for fall term. But I think I'll be declining. Im gonna talk it over with my premed advisor. He is wise and very very very old.

Would you mind explaining why? I don't mean to pry into personal matters, I just would like to know for my own curiosity.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK, no matter what you do!

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bleh

well. I have heard that only the top 10-15% of the stuents at AUC are able to do their clinicals in the US. That a lot of students have to go over to the UK to do their clinical rotations there. Not that I wouldnt mind doing a rotation over there, I just wouldn't wwant todo a significant portion of my clinical rotations over there. I read on one the network54 or the blind mice forum that if you want to do all your clinical rotations in the US you might have to wait a lot to get the spots. That it took someone 3-4 years todo that.

Licensure is another big thing. AUC doesn't have licensure rights in all 50 states. I am from Texas and god willing I would like to return to Texas. I do know that it is possible to return to Texas from AUC. My father met a resident from AUC in the hospital not too long ago. But they're very few who do manage to get into Texas. Texas is a xenophobic state and having to go to foreign medical school, Id like to make that process of coming back as easy as possible. Right now I believe that Ross and SGU are the best schools for that purpose.

Finally, I find it worrisome that AUC wont publish a matchlist of where there graduates are doing their residencies.

AUC looks like a beautiful school and looks to be heading in the right direction, especially with the NY approval. But the above mention things worry me.

again I'll be speaking with my premed advisor later today. I trust him since a lot of the success I have had here is due in large part to him. He's been the director of admissions at 2 Texas medical schools and setup 1 of them. He's been advising college students for over 40-50 years and has sent a lot of students to teh caribbean, including one of his sons I believe.

He'll probably make or break the school for me though.

Wow.

It's unfortunate that you were convinced by the lies spouted by irresponsible students posting on another forum. I had hoped that wouldn't happen, but it is obviously your decision and your life.

Personally, I think I (and several others here) could alleviate nearly every one of your concerns, but I won't beat a dead horse here on the forums unnecessarily.

Please PM me if you would like to converse further.

Good luck!

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bleh

bevo, I think you've been hanging around with Ross advocates too much

There's a significant number of students who have decided to do their electives in England/Ireland. It has nothing to do with whether you'll be in the top 10-15% or not - as long as you have your passing score for step 1 you can opt to stay in the US. A lot of people who went to England have passed step 1 too and this apparently will be a requirement for the English hospital next year. Those who spent 3-4 years for clinicals obviously have their personal problems which I won't explore here, but in general it shouldn't take any longer than the usual 2 years. In case you don't know, waiting for US clinical rotation spots are not unique to AUC students; Ross and SGU students have to wait too. US hospitals obviously would accomodate their own students as a priority.

Texas is a difficult state to get a license from for any IMG, not just those from AUC. I don't see how Ross and SGU students can have an upper edge over AUC students in making the process more smoothly.

AUC does publish a match list for graduates every year. They publish whatever match info they could gather from the graduates.

Good luck!

tz

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Moderator - Marketplace Forum

Hey, taozi
One question I have for you is why do people chose UK/Ireland to do their clinicals over the US? Is there some kind of advantege going there? I went to other forums and talked to other IMGs who came from med schools that didn't offer any US clinical experience at all. They did their entire medical education outside of US. One of them was envious of how carribbean schools offer such opprotunity for US experience because a lot of people who were not from carribbean schools get denied trying to do rotations in US. From what I heard from them, getting US experience is extremely important for residency placement, and many of them had to make numerous calls to US hospital on their own to make arrangements to work at the US. Some even had to pay the hospital to work there. One of the most important thing they ask during interview to a IMG is whether or not you have any US experience. It is almost ironic how they would even ask that question since these people weren't even allowed to do any clinically related work in the US. For some reason carribbean schools seems to have an upper edge than all the other schools otherwise why would most of their students come from US and canada, and I think it is because of where students do their clerkships. If graduate from UK or Irland are all capable of getting US residencies, then I would start reconsidering my options. The thing is I don't know anywhere else in the world can have the kind of success in getting people into residencies than caribbean schools. Like one AUC student had said it," it is the same reading the same book in NY or anywhere else (from AUC vedio)" It is true, you can learn your anatomy or pathology anywhere and it be the same. If the basic science isn't the issue, then it has to be the clinical years.. I don't think the learning, when it comes to hands-on stuff are as universial as basic science and the US hospitals may have something else in mind. That is why I have to choose a school that will guarantee me a spot in the US for clerkship. That is just my opinion, but also a critical one to me. I am open to any corrections if I have been misinformed in any ways. Please feel free to correct me. I like to read you opinion on this matter, and please answer the above question.

regardless, Ive made up my mind on the matter. I spoke at length with my advisor today about it and with my father about my options at this point.

Neither felt that AUC was going to offer me anything better in the short term, nor help me in the future. My advisor stressed the importance of having the clinicals in the United States. I agree with him.


Ive been lurking lots of foreign med school sites, not just Ross forums. Ive been reading those of SGU, Ross, AUC and SABA. I applied to all 4, declined my interview with SABA after I got my Ross acceptance. Ive heard all the rumors and ** and in the end when it came to make my own decision I have to go with my gut feeling. And right now, besides it grumbling at me for more food, it feels like Ross is probably the best fit for me, including SGU if that option is available.

That being said Im not dead set on going to Ross this May. I am still eagerly awaiting the options I still have in the United States. I am waiting for a reponse from PCOM and interviewing at LECOM and TUCOM in the next 2 weeks.

I have nothing against AUC. Had nothing else above worked out I would have gone. Its a good school, but in the end I felt like I would be taking a big risk by going to AUC over Ross or SGU(if it becomes available) because of the clinicals and lake of licensure in Texas and some other states.

Thank you.

That's interesting that you're pursuing the D.O. (Osteopath) option. I wonder how many other indivduals on this forum applied to D.O. schools ? I too am waiting on PCOM, recently got invited to interview at Western COMP, and just declined my interview at LECOM. I also have an MD option at the University of Hawaii, offered interview at Ross, and I was accepted into AUC. I have heard many arguments for and against D.O.; the same goes for foreign medical schools, and US medical school are not all perfect. I have had the distinct privilege of working with all types (US trained allopaths, IMG allopaths, and osteopaths) of physicians in a variety of clinical settings. Ultimately, I believe that in the end, what should really matter is finding a school which you feel best suits your style of learning, as well one that you genuinely feel comfortable with. Of the many physicians I routinely work with, all have the same opinion...whether you ar an MD, a DO, or IMG, you are still, above all, a physician. Just my $0.02!
Aloha,

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Pathology
PGY-1.75

Well, I happen to have a guy renting my studio apartment here in SXM right now who is currently enrolled in a major D.O. school in the US, but is in the process of moving down here to Sint Maarten. he is dropping out of DO school, and is waiting for his acceptance letter from AUC for the May sem (I hope he gets it!).

Obviously, different strokes for different folks. I wouldn't have chosen any US school over AUC unless it were say.... Top 10 or something. There just were too many benefits to me coming down here, and too many uncertainties with US schools.

AUC will offer you the opportunity to get your MD, pass the boards (with flying colors, if you work at it!), AND do ALL of your cliniclas in the US, AND get licensed to practice in any State in the nation.

Again, I say it is unfortunate that anyone was misled into believing otherwise by irresponsible lies posted specifically for the purpose of recruiting students away from a perfectly legitimate school. My opinion of those who post such trash decreases by the moment, and I hope this forum is a beacon of light and truth for those who seek information.

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bleh

Bevo, absolutely nothing wrong with Ross. A fine choice. The part about AUC having only 10-15% of people to US clinicals is absolute rubbish. Half our spots are in the US, and many go unfilled. Your advisor telling you UK clinicals are not as good as US clinicals speaks for his inexperience in dealing with state licensing boards. When doing UK clinicals you don't need to worry about the program being ACGME accredited and all that other good stuff. You do miss out on learning the US system, and it takes about 2 weeks to catch up. It doesn't hurt you with program directors. Congratulations on your acceptance to Ross. Best of luck in the future. G

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AUC Class of '99
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