CASHU Medical college

[ICUUCME2]

Hey, I just got accepted to Belize Medical College for Jan 2007. Any one else going too. Any information on how it is? Anyone currently attending CASHU.

[wcb22]

yup, i'm here, but i'm in my 3rd year doing clinical rotations.

[ICUUCME2]

Hey, Thanks for replyin. Well, how is it? Do you like it and importantaly do you see a future after graduating from their and where are you clinical rotaions taking place.

[wcb22]

Uh, yes, I see a future after graduating from here. That seems like a funny question. I'm just finishing up Family Medicine right now, I'll be moving to Connecticut next (St. Vincents, Bridgeport) to do Internal Medicine for 3 months, and then I'll be at NIH in Bethesda, Maryland (National Institute of Health) doing Infectious Disease for 1 month. I like that last one the most. They only take one student at a time/rotation. We'll see after that.

[ICUUCME2]

did you pick the palces of your rotation or the school did. did you take your usmle 1.

[wcb22]

yes i took step 1. here's my experience. http://www.valuemd.com/usmle-step-1-forum/121524-thank-you-valuemd-family-i-got-218-88-a.html

i got an 88/218.

the rotation i'm doing in connecticut does not allow students to rotate there unless they've passed step 1. the school can set up some of them, but i've also set up some myself. the NIH rotation was a tuff one to get. only 12 students will rotate per year in infectious diseases, and that's including all US med school students who are applying (who do get preference over us). only 1 student/month. there are around 20 elective rotations that they offer. the application process took 4 months, so you have to apply very early. in some ways, i like setting some rotations up on my own. it's not that big of a deal, and i can control exactly when i do rotations, and where.

just get that step 1 out of the way, and options are open to you.

[ICUUCME2]

Thanx once again. How does houseing work. Is it expensive. Importantly is it safe. Is their some thing to do over the weekend or no.

[wcb22]

Housing is something that either the school can set up for you (at a place called Los Lagos, which is 1 mile away from the school), or you can come a little early, and find housing on your own. I came with my wife, so we wanted our own place. They charged $675/month with the school (which comes with a few benefits, like free van rides, certain housing guidelines that landlords must adhere to), or you can set it up on your own for a lot less. My 2nd semester I got housing for $400/month. That's a house to ourselves at Los Lagos.

I didn't like my wife going to belize city alone, so I'd always go with her. But I felt safe when I was with her. Just don't be in the wrong part of the city (ghetto) at night. Pretty much the same advise you'd hear in any city.

['cuse]

My 1st house in Los Lagos was $500 USD/month and I got that house through the school. You pay 1 month deposit + 4 months rent when you move in. All the student houses are furnished.

In my 2nd semester, I found a better house in Los Lagos on my own. It was $600 USD/month but it had AC, bath tub, electric stove, washer & dryer. It was nice. :D

I think it was pretty much safe in Los Lagos. Just make sure your house has window burglar bars.

There are some nice restaurants in Belize City. You can also visit San Pedro or Caye Caulker if you have time.

['cuse]

Hey wcb22, congratulations on NIH rotation!

Only 1 student/month and you got it.

Wow, that's SO amazing. I really admire you. ;)

[wcb22]

thanks, that's very nice of you... NIH might think i'm more annoying because i called them so much to see how the progress was on them reviewing my application. and it still took 4 months.

not sure if this had anything to do with it, but once i submitted my step 1 score, i was approved for the rotation not too long after that. even seeing a good transcript from a foreign school might not mean that much... those step scores are standardized, and then they know where you are at compared with US students. not that my score is amazing, but it is decent.

[MissyMissy]

Hey I'm going to CASHU too.

[sniperkwon]

(I am not a native english speaker and in this e-mail, there might be some typos. I hope that my mistakes are acceptable.)

I am one of the Korean students(Republic of Korea) who are totally eager to apply to Belize medical school.

In fact, Belize (even the name of nation, school, location) is not really familiar to me and

I've been trying to get some information from such as the formal web site of the school(cahsu.edu) and online encyclopedia.

Unfortunately, it was a little difficult to gain sufficient information I want to know of. Even the font of the school web was very tiny

and i could hardly make out the words.(the font on the web was 7.5 T.T)

To get some information, i would like to contact to one of any students who are currently studying in Belize.

How could I have any ways to get to contact with some of them? or Where could i know about some of their e-mail adresses?