Is bonaire really the answer to success? Need some help

[desiallstar]

I agree with the thought of going after high school as it seems so much better than toughing it out in Canada for four years only to become rejected by med schools even with a 95% average (stories ive heard), the acceptance rate is only 6 % to get into med school here, so to me i am thinking of going to bonaire, i am currently completing the IB diploma program (higher learning) and don't fancy going to become a doctor only to become screwed by Canada's ghetto system, i was wondering if studying in teh Carribean would be a wise choice as you are pretty much guaranteed med school there...

I'd like to kno if my mindtrack is right, mayb other students could help me out, is bonaire realli the best choice or are there other pre med programs (i.e. after high school) which would benefit me more in terms of education quality and such.

Is it better to go after high school or after you have earned your bachelor from say an Ontario University?

Thanks in advance to all

[lotus07]

hi,

I'm actually starting at Xavier in January, having finished my undergrad. I originally thought of applying after my second year of university, but I talked myself out of it and glad I did. During your undergrad years you have the opportunity to take all different courses and it really helps you to become well-rounded, which is really what all med schools like to hear, Caribbean or elsewhere. Also, just in case there is a possibility that you will change your mind, you can always have something else to fall back on!
And don't think that going to the Caribbean is an easy option either...its medical school after all!! :) There are some schools that you have to really be weary of.
The best advice I can give you is get yourself really informed. Do research, research and more research and find a school that suits you. There is a lot of incorrect information being circulated so whatever you need, go straight to the source.
Best of luck to you, I'm sure you will make the right decision!

[desiallstar]

DO you believe that bonaire is a good choice, where did u do your undergrad from and what were your marks like (sorry if im being too personal but i just need some information), did u also consider other medical schools aside from bonaire or was it more of a last choice sort of decision?

[jameslynton]

I agree with the thought of going after high school as it seems so much better than toughing it out i...

Is it better to go after high school or after you have earned your bachelor from say an Ontario University?

Thanks in advance to allGet your Bachelors. There are plenty of schools in the islands that are much better qualified - like Saba, SGU, AUC, Ross, AUA, MUA-N, and St Matt's if you don't get into a Canadian school. This school has no grads, no track record. While they may have that in four years. Don't take short cuts in the medical world - They backfire and can burn you quite bad.

[DOCplucinski]

Get your Bachelors. There are plenty of schools in the islands that are much better qualified - like Saba, SGU, AUC, Ross, AUA, MUA-N, and St Matt's if you don't get into a Canadian school. This school has no grads, no track record. While they may have that in four years. Don't take short cuts in the medical world - They backfire and can burn you quite bad.
James is right, i would always reccommend going to a US school or Canadian school first. if you are really considerign coming here instead, i would avoid this school. it has no track record and the above schools should be considered first.

[dpatel987]

I think the smart thing to do is to contact the school directly and find out whatever you need to know. You can even contact some current students and see how they feel about the school. Good luck.

[dpatel987]

Don't make decisions based off this...

[desiallstar]

I have contacted a few students and they say its great there, aside from the realli casual atmosphere going with drinks with your teachers, but they are all in the pre med program there, and then i have read this forum and its like woahhhhhhh....what am i thinking, i went to their toronto seminar and the head dude cudnt speak proper english, that was a turn off, but the whole fast-track program saving you a few years is still really attractive, is that just a scam or are u ready and prepared in their recommended course outlines?

[AUCMD2006]

I have contacted a few students and they say its great there, aside from the realli casual atmosphere going with drinks with your teachers, but they are all in the pre med program there, and then i have read this forum and its like woahhhhhhh....what am i thinking, i went to their toronto seminar and the head dude cudnt speak proper english, that was a turn off, but the whole fast-track program saving you a few years is still really attractive, is that just a scam or are u ready and prepared in their recommended course outlines?

there are absolutely no "fast track" programs in medicine that are worth the risk. don't ever do premed in the caribbean at any school whether it is xavier, ross, or sgu. reason is that the credits you get from premed at these schools will not count for anything if you find you don;t like the school and want to attend another one because no credible school in the caribbean will accept transfer pre med credit so once you start your premed you are absolutely stuck with that school

also a many states require 60 hours of pre med, some 90 hours and a few a full bachelors degree for licensure from an accredited school and most of these schools are not accredited to grant undergrad degrees. possible exception maybe sgu which actually has a university in grenada catering to locals.

take your undergrad in canada at any accredited school then apply to schools in the us/canada. if you don;t get in use the caribbean as an absolute last resort! even then there are a few schools that have been around a long time, have a few state approvals and have collectively over 15,000 practicing docs in the US. SGU, Ross, AUC, and Saba. there are a few other ones with one state approval and have a good track record so far even though they are much newer, SMU, AUA.

the rest can vary greatly in what they can offer and you need to really look closely at them because they are so new, have few resources, and are in need of students may not have your best interest in mind when answeriong questions. generally be careful with any school down there because they are all for profit money machines. good luck

[desiallstar]

Thanks so much everyone for ur help, made my decision like 100 billion times clearer, Canadian Uni's it is, thx so much guys n girls

[dpatel987]

highly doubt that desiallstar...I am in Bonaire and the only time I see the teachers is when I am on campus..and I went to a few seminars in Toronto before making my decision, ALL of them were excellent. Good luck to you,just because you made your decision, doesn't mean you should bad mouth other schools.

[jameslynton]

Spoken like a person who may work for the school who was dinged for posting spam for the school. This is a forum. You don't know who a person is who has just a few posts. Look at the volume of posts a person has. Spend time reading what they say and how they say it. AUCMD is correct don't do pre-med at any island school. Also don't trust any startup school unless they have somebody there who has a successful back ground in education. Look at the CMU stuff. Unless you are a really pioneer - don't go to a new school. They represent extreme risks.

This is what you will see - based on other start up schools - lots of prof turnover. Massive amounts of student transfer and going - Start up profs will be most likely heavily accented and poor teachers. This is your medical future. Do You want to be someone's lab rat and revenue flow while they setup a school? If you do - then head here...

[dpatel987]

Well like I said I am a student and I am happy here. I am sure there are people on here who are just working for the school, or who have nothing to do with the school...I think that would be you? Everyones entitled to their own opinion though.

[jameslynton]

...or who have nothing to do with the school...I think that would be you? Everyones entitled to their own opinion though.True - I have nothing to do with any of the schools and am impartial. True - everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I am glad you are so happy there. Hope it works for you.

[jasano]

I agree with the thought of going after high school as it seems so much better than toughing it out in Canada for four years only to become rejected by med schools even with a 95% average (stories ive heard), the acceptance rate is only 6 % to get into med school here, so to me i am thinking of going to bonaire, i am currently completing the IB diploma program (higher learning) and don't fancy going to become a doctor only to become screwed by Canada's ghetto system, i was wondering if studying in teh Carribean would be a wise choice as you are pretty much guaranteed med school there...

I'd like to kno if my mindtrack is right, mayb other students could help me out, is bonaire realli the best choice or are there other pre med programs (i.e. after high school) which would benefit me more in terms of education quality and such.

Is it better to go after high school or after you have earned your bachelor from say an Ontario University?

Thanks in advance to all

I've heard from high ranking students who just could not get into Canadian medical schools as well - the hoops through which you must jump are narrow and flaming. That said, I would still agree with other posters - you're probably best to get a degree here in Canada first, and then consider taking your studies in the Caribbean or somewhere else not so closed to opportunity. I hear for example that Ireland, which has high standards as well, is still a possibility for Canadians and that many migrate there, become doctors, and then return. This will not be possible with Caribbean medical schools - if you get your MD, you will likely be locked into practice in selected states within the US.

As for the premedical program, I might tend to disagree with other posters. For a number of medical programs, a specific set of premedical classes is not an absolute necessity (if you already have your degree!); what is an absolute necessity is scoring well on the MCAT. If you can do this, then the esteem with which your premedical program is held here in the north will have little to do with the decision to accept. In other words, if you are confident that the premedical program will provide you with the background, and are willing to study your *** off and do well with the MCAT, then it's not the end of the world if you did your studies in the Caribbean. In fact, it might even be preferable I would think, than studying medicine there and being even more severely limited in terms of final destination?

Admittedly, I could be wrong :) and I am studying this carefully before making any decisions.

I wish Canadian medical schools were so stingey with seats. When you have such a small number of seats, and you allocate some of those for particular groups only on top of that, what you have is a very minute chance. By all means try here first, but you may find what others have told me: even the best and brightest get turned away in droves. If you're male, take in mind that at least 60% of seats are female and that X number of seats are reserved for status indians, francophones and other minority groups - you can see that the 6% you quoted is really less than 3% if you're white anglosaxon male, or even just male period.

As a nurse, I can tell you that I see the list of names of medical students coming to my hospital - most of the surnames I am unable to pronounce, and the first names are almost exclusively, and decidedly female. Other nurses have commented to me on this as well.

This kind of extreme discrimination and bias makes the Caribbean seem not only warmer, but a hell of a lot more friendly.
:yeah:

[ams]

I tell everyone..FIRST TRY TO GET INTO THE STATES OR CANADA. then go to a carribean school. Just the fact that you gone threw the formal education of getting bachelors, or at least 3 years of college will better prepare you mentaly and give you training, maturity and wisdom to be a good medical student.

Yes alot of young kids from highschool make it...but that percentage is low..because to kids..they are out of the house and its party central. To older students, its been there done that, and they want so badly to get that medical education and be a doctor...i mean they worked for it.

look you cant just go from highschool chem to medical school bio chem..that interval step called a pre med is important. Pre med in an established university is huge night and day dif with a pre med in caribean schools.

at the end of all this...each person is dif..some young kids can handle it, and many of us like my self need to go to university because it develops us to think and operate in many ways. So try your best to get in the US or Canada and god forbid you dont, you have the caribean option.

Lastly, Xavier is a damn good school...because this is a school whose priority is thier students, most schools care about money. And i know this school will work for you beyond what is expected. IF you dont believe me then contact Dr. Samir Fatteh or anyone of the administrators in the Ohio office of xavier bonaire. This school is a keeper, and still in its early stage...but they are doing it right to get to the ROSS, and SABA level (mind you they have been open for YEARS)

[dpatel987]

Thanks (James):)

[dprabhakar922]

:mad:Well like I said I am a student and I am happy here. I am sure there are people on here who are just working for the school, or who have nothing to do with the school...I think that would be you? Everyones entitled to their own opinion though.

HI (dpatel987)
I am in my last year in High School and I'm strongly thinking about attending Xavier med school. I have read this whole thred and I am not really sure wether Xavier is the school for me. I am not fully convinced, I have contacted the admissions office, but I would like to hear something from a student.

May you please let me know how the teachers are, how the enviroment is in the school and most of all is the pre-med program a good one?

Please do let me know.....
Thank you
dprabhakar922 :) :)