Please Be Wary!

[DrJam]

I was a potential student at USESOM for a January 2009 start, but because of the lies that I was told, decided not to go there and actually will be attending AUA in the fall. Yes, I probably should have posted this earlier, but it was what I finally learned from my 'supposed to be mentor, that made me finally post this. It all started out with the school loans. I was told by the admissions office and the financial aid office in NY, not to worry about paying for school. I was even told that the school had loans. The suspicious thing was that they wanted me to fill out a loan application that looked like something that the school itself created. I was wary of this and asked what company/bank I would be getting the loan from - they could not provide me with this information. I was not going to divulge sensitive information to a school, when I have no idea who is going to look at it and where all of this information is going.

Next, I found out that the chancellor/president of the school lives in Denver, where my grandmother lives. I thought that it was pretty convenient that I was going to visit my granny with my parents and perhaps could meet the president - I believe his name is Dr. ********. I contacted one of the people in the admissions office to arrange for me to meet with him. It was all arranged and I was supposed to meet him at one of the hospital's in Denver, where he worked. When I got there, I told the receptionist and she in turn told me that he was out of the office and did not even know that I was coming! I was very upset and tried to contact the person in the admissions office who had supposedly set up this appointment, but I never got a response. I was there a whole week and even tried contacting Dr. ********, but to no avail - my messages were never returned. When I finally got home a week later, I received an email from admissions, saying that Dr. ******** was sorry that he could not meet with me, but hopefully we could meet another time. That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I had kept in contact with my mentor even though I told them (I am using 'them/they' because I do not what to divulge his or her name) that I was not coming anymore. They were disappointed, but said that I needed to do what was best for me. I just found out that my mentor did not return to USESOM this past week to start a new semester, but instead transferred - even though they are almost finished. What I learned was another really big turnoff for me. They told me that they had friends in lower terms who were out of a physiology professor for a while - this course is key to succeed. I was told that an instructor from the clinical term was teaching the class and how she did not even start from the beginning of physiology, but jumped right into the cardiovascular system, nor was she even knowledgeable about what she was teaching. I don't know about you, but I took a physio class in undergrad, and we started with the basics. Moreover, she did not want to hold classes on Fridays because she had to volunteer at the animal shelter. Needless to say, both she and her husband left and did not return this past semester. During that time as well, she was working on obtaining her JD. A physio professor finally arrived, but he was a mess. He could not teach and when he did, he went over topics that the class had already covered, would not hold class for even an hour, and would spend time asking what there was to do on the island. I am sorry, but if I am going to spend money to go to school and become an MD, I want to be taught by someone who knows what they are doing. I was also told by my mentor that the pathology professor also left because the island found out that he had a sexual harassment background and the island will not tolerate people like that. What I was thinking in my mind and also asked my mentor - why did the school not find out about this before the professor was hired? It's as if the school is so desperate to find instructors that they just pick any tom, ****, or harry off the street, without an adequate background. Then my mentor also told me that she knew of some past instructors as well, who also had some bad backgrounds and were forced to leave as well. She also told me that the Microbiology and Histology professor is a mess. He has no interest in teaching and literally reads word for word off his slides. My mentor told me that the micro class that they had in college was 100 times harder than this one.

I don't know what is going on with this school, but I would strongly advise people to think twice and ask students for the whole truth. If you are going to spend money on your education, it should be the best - we are going to become doctors. We need to take the USMLE and already are going to face stiff competition from students in the US - Caribbean schools are already frowned upon and what kind of statement are we going to make if we were never taught the core courses properly. Please think twice and make a wise decision.

[cbella]

hm, interesting. I honestly don't think you'll get much better at AUA. most of the newer carib schools are the same.

but I'll be visiting SESOM next week. maybe I need to pray before going.

[sk8ter]

Regardless what SCHOOL you attend, they will all have FLAWS!

so you found this one not suitable for you...WELL move on!

There are hundreds of success stories coming out of this school and for you to shred this school is very tacky and it seems like you have a score to settle.


WE all face obstacles in life and its how we behave and grow from them that determine our character. Clearly you have a great deal of growing up to do and thank God you are going to a lower quality school.

Everyone is doing their best so go to a different forum to vent!

[dango]

hey DrJam..!

your story is 50-50, discounted! 1st, you won't have a Mentor unless u started first term as STATIA student. So, how do u get a Mentor even thou u r not USESOM student?? 2nd, Dr W does not meet any student unless u have 2nd interview appointment! 3rd, the professors u r talking about (two), one was gone 2 semesters ago; the 2nd one, like u said, she's doing her JD....3 new professors have replaced them since..
...b/c u are MAD and can't come to USESOM, your false rumors are discounted.
btw, good luck with AUA.....

[Dr_me2]

As potential off-shore students, we visit this open forum to get as much info. as possible about the most important decision in life that we are about to make (which may or may not be reversible)... In fact, we'd like to read more of the negative comments/experiences because all off-shore schools have already written tons of great reasons why we should choose their school in their websites...

Drjams has some legitimate concerns.... It is up to other readers to count his/her story and make their decisions based on that...
I do also appreciate every counterpoint and comment from those who discount a negative story...
It is always good to know all sides...

Good luck to all

[md_idspclist]

Cbella,

When you get here you need to speak to as many 3rd term students as possible. You'll find out that the above story presented by DrJam is fairly accurate!!! This person's story is not a rumor.

Dango,

All accepted students are assigned to a mentor BEFORE they even come to the island.

[vasman132]

i didn't get a mentor until i was actually on the island.

[Statia Graduate]

Mentors? Wow, they have those now??

[vasman132]

also, i didn't know dr. W was in denver. when did that happen? i always thought he was in georgetown or GW in DC. and he has never had any problems meeting with students before. if i were him, i wouldn't give you the time of day either. why should the president of any school have to meet with a student, he's got plenty of other people in the administration to handle that. he is a doctor too, don't you think that maybe he was busy? doctors miss meetings all the time, you think meeting with a student was on his high priority list of things to do today?

it seems like the school is in a transition right now. but for every problem that has come up, has the school addressed the problem? other than the loan situation, has the school attempted to solve anything? i think the school doesn't let problems linger, but somethings are out of their control.

i think i agree with sk8ter. some people just want to complain and complain. if a school treats you like garbage, don't go to that school, or transfer out. i personally haven't had any problems, nor have i ever been mistreated, nor have i ever had a single thing to complain about. maybe i'm a little bit more tolerant with things and know that there will be some rough times no matter where i am. perhaps it is a maturity issue.

you mentioned something about a sexual harrassment charge about a professor. so, the charge had snuck by administration when they hired the prof, but didn't the school do the right thing by letting that prof go? mistakes will be made, but it's how you correct them that matters. the school found out and the appropriate actions were made, what else can you say? sometimes people lie about their resume or their background, it happens. if you watch college sports, you'll know how many times coaches claim to have worked here and there for their resume and the college hires them anyway only to find out later the truth. it happens to the best of universities.

what's funny is that you give advice without having been on the island and you are taking the word from someone who left the school, possibly in a negative fashion too. you think that maybe, just possibly, this student might have been a little pissed at the school and that's why they left? maybe that's why they gave you a negative impression of the island too?

anyway, i hope you find a school that's suitable for you. if you think AUA is without problems, you're in for a shock too, but you're problems only happen when you get to clinicals. that's where my gf goes, so i've heard all the issues with the school. beautiful island though.

[Special Diagnostics]

DrJam is 100% correct on the events that happened at USESOM, the school is suffering some problems lately, but theyre doing the best they can, its hard to hire great profesors when theres no tuition coming in to pay for them, and not to mention who would want to come down to a never heard of small island to teach and live for a few years. I don't understand why people complain so much about caribbean schools, as long as you can sit for step 1 and practice in reasonable amount of states that should be good enough. If youre applying to caribbean medical schools to begin with, then obviously you're at your last chance to become a doctor because you messed up your chances during undergrad. Before I found out about USESOM I thought my life was over, I made too many mistakes in undergrad that affected the rest of my academic career, I didn't think I had any chances of becoming a doctor until I got a call from them. Before I started basic sciences I didn't expect much from the school, I expected to self-study all throughtout, but to my surprise most of the professors were quiet knowledgeable. Granted recently a lot of things started to go downhill, starting with loans, which isn't the school's fault, the whole world is affected. Some of the good professors leaving, sure the administration could have done somethign about it, but oh well, suck it up and read a book. Everything you need for step 1 is in the books, available everywhere, advice on step 1 you can find all over the internet. If youre the type that needs teachers/professors to teach you, then make sure you go to a school that provides that type of education. The tuition here is alot cheaper than state medical schools tuition for a reason.

[Special Diagnostics]

On a brighter note, USESOM's reputation resides in its clinical rotations. Last year only 2 people matched into Neurosurgery from the Caribbeans, and one of them was from USESOM. The system works, but only if you have the will and discipline.

[md_idspclist]

Vasman:

Maybe they did things a little bit differently when you were here, but usually the students from the mentoring program assign incoming students to a mentor before they get here. They send out a list of all the mentors/mentees along with email addresses so that they can correspond with them before coming to the island.

Unfortunately, some students DO get missed. Students can wait to get a mentor on the island, or find the information on the website to get in contact with someone who can hook them up with a current student before hand.

Also Dr. W is in Denver...working in Alternative Medicine. Although the appointment was set up by a receptionist, if he was sooooo busy that he couldn't keep his committment to meet the student, he should have canceled the arrangement. By not even showing up, OR responding to any of the students emails shows a lot about his character...it speaks volumes.

He's the chancellor of the school, and a doctor (I know), but if a student reaches out to him, as Chancellor of the school, he is obligated to respond in some sort of way!!!

The school has been losing professors left and right for whatever reasons they may be. Yes, they have rectified those problems by bringing in new professors, but the quality of these professors has been low. They've been so desperate to find teachers to come in to teach these classes that have been abandoned, that they take in whomever. In my opinion, if a business does a PROPER background check, you'll find things like sexual harassment on a person's record. A true business doesn't just believe everything that the potential employee says on a resume. A good business will investigate the person on their own!!!

IMMIGRATION found out about the sexual harassment charge so the school had no choice but to respond and let him go!!! He wasn't eligible for temporary residency on this island.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, there are certain students who can vouch for much of the validity of DrJam's account of what is going on here on the island. I am one of them.

You act like it's so hard to believe that these types of things are actually happening at this school!!! Maybe when you were here, things were great, but there is a set back right now and it's been tremendous work for everyone (students, professors, and administration) to stay positive when everything seems so unreliable: no loans, professors leaving, bad professors coming....

I am a student right now, and even with all the crazy things happening here, I DO NOT regret my decision to be at this school.

It could definitely be better, but as bad as things are now, it could be worse :p

[vasman132]

i believe everything that's being said. i still thought the school was peachy though, not because i didn't have the same problems you guys have, but because i knew how to look past imperfections and knew how to be satisfied. the problems that you are having now, don't think they didn't exist 5-10 years ago. these things happen all the time. yeah, it's a blip, but nothing more than that in the grand scheme of things. my second semester, we didn't have a physio prof. i didn't piss and moan about it. i studied my butt off from guyton instead. we had our pharm prof and biochem prof fill in, but i didn't complain or post on a public forum about it. i knew i would have to work a little harder than usual to get through the class. i wasn't about to transfer or complain to admin about it. we had professor turnover also. every school does. if anyone says that is not the case, i know for a fact that that is not true. i know it is because half of our profs left the island to go to other island schools, which means that that island had to have lost their professors as well. and i'm not talking about garbage schools, i'm talking about top 4 schools. anyway, when it comes to the caribbean schools, realistically, these aren't the best professors around. they are like the students, most likely rejects from US schools. so what do you expect? nothing but a chance to sit for the steps and they gave me every opportunity to do that too.

holy crap, a prof doesn't teach and only reads off a slides!?!! are you kidding me? ever since i was in kindergarten that has happened yet this student is freaking out about it. maybe once in a lifetime do we actually meet a professor who is passionate about teaching. otherwise, most of them just teach so they can get their money to do research or just so they can have a job.

and for the background check, like i was saying, major, and i mean MAJOR universities with high profile programs, hire people without doing thorough checks sometimes, or they overlook something. that's just how it is.

if i was a president of a school, no, i would not feel obligated in any way to meet with a student just because the student requested it. if i tried this at any college, i would just be laughed at. should the president go out of his way for every student that requests his presence? absolutely not. this is not a power trip or an ego, this is just plain i don't have the time for ** like this. the man is a doctor whose time is money. maybe i'm just a jerk, but i would not waste my time on anyone, especially not on a "prospective" student. imagine applying for undergrad and trying this same thing, even if it was a small school. are you kidding? i would have called the police on this student instead. anyway, i digress. and why call the admin office which is in NEW YORK, to set up an appointment with someone who has their office and different secretary/receptionist in DENVER! do you think the new york office has his complete daily schedule? do they know when he sees patients and when he's not coming in? does he even have a secretary in admin? probably not. just use your freaking brain on this. after they set up your appointment, did you call the DENVER office to confirm, or did you just walk in?

bottom line is that i don't discredit anything that is said, but to make a big deal out of it, i would not. i think this student expects things to be given to them on a silver platter. maybe that's what they are used to. i was probably like that too, but at some point, i grew up, and i learned how to suck it up and realized that life is not perfect and that to succeed in life, you have to work through imperfections and hardships. not everything is going to go the way i want it, it just isn't. now i could apply to a different school which appears better, but i can bet my bottom dollar that they have or will go through similar problems eventually.

[newbie35]

Vasman132
The school on island has changed significantly with the loss of Dr BK and Dr DK last semester. Many of the comments made have much truth to them. After DrsK stepped down, the New York office chose to look away; made some poor decisions and in some cases made no decisions ignoring the situations even after students repeatedly brought the issues to their attention. The Island program suffered severely from this lack of attention.
The Chairman of the School's Board of Directors is now acting Dean and is on Statia. He is trying to correct the past problems; however, the problems were real and significant. His presence is effective, unfortunately it will take some time to recover. You were not here, so please do not discount the criticisms. They mostly are justified in my opinion

[vasman132]

for the record, i repeatedly said, i don't doubt what is going on. reread my statements. and like i said, these things happened when i was there too. read what is written before assuming what i said.

[cbella]

thanks, md spclist! if I can figure out who the 3rd termers are, I'll speak with them. at least it will be easier to weigh different perspectives in person, and see the island for myself. I still don't think Statia is a bad school...just going through "some thangs".

I was able to meet with a graduate who's doing residency at a prestigious university in the DC area. though he could attest to what has been mentioned here, he still enjoyed his experience and is clearly doing well. I guess at the end of the day, it depends on the person. And I agree with the first post, people should do research and think critically before they choose a school. if a school doesn't sit well with you, then so be it; that doesn't necessarily mean that another person will feel the same. but better to find out than on the first day of classes ;)

[bighapa77]

ValueMD is a double edged sword to find information on schools. Long story short: there aren't any loans. hard to find anywhere outside the big 4. the president didn't meet with them, tough luck. the teachers mentioned are gone. new ones have come in and they are pretty good as far as I can tell. mentors are given to accepted students who have paid a seat deposit. the mentor is one subjective insight into the school, and told the truth as they saw it. but the student hasn't been here so they don't really know anything other than the one mentor's views. The decision is up to the incoming student to make the best choice for them. best of luck at AUA

[aceline]

I found out that whoever told you that Dr. W works in a hospital in Denver was mistaken - or DJ didn't hear the facts correctly.

He is still on staff at Georgetown and lectures around the country. He has done grand rounds at one of the big Denver area teaching hospitals, but is not a staff member.

Not sure where the wires got crossed, but I fail to see the need to dis a respected physician and educator based on misunderstood information.

And again, I doubt that anyone affiliated with the school can be characterized as having 'lied' to anyone about the financial aid situation. This allegation has bee disputed many times on this site and the result is the same -they are still working on it, but things haven't happened as fast as anyone would like.

Too many people looking to assign blame for a situation that everyone is in - yes, except for the big 4 - big f'n deal. We know this. So go there. But just because the school isn't one of them, doesn't mean that it isn't a viable institution that has offered many students the opportunity to become docs. Definitely better than some others out there.

[newbie35]

A check of the net shows that our President, Dr L. "middle initial A." W. is licensed to practice medicine in both Maryland and in Colorado. Further there is an office for the same on Pike View Dr, Conifer, Colorado. Conifer is a Denver suburb.
Maybe we could quit ragging on anyone who offers a negative but constructive comment.

[aceline]

Moved from Maryland to Colorado a couple of years ago. Licensed in CO but does not have an office and is not necessarily actively practicing. And the address is most likely his home or home/office.

So, how does this translate into DJ expecting him to be on staff at one of the local hospitals, then getting annoyed to find out he isn't, then attempting to be 'constructive'(lol) with his/her comments?

Once again, a 'check of the net' is given as pure fact on this site. Will it ever end? Probably not. Until then, don't believe everything you (superficially) read.

[newbie35]

Why all the hostility aceline?

Actually he moved to the Denver area in 2008, according to his Institute's newsletter. The address provided is from a physician referral service. It includes a phone number. I expect he would guard his home address and phone number better.
If you reread DrJam's post, he attempted to see Dr W in his office, not in a local hospital.

But again why all the hostility, aceline?

[vasman132]

not to be creepy, but i google mapped the address and it's a house, meaning there is no office. lol. i feel very strange having done it though.

reread what the poster wrote again, it said he went to the local hospital to meet with him. not an office.

[aceline]

No hostility here, but nice try diverting attention from the matter at hand.

Vas is right, Google Maps shows its most likely a house and not an office. And Vas is right again to point out the fact that DJ (claimed he) went to a hospital.

And, per the NY office, Dr. W moved to the Denver area in early 2007.

See what happens when you ask questions rather than pick crumbs from superficial searches?

[aceline]

After reading the Institute Newsletter to which you 'actually' referenced, you obviously inferred that he moved to CO in 2008 rather than that he simply dated the newsletter Feb 2008 and discussed his move to CO with no other date details.

Hope you don't end up reading patient histories like that. Better get premium malpractice insurance just in case. LOL


PS - no hostility here either, just ROTFL!

[newbie35]

Again, aceline, I ask why all the hostility and in paticular an ad hominen attack?

If this address is his residence, is it possible that he has an office there also?

[aceline]

I suppose if you insist on characterizing my responses as hostile, and now as a personal attack, then it is apparent you'd rather avoid the details of the point and just dwell on the intangible.

If you are so concerned with whether it is a home or office, or home office address, then why not use your detective skills to find an email address for him and ask? At least your time would be better spent searching for the truth vs hypothesizing. Or, you can just keep harping on your inference as to the nature of the mood of my posts.

As for me, I've done my best once again to set at least part of the record straight on yet another wayward vmd thread by asking questions rather than giving in to speculation - especially on a therad that started as a personal attack - funny how you missed that (or at least chose to).

Happy posting!

[vasman132]

there's just so many attacks on the school by people who start up accounts and having never posted anywhere on vmd, that chose this forum to post their first, and usually, negative impression of the school. i feel that we do have to take everything with a grain of salt. and we do have to question everything that we read on here. there are holes in this story, there also may be some truths to the story as well.

there are so many things that are hard to believe. one, why did they post now rather than when they found out about the truths of the school? if this student's mentor left the island before this semester began, then nothing bad was said about the school at this point, thus it would not factor into the student's decision into not going to the school, right? didn't this student pay a seat deposit and potentially lost x amount of dollars by changing their mind about going to the school? if the student was so pressed on money and needed a student loan, why waste the money on a seat deposit in the first place? if there was a loan, that albeit looked shady, wouldn't you have gone through with it? it obviously is a legitimate loan if the school recommended it. if you have ever signed up for a loan before, you disclose sensitive information anyway, yet this person didn't want to do it. it doesn't make any sense. so, this student paid for a seat, and even got a mentor, without paying for the semester. is that right? i don't know how soon some of you before got a mentor for the school and if you got the mentor before you even paid for the semester.

even with research, it was incredibly hard to tell if the president is even practicing in CO, yet this student tried setting up a meeting with the president. the student also says that "all was arranged", meaning that there must have been multiple calls made and arrangements with both the NY and CO offices, yet, somehow there was still a botch up. so someone botched this up right? the NY receptionist, the CO receptionist, or the president. well, the NY receptionist must have called someone if "all was arranged". the CO receptionist must have written this down or at least gotten a phone call from SOMEONE about a meeting, yet there was nothing. and if this was an office in a hospital for a doctor, wouldn't you think somewhere, anywhere, there would be a phone number on the internet to set up appointments for this doctor? a doctor who just moved an entire practice to a new city and is probably looking for patients? also, the student claims to have contacted dr. w after the missed meeting but at no point calls before the meeting to confirm or even talk to a receptionist? but again, the receptionist didn't know anything about the meeting. none of it makes sense.

on top of all this, where is the original poster? another one and done poster.

[scatc]

As a current 5th term student who started here from the beginning, I have to say. This whole posting is ridiculous.

Yes, the school is having some issues right now. But they are all being rectified. They are getting rid of the mistakes and working on not making them again. We have 2 new, and I might add very good professors. For Path, and 5th term. the prof who is doing 5th term will be also teaching Physio as of next term, and will be helping a lot with it this term. They hope to have someone in place for the "Executive" position in July, this person will take the place of the Deans and will run the school from the island full time.

After watching everything that has been going on over the last 17 months, some of the teachers leaving is not necessarily a bad thing. Coming to a Caribbean school means a lot of self study regardless of how good or bad a professor is.

The school is on the right track, once they are able to secure some loans and get more students back in here, they will be able to hire more and better professors. it will take time, but with what I am seeing, USESOM is going to give their current and future students a great education.:D

[corpsman]

SCATC, well put. I was on the island in 2006. We had the same problems with Histology. I just did some extra reading from the book (which most people don't care to do) and rocked histo on my step 1. Guyton is an excellent book. It has more info in it than you will ever get from any physio prof. I was just reading thru it this morning studying for step 3. The prof we had were always transfering from Saba to USE to MUA to AUC to AUA. That tells you that the other schools go thru the same problems. Keep your heads up, study hard, learn the info (not memorize), and you'll do fine. As far as Dr. W... who cares. I went all the way thru basic sci and clinicals and never met him over 5 min

[corpsman]

BTW, nothing against Dr. W. He's just not going to be any big part of your day to day learning experience. Think of him as a senator, he has an effect on what happens but you can't just swing by and say hey to him because your thinkin of moving to the state he represents

[JLea]

As a current 5th term student who started here from the beginning, I have to say. This whole posting is ridiculous.

Yes, the school is having some issues right now. But they are all being rectified. They are getting rid of the mistakes and working on not making them again. We have 2 new, and I might add very good professors. For Path, and 5th term. the prof who is doing 5th term will be also teaching Physio as of next term, and will be helping a lot with it this term. They hope to have someone in place for the "Executive" position in July, this person will take the place of the Deans and will run the school from the island full time.

After watching everything that has been going on over the last 17 months, some of the teachers leaving is not necessarily a bad thing. Coming to a Caribbean school means a lot of self study regardless of how good or bad a professor is.

The school is on the right track, once they are able to secure some loans and get more students back in here, they will be able to hire more and better professors. it will take time, but with what I am seeing, USESOM is going to give their current and future students a great education.:D

Knowing you and the struggles you have had through the last 4 semesters - including struggles with the school - your post has tremendous value. Finally, someone who is actually on the island makes their first post one that is filled with the truth. Well done and thank you!

I got off the island in April 2009. There were quite a few setbacks like those that have been mentioned here, but the school did its best to address the issues and find solutions. Were they successful on all points? No. Were they sincere in their desire and attempts? Absolutely!

I challenge anyone who dares to post under an assumed name to come forth with your own name and make the allegations you have made against the school. If you are truly a student, you're foolish to shoot the horse that is bringing you toward Step 1 and ultimately being a licensed physician. Moreover, as a businessman, I challenge anyone who posts on VMD to present an original well-thought and well-written business plan to the School's administration. Perhaps, if you are so smart and they are such idiots, your business plan will be better than theirs. Who knows? Maybe they will adopt it and give you a full scholarship?

I came to the island nearly broke and unable to obtain loans because there were simply no loans. My wife and 4 children stayed back in the US and sacrificed so I could stay in school. I made an informed decision to place faith in the school (Would it survive? Would they get loans? Once I graduated would I get a residency slot? Would I get licensed and be able to practice?). Of everyone on the island at the time, I believe that I had the most to lose - yet I saw enough value in the school to put it all on the line.

Many of you know the struggles I had last semester. Yes, even having gone through that I still believe and say that I made the correct decision in putting all of my eggs in the USESOM basket.

Take the time that you would spend trashing your school and put it into efforts to make it better. Moreover, if you're going to come to VMD and use your one and only post to trash the school, have the fortitude to use your own name.

To address the issue with Dr. W... Perhaps it is because I first met him on the island and approached him with constructive criticism along with some possible solutions, but I find him to be approachable, reachable and honest. He gave me his email address and always returns emails and phone calls in a timely manner. It is extremely difficult to believe that he treated you in the way that you claim. If he did, you must have really stepped over the line.

To the OP, you will never be happy with a Caribbean medical school. Perhaps it would be best if you continued your education in the US and got a Graduate degree with honors. Volunteer and have lots of extracurricular experience and then apply to the US schools again. Who knows? You might get in. Just be ready - I guarantee that you will find something that hurts your feelings and causes you to want to post under an assumed name. Grow some thick skin... as a physician you will need it.

To Aceline, thanks for steering this thread back to the truth. It's cool to see how you use simple questions and statements of fact to refute this absurdity. Good work!

[Bubkas1]

Amen, to JLea, Aceline, as well as to all brother and sister Statia students! May the Force with you. :)

[hellenWeelz]

TOS violation

[FutureStudent]

ACELINE, you said: "As for me, I've done my best once again to set at least part of the record straight on yet another wayward vmd thread by asking questions rather than giving in to speculation - especially on a therad that started as a personal attack -"

I have some questions Aceline-
Are you a student at USESOM?
If not, exactly what is your relationship with the school?
:confused:

[aceline]

Hey FS - why are you so obsessed with my academic status? Multiple posts asking this one question? Are you fundamentally against the info I post? Is there a problem with me contacting the NY office to try to get facts to clear the air in this smoke ridden forum?

Maybe if I like your answer I'll tell you. If not, then it'll just be fun watching you chase your tail. :cool:

[Pomeroy]

We just had a SESOM grad, current OB/GYN resident speak on campus. In talking to him privately, and his pediatric resident wife, that the problems currently perceived on campus are not unusual for SESOM past, or US medical schools (his wife). There are good and bad classes and profs, flucutaing financial issues and practice conditions..but in the end it's about connecting the individual with the resources he/she needs to be successful...and we have that.

In the end it's about personal conviction, study and tenacity beyond any "real world" issues..that frankly, never really go away regardless of the level (student, internr, resident etc) in this process. Once recognition of that fact happens, and blame is converted to resolve...it doesn't matter what's happening on campus, as long as they don't lose the ability to sponsor us for USMLE right? I can wish and wish and wish...but I think I'll just "do".