Transfers into 5th Semester

[coolest35]

Hopefully someone can help me out here...give me some insight/advice.

I was thinking of transferring into the clinical rotations program.

A profile of me to give you an idea of what I'm dealing with:
US citizen, Finishing 2nd Yr Med School in April 10 (IMED listed, in India)

Doing well in school, however, it's a "5 1/2" year course here.
On top of that students spend an extra 1 year to clear Step 1 and 2.
Based on the timing of the normal residency match, you're looking at 7 years between start of med school and start of residency. With the transfer, I'm shrinking that by 1-2 years, and I'm getting US clinical exposure.In India, you have classes for 4.5 years along with clinicals for 3.5 years.

My option is to join SABA's 5th semester.. Transfer all of my pre-clinical subjects (although I've already been on rotations in India for a year now). And after (hopefully) clearing Step 1, I'd continue green-book hospitals.

Does this seem worth the effort? Do the US clinicial experience and the US physician recommendations justify transferring into the SABA Clinical Program?

[RPhtoMD]

Saba gave u this option, to transfer into 5th semester. Not cool. No offence, the schools great but as a a current student I am a little dismayed and sadened by your claims, not even addressing your question. We slug it out here everyday and then you ask this weather its worth coming or not. Dude I dont really care what you do. I would like to think that as a carribean student my options are predicated by the time and effort I put in down here, my schools reputation, and ofcourse my step results --and now someone can transfer into 5th. What ever breaks and reputation we get is based on those that came before us they who worked there a** off here from day 1. The school is sound, they work us hard, but I see no reason why they should let you transfer into 5th--I dont care wear you went to school. If your claims are true I think my fellow classmates would have something to say about it. Transfer into 5th, and you didnt even slug it out in the trenches with us here! Do you know how many kids we have lost in my 10 months here, and now you claim you can tranfer into 5th from India. Just cause you want better options now. I will be asking admin about this cause it seems ridiculous. AUC and St.Georges wont even take transfers from Saba concurrently, and we will take transfers from thre rest of the world! If you end up coming congrats, but just don't mention it to your fellow classmates that you trasferred into 5th. Just my two cents, if you dont like it no worries.
Cheers!

[canuckdc]

Saba does not allow transfers

[prettysmart]

Saba gave u this option, to transfer into 5th semester. Not cool. No offence, the schools great but as a a current student I am a little dismayed and sadened by your claims, not even addressing your question. We slug it out here everyday and then you ask this weather its worth coming or not. Dude I dont really care what you do. I would like to think that as a carribean student my options are predicated by the time and effort I put in down here, my schools reputation, and ofcourse my step results --and now someone can transfer into 5th. What ever breaks and reputation we get is based on those that came before us they who worked there a** off here from day 1. The school is sound, they work us hard, but I see no reason why they should let you transfer into 5th--I dont care wear you went to school. If your claims are true I think my fellow classmates would have something to say about it. Transfer into 5th, and you didnt even slug it out in the trenches with us here! Do you know how many kids we have lost in my 10 months here, and now you claim you can tranfer into 5th from India. Just cause you want better options now. I will be asking admin about this cause it seems ridiculous. AUC and St.Georges wont even take transfers from Saba concurrently, and we will take transfers from thre rest of the world! If you end up coming congrats, but just don't mention it to your fellow classmates that you trasferred into 5th. Just my two cents, if you dont like it no worries.
Cheers!

RPHtoMD, don't get upset. This dude was only thinking to transfer to the 5th. He would not be accepted.

[mario345]

Saba gave u this option, to transfer into 5th semester. Not cool. No offence, the schools great but as a a current student I am a little dismayed and sadened by your claims, not even addressing your question. We slug it out here everyday and then you ask this weather its worth coming or not. Dude I dont really care what you do. I would like to think that as a carribean student my options are predicated by the time and effort I put in down here, my schools reputation, and ofcourse my step results --and now someone can transfer into 5th. What ever breaks and reputation we get is based on those that came before us they who worked there a** off here from day 1. The school is sound, they work us hard, but I see no reason why they should let you transfer into 5th--I dont care wear you went to school. If your claims are true I think my fellow classmates would have something to say about it. Transfer into 5th, and you didnt even slug it out in the trenches with us here! Do you know how many kids we have lost in my 10 months here, and now you claim you can tranfer into 5th from India. Just cause you want better options now. I will be asking admin about this cause it seems ridiculous. AUC and St.Georges wont even take transfers from Saba concurrently, and we will take transfers from thre rest of the world! If you end up coming congrats, but just don't mention it to your fellow classmates that you trasferred into 5th. Just my two cents, if you dont like it no worries.
Cheers!

this is what happens when you blindly reply without actually reading the question.

not good for usmle.

not good for life.


to the OP...i just know of ONE transfer student...he had finished his basic sciences...he wanted to transfer...he was made to repeat semesters 4 and 5...

you cant directly transfer to 5th semester.

[RPhtoMD]

Thanks for the advice on life. However I did not blindly read his question, I just expressed my opinion based on the context that he made it seem clear he had the option of transferring into 5th, while ignoring his other questions. Not a mistake on my part, but fully intended.

[mario345]

^no.

you ASSUMED that 'SABA gave him an option', is equal to 'MY option is...' which is what he said.

and then you started your rant. read your post and the original post again. you obviously did not read the post properly.
secondly, why do YOU care if someone transfers to saba? they are not writing your exams. not competing with you directly.
you do your own thing, and let others do theirs. dont interfere with others.

[RPhtoMD]

again thanks for the advice!!

[mario345]

dont mention it.

i appreciate that you thank me. you seem frustrated - go hit the books, otherwise who knows your worst fears may come true and you might have to stay back a semester or two. :rolleyes:

[buddababa]

you actually can transfer into "5th" (at least a class in 5th), but you'll have to take any course that you may have missed in your previous place of study.

[buddababa]

RphtoMD
cool down my friend. you're at saba. you sound like you're in an american/canadian school..just be thankful for your opportunity, let other people do as they like..relax and work hard.

[Tellingitlikeitis]

saba is a buisness and they will do whatever they can to make that dollar, holler

[GuitarHero]

OP, I'm not sure about your unique situation. I've known 3 transfer students total.

One of them had already cleared Step 1. That person had to come back and repeat the last 2 semesters. Another had finished most of basic sciences. That person had to repeat the last 2 as well. Another cleared the step and had to do 1 semester on the island.

But all those 3 students either attended US or other Caribbean med schools. The curriculum at your school seems quite different so if they did allow you transfer, my guess is that they'd make you do at least 2 semesters on the island.

You'll have to be the judge of whether or not that's worth it. But it's probably worth giving them a call to see what they'd say. It seems to be different with every student.

[coolest35]

Saba gave u this option, to transfer into 5th semester. Not cool. No offence, the schools great but as a a current student I am a little dismayed and sadened by your claims, not even addressing your question. We slug it out here everyday and then you ask this weather its worth coming or not. Dude I dont really care what you do. I would like to think that as a carribean student my options are predicated by the time and effort I put in down here, my schools reputation, and ofcourse my step results --and now someone can transfer into 5th. What ever breaks and reputation we get is based on those that came before us they who worked there a** off here from day 1. The school is sound, they work us hard, but I see no reason why they should let you transfer into 5th--I dont care wear you went to school. If your claims are true I think my fellow classmates would have something to say about it. Transfer into 5th, and you didnt even slug it out in the trenches with us here! Do you know how many kids we have lost in my 10 months here, and now you claim you can tranfer into 5th from India. Just cause you want better options now. I will be asking admin about this cause it seems ridiculous. AUC and St.Georges wont even take transfers from Saba concurrently, and we will take transfers from thre rest of the world! If you end up coming congrats, but just don't mention it to your fellow classmates that you trasferred into 5th. Just my two cents, if you dont like it no worries.
Cheers!

I dont know why you are getting upset at all. Look at it this way, when you first applied did you not look at the reputation of the school? Did the seniors at the time say '' hey you dont deserve to be here since WE worked so hard to bring the school up to what it is today! ". I hope not.

If you thought that I was trying to be judgmental about your institution, that was certainly not my intent. I was seeking an opinion from a student, but I guess you took it as '' hey is your school any good? ".

Dude I dont really care what you do.So why the rant with displeasure? Seriously, as the poster below mentions, you should just do your own thing. In the end both you and I are going to be doctors. Stop being a crude and conceited. As for ''battling it out in the trenches'' I'm not sure what exactly you mean, but you do realize that medical school around the world is definitely not easy, what makes you think that I did not ''slug it out'' here in India? You have no basis for saying such a thing. If in the end you are trying to prove something, do it on your board scores, not by posting on the internet.

I'm surprised that a school that claims ''We are the best international medical school" has students like yourself. (or your just a bad apple?)

you actually can transfer into "5th" (at least a class in 5th), but you'll have to take any course that you may have missed in your previous place of study.

Dont mind doing so, in the end I just want to be able to prep for Step 1, write it and move on to clinicals.

OP, I'm not sure about your unique situation. I've known 3 transfer students total.

One of them had already cleared Step 1. That person had to come back and repeat the last 2 semesters. Another had finished most of basic sciences. That person had to repeat the last 2 as well. Another cleared the step and had to do 1 semester on the island.

But all those 3 students either attended US or other Caribbean med schools. The curriculum at your school seems quite different so if they did allow you transfer, my guess is that they'd make you do at least 2 semesters on the island.

You'll have to be the judge of whether or not that's worth it. But it's probably worth giving them a call to see what they'd say. It seems to be different with every student.

That's very interesting, so repeating semesters even if they wrote the board exams eh? Yes, I will definatly be calling them up again and asking about my situations. Only thing that's keeping me from applying right now is that my finals are not over with and as a result, no transcript to submit.

Thanks for telling me though! :rolleyes: