Caribbean Medical School or US Physician Assistant Program

[catcocch]

Hey all,

Would you recommend Caribbean medical school (SGU, ROSS, AUC, SABA) or a US PA Program?

A little info regarding my specific circumstances: I graduated with a BA Psych and Minor Bio (bioI/II, chem I/II, anatomy, physio, neuroscience, invert zoo, vert zoo, pharmacol) with a 3.95 cumulative GPA, 4.0 major (in 2015 from a university in FL). I have not taken Orgo/physics yet (nor do I have micro which is necessary for most PA programs). My established GRE (315) score can get me into most PA programs.

I may be able to pull off a decent score on the MCAT (enough for DO) but I'm not quite sure since my focus was never on getting into medicine. Interests would be IM or psych.

Let me know your thoughts,
Thanks

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[mw18]

Nobody will recommend Caribbean. So if those are the only two options, then do PA school. You have the grades for med school, and you can take orgo/physics and then play catch up on the mcat if you wanted to do well and then apply. But I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who wasn't truly dedicated to it. It's ton of work and a long path. If you will be happy as a PA, then do that. But American med schools should be your only other consideration, and they're not out of contention.

 

[bedevilled ben]

Hey all,

Would you recommend Caribbean medical school (SGU, ROSS, AUC, SABA) or a US PA Program?

A little info regarding my specific circumstances: I graduated with a BA Psych and Minor Bio (bioI/II, chem I/II, anatomy, physio, neuroscience, invert zoo, vert zoo, pharmacol) with a 3.95 cumulative GPA, 4.0 major (in 2015 from a university in FL). I have not taken Orgo/physics yet (nor do I have micro which is necessary for most PA programs). My established GRE (315) score can get me into most PA programs.

I may be able to pull off a decent score on the MCAT (enough for DO) but I'm not quite sure since my focus was never on getting into medicine. Interests would be IM or psych.

Let me know your thoughts,
Thanks

My advice would be to figure out which one you want to be first, and then worry about how to get there. They fill different roles and offer very different lifestyles. You're already on the right track for either of them, and if you end up wanting to do a USDO/MD program, the extra few months of studying for the MCAT/Orgo shouldn't really deter you from an 8-9 year commitment. Just don't take the MCAT until you've had time to properly prepare and take some practice tests.

 

[Skip Intro]

My wife is a PA. Her autonomy = zero. Her boss (ortho surgeon) could not function without her. He knows it. She knows it. Still won't pay her what she's worth. I've begged her to quit and find something else. She won't. So, like a good husband, I let it go and now just listen to her complain and try to sympathize.

N=1

-Skip

 

[catcocch]

My wife is a PA. Her autonomy = zero. Her boss (ortho surgeon) could not function without her. He knows it. She knows it. Still won't pay her what she's worth. I've begged her to quit and find something else. She won't. So, like a good husband, I let it go and now just listen to her complain and try to sympathize.

N=1

-Skip

Skip,
I've seen you post a lot on the Caribbean threads going back several years, albeit I can't remember exactly what was said (especially as of 2016) - which is why I'll ask whether or not you think Caribbean is currently a viable option for someone willing to dedicate the effort to do well? (seems hypocritical of me considering I've 'neglected US MD', I know, but lets consider everything).

I've been considering that locums PA may also be an advantageous choice as far as pay goes for mid levels (physicians as well).

**Edit: Just read your 'what category are you in post' which was insightful. Still not completely sure how match rates are doing as of '16 (websites seem vague)

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Skip,
I've seen you post a lot on the Caribbean threads going back several years, albeit I can't remember exactly what was said (especially as of 2016) - which is why I'll ask whether or not you think Caribbean is currently a viable option for someone willing to dedicate the effort to do well? (seems hypocritical of me considering I've 'neglected US MD', I know, but lets consider everything).

I've been considering that locums PA may also be an advantageous choice as far as pay goes for mid levels (physicians as well).

Why would you NOT consider US MD or DO schools? Why immediately jump to considering Caribbean schools? Your GPA is not an issue according to your post. Finish your prereqs and see how the MCAT goes.

 

[Skip Intro]

Personally, the only way I would reconsider Caribbean at this point is if I was still in the position I was in back in 2001: over the age of 30 and some kind of prior medical background.

-Skip

 

[npappasan]

Interesting question. Do you want to be a physician or a PA?

 

[gyngyn]

I met a PA student who has an MD from SGU.
She started after not matching for a few cycles.

 

[PossibleDOC?]

I met a PA student who has an MD from SGU.
She started after not matching for a few cycles.

Wow thats horrible, what was she trying to match in?

 

[gyngyn]

Wow thats horrible, what was she trying to match in?

Anything.

 

[FutureDO2016]

I thought PA schools don't accept students that couldn't finish medical school or didn't match in the Caribbean....would PA schools consider students that were dismissed for leaving on-call early or failing out of med. school?

Obviously, you would have to explore PA as a field, shadow PAs and learn more about the profession as it's not the same as a physician (DO or MD) but the science/medicine is the same.

 

[spudbunny]

Personally, the only way I would reconsider Caribbean at this point is if I was still in the position I was in back in 2001: over the age of 30 and some kind of prior medical background.

-Skip

May I ask why you would recommend the Caribbean only for > 30 years of age and some kind of prior medical background? Are there a certain type of health care professionals that seem to do better at achieving residency/succeeding in didactics? Also, how many years of experience do you think someone needs as a health care professional before considering this route?

 

[mcat_taker]

May I ask why you would recommend the Caribbean only for > 30 years of age and some kind of prior medical background? Are there a certain type of health care professionals that seem to do better at achieving residency/succeeding in didactics? Also, how many years of experience do you think someone needs as a health care professional before considering this route?

Because when you are 22-23 out of college you have plenty of years to try and improve your application via retakes, postbacs, another shot at the MCAT, retooling your CV before needing to commit to the Caribbean. Especially since the average age of matriculants is like 24-26? When you are 30+ you are worried about debt accumulation vs years left of working as a doctor (so loss of earning potential the later you start practicing), and there is more need to get your life started, gf, wife, kids, etc.

Because the attrition rate is high in Caribbean schools, it is easier to keep pace with the material if you have a prior biomedical science background- it makes it easier in didactics if you've seen the information before. If you were an english major and have never seen any of this stuff before, you will need to work that much harder.