What exactly are the licensing issues with transferring?

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

I'm currently at SMU on Grand Cayman and I'm thinking about transferring after my Step 1 for clinicals. Everywhere I've searched, people constantly talk about "licensing issues" associated with transferring, and that it looks bad on residency apps. My question is this:

Let's say I'm in good standing at my school (which I am). Let's also say there's no disciplinary action against me (which there isn't). Now, with that in mind, and that I wouldn't want to practice in Cali or any other Cali-associated state, what's the problem? Would I not be able to practice in a state that I normally would have without transferring and just staying at SMU?

[wcb22]

a couple things... many transfer students think the grass is greener on the other side, only to find out it's not.

transferring once shouldn't be too bad. I've seen transfer students having been at 3 and even 4 schools. Imagine the paperwork nightmare when it comes to getting a permanent license, and also imagine how it looks on your record to have gone to 3 or 4 schools. i'd say if you are serious about this, be sure this is your only transfer, and the school you plan to go to is better than St Matts. It's not easy to do. (I didn't go to St Matts by the way).

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

Yeah, I think that was the biggest issue as well. I just didn't want to transfer only to find out that SMU isn't all that bad. But if the school is a reputable one, one that can guarantee Green cores without having me take electives to make sure my enrollment isn't in danger of being withdrawn, then I'd gladly take any knocks associated with that.

Oh, and at SMU, clinical grades are 90% based on evals. I'm not sure if it's a valid enough reason, but hey, I gotta be realistic. I don't want my honoring to be contingent upon kissing major tail.

[Slaol_121]

... I don't want my honoring to be contingent upon kissing major tail.

There are very few people in this world who have achieved greatness without [at least a little of] the brown stain of tail lingering on their lips...

[butters]

make sure you have a reason for transferring...residency pd's will ask questions as to why you did it. they probe into anything that raises a red flag.

but it may be worthwhile to transfer to a more known about school. if you have done any of your coursework at a non-cali approved school, you can't get licensed there.

[stephew]

it only looks bad transerin to anoter off shore school. not the us. no one will ask why you did that or worry about licensing issues assuming there were none from your original host school.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

So do residency PD's have access to transcripts and other things like disciplinary actions taken against a student? If they do, I see no reason why it would raise a red flag. Perhaps it has something to do with being able to cope and live with a given institution for a defined period of time (similar to staying in a residency without switching because you lack confidence in the staff) versus leaving and finding a better educational (working) environment?

[butters]

it only looks bad transerin to anoter off shore school. not the us. no one will ask why you did that or worry about licensing issues assuming there were none from your original host school.


I completely disagree. I have many friends who transferred into Ross and were asked by PD's during Interview season why they did so. I don't think it looked bad and think they got better Residencies being from Ross than from smaller, unknown about Carib schools. For the few that attended schools that had not been around longer than 15 years, they did not get interviews in Kansas.

You should send in your transcript from your prior institution. PD's will not have access to this unless you send it.

[wcb22]

true, going from a smaller carib school to either AUC, Ross, or SGU is a move up, not down. If you have very good reasons to do so, do it. But I'm talking about transferring from just any ol' carib school to the next, which is often what people do. or they go from the big 3 to a lesser school, and it doesn't look as good than if you were moving up so to say. but one of the problems with attending a small caribbean school, and transferring up to one of the big 3, often you loose credits.

also, it won't improve your licensability one day. if you attended even one semester at a CA unapproved school, and then transfer to a big 3 school, you cannot get licensed in CA if those credits transferred over.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

true, going from a smaller carib school to either AUC, Ross, or SGU is a move up, not down. If you have very good reasons to do so, do it. But I'm talking about transferring from just any ol' carib school to the next, which is often what people do. or they go from the big 3 to a lesser school, and it doesn't look as good than if you were moving up so to say. but one of the problems with attending a small caribbean school, and transferring up to one of the big 3, often you loose credits.

also, it won't improve your licensability one day. if you attended even one semester at a CA unapproved school, and then transfer to a big 3 school, you cannot get licensed in CA if those credits transferred over.

Very true, but as long as it does not hinder my licensability any more than it is already then I don't care. So far the consensus seems to be transfer up, not down, which is what I was planning on doing.

However, as you say, I can potentially lose credits.

SMU's match list isn't that bad, and if I really wanted to, I guess I can just continue and take my chances with clinicals here rather than potentially retaking Path II and a revision semester after passing Step 1.

It's times like these I wish I was a better student in undergrad. :(

[JamesDeanMD]

I am also an SMU student who was considering transfering to Ross U. I have recently changed my mind and I am going to stick with SMU. SMU is a good school....heck, it helped me score in the 230's on the step 1 exam. I am more concerned with getting a good education and being loyal than I am with how reputable my school is. Personally, I could care less what people or PD's think about my school. I have good basic sciences grades (3.8 probably), good board scores (so far) and I plan on getting great LOR and getting great grades during clinicals. These things can easily outweigh the reputation of SMU.

Well thats just me. I happen to like SMU. I don't believe all the rumors that spread through the school. I really do believe that SMU is going to be a great school some day, it is simply going through growing pains right now. I hope you come to the right decision on transfering schools.

[butters]

I am also an SMU student who was considering transfering to Ross U. I have recently changed my mind and I am going to stick with SMU. SMU is a good school....heck, it helped me score in the 230's on the step 1 exam. I am more concerned with getting a good education and being loyal than I am with how reputable my school is. Personally, I could care less what people or PD's think about my school. I have good basic sciences grades (3.8 probably), good board scores (so far) and I plan on getting great LOR and getting great grades during clinicals. These things can easily outweigh the reputation of SMU.

Well thats just me. I happen to like SMU. I don't believe all the rumors that spread through the school. I really do believe that SMU is going to be a great school some day, it is simply going through growing pains right now. I hope you come to the right decision on transfering schools.


As a foreign doc, you are still considered a foreign doc in the eyes of PD's no matter which school you attended.

However, most PD's have experience with students from the "big 3" because of their being around for year and having a higher turnout of students that enter the Match and further pursue Residency.

Having been on the interview trail (with a lot of Carib students with high GPA's and high board scores), I can say that the name of the school did matter. I didn't meet many residents at the programs I interviewed at from schools other than SGU, Ross, AUC, or Saba.