This topic is getting more interesting. I think it is time to declare my real identity. I am definitely not an aspiring medical student. Simply put, I hold a professional degree, licence, and a PhD. It has always intrigued me that people would go to private universities in the caribbeans to study Medicine, and I thought it would be a good idea to know what motivates the students and proprietors of such schools. I was doing my investigation when I found this site and, just as I said before, I have spent many nights reading through this message board. I think this website is one of the best things that ever happened to Medicine. I am excited to know that there is always a way to make dreams become reality. I salute the courage of people who would risk anything to achieve their dreams. Generally speaking, it is a great risk to leave North America for a medical school in some islands of less than 100 thousdand people, whether you are attending St George, St James, Ross or Xavier! The risk was higher 10-15 years ago when the average normal-thinking person would regard going to some private medical schools on an Island in the Caribbeans an academic comedy. Today, the risk is almost zero since all the rules are widely accessible and there are structures put in place to make sure they are followed. Anyone who wants to engage in this kind of adventure without carefully studying the rules has no business fiddling with the lives of other human beings. There is even a website (http://www.[blocked by request].com/) dedicated to this new development in the training of physicians. Anyone who is lazy enough not to read all these materials does not possess the work ethics needed for success in this profession. As for ASUM, they also have a website for people who can read.

In short, I am saying the advice and personal opinions of some people on this board should simply be ignored or, at best, be regarded as scaremongering. I was told a couple of weeks ago, on this board, that ASUM is unsafe because it was not listed on IMED two days after it received a charter. The new concern since they were listed is that the individuals who started the school are the issue. I have since found out the problems between the founders of this school and a few people on the islands and this board, including some schools.

My recent interest has been on trying to study why people post what they do on this board. This has led me to unmask a lot of posters on this board. I need to warn that the internet is not as anonymous as it often initially appears to be. I have said it before, and I say it again, my motivation for joining this thread is to defend the truth and promote objectivity. I would not want to say anything on this forum until I send private messages to the individuals concerned and obtain their responses to the information I have obtained. In the meantime, I would warn that it is not a good idea for people who live in glass houses to throw stones!

There we go....so do you know the founders of this school and the previous MEERC program with St. James? Tell us more. Are you teaching there? Do you normally threaten people before you unmask them or do you unmak them? What can we expect from you?

__________________
Moderator - State Licensing Forum

Still skeptical after all these years.
This is it. There are no hidden meanings.WYSIWYG

http://www.internetmedicalschool.homestead.com

http://www.chiropractormds.homestead.com/index.html

Why would anyone appear to be someone their not, then expect their information to be seen as creditable?

What is the purpose of your investigation? The motives of the students are obvious. Your's not so much so.

What is there to unmask? In as much as I don't agree with the majority and the intent of most on this website, it does still provide a starting point. One thing is for certain: That in life, everything needs to be met with a grain of salt; including yourself, myself and all the 'self's' out there.

Not unlike the majority of us. Just, people tend not to see things in the same line of sight.

For me, I wish all the best for ASUM and its success. I agree that with more choice will come more chances for one to succeed. However, I chose to comment on what I believed to be a concern.

People go into a chat room because they think it is anonymous. I am not interested in whether you believe me or not, at least I told you something about myself. And, reading between the lines to analyse every sentence I put on this forum, you should be able to say something about me. That is just a common sense context analytical study. I can also confidently say something about who you are, just by reading your postings. Whoever you pretend to be is none of my business, it is virtual space! But remember, this is not always as anonymous as it often initially appears to be. If you want to know me and take issues with me, pm me as soon as you can.

[quote]The purpose of my investigation? That is very simple, to know how chat rooms are used as tools of information and disinformation, and to know how people like you want to use this space as a cheap advertisement tool to promote whatever interests or disinterests you have in the Caribbeans while actively pushing down any threat of competition (?) or retribution (?) at the same time. I am sure you don't want to take me on! Remember, this is christmas period and I have some time on my hands.

First, there are people on this board who think Medicine is for the highest bidder. They think they can go to a medical school, fail exams and expect to be promoted to the next level even if they have nothing in their gray matter. But then, they will promptly go on a valueMD message board and say they are graduates of a university in Australia! They think all these are possible because the medical school is located in the Caribbeans. I have not had any contact with graduates of Caribbean medical schools but I know colleagues who have, both here in Canada and in the United States. If there is any complaint about them, it is not about a lack of academic excellence or poor clinical proficiency. People have told me that they are as good as graduates of onshore medical schools, and even better in some areas (especially in the basic sciences). People whose intellectual abilities do not measure up to this standard should simply quit medical school and go and find something else to do, instead of using this medium to misinform the world to make up for their academic disability.


To round up, I will answer some of the questions posted by one of the posters. First I don't teach in the Caribbeans although I have previously been invited to teach during my summer holidays by one of the schools, an offer I couldn't take up because of other commitments. ASUM recently invited me to be a visiting professor and I would be the most stupid person on earth if I don't make attempts to find out everything about them before dragging myself into the Caribbean picture. One of the most respected Anatomy Professors in my student days teaches at Ross. If that man could teach in a Caribbean medical school, I can confidently say those schools are not a joke. However, the jaundice in the eyes you are using to look at ASUM (or any other school not St James or Xavier) was enough to make me suspect your "good intentions" and receive your "virtual wisdom" with some grains of salt.

Again, someone asked if I knew the individuals who are proprietors of ASUM. Yes, I do. I met one of them (as a director of ASUM) on my trip to Toronto. And the exchanges on this board have made me to find out more about them, enough to know them better than one month ago.

More questions?

Now that we know you have a vested interest in the Aruba school as a teacher, we know where you stand. This is good.

But why the need to 'threaten'. Is it your normal style to try and discourage conversation?

I'm not afraid of you myself. I'm not a student nor am I in a position where you can harm me but why would you keep acting like you want to fight? Whats the payoff for you? Professors normally are more reserved than that. What am I missing?

__________________
Moderator - State Licensing Forum

Still skeptical after all these years.
This is it. There are no hidden meanings.WYSIWYG

http://www.internetmedicalschool.homestead.com

http://www.chiropractormds.homestead.com/index.html

Go ahead and unmask away! I for one have nothing to be ashamed of. Just don't send me any spam, ok?

Let me save you some time, though. My motivation is:
1. To learn as much as I can about medicine and caribbean med schools in particular as a student, because knowledge is power,
2. To make friends and have fun
3. To help those who follow behind me in this adventure, as others who have gone before have helped me. 'Tis better to give than to receive, no?

As far as scaremongering goes, yeah, that happens here. Don't do it yourself!

__________________
Saba Forum Moderator
Saba University School of Medicine, MSIV
Interests: Pediatrics, Psychiatry

I hope nobody finds out MY true identity

__________________
AUC Class of '99
Bored certified
I may be a jerk, but I'm a Jedi jerk like my father.

Some say I look like Buzz Lightyear....
(They're right)

DISCLAIMER: I have no financial stake in ValueMD, or any medical school.

Could be a moderator in disguise??

Otherwise, now we know the type of teacher ASUM is looking for -- one who can unmask. lol



ps. dont unmask me 'cause I still dont know who I am yet, and the shock of reality may be too much for me to handle.

What you have "told me" is that you're not creditable. Everything else about you, I could give a flying puck.

Yeah, so. Ditto, right?

You sure about that? Because you also say, I don't do PM's, sorry. Anyway, one should not be so paranoid on this website. That kinda gives me the hebbie jebbies. Besides, the only issues I have are my ones from my Martha Stewart Living magazines.

Awh, man, you got me. I been found out. What to do now...

Even though I don't do christmas (I do a different religion), and as much as it is very temping because you have so much time on your hands, but, nah, I have no interest in taking you on... Now, what button was that again, hmmm

Can I offer you some syrup with that waffle?

uh huh, uh huh, go on, yes, oh yeah, and...

Wow, I have virtual wisdom. Cool! Oh, but you forgot to mention SC. What? Jaundice in my eyes? Darn UK health care! They told me it was because my bladder was full.

Well, then, not all is lost.

Yeah, if all I know, is that I know nothing, then, how is it, I know what I don't know?

Hi all,

As a student who initially knew nothing about the rigamarole of applying and getting through medical school but had to learn a lot of it the hard way, I find this site and the people constructively contributing to it to be veritable treasure trove of information.

That being said, I am also a student from St James who is now transferring out of there to All Saints. I do happen to know some of the people currently at All Saints and have received very positive information regarding them. I too have done my research with this school and its individuals and I feel quite confident in my decision to transfer there. I also feel that my experiences with St James and XUSOM gives me enough of a stance to inform anyone regarding these schools.

IF you are looking for any objective questions regarding this school, St James or even XUSOM, I can provide it. I was considering applying to XUSOM, but did not feel comfortable with many aspects of how the individuals running the school were going about it.

I am not the only student considering transferring out of St James and for those interested it has nothing to do with my grades. I can only take so much incompetence.

It seems a lot of these new schools use scaremongering tactics to get students to transfer here and there. I can even provide examples of such schools who have done this.

Suffice it to say, from a first hand point of view ASUM is a much better option than any of the schools currently running on the island. It is a political pithole of paranoia down there and the rivalry between the two schools (St James and XUSOM) is disgusting. I did not ever think for even once that medical establishments are run in such a shameful manner. I am sure a lot you out there have undergone a similar situation and that is the reason why sites such as these there. However, posting truth over fiction, is the more helpful and that is the reason why I am posting.
I do realize that with all new schools there will be a certain amount of bashing (seems a trend on this forum) but that's fine as long as its true. Saying that it a new school and is yet to be proven is fine. Saying that it was not listed on the IMED when it wasn't is fine too (it is now listed in IMED when last I checked). But making students believe absurd things like (and I am talking about Wiseguys initial posting) to be a requirement for choosing a school is outright ridiculous. Additionally, . I know for a fact that SJSM does not have cadavers and certainly XUSOM does not have cadavers. Not to mention the fact that cadavers are no longer used in some US and Canadian medical schools. Anyway, it makes one thing that if the school Wiseguy is going to does not provide such facilities, then why even bring it up? Ulterior motive... me thinks perhaps. Anyway, I could post loads more regarding these schools.... or at least the experiences of myself and my colleagues.

In defence of Dr Alberto, who may seem quite harsh in his tone, I think he may have been directing his accusations towards Wiseguy, whom I know of on the island. He too used to be a student of St James, but has currently transferred to XUSOM. Word is that he did not do too well in premed and has a grudge towards one of the individuals from ASUM.

I myself opted to be a passive observer of this forum, but the current disinformation is appalling. For one, the Basic Sciences portion of ASUM is being run on the island of Aruba ONLY. They run prequisite courses and preperatory courses in Toronto. This scenario in no way is illegal and from what I know the officials from the Canadian government have already made site visits to ASUM's Toronto location and deemed everything as fine and legal. One would think that by now, if it were an illegal operation it would have already been shut down in the once of strictest countries in the world for medical practice. Additionally such a scenario would by no means cause a licensing issue of any sort to the best of my knowledge. But then again, I'm not a JD in immigration law either

Presently, I am just hoping that I get my transcripts from St James so I can transfer out successfully. It seems acquiring transcripts is another whole task onto itself, especially when asked from institutions that are hesitant to give it out.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years to all.