Attending Saba

[courtney_canada]

Hi there!

I'm Courtney...currently in my 2nd year of University in Canada(chem and bio adv. major) and looking to apply to Saba next year. I just have a few questions..

Does anyone know how long MCAT's wont be a prerequisite for? Is it better to not write it at all, or write it and get OK on it? I think if I apply after 3rd year to Saba, I won't write the MCAT, but if I don't get in, I'll reapply after my 4th year(and have a degree), and I'll write the MCAT for that.

2nd...I've had a few people tell me that applying to off shore medical schools should be only as a last resort, and that I should try to get into canadian medical schools first...the thing is, I stayed on Saba a few years ago on a diving trip, and absolutely fell in love with it. I would love to attend medical school there..is it so wrong to WANT to go to Saba, not because you have to?

Thanks! You guys are really helpful, and hopefully I'll be joining you in a year or two!!(I know it's a long way away, but I'm a planner!)

[KDog]

Hi Courtney,
I am from Ontario attending Saba in January and have just taken the MCAT. First of all, ABSOLUTELY try to get in to a Canadian school, then US. If you go offshore be very prepared to never return to Canada to practice.

I have been out of undergrad for 8 years so I thought preparing and taking the MCAT was important. I think it really helped and at least you can apply to AUC, SGU or Ross as well. What if you needed to transfer out of Saba with no MCAT, what would you do then? Just a thought.

Don't be lazy, take the test and keep your options open.

[courtney_canada]

I couldn't return to Canada to practice medicine?

I didn't know that. I don't know if I could live in the States for the rest of my life.


I will take the MCATS eventually, I just thought of applying in 3rd year without them to Saba. I still have lots of time to think this through, though.

[microphage]

Canada only admits a handful of docs back into Canada. I would seriously do alot of research before commiting to this. I personally would get a degree and also take the MCAT before coming down here. Plan on practicing in the US because that's what is most likely gonna happen and all the visa issues you'll have to deal with if you come down here.

[Stitches]

I'm in first semester and i'm from Toronto Canada. We recently had a fifth semester student come and talk to us about residency and clinical rotations. As far as residencies are concerned, Ontario is very very competitive. Although Ontario did raise their seat limit to 200 for their foreign medical graduate residency program, there are still a lot of foreign grads from all over the world in Ontario driving taxi's and delivering pizzas, know what i mean? It is possible to go practice in New Foundland, Nova Scotia, and such, so if you're from there, you have a shot.

Definitely apply to Canadian med schools first if you want to practice in Canada, or else the only thing you can do IF you do end up going back, is Family Practice, because all the other programs are taken up by Canadian grads.

I plan to practice somewhere in NY state so i can be close to home, unless i get matched in a really good program elsewhere.