Aspiring student in need of some info

[VEXD247]

Hello all. I am new to this forum and have become increasingly interested in a career in medicine. I am looking at UNIBE but I have a few questions. I came across a thread that stated that an American student with Dominican heritage can enter the school with significant savings if he/she opts to enter as a Dominican--$3000 to 12000 a year is a lot of savings-- Also that an entrance exam would be administered to students entering as Dominicans that Americans do not have to take.

My questions are how accurate are these numbers?
How do I go about doing this(I am of Dominican heritage)?
Will I still be eligible for Federal Financial Aid if I choose to go this route?

Anyone's help would be sincerely appreciated. I am trying to get my papers ready now and I am really passionate about becoming a doctor. Thank you.

[mindrocket]

HI. I'm new too, technically speaking because I haven't discuss too much in the forum. My brother and me have been gathering some information about the theme of medicine school and it's rather tuff. I have heard that some Universities doesn't allow you to use your double citizenship, so you have to declare only one. So, if You are american (northamerican, US citizen), you pay more but you qualify to get federal student loans otherwise if you are dominican you pay less but doesn't qualify to the federal student loans. That is the trick, so I'm trying to explain information that I read from UCE (Universidad Central del Caribe) website. I'm not completly sure if all the medical schools from DR have the same policies. If you are considering to study in DR and will pay with your money it's better to be dominican, otherwise if you will depend on federal student loans use your american side. I advise you to visit all the websites from the Universities that you consider as potential study options. The websites from some of them contains information, even in english, that may help you. Continue to work around the forum there are good people that can bring you good and sound advise.

Success future MD, VEXD247.

[VEXD247]

Thanks so much mindrocket I appreciate the info. Good luck to you also.

[PILOTOMD]

Hello All Newbie's;

If you can afford to pay with your own money, I strongly recommend that you don't get student loans. Why, because you will have to pay it all back eventually and that will be a burden on you for a long time. However, if you absolutely are not capable of paying our own way and have a burning desire to become a doctor then do what ever it takes to make it thru medical school.

Regards,

PILOTOMD, UCE '04

[Smartguy3316]

I am a student here at UNIBE. I agree totally with pilotomd in regards to the statement he made that loans become burdens for large lengths of time. Though, if you’re truly serious and dedicated to studying and acquiring the necessary information needed to pass the USMLE. There should really be no problem with paying back a federal loan. They are much different then private loans. Private loans bring along an even greater burden in the future. The truth of the matter is though if you can pay as a Dominican go for it. The problem though then is with living expenses. If you can pay for the living expenses as well without loans more power to you.

If you truly want to be an MD you have to be dedicated to studying. You can not work when you are here. Additionally, it would be more beneficial for you to study then work because the pay would not even come close to anything that you have ever made before in the United States. Granted the country is cheaper to live in then the United States. However, thinking extremely cheap would be the wrong perception of the Dominican Republic.

If you want to live in a nice area with the proper essentials needed to study and maintain somewhat of the same lifestyle you had back at home. It would be hard to do so with limited funds. Nice places have nice things like a generator, water heater, power plant, inversor, water reservoir, the internet, cable, or whatever else you might need and these things aren’t that cheap no matter what country you are in.

Only you can make the best decision because nobody knows what financial situation you are in. But what I do know is that coming here and working to pay for your living expensive should not even be in question. So if that was anywhere near what you were thinking of doing. You could thank me now because I think I just helped you make the right decision.

One more last thing I want to leave you with before I go because I have to study is this. Whatever your decision might be you need to come to UNIBE dedicated and don’t take this the wrong way, but even more dedicated when on loans. There is no thought in my mind that questions you coming here and actually being able to leave with a degree. Which I have heard from many people being able to say that you’re an MD is a wonderful thing. However, having an MD after your name along with a passing USMLE score, I feel puts then the word wonderful on an even higher plateau.

I sometimes like to refer to the USMLE when talking about them as an FMG’S insurance. Insurance like when buying a house. Additionally, you could think of your MD degree as the house you just bought. If you decide to take the loan option think of it as the mortgage on a house. The burden that pilotomd was referring to we will then call the mortgage payment that’s due every month on the house.

I am from Miami, Florida where many hurricanes hit. Do you know what happens to people who buy a house and have no insurance on the new house when hurricanes hit. Let me tell you they get screwed. After the hurricane hits and blows down their house that had no insurance. Guess what!! They have no house right? But, unfortunately for them they still have the mortgage payment. That’s the burden I think pilotomd was referring to. If we study hard do whatever it takes to pass the USMLE and get the degree I truthfully don’t think we will have problem. If you have any questions just hit me back with them. Good Luck!!!!!

Jacob