recommending as safer bets. I have also talked to UMHS and its allumina and my impression is very excellent.

Anyway, you are probably aware that Step 1 might potentially go P/F as early as end of 2019 and throughout 2020. That could change how Carib students study and prep for residency in the States. It is better to wait to get more clarity on this matter before you are heading out imho.

Thank you for the insight. How do you predict the Step 1 P/F system will affect carrib grads?

 

[olabrador23]

Thank you for the insight. How do you predict the Step 1 P/F system will affect carrib grads?

Traditionally, Step 1 score is the only thing that Carib grads have for residency application and they always pick the left-over of U.S. MD / DO anyway. With Step 1 P/F, my guess is that residency PD will go with what they know, which is usually the big 4, i.e., Ross, St. George, AUC, and Saba and also pick U.S. citizens over non-citizens when things are equal.

It would be even more important then for connections, networking, LORs, important / powerful people who would vouch for you.

From what I heard, Step 1 would probably go P/F first while Step 2 is still being scored, thus the only remained objective measure. There should be some time for the transition, so I would try to focus to ace Step 2 and bag this one as soon as Step 1 goes P/F and try to make it so fast to residency before Step 2 goes P/F too.

(soon probably the MCAT also goes P/F... If you are born to the wrong parents / families, then you will probably be screwed for life....lol)

 

[Gos81238ia]

SABA was my go to option because of how Canadian friendly it is, however, things seem to have changed.

I've heard the following:
- Changes in curriculum, a lot of self studying, high failing rates
- Loss of some good instructors
- Long mandatory class hours with no online lectures
- Switching their diploma from MD to the Netherland's equivalent MSc

AUC seems to be the better option right now, however, it doesn't seem as Canadian friendly and is significantly more expensive.

Can anyone weigh in?

Thanks in advance!

I have had friends in residency who went to SABA and AUC...AUC all the way. SABA will be out to get you during your time there. I heard an incredible amount of really messed up stories for things happening on SABA. Not the case for AUC.

 

[onedayyoumay]

Traditionally, Step 1 score is the only thing that Carib grads have for residency application and they always pick the left-over of U.S. MD / DO anyway. With Step 1 P/F, my guess is that residency PD will go with what they know, which is usually the big 4, i.e., Ross, St. George, AUC, and Saba and also pick U.S. citizens over non-citizens when things are equal.

It would be even more important then for connections, networking, LORs, important / powerful people who would vouch for you.

From what I heard, Step 1 would probably go P/F first while Step 2 is still being scored, thus the only remained objective measure. There should be some time for the transition, so I would try to focus to ace Step 2 and bag this one as soon as Step 1 goes P/F and try to make it so fast to residency before Step 2 goes P/F too.

(soon probably the MCAT also goes P/F... If you are born to the wrong parents / families, then you will probably be screwed for life....lol)

All of what you said seems pretty logical and within the realm of possibility. Will be an interesting next few years, that's for sure!

 

[onedayyoumay]

I have had friends in residency who went to SABA and AUC...AUC all the way. SABA will be out to get you during your time there. I heard an incredible amount of really messed up stories for things happening on SABA. Not the case for AUC.

Dang, that's one more nail in the coffin. Would you be able to share any specific stories?

 

[Gos81238ia]

Dang, that's one more nail in the coffin. Would you be able to share any specific stories?

School issues: Profs who don't speak English, only way to pass the exam is to cheat and find last year's copy, profs who were only at SABA to escape the feds after running drug mills in Florida, school purposely put less seats in second year and have to fail people out, cannot leave the island and start clinicals until you pass their Step 1 pre-test, "research" project that they grade for however long they want to try and delay your clinicals, trying to delay your rotations so you are a student longer and pay more tuition.

Island issues: Water shortages, food boat comes once a week, school taking away toilet paper of campus, dorms owned by drug dealers

Wish I was making that up, but that is all first hand from SABA alumni. Going to SABA would frankly be a risk with the amount of money you are investing in tuition.