ANY REGRETS ABOUT GOING TO SABA? WHAT DIDN'T YOU EXPECT?

[bigguy]

HELLO,
I'VE JUST BEEN ACCEPTED TO SABA, AND PLAN TO ATTEND IN SEPTEMBER 2005.

I'D LIKE TO GO INTO THE PROGRAM WITH MY EYES WIDE OPEN AND WITH REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.

I'D APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK OF PAST OR PRESENT STUDENTS WITH REGARD TO HOW SABA MET (OR FAILED TO MEET) THEIR EXPECTATIONS.

I'D PREFER TO HEAR COMMENTARY ABOUT MATERIAL ISSUES, SUCH AS, USMLE PREPARATION, FACILITY OF GETTING CLINICALS IN THEIR DESIRED LOCATION, ABILITY TO MATCH INTO RESIDENCY IN THE AREA THEY WANTED TO, THE TEACHING CAPABILITIES OF THE PROFESSORS, THE PROGRAM ITSELF AND IT'S POLICIES, THE PARITY OF TREATMENT WITH U.S. STUDENTS IN CLINICAL/RESIDENCY SETTINGS, AND JUST YOUR "BANG FOR THE BUCK" IMPRESSIONS IN GENERAL.

I'M NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT ISSUES LIKE THE LACK OF NICE FOOD, BEACHES, LIMITATIONS ON WATER, AND OTHER GENERAL ISSUES OF LIVING ON A SMALL ISLAND. BUT IF THERE WAS ANY PARTICULAR LIFE STYLE ISSUE THAT MADE LIVING ON SABA TORTURE, I WOULDN'T MIND HEARING ABOUT THAT.

I'M 38, ALREADY MAKE A HIGH 6 FIGURE INCOME, BUT WOULD LIKE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE WITH THE REMAINDER OF MY 30 OR SO WORKING YEARS LEFT. MY EXPECTATIONS FOR SABA ARE THAT I WILL STUDY HARD AND STAY FOCUSED, THAT I WILL COMPLETE THE PROGRAM WITH GOOD GRADES, GOOD SCORES ON THE USLMLE 1&2, THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO DO MOST OR ALL OF MY CLINICAL WORK IN MY HOME CITY OF NYC, AND THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO GET RESIDENCY IN A FAIRLY WELL PAYING SPECIALTY, SUCH AS ANESTHESIA, IN NYC. I'M NOT LOOKING TO BECOME A PLASTIC SURGEON OR INVASIVE CARDIOLOGIST.

I'M A LAWYER NOW, SO I KNOW THE RIGORS OF ADVANCED STUDY. PLEASE "BURST MY BUBBLE" NOW BEFORE I QUIT MY WORK AND INCOME.

TO GIVE THIS A SEX AND THE CITY TAG LINE

.....IS SABA ALL YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, OR HAS IT JUST BEEN A SERIES OF PROGRESSIVELY LOWERED EXPECTATIONS?

THANKS!
BIGGUY

[All you do and all you see is all your life will ever be.---Pink Floyd][/quote][/i]

[scoobz1981]

Since I guess people are not used to using the search key, I will just sift through my old messages and do the dirty work!

http://www.valuemd.com/ftopic28024.html&highlight=

http://www.valuemd.com/ftopic28017.html&highlight=

I think that was most of my messages on this topic.... hope this helps


If I had to do it again, I would still come to SABA! That is how I feel.
Val

[bigguy]

Hey Val,
I do search, and I think I've read pretty much every post you've written. Thanks, it's great information; I wish more Saba students and alum would pipe in once in a while.

The reason that I asked the question was that the opinions about Saba seem to change from one semester to the next. Just curious what the general feeling is there now.

Thanks again,
Bigguy

[wolfvgang22]

opinions about Saba seem to change from one semester to the next. Just curious what the general feeling is there now.

Thanks again,
Bigguy
I think it's more we are getting varying perspectives as different individuals with different personaliteis post here over time. I don't think Saba has changed a whole lot, except to grow.

[scoobz1981]

Hey Bigguy,

In general I think the deal with SABA is that it hasn't changed that much from semester to semester. In general it is almost the same school where I started 5 semesters ago. The main changes are the ones that are obvious like professors leaving frequently (about 2 profs per semester) which isn't that much because you have 2 professors for almost every class. I can tell you that this past 1st semester (the people who are in 2nd now) had a very hard time in Anatomy because Dr. Raja the anatomy prof had to teach the class himself because the other professor was underqualified. So I know that most of them have a bad taste in their mouth especially because that underqualified professor was very unprofessional and then administration (this is what I heard, I wasn't actually in the class at the time - rumour in other words) were very "stern" about the students being the problem. I am not sure what the deal was and maybe a 2nd semester will be kind enough to elaborate. I also know that the Anatomy problem was remedied towards the end of that semester.

As for why people don't really post things on here that are negative or positive is usually cause no one has the time while they are on the rock! I also know that a lot of students keep to themselves and very few unhappy students say anything at all - the same goes true for the happy ones. I know that in my class, it seemed to me that 2 students and I were the only people who were somewhat dissatisfied with stuff, and in 5th semester one of the students in my class even called us chronic complainers - which I think was funny. But at the end of 5th, after all the basic science certificates were handed out, I know of 7 students who came upto me and were like, we felt the same way you did but we didn't want to say anything, and I can respect that. Once again though, although there were negatives, there were positives to it too. So Don't just think that I am being overly negative. I will just reiterate and say that if I had to do it again, I would in a heartbeat. BUT, if I had an MCAT score, I would have applied to SGU - I like their bigger class size, and lack of an attendance policy - or very lenient one for that matter.

Val