Hello all,

I have been asked numerous times, which school is better, Xavier or St. James? As you all know I went to St. James for most of my Basic Sciences before transferring to Xavier and I am here to give you all an onest assessment of both of the schools.

First, lets get some basic facts straight. Can you become an MD at St. James and Xavier? The answer is yes. But the real questions that need to be answered that distinguishes Xavier from St. James will be mentioned here.

Since I started attending St. James, my outlook and experience was semi-positive on the way the school was progressing. And indeed, up until about November 2004, St. James was making improvements. I spoke with the President of St. James several times and he told me things that were going to happen here at St. James and some did happen or at least they were started. But as time passed I realized that things were not really getting better. I assumed, like an idiot, that improvements would be coming hot and heavy if enrollment increased at St. James. in addition to ther things, MY wife and I rearranged the ENTIRE library and computer lab to make it more spacious and appealing. We wanted to be part of the solution and help the school improve. But all this effort was to no avail. After 3 large incoming classes , I realized that the school actually took a dive for the worst. The cafeteria hasn't had food since November. No one cleans it anymore. The old hospital building where MD3 is at is absolutely filthy. Why, you ask? How can this happen? What is the reason behind it all?

I can tell you now that without a doubt that it is all about not wanting to spend a penny, poor management, and simply no vision. St. James has one, yes one, maintenance person for THREE different buildings. The main Campus, The old hospital classrooms and faculty offices, and the MD 2 building. This one person has to maintain and upgrade everything that deals with maintenance. He is given almost no money and the President doesn't want to spend anything substantial to do something professional or right. So everything takes a while to get fixed or it looks like crap when it gets taken care of. E.G. painting the main campus building outside walkway. It was painted 3 times very cheaply over the past 3 months instead of dong it right the first time. Yes it is expensive but it REALLY needed to be done. Now it looks like crap and that is how everything is done. So, how the heck is one man supposed to maintain all these things and upgrade facilities? It doesn't get done in a timely manner. Where are the cadaver labs that have been promised and promised? The excuse is... I am not in control, things happen that are out of my hands. If there was someone who was a dedicated manager or exec at the scho lthen things wouldn't be as difficult.

There is no management on-site and no clear authority at St. James. There are the teachers and a Dean with no real power. Policy at St. James changes from month to month. There is no concrete syllabus, attendance policy, or the like at St. James. Why, you ask?? Because no one is given any real authority at the school to permanently develop policy at St. James. The Dean and professors want to do something they can't. Why? They have no authority. The show is being run several thousand miles away in an office that is not in tune with the daily problems of the school. Since I have been here I have seen 4 Deans come and go from here. All left frustrated because they can't do anything that is important to make the school better. Like buy printer cartridges, or have working computers and overhead projectors in class because they don't have anything stocked for mishaps. Teachers have to pay out of pocket to buy these things. Not one professor at St. James has a printer authorized for him or her that is supplied with a printer cartridge. They have to go all over to get something printed. Teachers need supplies to plan effectively. They are not getting it, in my opinion. I know professors who bouht there own printer, scanner, supplies, etc just to prep for class effectively. Many are afraid to use the copier in for of getting gigged for spending too much money. Don't get me wrong, I know this stuff can add up but these are the most basic necessity to teach today. You can always put some accountability system in place. There were 3 professors hired last semester at St. James and all have left. So, the question is, why has there been such a high turnover in faculty at St. James?? Professors are not accomodated with a good work environment to do there job = leads to poorer lectures and low faculty moral. Better pay and treatment elsewhere. #1 reason why the best of the St. James faculty go to Xavier, they are treated with respect and fairness and actually paid on time. So, I want to say this to make the record clear, all the professors and students that go to Xavier since this past August has done so on their own accord. Xavier has not stolen or recruited any of them. All these problems are due to poor management.

When the loans were yanked by KEY bank. You had to find out second hand from other students. There was no formal addressing of the student body of the situation. People had to call Chicago, nobody here in Bonaire really knew what was going on. It was horrible. Why? because there is no one in real command here in Bonaire. There is no Modus Operandi.

If it seems that I am painting a picture of Chaos, then you are close to what the faculty and students feel, especially lately, with the constant policy changing, lack of supplies, and no accountability. This end of semester visit by the president was filled with anger and dissappointment with the president saying if you want something nicer then transfer.


Xavier, is a growing school that has invested money into a nice facility, upcoming lab, and there seems to be a clear cut direction that all the faculty and onsite management are going. YES, there were a few things I didn't care for when Xavier first opened up during those initial 6 months. I asked about them and they said that business is being done differently now. And from what I see, it is. the professors have all told me that they are being treated 10 times beter at Xavier and it shows. They have plans and they are not afraid to talk about them and put money into projects or the classrooms. Simple things like a 24 hour library. Heck, your lucky if the library at St. James is open these days. The white coat ceremony at Xavier is paid and arranged by the school. At Xavier you can't get them to pay for a nice ceremony. They don't want to spend the money.

Even though Xavier is a newer school, they have done more in the year they have been open than St. Jmaes did when I was there.

Ultimately, it is your choice to choose. these are the reasons why I transferred to Xavier above and beyond St. Jmaes not having the loans for me.

Please feel free to ask any questions.

Frankenstone

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I am older than I look.