Please give your honest opinion! Canadian Thinking about St.George

[CANeh]

Hi Guys,

I need some of you honest feedback about SGU.

I am a Canadian applying to SGU. I would like to know if some of you had the option to do it again, if you would reapply and attend SGU.

My Stats are good enough, I think, but not good enough for Canadian Medical school. Unfortunately. I would like to hear your feedback on the good and the bad and the soso.

Especially like to hear back from all the Canadians on the island.

Thanks
CAN

[IndianBabu]

Definately do it again. By far, Babu's best decision ever.

Canadians have no problems at this school, from what Babu has seen (other than ususal annoyances that Americans throw at you e.g. living in igloos, your accent). Residency has its hurdles for us, but even then, very do-able, with more and more opportunities for us.

Don't worry about the residency issues, you'll learn about it in due time through people and research.

But if you have no doors open in Canada, don't wait for another to try again, come to SGU and start early.

Good luck,

IndianBabu

[Prash P]

Canadians have no problems at this school, from what Babu has seen (other than ususal annoyances that Americans throw at you e.g. living in igloos, your accent).

If they say that about Canadians what do they say about the British?

[Mark V]

Who cares what they say about you. While I don't come from Canada or England, I do hail from a severely stereotyped region of the USA. I find it more amusing that some people are so dumb as to actually believe these stereotypes.

If you really want to have fun with em, tell them that last year they just started importing these cool things called shoes, and supposedly some time in the next few years this thing called electricity is coming. It's supposed to change everyone's life, but I don't think so.

[Cotterpin_Doozer]

its great there's tons of canadians down here...and the school's name is really getting around with the academia/medical professionals in Toronto at the very least. With each year, the name gets more known because there's just so many of us!

[domino9]

There are quite a few Canadians here. Don't let your nationality hold you back.

[rokshana]

I don't think the OP has an inferiority complex- i believe he would like a little feedback on whether it is difficult to practice medicine, probably either in Canada or the US, with a degree from sgu and if there is a bias leaning towards americans at sgu in relation to admissions.

As far as I know (and I'm not canadian so this is just from what i've heard) the student pop is about 10% canadian - when head counts were being made after Ivan- ~200 canadians were evacuated by the canadian gov't- the student pop at the time was in the neighborhoos of 2000- med, vet, mph, etc.

yes there can be visa issues for you as a canadian if you don't hold a green card (if you have said green card, then i believe you are seen in the same light as any US citizen as far as residencies go)- you either have to look at programs that will sponsor your visa or go about getting it yourself (i don't know what this actually entails, sorry), or , of course you could marry a US citizen(but that's pretty drastic, unless of course your SO is an American). Many of the canadian students will try to graduate by dec of the year before they start residency so they can get their ecfmg certification to speed up the paperwork- this is difficult(if not impossible) to do if you come into the Aug class, a little more fesible (though tight) if you come into the Jan class.

there has been talk about being able to do clinical rotations in Western Ontario- they seem to be sgu friendly, though i don't know what has come of that.

as for practicing in canada- i've heard that its difficult to get a residency in canada with a foreign degree(any foreign degree), though recently they have allowed fmgs to enter the 1st round of Canada's equivilant to the Match- but i think there are hoops to be jumped (though if you plan on being an sgu grad get used to hoop jumping- we have to do so much of it, there should be a class on it!). Most canadian grads will just end up practicing in the US, practice at border points and live in canada, or go back to canada after practicing in the US for a while.

hope that helps!

[DOCplucinski]

Crazy Canadians and your monopoly money :)

[RussianJoo]

Who cares what they say about you. While I don't come from Canada or England, I do hail from a severely stereotyped region of the USA. I find it more amusing that some people are so dumb as to actually believe these stereotypes.

If you really want to have fun with em, tell them that last year they just started importing these cool things called shoes, and supposedly some time in the next few years this thing called electricity is coming. It's supposed to change everyone's life, but I don't think so.


i got to admit shoes are overrated. but this electricity thing it's kind of cool.

[RussianJoo]

as far as applying to sgu again, if you don't have any other options then i believe that SGU is the best place out of all the carib and international schools.

[tpw2k]

how are you canadians paying for SGU?

as far as I know the bank gives you 150000CDN, and through osap, you can get like 24000 CDN. Where is the rest coming from? I am considering SGU but I have no idea how Iam gonna pay for it. How are you guys managing?

[RussianJoo]

You can get private loans. For example a company called Edinvest is owned by the same guy who owns SGU and it gladly lends money to SGU students, I think they will lend you money even if you're canadian.

[IndianBabu]

how are you canadians paying for SGU?

as far as I know the bank gives you 150000CDN, and through osap, you can get like 24000 CDN. Where is the rest coming from? I am considering SGU but I have no idea how Iam gonna pay for it. How are you guys managing?

Ed-Invest + Peace Scholarship + Canadian Student Loans.

Those three are saving Babu's behind.

Ed-Invest will get you 35000 US per year.

The Peace Scholarship is availible for all international students, but from what I've seen, Canadians usually do get this, so apply!

And Canada Student Loans for the airfare.

It seems impossible, but its very, very do-able.

IndianBabu

[vtrain]

I would not do it again if I was applying for the more competitive ROADE specialties. If you want to stay in primary care then that's fine. Also, being canadian with visa issues will set you way back.

[RussianJoo]

Vtrain, from what i remember you did pretty well on your step1, around 240 or so.. are you now having problems getting into a residency you want? I understand the visa issues, but can't you go back and practice in Canada?

Also what is Roade?

[Saora1]

I would not do it again if I was applying for the more competitive ROADE specialties. If you want to stay in primary care then that's fine. Also, being canadian with visa issues will set you way back.
Yeah, I remember you got an awesome score on Step I. 237/99 if I recall correctly. Congrats again by the way.

However, like RJ, I'm wondering how much that affects you in terms of residencies. It's tough enough for US students being an IMG without having to deal with visa sponsorship (even though you're Canadian and therefore it's a bit easier; too bad TN visas are only academic).

For myself, I want to do well on Step I but luckily I don't really want to do anything super competitive (that I know of now anyway) cause I'm sure that even if I got a 250 (probably more likely to win the lottery), being a non-US student on top of being an IMG (I also have Canadian citizenship in addition to being Grenadian) will probably still make it pretty tough to get into anything "fancy".

But I wonder about your "I would not do it again" comment. You came here cause you couldn't get in elsewhere. What would you have done instead? Taken some time to try and boost your application and then reapplied to Cdn or US schools? Being completely honest with yourself, do you think that would have happened? I'm not doubting you and your abilities or anything (cause look at your Step I score which is amazing) but it's easy to look back and say "if I had done X, Y would have happened".

[CANeh]

.................

[spawa]

Also what is Roade?

I think it's the competitive specialities (Radiology, Onc, Anesthesiology, Derm, not too sure about the E...Emergency med??)..

[RussianJoo]

cool thanks for that clarification.

[vtrain]

No ...E is for ENT. sure u say now that you dont want a competitive specialty but you dont really know until youve rotated through the primary care specialties. you may like it, you may not. i HATED ob with a passion, but found peds oddly likeable. in any case, dont limit you options, unless you are 100% sure you dont want anything specialized (even then you cant be too sure). if i could do it again, i wouldn't go to sgu simply for this fact: despite the great reputation this school has gotten, it still has a LONG way to go (and may never get to the level of an LCME school). it has little to do with our training. im very well trained (we work right alongside the kids at cornell and honestly at least with our group - we're doing MUCH better than them) --- so i know our training is good. but when it comes residency time, they will have a much greater advantage. it also comes down to who you know and those cornell kids are sooo much more connected than us. think about that --- it's so much about who you know at this level, especially when looking at the competitive specialties. SGU is leaving me high and dry right now. the alum is poorly cohesive when it comes to specialties and can help you out little. if i could do it again, I wouldve waited one more year and reapplied to cdn schools. i got waitlisted at a cdn med school so i think i wouldve got in but i thought a year was a TON of time. in retrospect it is nothing and it means so much come residency application time. im grateful for the SGU education im getting and its solid --- just dont think that there wont be any hurdles bc u go to the "#1 caribbean medical school and still the leader."

[Saora1]

sure u say now that you dont want a competitive specialty but you dont really know until youve rotated through the primary care specialties.

That's true and is why I said "that I know of now". I'm keeping my options open because I don't know what's out there. Like right now I'm about 95% sure that I have no interest in being a surgeon or pediatrician but I may change my mind after rotating through.

What I really meant is that, unlike many people I know, I don't really have my heart set on being an orthopedic surgeon or going into plastics, radiology, etc. That may change but I entered into this school with the knowledge the odds of getting into certain fields are simply not favourable. Nothing is impossible but there are a lot of obstacles in the way and most won't make it despite putting in 150% and doing great in the boards, rotations, etc.

The best bet IMO, if you want to go that route (and are a US citizen) is to try and transfer after building up your excellent record. But that's not even very probable in recent times as opposed to 10+ years ago.



Sure. I agree.

[quote]if i could do it again, i wouldn't go to sgu simply for this fact: despite the great reputation this school has gotten, it still has a LONG way to go (and may never get to the level of an LCME school).

I think that anyone who tells themselves otherwise is just kidding themselves. You have to know what you're working with.

Unfortunately.

it has little to do with our training. im very well trained (we work right alongside the kids at cornell and honestly at least with our group - we're doing MUCH better than them) --- so i know our training is good.

That's good to hear. I've heard similar from past students.

but when it comes residency time, they will have a much greater advantage. it also comes down to who you know and those cornell kids are sooo much more connected than us. think about that --- it's so much about who you know at this level, especially when looking at the competitive specialties.

That's something I never really thought about until the last year. Never crossed my mind when I was applying but, on the other hand, wouldn't have made a difference if it did cause I knew I was coming here.

SGU is leaving me high and dry right now. the alum is poorly cohesive when it comes to specialties and can help you out little.

That's too bad cause we have a fair number of alum out there but also not in too many of the "better" specialties so don't know how much they'd help in any case even if they were cohesive.

if i could do it again, I wouldve waited one more year and reapplied to cdn schools. i got waitlisted at a cdn med school so i think i wouldve got in but i thought a year was a TON of time. in retrospect it is nothing

Yup, I fully agree (as do others) that if someone is borderline and has a shot at a US/Canadian school that they should do everything possible to try to get in. A year really isn't a long time in retrospect.

and it means so much come residency application time. im grateful for the SGU education im getting and its solid --- just dont think that there wont be any hurdles bc u go to the "#1 caribbean medical school and still the leader."

Yup.

I am quite aware that the best student from SGU is still considered lesser than the worst student from the crappiest US medical school just cause they're not from "a mainland school".

Sucks but that's the position we're in. And it's even worse for people like yourself, me and the many others who don't have US status and have to deal with visa issues. I plan to return to the Caribbean eventually but I'd like the experience and training (and let's be honest, the income) I can get from being in the US and hope to live there for some time after graduation if possible. But my dream is to become a doctor (even if I can't get what specialty I'd ideally like; and perhaps won't be as happy because of it) and going to school here gives me the opportunity to do that because I wouldn't have gotten in anywhere else. I know you weren't complaining about having to come here and were just answering the OP's question so I hope you don't think that last little bit was me "preaching" or anything.

Good luck to you and I hope that you do get the opportunity to do something you'd like despite the hurdles of being an IMG.

[rokshana]

if i could do it again, I wouldve waited one more year and reapplied to cdn schools. i got waitlisted at a cdn med school so i think i wouldve got in but i thought a year was a TON of time. in retrospect it is nothing and it means so much come residency application time. "

totally proves the point i (and others)have said many times- the carribean schools(or any foreign one for that matter) should be the LAST thing you do in the process of applying to medical school. I have no regrets about coming here- because my option would have been MD or no MD- while I may be limited in residencies opened to me, at least I will have the OPTION to get a residency (and never be too sure about that waitlist thing- I waitlisted 2 years in a row and didn't get in- but knew, short of getting a Ph.D, my application wasn't going to improve).

[RussianJoo]

I am kind of happy to hear that knowing people is that important in getting a residency. I know a few people in the residencies I am interested in, so I guess I just have to get the grades/scores now.

Also I guess the fact that you're canadian makes it a lot harder to get a residency. Why don't you go back to Canada for your residency? It seems like it would be easier to get what you want in your own country.

[cavalletti]

To original poster.......I had similar questions/concerns when I started researching Caribbean schools. Here's a Canadian story with a happy ending http://www.valuemd.com/canadian-img/128270-h1b-visa-timeline.html

[IndianBabu]

vtrain,

Are you doing the J1 or H1b Visa for residency?


IndianBabu