Which is the best Caribbean Medical School?

[gyngyn]

However, SGU is accredited in the US so students take the normal USMLE Step exams and there's no additional foreign medical school exam.

The LCME accredits MD schools in the US.
St. Georges is most assuredly not accredited by the LCME.

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[IMGASMD]

My was more in line with . Or “Whatever”. First post, “m3 student”

 

[Bobbbyyyy]

Schools worth considering include St George, Ross, and even AUA. These three have a good residency match rate and are more structured and have better affiliations with the USA hospitals for doing clinical rotations at good locations.
Any other school will be a gamble, trust me, I graduated from one of these random Caribbean schools.
But do keep in mind that as a Carribean Medical student you will be limited to the specialties of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine (and IM subspecialties like Cardiology), Pediatrics, Pathology, Psychiatry, Surgery, and possibly Anesthesiology.

Regardless of which Caribbean school you go to, if you are unable to get decent USMLE scores, it will be hard to match into residency.
Also if you're a US citizen you will have an advantage of not needing VISA, I'm guessing the OP and most of the people here are US citizens (this is a decent advantage to have over other IMGs). Me being a Canadian Citizen, I have to compete with non US IMGs from India, Pakistan, China who have 250s and 260s on their steps.

Don't let living conditions in the Caribbean deter you, you will only be spending 2 years on the island, that's very short term and time will fly. Your rotations will be in the states.

My suggestion would be; Apply to US MD schools and US DO schools, and if you don't get in the first year or second year, then go to a Carribean school. Again, SGU, Ross, or AUA.(maybe there are other higher tier Caribbean schools that I can't think of right now).

Not only do other schools like the one I went to have a bad record for matching (although plenty of my classmates are in residency currently), but these schools are infamous for pinching money out of students including my school. My school would spring random fees last minute that we were forced to pay, and those who didn't want to pay were not given their transcripts so it was impossible for them to transfer our until their payed their balance. I don't think situations like these would happen in schools like St George or Ross or AUA as they're more organized and reputable and have multiple share holders etc. not just one single tyrant as their school owner. The higher tier Carribean schools are more expensive overall but there's more reliability.

Note: I can't overemphasize the importance that board exams play in getting into residency. the biggest hurdle you will face as a Carribean student will be studying for the USMLE step 1 and step 2CK, and IMGs take months and even sometimes years to study for their Step 1, and many of my colleges were unable to get through their Step 1 exam (some are studying for 2+ years but can't get through their mock step 1 exam required before taking the actual Step 1 exam), so if you work hard and get good scores you will make it. But if you don't do well on your steps there's less opportunity to redeem yourself than if you were an American Medical Student. A failure on the step as a Carribean Student is career suicide(with some exceptions, I know a few who overcame this and matched). Compare that to a failure on the step of an American Medical Student, who will still match into a residency(maybe not the location or specialty of their choice, but they'll get something).

Those were my two cents about this issue. If you really want to be a doctor and theres no other way, go to a reputable Caribbean school.

PS. I'm a graduate from a Carribean medical school that isn't the top 4, passed all my USMLE exams with mediocre scores, I'm a visa requiring applicant, and I'm going to be applying for the second time for residency for the upcoming 2020 match in Internal Medicine and Family Medicine.


Edit: My mistake, the big 4 Carribean schools are: SGU(St George), Ross, AUC, and SABA. AUA is pretty legit as well.

 

[sharkattack2020]

Why do people go to Carib school knowing that they have less than 50% chance of matching? Are they that reach to throw away $200K+ and 4 years of life, I just don't get it

HI I would like to shed a little light as to why I personally decided to go to a SGU (a Caribbean Medical School) (now I can't speak to why anyone else would do so because I can't read minds, I also don't think it is fair of you to make a blanket statement such as the one that you have made). First of all I want to make it clear that SGU's match data doesn't fall into that category. SGU may not have been my first choice but they provided me (and so many of my peers) the opportunity to move to a beautiful country and pursue my dream. I did not want to wait another year and apply a to US medical schools a second time - there is no guarantee that I would have been accepted which would have been a waste of another year o my life. For what it's worth I did well on my MCAT and graduated magna cum laude from a top 50 school.

https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/publications/us-medical-regulatory-trends-actions.pdf
SGU is the 2nd largest source of physicians for the entire US workforce - this means that SGU graduates are competent, excellent providers.

 

[Dr panda]

HI I would like to shed a little light as to why I personally decided to go to a SGU (a Caribbean Medical School) (now I can't speak to why anyone else would do so because I can't read minds, I also don't think it is fair of you to make a blanket statement such as the one that you have made). First of all I want to make it clear that SGU's match data doesn't fall into that category. SGU may not have been my first choice but they provided me (and so many of my peers) the opportunity to move to a beautiful country and pursue my dream. I did not want to wait another year and apply a to US medical schools a second time - there is no guarantee that I would have been accepted which would have been a waste of another year o my life. For what it's worth I did well on my MCAT and graduated magna cum laude from a top 50 school.

https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/publications/us-medical-regulatory-trends-actions.pdf
SGU is the 2nd largest source of physicians for the entire US workforce - this means that SGU graduates are competent, excellent providers.

Did you and most of your classmates match your preferred specialty?

 

[Orangekiwi]

HI I would like to shed a little light as to why I personally decided to go to a SGU (a Caribbean Medical School) (now I can't speak to why anyone else would do so because I can't read minds, I also don't think it is fair of you to make a blanket statement such as the one that you have made). First of all I want to make it clear that SGU's match data doesn't fall into that category. SGU may not have been my first choice but they provided me (and so many of my peers) the opportunity to move to a beautiful country and pursue my dream. I did not want to wait another year and apply a to US medical schools a second time - there is no guarantee that I would have been accepted which would have been a waste of another year o my life. For what it's worth I did well on my MCAT and graduated magna cum laude from a top 50 school.

https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/publications/us-medical-regulatory-trends-actions.pdf
SGU is the 2nd largest source of physicians for the entire US workforce - this means that SGU graduates are competent, excellent providers.

Account created today, comments on a dead thread from mid July... like do you really expect anyone to fall for this? It's honestly disgusting that you're on here trying to obfuscate the process during a high stress time for applicants to get them to consider the predatory dumpster fire you call a medical school. Your post is so transparent it's actually laughable, but I guess it should come as no surprise that it's not only the students at carib schools who aren't the best and brightest.

 

[Medic741]

HI I would like to shed a little light as to why I personally decided to go to a SGU (a Caribbean Medical School) (now I can't speak to why anyone else would do so because I can't read minds, I also don't think it is fair of you to make a blanket statement such as the one that you have made). First of all I want to make it clear that SGU's match data doesn't fall into that category. SGU may not have been my first choice but they provided me (and so many of my peers) the opportunity to move to a beautiful country and pursue my dream. I did not want to wait another year and apply a to US medical schools a second time - there is no guarantee that I would have been accepted which would have been a waste of another year o my life. For what it's worth I did well on my MCAT and graduated magna cum laude from a top 50 school.

https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/publications/us-medical-regulatory-trends-actions.pdf
SGU is the 2nd largest source of physicians for the entire US workforce - this means that SGU graduates are competent, excellent providers.

Fact: match data from Grenada, where SGU is located, reports a ~50% match rate, so...

(on a rotation rn so can't lookup the exact number)

 

[Kardio]

Account created today, comments on a dead thread from mid July... like do you really expect anyone to fall for this? It's honestly disgusting that you're on here trying to obfuscate the process during a high stress time for applicants to get them to consider the predatory dumpster fire you call a medical school. Your post is so transparent it's actually laughable, but I guess it should come as no surprise that it's not only the students at carib schools who aren't the best and brightest.

Bang bang, Kiwi. Heard those shots fired from 4 threads away.

 

[Kardio]

Lets correct this fallacy. SGU is chartered by the government of Grenada; it is not in any way accredited by any US medical commission such as LCME. As it is chartered by a recognized government, it can register with the WHO (World Health Organization) and be recognized as a legitimate school. As such, the NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners) must permit IMGs a mechanism to take the STEP exams. This is done by the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) which both verifies and certifies the educational credentials of applicants for STEP exams as well as validity for applying to medical residency via the NRMP. In sum, any school that can get a charter from any government entity can be approved to have their students take the STEP exam. The fact that a school can offer these exams is utterly meaningless and in no way indicates the quality of the education

Some off-shore medical schools are "approved" by some states, such as New York for medical student clinical clerkships without need for additional verification, which makes the licensing process easier. Other states, such as California, have a set of standards and will send teams to "approve" a foreign medical school graduate for licensing. Many other states officially follow the California list. However, this is not an accreditation but rather a school meeting minimal standards.

Again, no off-shore school is in any way, shape, or form, accredited by any US commission.

If you wrote on e-book on the nuances of medical school accredidation, and the practical pathways to become an American doctor, I would legitimately pay for it. It's seriously not easy to find information about these governing bodies, their specific roles, or leadership/ownership (I know, because I've tried).

 

[Medic741]

The federal government should stop providing federal loans to SGU in the interest of protecting vulnerable, minority students.

 

[sharkattack2020]

Did you and most of your classmates match your preferred specialty?

I mean we just applied for this coming match cycle so I will let you know in March 2020

 

[sharkattack2020]

Account created today, comments on a dead thread from mid July... like do you really expect anyone to fall for this? It's honestly disgusting that you're on here trying to obfuscate the process during a high stress time for applicants to get them to consider the predatory dumpster fire you call a medical school. Your post is so transparent it's actually laughable, but I guess it should come as no surprise that it's not only the students at carib schools who aren't the best and brightest.

I'm not here to obfuscate the process. SGU is a great school to apply for as backup and attend this coming January 2020. The pay it forward program offered by SGU allows you start the first term in January and if you hear back from a US medical school that you were accepted from the waitlist then AMAZING - SGU will fully refund you everything you paid for the term. Literally no harm no foul - you get exposure to medical school curriculum and you get to spend a few months on the beach.

 

[Kardio]

I'm not here to obfuscate the process. SGU is a great school to apply for as backup and attend this coming January 2020. The pay it forward program offered by SGU allows you start the first term in January and if you hear back from a US medical school that you were accepted from the waitlist then AMAZING - SGU will fully refund you everything you paid for the term. Literally no harm no foul - you get exposure to medical school curriculum and you get to spend a few months on the beach.

Hit me up when unmatched students get a refund

 

[sharkattack2020]

Fact: match data from Grenada, where SGU is located, reports a ~50% match rate, so...

(on a rotation rn so can't lookup the exact number)

I am not certain where you are pulling this data from. In In 2017 and 2018, 93% SGU’s eligible US graduates who applied for a residency obtained placement.

 

[sharkattack2020]

Hit me up when unmatched students get a refund

The pay it forward program refund applies to students that are accepted and attend a US medical school in the fall. It only refunds the cost of the January Term 1 that they attended.

Do you know of any US medical schools that refund 4 years of tuition for their unmatched students?

 

[Engrailed]

This thread is utterly useless as everyone on sdn (with more than 2 functioning brain cells) knows that Caribbean schools are no bueno. That’s not to say that medicine is impossible with a degree from SGU etc but obviously difficult for all the reasons discussed here at length by adcoms and students. I viewed the websites out of curiosity and I thought hmm... their marketing team must be working overtime... possibly here on sdn?!

 

[sharkattack2020]

This thread is utterly useless as everyone on sdn (with more than 2 functioning brain cells) knows that Caribbean schools are no bueno. That’s not to say that medicine is impossible with a degree from SGU etc but obviously difficult for all the reasons discussed here at length by adcoms and students. I viewed the websites out of curiosity and I thought hmm... their marketing team must be working overtime... possibly here on sdn?!

I'm a 4th year student and I applied to the 2020 Match and I'm going to graduate with a residency, medical degree, and definitely more than 2 functioning brain cells (I have at least 3 lol).

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

The pay it forward program refund applies to students that are accepted and attend a US medical school in the fall. It only refunds the cost of the January Term 1 that they attended.

Do you know of any US medical schools that refund 4 years of tuition for their unmatched students? And what do you men by "eligable"?

How many students as a percentage get to graduate from your school?

 

[sharkattack2020]

How many students as a percentage get to graduate from your school?

I'm not sure of that number I only know how many graduates get US residencies (in 2019, 961 graduates matched into a residency spot)

 

[sharkattack2020]

How many classmates did you start your M1 year with, and how many do you have now? How many of those 961 graduates in 2019 actually graduated in 2019, and how many were from prior graduating classes?


What does "eligible" mean in this context? Are there any US graduates who did not apply for a residency, and if so why not? Does "placement" include research years, working in a position other than a resident physician, or transitional or prelim years with no advanced position?


What about people you know from the class above you? Did they match into their preferred specialties and programs?

All this information is available here SGU - Residency Appointment Directory you can actually see where people from each class matched and into what specialty. The data goes back several years!

 

[Goro]

I'm a 4th year student and I applied to the 2020 Match and I'm HOPING TO graduate with a residency, medical degree, and definitely more than 2 functioning brain cells (I have at least 3 lol).

FTFY

To be honest, your inability to delay gratification is one of the DDx's on why people go to the Carib.

Our beef is not with you, but the educational predators who bilk thousands of people like you.

If the Carib schools were in the US, they would be shut down by LCME or COCA accreditors.

I do wish you well, and sincerely hope that you won't be one of the multitudes of people who post in the MD student forum "IMG who didn't match! What do I do??!!"

 

[IsleyOfTheNorth]

I'd bet many dollars that you've been trolled by OP.

The original post was just throwing Carribbean meat into the SDN wolf pack.

 

[IsleyOfTheNorth]

As there are many Caribbean Medical schools in the Caribbean region, which is bet to pursue medicine

Andrew Jairus, let me refer you to my Caribbean expert... Andrew Jairus:

Hi

Its good Option to Study Medicine in the region Caribbean.

Caribbean region is safe for all students who are ambitious to become doctors.

My advice with regard to medicine admission would be that you can choose the Caribbean medical schools as they provide quality education at reasonable cost. I would also advice you to check with regard to the universities accreditation and recognitions before you enrol in the university.

Good information About both University. But there are a lot more med schools in Caribbean where you can look for : Texila American University, Saba University, Avalon University etc which are also well established and with good pass rates.

 

[Engrailed]

Andrew Jairus, let me refer you to my Caribbean expert... Andrew Jairus:

This reply is all around straight fire

 

[DrStephenStrange]

HI I would like to shed a little light as to why I personally decided to go to a SGU (a Caribbean Medical School) (now I can't speak to why anyone else would do so because I can't read minds, I also don't think it is fair of you to make a blanket statement such as the one that you have made). First of all I want to make it clear that SGU's match data doesn't fall into that category. SGU may not have been my first choice but they provided me (and so many of my peers) the opportunity to move to a beautiful country and pursue my dream. I did not want to wait another year and apply a to US medical schools a second time - there is no guarantee that I would have been accepted which would have been a waste of another year o my life. For what it's worth I did well on my MCAT and graduated magna cum laude from a top 50 school.

https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/publications/us-medical-regulatory-trends-actions.pdf
SGU is the 2nd largest source of physicians for the entire US workforce - this means that SGU graduates are competent, excellent providers.

I'm not here to obfuscate the process. SGU is a great school to apply for as backup and attend this coming January 2020. The pay it forward program offered by SGU allows you start the first term in January and if you hear back from a US medical school that you were accepted from the waitlist then AMAZING - SGU will fully refund you everything you paid for the term. Literally no harm no foul - you get exposure to medical school curriculum and you get to spend a few months on the beach.

I am not certain where you are pulling this data from. In In 2017 and 2018, 93% SGU’s eligible US graduates who applied for a residency obtained placement.

I'm a 4th year student and I applied to the 2020 Match and I'm going to graduate with a residency, medical degree, and definitely more than 2 functioning brain cells (I have at least 3 lol).

I'm not sure of that number I only know how many graduates get US residencies (in 2019, 961 graduates matched into a residency spot)

All this information is available here SGU - Residency Appointment Directory you can actually see where people from each class matched and into what specialty. The data goes back several years!

You're either trolling us, getting paid by SGU to lie to us, or you're in denial and grossly misrepresenting the process at SGU.

I know first hand that SGU admit ~800 each semester, so that would be a total of ~1600 students entering first year every year. Therefore, even if all the 961 that match last year were all 2019 graduates that would still be 961/1600 which is 60% not 93% as claimed on their website. The reason being that ~30% of people that enter 1st year never make it through, and that's why I think you're trolling us because if you were a student at SGU you would have known that and wouldn't be referring to their website for statistics. Additionally, we all know a good chunk of the 961 are previous graduates who didn't match their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th time around and were trying their luck for Nth time at middle of nowhere rural FM. But like all Caribbean schools, SGU hides those numbers and praises a 93% placement rate every year, so they can still attract inpatient people like you to their "resort-like" campus and get those tuition dollars. Like you said you get to spend time on a beautiful beach, so who cares, right?

 

[sharkattack2020]

Lmao

You're either trolling us, getting paid by SGU to lie to us, or you're in denial and grossly misrepresenting the process at SGU.

I know first hand that SGU admit ~800 each semester, so that would be a total of ~1600 students entering first year every year. Therefore, even if all the 961 that match last year were all 2019 graduates that would still be 961/1600 which is 60% not 93% as claimed on their website. The reason being that ~30% of people that enter 1st year never make it through, and that's why I think you're trolling us because if you were a student at SGU you would have known that and wouldn't be referring to their website for statistics. Additionally, we all know a good chunk of the 961 are previous graduates who didn't match their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th time around and were trying their luck for Nth time at middle of nowhere rural FM. But like all Caribbean schools, SGU hides those numbers and praises a 93% placement rate every year, so they can still attract inpatient people like you to their "resort-like" campus and get those tuition dollars. Like you said you get to spend time on a beautiful beach, so who cares, right?

I quoted the statistics because those are the only actual numbers that I know are actually factually correct. I dunno how many of the roughly 1000 students admitted in August and roughly 800 students admitted in the January class. I didn’t keep a personal record of who advanced and who didn’t so I can’t comment on it. The truth of the matter is that SGU is the number 2 provider of practicing doctors in the US - which means that regardless of how difficult SGU graduates match in various specialties! The people that excel are SGU are people that work hard and are super determined.

 

[Dr panda]

The truth of the matter is that SGU is the number 2 provider of practicing doctors in the US - which means that regardless of how difficult SGU graduates match in various specialties! The people that excel are SGU are people that work hard and are super determined.

Who is number 1?

 

[sharkattack2020]

Who is number 1?

Indiana university SOM!

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Lmao


I quoted the statistics because those are the only actual numbers that I know are actually factually correct. I dunno how many of the roughly 1000 students admitted in August and roughly 800 students admitted in the January class. I didn’t keep a personal record of who advanced and who didn’t so I can’t comment on it. The truth of the matter is that SGU is the number 2 provider of practicing doctors in the US - which means that regardless of how difficult SGU graduates match in various specialties! The people that excel are SGU are people that work hard and are super determined.

I never said SGU grads weren't hard working. In fact, I respect anyone who make it through the Caribbean and become a licensed physician because I know how hard it can be. I know because I'm also from one the Caribbean islands, and growing up life wasn't easy down there. My problem with your statements were that you naively trust the numbers from the SGU website while you're a student down there and should know first hand that they are vastly overstated. Also, SGU admit 1800 students a year, I'm surprised they're not number 1 provider. In fact, SGU should be ashamed of even saying they're second because the school that beat them, Indiana University School of Medicine, only admits 365 students a year, so about ~20% the class of SGU give or take.

 

[Dr panda]

Indiana university SOM!

Indiana U accepts 360 students per year, SGU accepts 1600, yet Indiana U produces more physicians, food for thought

 

[sharkattack2020]

Indiana U accepts 360 students per year, SGU accepts 1600, yet Indiana U produces more physicians, food for thought

Indiana university SOM was founded in 1903, and SGU in 1976.

Look the point that I’m trying to get across is that there are a lot of practicing physicians that have graduated from SGU. SGU provides an incredible opportunity for students like me who were waitlisted (and didn’t come off the waitlist) at us allopathic medics schools and didn’t want to go through the application process again

 

[Dr panda]

Indiana university SOM was founded in 1903, and SGU in 1976.

Look the point that I’m trying to get across is that there are a lot of practicing physicians that have graduated from SGU. SGU provides an incredible opportunity for students like me who were waitlisted (and didn’t come off the waitlist) at us allopathic medics schools and didn’t want to go through the application process again

How many of those who started in 1903 are practicing physicians in 2019? Sure, 50% success rate is is not 5%, but if you think this is a "great opportunity" then good luck next year

 

[olabrador23]

View attachment 273654

facts!

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

In In 2017 and 2018, 93% SGU’s eligible US graduates who applied for a residency obtained placement.

1. "eligible" is a key word here.
2. placement into a pre-lim year 100% is not a successful match.

Good luck in the match.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Tbh I straight up feel bad for Carrib students. I am friends with someone going into Carrib now, and it's legit both heart breaking and terrifying, since she didn't do well in post bacc or MCAT. I hope she makes it, but who knows. Honestly the predatory for-profit nature of these schools is disgusting, and I smile every time I rip down one of these scam's posters from the walls of my school.

 

[IlDestriero]

Tbh I straight up feel bad for Carrib students. I am friends with someone going into Carrib now, and it's legit both heart breaking and terrifying, since she didn't do well in post bacc or MCAT. I hope she makes it, but who knows. Honestly the predatory for-profit nature of these schools is disgusting, and I smile every time I rip down one of these scam's posters from the walls of my school.

If she can’t do well in a post bacc or on the MCAT, both things that she should be very motivated for and determined to succeed with, she probably shouldn’t be a physician at all, and that’s fine. It’s not for everyone. The Caribbean schools prey on the impatient and deluded for profit.
If one of the best schools accepts ~1800 and only matches ~900 in a year, that’s all you need to know. ~1/2 wash out along the way and that doesn’t even include those that took a desperation prelim spot with nowhere to go 12 months later. And what about dreaming of derm and ortho and GI fellowships? You have to take whatever you can land. That’s not how you want to spend your life.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I cringe every time I get an email from a Carribean school. Trinity if you’re monitoring SDN leave me alone!

 

[BorderlineQueen]

This is why Caribbean med schools are sketchy. They admitted someone like this. He went to jail as a fake doctor. Now he’s a real one: The saga of Adam Litwin, MD

 

[BorderlineQueen]

Hey if you don't match, you can always do...whatever this is.

LOL

 

[Dr panda]

I cringe every time I get an email from a Carribean school. Trinity if you’re monitoring SDN leave me alone!

The most cringy thing is seeing Caribbean schools ads here on SDN!

 

[Moko]

This is why Caribbean med schools are sketchy. They admitted someone like this. He went to jail as a fake doctor. Now he’s a real one: The saga of Adam Litwin, MD

Equally sketchy is how the article tries to sterilize his past while portraying him as a sympathetic victim. If he gets into a residency, one can only hope that he has truly reformed.. Not holding my breath given how he's in his white coat posing in hospitals.. Hopefully not too many patients will be hurt.

 

[IMGASMD]

This is why Caribbean med schools are sketchy. They admitted someone like this. He went to jail as a fake doctor. Now he’s a real one: The saga of Adam Litwin, MD

St. James at Bonaire? Doesn’t even exist anymore?
Not sure how these schools work.

 

[FutureMDiA]

Sgu ross saba aua auc mua

 

[DNAJB6]

As there are many Caribbean Medical schools in the Caribbean region, which is bet to pursue medicine

Picking which Caribbean medical school is best for your career is kind of like ranking which of your organs you would rather have a cancerous mass in (assuming that you were definitely going to have a tumor somewhere).

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Couldn't agree more, Gonnif.

 

[jurassicpark]

Is going to the Caribbean a SAFE bet? No. Is it a viable option? Yes.

But, but, but : BUYER BEWARE.

If one's goal is primary care, hospitalist, etc then it is absolutely doable from one of the major Caribbean medical schools if you work your little tush off. Can you do others such as surgery, etc? Absolutely, it's just much harder. Have people scored great residencies and/or gone on to great fellowships? Yes they have, but that number is much much smaller and a combination of good luck, connections and extraordinary work.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

It is an absolutely massive gamble. It might be viable if you are an otherwise excellent student with an IA or something that gets you rejected at American schools; however, you're still gambling big.

 

[gyngyn]

It is an absolutely massive gamble. It might be viable if you are an otherwise excellent student with an IA or something that gets you rejected at American schools; however, you're still gambling big.

PD's know this.

 

[RJ McReady]

I have a family friend whose son is going to SGU. He is starting his 3rd year in January (enrolled off-cycle 2 years ago this January). He told me that they started with a class of about 600 people. 55 % of those dropped after 1st year, another 25% after 2nd year. That leaves about 150 people who make it into their third year clerkships, about the equivalent of an average US medical school class. He will be taking Step 1 in Spring. He wants to do surgery (preferably ortho) but is realistic that he will likely not get a spot (no matter what his Step score), so he is focusing on doing his clerkships at lesser known hospitals in the US, hoping to get good LOR's, and matching into a prelim or gen surg spot or applying to EM or IM residencies as a backup. And this guy has like a 94-95% average in his preclinical years at SGU, he is one of their top students.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

PD's know this.

PDs indeed know this, which is why it's still such a gamble. A student like this is fairly likely to graduate, at which point it's a 50-50 chance that they'll match. With great grades, stellar test scores, and excellent LORs the odds of winding up in that matching 50 percent increase.