Couple of Questions

[xxgunnerxx]

Hi, first would like to say that this is an amazing website with a lot of information. Thanks to the its members who are willing to share information.

I'm currently a student at York University (4 year program - Biomedical Sciences), who finished the first year with a gpa of 2.9. Even if i get a gpa of 4 each year for three more years (averaging to 3.72), it wouldn't be enough for any Canadian med schools. So now I am thinking of going to a Caribbean school.

So I have a few questions...:

1. How are undergrad courses taken in the summer treated compared to the ones in the fall/winter?

2. From SABA website, ...or Canada are expected to have a minimum of three years of under-graduate studies or the equivalent of 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours, including premedical requirements from an accredited college or university. A baccalaureate degree is recommended but not required. Preference will be given to applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Does this mean they would prefer a student with a bachelor degree (3 years) compared to a student who is in an honours (my situation) program and has completed at least 90 credits but does not have the honours degree? If yes would it be wise to switch over to a bachelor program instead?

3. Do they give out acceptance letters based on pending marks (so if I apply for January semester, but exam marks for the fall semester arrive only in January, would I still be able to get into the January semester?)

4. When is the best semester to apply for? I've read somewhere here that its May because you have some sort of an advantage over the September students?

5. What exactly are clinical rotations and how long do you spend in each hospital? I'm going to assume you will have to find a living accomodation yourself...?

6. On AUC website it says that they require 1 year of an English course. Would grade 12 English course be satisfactory or do they really need a university level English course? I know that this is not required for SABA but is it required for AUC (I know kinda offtopic...)

edit, forgot to add

7. Reading here, it seems theres around 50% of Canadian students, around 10% at AUC. What is the reason for this?


Thanks,
Igor.

[Mike77]

Hi, first would like to say that this is an amazing website with a lot of information. Thanks to the its members who are willing to share information.

I'm currently a student at York University (4 year program - Biomedical Sciences), who finished the first year with a gpa of 2.9. Even if i get a gpa of 4 each year for three more years (averaging to 3.72), it wouldn't be enough for any Canadian med schools. So now I am thinking of going to a Caribbean school.

So I have a few questions...:

1. How are undergrad courses taken in the summer treated compared to the ones in the fall/winter?

2. From SABA website,
Does this mean they would prefer a student with a bachelor degree (3 years) compared to a student who is in an honours (my situation) program and has completed at least 90 credits but does not have the honours degree? If yes would it be wise to switch over to a bachelor program instead?

3. Do they give out acceptance letters based on pending marks (so if I apply for January semester, but exam marks for the fall semester arrive only in January, would I still be able to get into the January semester?)

4. When is the best semester to apply for? I've read somewhere here that its May because you have some sort of an advantage over the September students?

5. What exactly are clinical rotations and how long do you spend in each hospital? I'm going to assume you will have to find a living accomodation yourself...?

6. On AUC website it says that they require 1 year of an English course. Would grade 12 English course be satisfactory or do they really need a university level English course? I know that this is not required for SABA but is it required for AUC (I know kinda offtopic...)


Thanks,
Igor.

Here's a couple of responses.

1. I've never heard of anyone having a problem with that, i've taken summer courses before, never came up.

2. An honors degree would, if anything, be better than a BSc (research experience is always good). 90 credits is 90 credits, but get your degree man, might as well.

3. Sure do, it's called provisional acceptance.

4. September, most competitive, timed the best with other US/CAN schools. May, 4 months extra of free time (study time?), January, 8 motnhs of extra time... Both are less competative than September. The earlier you apply, the beter your chances.

5. Not going to answer that man, any pre-med student should know this. You spend different amouts of times in different subjects, you have your cores (everyone takes) and electives (things you might want to specialize in). You can do almost everything in 1 or two hospitals, but it's better to spread it out and do a few different hospitals. Depends on your preference. And third part, yes, but apparantly Saba helps you.

6. Saba requires an english course too, but it's not written in stone. Grade 12 would NOT be sufficient, lol. I got in without taking first year english, but i've taken history courses, etc., and i've tutored kids in english for over a year, so they waived it. Just make sure you can speak english :).

Hope that helps, of course there are dozens of people that know more than me... they were all easy questions though :)

[covarubious]

Actually if you look at the Saba site it appears they took off the english requirement... Like Mike said something like a gen ed or liberal study would be good but they no longer list the requirement.

Here's a couple of responses.

1. I've never heard of anyone having a problem with that, i've taken summer courses before, never came up.

2. An honors degree would, if anything, be better than a BSc (research experience is always good). 90 credits is 90 credits, but get your degree man, might as well.

3. Sure do, it's called provisional acceptance.

4. September, most competitive, timed the best with other US/CAN schools. May, 4 months extra of free time (study time?), January, 8 motnhs of extra time... Both are less competative than September. The earlier you apply, the beter your chances.

5. Not going to answer that man, any pre-med student should know this. You spend different amouts of times in different subjects, you have your cores (everyone takes) and electives (things you might want to specialize in). You can do almost everything in 1 or two hospitals, but it's better to spread it out and do a few different hospitals. Depends on your preference. And third part, yes, but apparantly Saba helps you.

6. Saba requires an english course too, but it's not written in stone. Grade 12 would NOT be sufficient, lol. I got in without taking first year english, but i've taken history courses, etc., and i've tutored kids in english for over a year, so they waived it. Just make sure you can speak english :).

Hope that helps, of course there are dozens of people that know more than me... they were all easy questions though :)

[Boulderunner]

man you should finish up and get your bachelors. If you dont for the rest of your life when you submit a CV or resume for a job your going to have a big blank spot where you should have written something like BA, biology. and dont think that people interviewing you for the job will just miss something like that. even if you go to a carib med school and get an md, I GUARANTEE that when you interview for residencies if it came down to two equal applicants but one had a degree and the other didnt , they would go with the guy who stuck it out and got their bachelors. also dont sell yourself short, work really hard and maybe you can get in to an american school or perhaps a DO school. really a caribbean med school should be a LAST resort after all alternatives have been exhausted.

[Da86]

About the degree, if your take a certain amount of courses...not sure details at the moment, but you can apply for a bachelors of health science when you graduate as well as the MD degree. This is if you have most of the pre reqs needed...so thats also a good option.

[xxgunnerxx]

I'm still not understanding, ill try to explain: I'm currently in a 4 year program - Honours Science. The requirement for SABA is 90 credits which I could achieve by (1) completing the 90 credits (in three years and if I get accepted, i won't have a degree) or (2) getting a Bachelors degree(3 years or 90 credits total and I will have a degree).

Soooooo what I am asking is if its a good idea to switch to a 3 year program and apply to SABA instead of doing 4 years and wasting an extra year....

[KingMo]

What '3 year program' would you switch to? I suppose if you know you're going to end up at Saba anyway, then you might as well save one year of your life.

But what they are saying (above) is that you should get your B.S. degree first and then go to Saba. It's true you don't need a B.S. to go to Saba or that you can apply for a B.S. from Saba after you finish Basic Sciences. But a B.S. from a more reputable school is always a plus.

[covarubious]

well, a degree is always good. if you can get it and the 90 credits you need for saba do it. just make sure that medical school is what you want or you are stuck with massive debt and a 3 year degree you may not want

I'm still not understanding, ill try to explain: I'm currently in a 4 year program - Honours Science. The requirement for SABA is 90 credits which I could achieve by (1) completing the 90 credits (in three years and if I get accepted, i won't have a degree) or (2) getting a Bachelors degree(3 years or 90 credits total and I will have a degree).

Soooooo what I am asking is if its a good idea to switch to a 3 year program and apply to SABA instead of doing 4 years and wasting an extra year....

[Mike77]

What '3 year program' would you switch to? I suppose if you know you're going to end up at Saba anyway, then you might as well save one year of your life.

But what they are saying (above) is that you should get your B.S. degree first and then go to Saba. It's true you don't need a B.S. to go to Saba or that you can apply for a B.S. from Saba after you finish Basic Sciences. But a B.S. from a more reputable school is always a plus.

So your bachelors is a 90 credit program? In that case, do your honors, because I don't know a single school/employer in the world that equates a 3 year degree with a 4 year degree. Just like all these students that go to Canada from Britain with a 4 year 'masters' degree and think they're equal to someone that took 6 years to get one.

agree?

[KingMo]

So your bachelors is a 90 credit program? In that case, do your honors, because I don't know a single school/employer in the world that equates a 3 year degree with a 4 year degree. Just like all these students that go to Canada from Britain with a 4 year 'masters' degree and think they're equal to someone that took 6 years to get one.

agree?

Funny you bring this up. No employer ever checks transcripts...so they can't count credits. To them, a B.S. is a B.S. Hence, that's where the reputation of the school comes in. But if you KNOW you're gonna end up at Saba, I'd say jump ship and go to the faster degree program (equals B.S.) vs. an incomplete honors program (equals nothing).

While I'm here...Mike you should check out the hyperbaric MASTER's program. Based on your master's comment, I think you'll flip when you see this. HAHA.

[tiger15lily]

7. Reading here, it seems theres around 50% of Canadian students, around 10% at AUC. What is the reason for this?


Thanks,
Igor.[/quote]

Nobody answered this part. My reasons are:

Size of classes. AUC has 100's in each class (at the start;))
Matching success in Canada and US
Med schools in Ont don't require English
$
As far as your concern about 3 year BSc vs. 4 year BSc. with Honours you would still have a degree with a 3 year BSc. There are a lot of MDs with no undergrad degree or 3 year degree in Canada.

[Mike77]

Funny you bring this up. No employer ever checks transcripts...so they can't count credits. To them, a B.S. is a B.S. Hence, that's where the reputation of the school comes in. But if you KNOW you're gonna end up at Saba, I'd say jump ship and go to the faster degree program (equals B.S.) vs. an incomplete honors program (equals nothing).

While I'm here...Mike you should check out the hyperbaric MASTER's program. Based on your master's comment, I think you'll flip when you see this. HAHA.
no, i was suggesting doing the 4 year honors, rather than a 3 year bsc, but that's just me...

haha, what is it like a 6 month program or something?

[xxgunnerxx]

Okay thanks for your help. So would a 3 year BSc instead of a 4 BSc Honours have an affect on applying to residency when you are an IMG?

[wolfvgang22]

7. Reading here, it seems theres around 50% of Canadian students, around 10% at AUC. What is the reason for this?


Thanks,
Igor.

Nobody answered this part. My reasons are:

Size of classes. AUC has 100's in each class (at the start;))
Matching success in Canada and US
Med schools in Ont don't require English
$

As far as your concern about 3 year BSc vs. 4 year BSc. with Honours you would still have a degree with a 3 year BSc. There are a lot of MDs with no undergrad degree or 3 year degree in Canada.[/QUOTE]
I agree. Also, don't discount the effect that word of mouth advertising has. Saba students come from places where Saba grads are practicing or in residency a lot.

[garyc]

yo igor come to saba its a great school and ull definealty get clinical rotations anywher you want...i am here right now....and its a great school btw igor are u russian by any chance

[xxgunnerxx]

yo igor come to saba its a great school and ull definealty get clinical rotations anywher you want...i am here right now....and its a great school btw igor are u russian by any chance

Indeed I am;). Thanks for everyone's replies. I'll be studying my *** of this year and hopefully I'll be in the Caribbean in 2 years.

[darkmansaad]

yo igor come to saba its a great school and ull definealty get clinical rotations anywher you want...i am here right now....and its a great school btw igor are u russian by any chance

you will get clinical rotations anywhere you want? you may want to uh "restate" that in more realistic terms

[KingMo]

Indeed I am;). Thanks for everyone's replies. I'll be studying my *** of this year and hopefully I'll be in the Caribbean in 2 years.

You don't hear that often... haha. All the best.

[Newfie2008]

Any other Newfoundlanders here?

[covarubious]

lol nooooooooo ;) i grew up there if that helps ;) there are a few n the island though...

Any other Newfoundlanders here?