PLEASE Help! SGU vs Ross?? 2015

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Which should I attend?

  • St. Georges

    Votes: 73 65.2%
  • Ross

    Votes: 22 19.6%
  • AUC

    Votes: 12 10.7%
  • UMHS

    Votes: 5 4.5%

  • Total voters
    112
@Royaldoctor Don't listen to the negativity, as long as you work your butt off you will be successful regardless of what you do. People told me similar things four years ago when I decided to go to a Caribbean school. (3.41 GPA, 28 MCAT; multiple US DO/MD rejections).

I ended up doing very well in the Caribbean, came back and rocked my clinicals in the states. Got well above average on my USMLE's, and got way more interviews than I expected. (34 interviews out of 51 applications)

I won't say that it was the easiest route, and I will say that a lot of people I knew didn't make it. Caribbean schools don't hold your hands, and they are definitely for profit. If you fail out, they won't care...but the education is there if you want it. Just like anything in life, you have to work hard to be successful.

People are going to call me a Caribbean fanboy or something, but I consider myself a success story and nothing more. as long as you put your mind to it, you can be successful wherever you go. Don't let anyone, including people on this forum, tell you that you can't succeed at anything. The fact of the matter is, once you're in residency nobody cares where you graduated from.

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@Royaldoctor Don't listen to the negativity, as long as you work your butt off you will be successful regardless of what you do. People told me similar things four years ago when I decided to go to a Caribbean school. (3.41 GPA, 28 MCAT; multiple US DO/MD rejections).

I ended up doing very well in the Caribbean, came back and rocked my clinicals in the states. Got well above average on my USMLE's, and got way more interviews than I expected. (34 interviews out of 51 applications)

I won't say that it was the easiest route, and I will say that a lot of people I knew didn't make it. Caribbean schools don't hold your hands, and they are definitely for profit. If you fail out, they won't care...but the education is there if you want it. Just like anything in life, you have to work hard to be successful.

People are going to call me a Caribbean fanboy or something, but I consider myself a success story and nothing more. as long as you put your mind to it, you can be successful wherever you go. Don't let anyone, including people on this forum, tell you that you can't succeed at anything. The fact of the matter is, once you're in residency nobody cares where you graduated from.

I think your case is different than many people who go to the caribbean. You had a 28 MCAT, which isnt great but should have been good enough to get into either a low tier MD or DO school. You probably didnt get in because of some bs factor that med schools use to narrow down the sea of applicants they have. So you were a decent bet to survive the attrition and score decently on the USMLE's going in. A lot of people are going to be at a wildy different starting point when they decide to go to a caribbean school. Also when did you graduate and what specialty did you match? Congrats btw.
 
I've heard the best things from SGU and SABA with SGU being more expensive and SABA being cheaper. If you can afford it though, SGU, if there had to be a "best Caribbean school" in most people's minds it would probably be SGU.
 
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There are plenty of people's stories you can read in which impatience cost them dearly and they wished they had gone to DO school. SGU can be your gateway to a lifetime of debt that you have no chance of ever paying back, followed by a tax bomb that wipes out your retirement savings after it is forgiven s/p 30 years of interest. Don't do eet unless you are willing to possibly ruin, and I mean completely ruin, your life.

300-400k in nondischargeable debt is no joke. If you're 25, and it were forgiven when you were 59 after not matching and getting a job that pays 50k a year (being generous there as an MD grad with no other skills), you would pay 5k on a 350k loan that will accrue, based on future projections of loan interest rates, roughly 8.2% a year in interest (future loan rates are likely to hit near 10% within 4 years, and are unsubsidized). Using these numbers, you'll end up with well over 3 million dollars in debt when your loan is forgiven. When this loan is forgiven, you will owe taxes as if the forgiveness amount were income. This results in a seven figure tax bill to the IRS. The IRS can take anything from you, including your retirement accounts, which would leave you completely bankrupt with your retirement funds raided and likely no social security at 59 years old. If you're married, your assets are shared, so everything your wife owns is up for the taking as well. So if you're willing to be completely destitute care of an IRS reaming at the age of 59, feel free to go to SGU, as your chances of matching 4 years down the line will probably be 50% or lower (if you successfully compete your degree). If not, I'd highly recommend you give DO schools a shot after retaking the MCAT.
Hello MadJack,
are you sure about you have to pay interest to IRS after 25 years of Income-based repayment plan repayment? If so, do you know the interest ( is that like 10%, 15% or 25% of the loan forgiveness? I never know anything of this; and now I am scared. I thought you just have to pay 25 years consecutively and whatever you owed left will be forgiven. I am in first year D.O. school now as a 2nd degree; as a result, I estimate to owe about 650k by the time I finish D.O. school ( I am pretty sure I will match). I initially thought I just pay them 25 years and the rest will be forgiven; but now I am not sure how much in back-tax I will owe after 25 years paying.
 
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Hello MadJack,
are you sure about you have to pay interest to IRS after 25 years of Income-based repayment plan repayment? If so, do you know the interest ( is that like 10%, 15% or 25% of the loan forgiveness? I never know anything of this; and now I am scared. I thought you just have to pay 25 years consecutively and whatever you owed left will be forgiven. I am in first year D.O. school now as a 2nd degree; as a result, I estimate to owe about 650k by the time I finish D.O. school ( I am pretty sure I will match). I initially thought I just pay them 25 years and the rest will be forgiven; but now I am not sure how much in back-tax I will owe after 25 years paying.
You don't pay interest, you get taxed as if the amount forgiven were income. So, say they forgive 400k, you get taxed as if you earned your income plus 400k, which would largely depend on how much you were earning at the time but likely amount to an income tax of 40%ish.
 
You don't pay interest, you get taxed as if the amount forgiven were income. So, say they forgive 400k, you get taxed as if you earned your income plus 400k, which would largely depend on how much you were earning at the time but likely amount to an income tax of 40%ish.
Hello again,
So I would make 150k a year (family doctor), and they would forgive 650k that same year. Then I would have to pay as if I make (150k+650k)= 800k that year. Then at 30% income tax, I would owe 240k in tax that year. Is that true? I don't have 24ok in cash to pay the IRS, (I barely cover the interest each year)
 
Hello again,
So I would make 150k a year (family doctor), and they would forgive 650k that same year. Then I would have to pay as if I make (150k+650k)= 800k that year. Then at 30% income tax, I would owe 240k in tax that year. Is that true? I don't have 24ok in cash to pay the IRS, (I barely cover the interest each year)
Yep, that's how it currently works. And the IRS doesn't forgive, nor do they forget. So basically the tax bomb is there waiting to wipe out your life's savings or whatever if you let your loans balloon too much.
 
Yep, that's how it currently works. And the IRS doesn't forgive, nor do they forget. So basically the tax bomb is there waiting to wipe out your life's savings or whatever if you let your loans balloon too much.
Can I just pay using IBR even after 25 year for the rest of my life until I die instead of receiving loan forgiveness. Do I still have to pay the back-tax even after I die? I mean will they go after my life insurance or home that I reserve for my family after I die? thanks
 
Hello MadJack,
are you sure about you have to pay interest to IRS after 25 years of Income-based repayment plan repayment? If so, do you know the interest ( is that like 10%, 15% or 25% of the loan forgiveness? I never know anything of this; and now I am scared. I thought you just have to pay 25 years consecutively and whatever you owed left will be forgiven. I am in first year D.O. school now as a 2nd degree; as a result, I estimate to owe about 650k by the time I finish D.O. school ( I am pretty sure I will match). I initially thought I just pay them 25 years and the rest will be forgiven; but now I am not sure how much in back-tax I will owe after 25 years paying.
I've gotta know, how the heck did you get the 650k figure? Undergrad debt? There's no DO school in the country that should land you in that much, not even CCOM...
 
I've gotta know, how the heck did you get the 650k figure? Undergrad debt? There's no DO school in the country that should land you in that much, not even CCOM...
I got old education debt from another school. Did not think clearly though. Anyway, from the article you sent, before my loan forgiveness, can I just gift all my asset to my spouse? that would increase my liability, thus I will not have to pay the tax on loan forgiveness?
 
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I got old education debt from another school. Did not think clearly though. Anyway, from the article you sent, before my loan forgiveness, can I just gift all my asset to my spouse? that would increase my liability, thus I will not have to pay the tax on loan forgiveness?
You'll have to consult a tax attorney. Generally your spouse and your assets are considered one. You can only transfer a certain amount of assets to a non-spouse without them hitting the gift tax (10k per year), so not being married doesn't work either, as your wealth transfer would hit the gift tax AND be examined for whether it was a genuine transfer (possibly resulting in you being doubly taxed). I'd strongly recommend paying down your debt as quickly and reasonably as possible, or signing up for the military or one of the other government scholarship programs, as 650k is a pretty insane sum to handle, given the way interest rates are headed.
 
The problem is that I just started first year DO school, and I don't have time to work. I tried to work during the holiday but that is about it; and I barely made enough to support my family and pay for the mortgage. I guess my best chance is that I have to make sure that my net-worth is less than 650k (plus interest) 32 years from now to avoid the tax.
 
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The problem is that I just started first year DO school, and I don't have time to work. I tried to work during the holiday but that is about it; and I barely made enough to support my family and pay for the mortgage. I guess my best chance is that I have to make sure that my net-worth is less than 650k (plus interest) 32 years from now to avoid the tax.

Or maybe just making higher payments when you get a real attending job and pay off your debt...
 
Glad to hear you are doing well in SGU. I heard the same anti-carib opinions when I was about to start 8 years ago and it almost stopped me from applying. Glad I decided to go through with it. I prematched, finished residency and am currently practicing. Good luck!
 
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Your plan sounds confuzzled. Let's assume that you owe 650K at the end of all of school. You'll IBR in residency for 3 years. Let's assume you still owe 650K at 7% when you get a doc job. You'll no longer qualify for IBR -- you'll make way too much money. You'll probably have a gross salary of $15K per month. Paying the 650K back over 25 years is $4600 per month, so you should be able to afford to pay the loan back. Will it be fun? No. Will it get in the way of getting a mortgage, paying for life stuff? Yes. But moonlight some and you can help, or perhaps your spouse will have some income. And if you can swing it you can pay the loan back faster (i.e. live cheaply) it will be much less expensive re:interest.
 
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Your plan sounds confuzzled. Let's assume that you owe 650K at the end of all of school. You'll IBR in residency for 3 years. Let's assume you still owe 650K at 7% when you get a doc job. You'll no longer qualify for IBR -- you'll make way too much money. You'll probably have a gross salary of $15K per month. Paying the 650K back over 25 years is $4600 per month, so you should be able to afford to pay the loan back. Will it be fun? No. Will it get in the way of getting a mortgage, paying for life stuff? Yes. But moonlight some and you can help, or perhaps your spouse will have some income. And if you can swing it you can pay the loan back faster (i.e. live cheaply) it will be much less expensive re:interest.
Dear Doctor, 650k with 7% interest would be about 45k interest a year alone or about 3800$ a month. Even with 15k a month, after tax, it will take home close to 10k a month. My mortgage is about 2200$ a month, and that will not even count the property tax of about 500$ a month. I doubt I will be even able to pay for the interest alone each month.
 
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Hello one, Hello all! I'm back! Finished the "dreaded" combined term 3/4 at St. George's University. I've been posting my story since I first entered SGU in January 2015. It's a story of progression, a story that details my experiences and growth at SGU and especially the fact that YES, you can definitely become successful from a Caribbean medical school. I recently shadowed my roommates' father who is an Interventional Cardiologist at his hospital. There I met another Interventional Cardiologist, from guess where? No, not SGU, but from St. Martin medical school. This doctor is big time. He told me to keep pushing and that my mind is what'll take me places, especially since I am in the uphill battle of attending SGU.

Well, that placed aside, term 3/4 was similar to what they say, but also very different. Similar in the sense that, yes, it's a **** ton of work; but different in the sense that, no, Pathology is not as hard as people hype it up to be. Term 3 is our "easy term," just behavioral science, hence the phrase, "Term Free." Everyone just relaxed most of the 6 week term, they found hobbies like scuba diving or professional beach bums, and the upper termers will tell you, "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts." Boy there were not kidding. Once term 4 began, we had Micro and Path, sprinkle in a 1-unit Nutrition, and a CPD (talking with patients) course and there's the recipe for our 6.5 month term. It's just ****ing busy. Busy busy busy. Mon-Fri we had leture 8am-noon, and labs from 1-5pm. Micro is similar studying to term-2 Genetics/Immuno, just memorize. Dirty memorize or watch Sketchy Micro. Pathology, just...****. It's not that the information is hard to grasp, it's just dense. They would give a vignette pertaining to a certain disease, we'd have come up with diagnose within the stem, then the question would ask for a complication/etiology/pathogenesis/etc. of that disease. Basically, everything goes. Just sit down everyday and read, this is a class you do not want to fall behind in. I did fairly well in all my courses, although I did go through a tough breakup with my long time girlfriend, it definitely taught me to cancel out and separate my personal from professional life. A few of my friends did not make it through the term for that exact reason. So make sure you remain focused, keep your eyes on the prize.

Ever since term-1 I've been showing SDN my motivation to succeed and anyone else who has been following my posts throughout the years now sees me on the verge of rotations. Since I began as a January 2015 student, I finish my last term on the Island this December (2016) and begin rotations the next cycle. It's exciting! We're making this happen, and the more I've focused in on my own abilities, the less anyone elses opinion's have mattered. "Why go to a Caribbean Medical school?" Because my grades were **** as an undergrad and I needed an alternate route. I knew I could make it but made a few mistakes in my early 20's. I completed the Post-bacc in Boston, did some Research in breast cancer for Harvard Medical School, then found my way to Grenada at SGU. Times are good because Where there's a will there's a way. Now I only hear the success stories from my school, not the contrary. I feel the success in my heart with each passing term. Not just passing, but maintaining a great GPA and preparing for the Steps. I feel ready. I feel prepared to become a doctor. I'm ready for rotations and moreover, ready to take control of my career and not the opposite. Everyone, "Where there's a will, There's a way." Keep your drive alive, keep your will to survive, keep your motivation with no hesitation to kill every term and thrive. Get to it, you're the next one to become successful.

#DontBelieveMeJustWatch
 
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Great story, Zedd. Keep up the great work!

-Skip
 
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Hello one, Hello all! I'm back! Finished the "dreaded" combined term 3/4 at St. George's University...

#DontBelieveMeJustWatch

Well-frelling-done. Enjoy your break!
 
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Zedd, thanks for returning with updates! Please, keep them up even after 5th term (which I think started this week???)
 
Hello one, Hello all! I'm back! Finished the "dreaded" combined term 3/4 at St. George's University. I've been posting my story since I first entered SGU in January 2015. It's a story of progression, a story that details my experiences and growth at SGU and especially the fact that YES, you can definitely become successful from a Caribbean medical school. I recently shadowed my roommates' father who is an Interventional Cardiologist at his hospital. There I met another Interventional Cardiologist, from guess where? No, not SGU, but from St. Martin medical school. This doctor is big time. He told me to keep pushing and that my mind is what'll take me places, especially since I am in the uphill battle of attending SGU.

Well, that placed aside, term 3/4 was similar to what they say, but also very different. Similar in the sense that, yes, it's a **** ton of work; but different in the sense that, no, Pathology is not as hard as people hype it up to be. Term 3 is our "easy term," just behavioral science, hence the phrase, "Term Free." Everyone just relaxed most of the 6 week term, they found hobbies like scuba diving or professional beach bums, and the upper termers will tell you, "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts." Boy there were not kidding. Once term 4 began, we had Micro and Path, sprinkle in a 1-unit Nutrition, and a CPD (talking with patients) course and there's the recipe for our 6.5 month term. It's just ****ing busy. Busy busy busy. Mon-Fri we had leture 8am-noon, and labs from 1-5pm. Micro is similar studying to term-2 Genetics/Immuno, just memorize. Dirty memorize or watch Sketchy Micro. Pathology, just...****. It's not that the information is hard to grasp, it's just dense. They would give a vignette pertaining to a certain disease, we'd have come up with diagnose within the stem, then the question would ask for a complication/etiology/pathogenesis/etc. of that disease. Basically, everything goes. Just sit down everyday and read, this is a class you do not want to fall behind in. I did fairly well in all my courses, although I did go through a tough breakup with my long time girlfriend, it definitely taught me to cancel out and separate my personal from professional life. A few of my friends did not make it through the term for that exact reason. So make sure you remain focused, keep your eyes on the prize.

Ever since term-1 I've been showing SDN my motivation to succeed and anyone else who has been following my posts throughout the years now sees me on the verge of rotations. Since I began as a January 2015 student, I finish my last term on the Island this December (2016) and begin rotations the next cycle. It's exciting! We're making this happen, and the more I've focused in on my own abilities, the less anyone elses opinion's have mattered. "Why go to a Caribbean Medical school?" Because my grades were **** as an undergrad and I needed an alternate route. I knew I could make it but made a few mistakes in my early 20's. I completed the Post-bacc in Boston, did some Research in breast cancer for Harvard Medical School, then found my way to Grenada at SGU. Times are good because Where there's a will there's a way. Now I only hear the success stories from my school, not the contrary. I feel the success in my heart with each passing term. Not just passing, but maintaining a great GPA and preparing for the Steps. I feel ready. I feel prepared to become a doctor. I'm ready for rotations and moreover, ready to take control of my career and not the opposite. Everyone, "Where there's a will, There's a way." Keep your drive alive, keep your will to survive, keep your motivation with no hesitation to kill every term and thrive. Get to it, you're the next one to become successful.

#DontBelieveMeJustWatch
I love reading your stories. I was just accepted to SGU this week for the August 2017 entering class. I'm still waiting to hear back from 20+ US schools, but I will most likely be attending SGU and you have made it sound better than everyone else here. I would be happy to attend because I know I'm a very hard worker with great motivation to succeed. Thank you for keeping us updated. I will follow your success. :) I know 4 physicians who graduated from SGU and I work with 2 of them now, and they loved it and are very successful. THANK YOU.
 
I love reading your stories. I was just accepted to SGU this week for the August 2017 entering class. I'm still waiting to hear back from 20+ US schools, but I will most likely be attending SGU and you have made it sound better than everyone else here. I would be happy to attend because I know I'm a very hard worker with great motivation to succeed. Thank you for keeping us updated. I will follow your success. :) I know 4 physicians who graduated from SGU and I work with 2 of them now, and they loved it and are very successful. THANK YOU.

If you haven't given us schools at least two good attempts at application, you should not go to sgu.

Looking at your prior postings, you have four attempts at the MCAT, all with low scores. Your chances of us acceptance is nearly zero with that, combined with a low science GPA. While you could go to sgu, you are at high risk of failure, both with classes and on the step exams which are much harder than the MCAT. Make sure you really understand what you are doing and the monetary risks involved with this decision before you go. Perhaps looking at NP or PA schools might be useful?
 
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So, I cannot decide- SGU, AUC, Saba, or Ross (i.e. The big four). I got into all of them and I've read this forum post and every other I could find, as well as compared their sites, and they basically all seem the same... Saba is cheaper, AUC is on St. Martin, St. George's has been around longer, blah blah blah. One doesn't "fit me" more than another. None of those reasons seem to satisfy the important one: assuming I do just as well at each of them, which school will be most competitive in finding residency. All the "stats" on match rates seem skewed. I can't find a majority opinion and I can't seem to find reliable stats, so my best answer so far is it's a crapshoot. Ugh. Anyone have any better answers?
 
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So, I cannot decide- SGU, AUC, Saba, or Ross (i.e. The big four). I got into all of them and I've read this forum post and every other I could find, as well as compared their sites, and they basically all seem the same... Saba is cheaper, AUC is on St. Martin, St. George's has been around longer, blah blah blah. One doesn't "fit me" more than another. None of those reasons seem to satisfy the important one: assuming I do just as well at each of them, which school will be most competitive in finding residency. All the "stats" on match rates seem skewed. I can't find a majority opinion and I can't seem to find reliable stats, so my best answer so far is it's a crapshoot. Ugh. Anyone have any better answers?
Are you a US citizen?
 
Then don't go, give two app cycles for US MD and DO first
I am so sick of you people saying don't go. I am going. That's not the question I asked. Please stop wasting my (and every other person you do this to's) time.
 
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I am so sick of you people saying don't go. I am going. That's not the question I asked. Please stop wasting my (and every other person you do this to's) time.
If you told me you weren't interested in penicillin and just wanted to know which essential oil would treat your syphillis, it would not be a waste of your time to hear "don't buy essential oils"

You are about to buy $300k worth of essential oils
 
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I am so sick of you people saying don't go. I am going. That's not the question I asked. Please stop wasting my (and every other person you do this to's) time.


My apologies.....YOU CAN DO IT MAN! I BELIEVE IN YOU! GO GET THEM! ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU WORK HARD!......better.......SGU will place you better than any other school i still wouldn't roll the dice though but you apparently have made up your mind..
 
My apologies.....YOU CAN DO IT MAN! I BELIEVE IN YOU! GO GET THEM! ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU WORK HARD!......better.......SGU will place you better than any other school i still wouldn't roll the dice though but you apparently have made up your mind..

Thank you. And good to know on SGU :) the price is worth considering but the more important part for me is getting residency. I appreciate your input.

If you told me you weren't interested in penicillin and just wanted to know which essential oil would treat your syphillis, it would not be a waste of your time to hear "don't buy essential oils"

You are about to buy $300k worth of essential oils

My apologies, I just get frustrated with how many people tell me not to go when I already know I'm going. But you are correct, if I didn't know about the risks of Caribbean and the alternatives to it, it is extremely important to hear them and I know you're just trying to help :)
 
Thank you. And good to know on SGU :) the price is worth considering but the more important part for me is getting residency. I appreciate your input.



My apologies, I just get frustrated with how many people tell me not to go when I already know I'm going. But you are correct, if I didn't know about the risks of Caribbean and the alternatives to it, it is extremely important to hear them and I know you're just trying to help :)

Looking at your old posts, you did a post-bacc or SMP, so you needed to improve your grades. You also took the MCAT. I'm assuming that is the first time. Have you given DO schools an honest try at applications are you in the mindset that time is wasting and you just need to get started now?

You said the most important part for you is getting a residency spot. With Caribbean schools you can get a spot, but your chances are much worse than in a US MD/DO school. Have you considered your chances of making it through everything at these schools for the chance of getting a residency spot versus the chance of flunking out prior to graduation vs even worse, graduating but never getting a residency spot?

If you haven't given at least two good rounds of application to US MD/DO schools, you are doing yourself a disservice by going to the Caribbean. I know you don't want to hear this, but this is what you need to hear.
 
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Looking at your old posts, you did a post-bacc or SMP, so you needed to improve your grades. You also took the MCAT. I'm assuming that is the first time. Have you given DO schools an honest try at applications are you in the mindset that time is wasting and you just need to get started now?

You said the most important part for you is getting a residency spot. With Caribbean schools you can get a spot, but your chances are much worse than in a US MD/DO school. Have you considered your chances of making it through everything at these schools for the chance of getting a residency spot versus the chance of flunking out prior to graduation vs even worse, graduating but never getting a residency spot?

If you haven't given at least two good rounds of application to US MD/DO schools, you are doing yourself a disservice by going to the Caribbean. I know you don't want to hear this, but this is what you need to hear.

Ya I get that argument, and it's a good one. I did a Postbac and I have an overall GPA of 3.32 and a science GPA of 3.44 (including postbac and previous undergrad), which should be good enough for a DO. I took the last mcat available in August and I applied for 39 DO schools beforehand just waiting for the score.
The problem is I got a 494 on the mcat, and before you start saying oh you need to study and retake it and just get it up enough to get into DO, I don't think I can get it up enough and I don't think the effort trying to do so it prudent. I spent 9 months studying, 3 of that with a Princeton review course, and then another 3 months taking an exam krackers course because my practice tests sucked. I am subjecting myself to multiple lectures from you guys as to how stupid this is going to sound, and how if I can't do this how I'm going to get through med school and the USMLE, but I suck at physics, hate the mcat, and put myself through absurd amount of stress studying for it, and have a major block studying for it for reasons I'm unsure of. I think the money spent, year off, and stress is not worth it, and as crazy as it sounds, I think I am better off killing it in carribean and on the usmle.
And here come the lectures...
 
Ya I get that argument, and it's a good one. I did a Postbac and I have an overall GPA of 3.32 and a science GPA of 3.44 (including postbac and previous undergrad), which should be good enough for a DO. I took the last mcat available in August and I applied for 39 DO schools beforehand just waiting for the score.
The problem is I got a 494 on the mcat, and before you start saying oh you need to study and retake it and just get it up enough to get into DO, I don't think I can get it up enough and I don't think the effort trying to do so it prudent. I spent 9 months studying, 3 of that with a Princeton review course, and then another 3 months taking an exam krackers course because my practice tests sucked. I am subjecting myself to multiple lectures from you guys as to how stupid this is going to sound, and how if I can't do this how I'm going to get through med school and the USMLE, but I suck at physics, hate the mcat, and put myself through absurd amount of stress studying for it, and have a major block studying for it for reasons I'm unsure of. I think the money spent, year off, and stress is not worth it, and as crazy as it sounds, I think I am better off killing it in carribean and on the usmle.
And here come the lectures...

No lectures, just cautions...

The MCAT is the first of many many tests. If you do poorly on standardized tests, you have a tough road ahead. Perhaps your study techniques are the issue. Perhaps its something else.

There have been several small studies that do show a correlation between MCAT and Step 1 scores. High MCAT scores tended to have high Step 1 scores and conversely, low MCAT scores tended to have low Step 1 scores. If your goal is to get to residency, from the Caribbean, you will need at a minimum average scores, and higher is better. Poor step scores, particularly with Step failures, is at high risk of not matching.

What you ultimately choose to do doesn't affect me or anyone else on this forum. Personally, I want you to realize what you are looking at and go into this with your eyes wide open. Your chances of killing it in the Caribbean is not good as is the chance of killing it on the USMLE. If it were me, I'd give the MCAT one more try after reassessing my study techniques and perhaps looking to get some help/insight from your school's resource department.

I wish you luck.
 
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No lectures, just cautions...

The MCAT is the first of many many tests. If you do poorly on standardized tests, you have a tough road ahead. Perhaps your study techniques are the issue. Perhaps its something else.

There have been several small studies that do show a correlation between MCAT and Step 1 scores. High MCAT scores tended to have high Step 1 scores and conversely, low MCAT scores tended to have low Step 1 scores. If your goal is to get to residency, from the Caribbean, you will need at a minimum average scores, and higher is better. Poor step scores, particularly with Step failures, is at high risk of not matching.

What you ultimately choose to do doesn't affect me or anyone else on this forum. Personally, I want you to realize what you are looking at and go into this with your eyes wide open. Your chances of killing it in the Caribbean is not good as is the chance of killing it on the USMLE. If it were me, I'd give the MCAT one more try after reassessing my study techniques and perhaps looking to get some help/insight from your school's resource department.

I wish you luck.

Thank you very very much
 
You are exactly the type of gullible mark the Carib diplomas prey upon. Stop engaging in magic thinking, and just prepare well for an MCAT retake, and plenty of DO schools will open their doors for you.



Ya I get that argument, and it's a good one. I did a Postbac and I have an overall GPA of 3.32 and a science GPA of 3.44 (including postbac and previous undergrad), which should be good enough for a DO. I took the last mcat available in August and I applied for 39 DO schools beforehand just waiting for the score.
The problem is I got a 494 on the mcat, and before you start saying oh you need to study and retake it and just get it up enough to get into DO, I don't think I can get it up enough and I don't think the effort trying to do so it prudent. I spent 9 months studying, 3 of that with a Princeton review course, and then another 3 months taking an exam krackers course because my practice tests sucked. I am subjecting myself to multiple lectures from you guys as to how stupid this is going to sound, and how if I can't do this how I'm going to get through med school and the USMLE, but I suck at physics, hate the mcat, and put myself through absurd amount of stress studying for it, and have a major block studying for it for reasons I'm unsure of. I think the money spent, year off, and stress is not worth it, and as crazy as it sounds, I think I am better off killing it in carribean and on the usmle.
And here come the lectures...
 
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You are exactly the type of gullible mark the Carib diplomas prey upon. Stop engaging in magic thinking, and just prepare well for an MCAT retake, and plenty of DOs will open their doors for you.

It's not exactly magic... I know a bunch of people in my circle of friends and family who have done it, including my moms cousin who's a plastic surgeon (went to SGU), her husband who's an oncologist (went to Ross), and my close family friend who's a kickass doc in her internal medicine residency right now (went to Saba). I am hopeful and think I can do it too, even though it's harder than going the med/do school route. But I understand where you're coming from.
 
Ya I get that argument, and it's a good one. I did a Postbac and I have an overall GPA of 3.32 and a science GPA of 3.44 (including postbac and previous undergrad), which should be good enough for a DO. I took the last mcat available in August and I applied for 39 DO schools beforehand just waiting for the score.
The problem is I got a 494 on the mcat, and before you start saying oh you need to study and retake it and just get it up enough to get into DO, I don't think I can get it up enough and I don't think the effort trying to do so it prudent. I spent 9 months studying, 3 of that with a Princeton review course, and then another 3 months taking an exam krackers course because my practice tests sucked. I am subjecting myself to multiple lectures from you guys as to how stupid this is going to sound, and how if I can't do this how I'm going to get through med school and the USMLE, but I suck at physics, hate the mcat, and put myself through absurd amount of stress studying for it, and have a major block studying for it for reasons I'm unsure of. I think the money spent, year off, and stress is not worth it, and as crazy as it sounds, I think I am better off killing it in carribean and on the usmle.
And here come the lectures...
Hi, I'm curious, did you get any interviews at DO schools? I'm currently applying to DO schools and it's not going as well as I thought it would be so I'm worried. Even with your MCAT, I would have thought your decent GPA and large school list would have gotten you into at least one DO school. In any case, if you actually end up going to the island, good luck to you.
 
It's not exactly magic... I know a bunch of people in my circle of friends and family who have done it, including my moms cousin who's a plastic surgeon (went to SGU), her husband who's an oncologist (went to Ross), and my close family friend who's a kickass doc in her internal medicine residency right now (went to Saba). I am hopeful and think I can do it too, even though it's harder than going the med/do school route. But I understand where you're coming from.
I have a short friend that knew spudd web.....he never made the nba
 
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Hi, I'm curious, did you get any interviews at DO schools? I'm currently applying to DO schools and it's not going as well as I thought it would be so I'm worried. Even with your MCAT, I would have thought your decent GPA and large school list would have gotten you into at least one DO school. In any case, if you actually end up going to the island, good luck to you.
No interviews. I submitted all secondaries about a month ago and so far have 12 denials and waiting to hear from 27. I applied before I knew MCAT score, otherwise I might have considered waiting. Anyways I would assume I'm not going to get any interviews with my mcat, prob a 2% chance lol.
 
I have a short friend that knew spudd web.....he never made the nba
Did he try? Did he have a decent chance at making it? Now you're just being mean and I believe you and that other guys are just trolls. I'll be disappointed if I don't get some kind of ahole response to this.
 
Did he try? Did he have a decent chance at making it? Now you're just being mean and I believe you and that other guys are just trolls. I'll be disappointed if I don't get some kind of ahole response to this.
the point is going the carrib route isn't a "decent chance" with $300k on the line....but go ahead and be mad at those trying to warn you
 
the point is going the carrib route isn't a "decent chance" with $300k on the line....but go ahead and be mad at those trying to warn you
It's 160 for tuition at Saba. And I got the warning from you the first time. If I wasn't clear about it before, I'm well aware of all the warnings and risks.
 
It's 160 for tuition at Saba. And I got the warning from you the first time. If I wasn't clear about it before, I'm well aware of all the warnings and risks.
Saba is an awful school. If you're going to attend a Caribbean medical school, you go to either SGU or Ross.
 
Saba is an awful school. If you're going to attend a Caribbean medical school, you go to either SGU or Ross.

Good to hear such different opinions. There is a common theme of SGU or Ross over AUC or Saba
 
Hello my SDN community! I'm back! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm back as a FORMER SGU (Grenada) student, and a current SGU medical student who is prepping for their USMLE's currently. In other words, 5th term is done, like.....DONE! It's been such a surreal experience, each term passing by faster than the last. We did it. We survived the Island, 2 years in the blink of an eye. What do you think of that SDN? An SGU student, posted their entire story, each semester on here. Still got doubts?

I never ever thought I'd say this but 5th term was my best term yet. We took Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, BCFCR, a few interviewing classes for OSCE prep, and an NBME (4 hour exam) and a BSCE II (8 hour exam). At this point, everything outside of Pharm was a review. Though still challenging, we've been through the wringer so many times now that there was even time to find new hobbies (hiking, sports, watching sports). It's just comfortable at this point. We know what to expect, what curves will be thrown our ways on exams, and frankly..no one really cared which made performance better because it was so second nature.

I loved it, I loved every single experience that SGU has given me. The goods and the bads. It's literally a 5 star beach surrounding a 5 star rainforest; 21 miles long, 12 miles across for reference. It really did help me grow but in ways that I never even imagined. Sure, the whole "becoming mature and confident and blah blah blah" stuff which will happen, but moreover, I learned about people. My colleagues especially, and how becoming a doctor shapes them. Some, it feeds into their egos, some become quietly confident, and others I can't even recognize from when we started term 1 (for better or for worse). I stayed good, I stayed away from (heavy) partying, and managed to remain focused. Though I will say, being honest here, it did feed into my ego a little bit too, how could it not? My second round of midterms, I left every social bit of me behind and locked myself in my room until the end of the semester (not literally of course). I got all A's on my 2nd round midterms and on my finals. WTF bro. Never did I think that I would or could do that. Ever. A's were even higher on my final. But I did. Lost a few friends, but oh well. I bettered myself, focused in at the right moment, and did what I was meant to do, study my butt off and outwork the competition.

Now I just a nice winter break, watched my sister get engaged to a wonderful guy, and feel reenergized. I begin a prep course in Chicago in a few days and I write my steps in March. March because I began SGU as a January class student. I did it guys, I survived The Island, and proved that going to SGU and remaining focused and doing really well is possible. I read so many negative stories on here about not making it and something like I'll fail and a condescending "good luck" from people, but I was so confident in proving this community wrong about my decision to attend SGU that I documented all my semesters. I really messed up in the past, bad grades in undergrad, rough relationship, bad mcat, you name it. That was years before this ultimate grind. I now look back at those days as a motivational tool, to make sure that Never happens again. We can do it people, we can become doctors as long as we're willing to make it our life's mission and drown out the negativity. I heard this saying, "First, they'll ignore you, then they'll laugh at you, then they'll fight you, then you win." Win everyone, keep winning.

Thank you to everyone who has read this and has followed my story. I did this because I was in the position of needing to hear someone's story of failures to making it, or them saying "f**k you" to everyone who put them down and proved them wrong when they laughed. Go out and make your destiny, don't just wait for it to happen.

Next step, Steps.

#DontBelieveMeJustWatch
 
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Hello my SDN community! I'm back! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm back as a FORMER SGU (Grenada) student, and a current SGU medical student who is prepping for their USMLE's currently. In other words, 5th term is done, like.....DONE! It's been such a surreal experience, each term passing by faster than the last. We did it. We survived the Island, 2 years in the blink of an eye. What do you think of that SDN? An SGU student, posted their entire story, each semester on here. Still got doubts?

I never ever thought I'd say this but 5th term was my best term yet. We took Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, BCFCR, a few interviewing classes for OSCE prep, and an NBME (4 hour exam) and a BSCE II (8 hour exam). At this point, everything outside of Pharm was a review. Though still challenging, we've been through the wringer so many times now that there was even time to find new hobbies (hiking, sports, watching sports). It's just comfortable at this point. We know what to expect, what curves will be thrown our ways on exams, and frankly..no one really cared which made performance better because it was so second nature.

I loved it, I loved every single experience that SGU has given me. The goods and the bads. It's literally a 5 star beach surrounding a 5 star rainforest; 21 miles long, 12 miles across for reference. It really did help me grow but in ways that I never even imagined. Sure, the whole "becoming mature and confident and blah blah blah" stuff which will happen, but moreover, I learned about people. My colleagues especially, and how becoming a doctor shapes them. Some, it feeds into their egos, some become quietly confident, and others I can't even recognize from when we started term 1 (for better or for worse). I stayed good, I stayed away from (heavy) partying, and managed to remain focused. Though I will say, being honest here, it did feed into my ego a little bit too, how could it not? My second round of midterms, I left every social bit of me behind and locked myself in my room until the end of the semester (not literally of course). I got all A's on my 2nd round midterms and on my finals. WTF bro. Never did I think that I would or could do that. Ever. A's were even higher on my final. But I did. Lost a few friends, but oh well. I bettered myself, focused in at the right moment, and did what I was meant to do, study my butt off and outwork the competition.

Now I just a nice winter break, watched my sister get engaged to a wonderful guy, and feel reenergized. I begin a prep course in Chicago in a few days and I write my steps in March. March because I began SGU as a January class student. I did it guys, I survived The Island, and proved that going to SGU and remaining focused and doing really well is possible. I read so many negative stories on here about not making it and something like I'll fail and a condescending "good luck" from people, but I was so confident in proving this community wrong about my decision to attend SGU that I documented all my semesters. I really messed up in the past, bad grades in undergrad, rough relationship, bad mcat, you name it. That was years before this ultimate grind. I now look back at those days as a motivational tool, to make sure that Never happens again. We can do it people, we can become doctors as long as we're willing to make it our life's mission and drown out the negativity. I heard this saying, "First, they'll ignore you, then they'll laugh at you, then they'll fight you, then you win." Win everyone, keep winning.

Thank you to everyone who has read this and has followed my story. I did this because I was in the position of needing to hear someone's story of failures to making it, or them saying "f**k you" to everyone who put them down and proved them wrong when they laughed. Go out and make your destiny, don't just wait for it to happen.

Next step, Steps.

#DontBelieveMeJustWatch

Good luck! I've been following your story for a bit now and it's good to hear you're doing well! With that said, I don't know how to say good luck online without it sounding "condescending".
 
After watching this thread for 2 years im actually curious about where Zedd places no lie
 
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