DSMMD
09-21-2003, 06:16 AM
Hopefully this post will answer some questions that have been posted here in the past. I will preface this by stating that I am very thankful for the opportunity that Saba gave me to pursue my goal of becoming a physician. Those that succeed at this goal do so on their own merits. I don’t care where you go to school, you will not be a successful physician based solely on a where you go to school; rather, you will be a success due to your work ethic, intelligence, and social skills. Saba (or any other school) just serves as an avenue to get you there.
Starting off on the debate of which school is better. It is very difficult for most people to make a comparison like this since most people only go to one (maybe two) medical schools. Those that leave one school for another will probably have a bad experience with their first. I think that you can be successful at a variety of schools; however, due to name recognition, and longevity, there are some schools that are looked upon more favorably than others in terms of residencies. Yes, Saba is becoming more and more respected as they are graduating more and more students, and more and more grads are now in the clinical practice; however, it still does not have the name recognition of some of the older schools who have graduated more students/residents. One must also factor into the equation cost and financial aid available. In addition, many people will tell you that once you get into practice, you will have no problem paying back any loans that you may have. So, one needs to weigh all of the pros and cons behind a school before deciding which is best for them. As for me, when the time came for me to decide, Saba seemed right for me.
Next issue is professors. There was a recent post stating that someone was going to be entering in May or September of 2004 and wanted to know about the quality of a pathology professor(s). This can be a very tricky thing. Once again, I am going upon my experiences at Saba. However, when I was there, they used many professors that were also students. These professors were Ph.Ds that would teach their subject and also take classes. They would be on this island for 9 semesters. This is a double-edged sword. If the professors are good, they are only there for 9 semesters…but, if they are bad, they are only there for 9 as well. So, unless this policy has changed, many of the professors people are hearing about may not be there by the time they arrive on this island. I really think that this is one of disadvantages of Saba. The fact that they had (don’t know if this is still the case) many transient professors. In addition, without having many MDs as professors, some of the professors have no real grasp as to what the boards will focus on, or more importantly how the information they will teach will apply to the clinical setting. Yes, I know that many US medical schools also use PhDs to teach classes; however, there is a large network of practicing physicians available.
Next topic is rotations. Be flexible. The more you are willing to travel, the more opportunities you will have for not only high quality rotations, but also for contacts for residencies. Look at each day you are in a rotation as the opportunity to learn. Never look to get out of a day or a shift…always strive to do more. You need to realize that the US students have all of their rotations set up for them. You on the other hand, may not. This means that if you bust your butt on a rotation and impress someone, you may be able to set up additional rotations for yourself. Even if it is not at that institution, your attending may be willing to make a call for you. I did an elective rotation and impressed the director so much that he told me that he would make any phone calls or write any letters he had to in order to get me additional rotations or help me get a residency. Also, you really need to shine to get a personalized letter of rec. I think this is probably the most important thing in terms of landing a residency. Having a letter in hand that states, “X is a good medical student and a hard worker” is a dime a dozen. You need a letter that really sets you above others. A letter that is personalized and gives specific examples of what you did on your rotation will do wonders.
As for residency…it can be frustrating. I applied to what I perceived as a competitive field for foreign medical grads. I applied to about 47 programs and only had 4 interviews (and 2 wait-lists). I had programs rejecting me after downloading my application (not even seeing my letters, grades, USMLE scores), etc. However, I wound up with 3 more interviews than I needed. There are programs out there that will look at you for who you are, not where you went to school. Once you get an interview, you need to realize that the spot is yours to lose. Also, if there is a program that you really want to go to and they have not offered you an interview, there are some people that advocate recontacting them and “bugging them” as often times they will view this persistance in a positive light. I had an associate residency director that told me that if you were to do this, it shows that you are tenacious and they would then offer an interview if they had a time available..many will even make a time for you. You need to realize that there are some residencies that are more popular and more difficult to obtain than others. However, hard work, good board scores, strong letters of rec will do wonders for your application process. Once you are in residency, you start on even footing with everyone else. I am now completing my residency where I have continued to do very well and am applying for fellowships and it seems like the doors are wide open (even from fellowships at hospitals which would not look at me for residency).
As for life on the island…this I am sure has changed much since I was in school. I know that they have built a new campus and I am sure there are other things that have changed. There are not the luxuries that you may be used to; however, for me this was a selling point as there are no distractions. Realize that for many, Saba is a “last chance” to pursue your dream. You need to take full advantage of it. Every third Monday is a Black Monday where your classes test. If you think to yourself, “I have a test every third week” you may find yourself behind the 8-ball. The way you should look at it is that you have a test every day. Prepare in this manner….review on a daily basis…and this way, the weekend before the exams is not stressful; however, it is just the time to brush up on a little review. Remember….you don’t have patient encounters every third week in the real world. You need to be prepared every day.
The last thing I will say is just be very weary about any post that only highlights the positives of any given institution. At the same time, be very cautious about any post that slams a given institution. There is good and bad behind any school. I will once again state that I am very thankful for the opportunity that Saba gave me; however, it was not without difficulty, headache, and frustration. Just remember, “Adversity builds character”
Starting off on the debate of which school is better. It is very difficult for most people to make a comparison like this since most people only go to one (maybe two) medical schools. Those that leave one school for another will probably have a bad experience with their first. I think that you can be successful at a variety of schools; however, due to name recognition, and longevity, there are some schools that are looked upon more favorably than others in terms of residencies. Yes, Saba is becoming more and more respected as they are graduating more and more students, and more and more grads are now in the clinical practice; however, it still does not have the name recognition of some of the older schools who have graduated more students/residents. One must also factor into the equation cost and financial aid available. In addition, many people will tell you that once you get into practice, you will have no problem paying back any loans that you may have. So, one needs to weigh all of the pros and cons behind a school before deciding which is best for them. As for me, when the time came for me to decide, Saba seemed right for me.
Next issue is professors. There was a recent post stating that someone was going to be entering in May or September of 2004 and wanted to know about the quality of a pathology professor(s). This can be a very tricky thing. Once again, I am going upon my experiences at Saba. However, when I was there, they used many professors that were also students. These professors were Ph.Ds that would teach their subject and also take classes. They would be on this island for 9 semesters. This is a double-edged sword. If the professors are good, they are only there for 9 semesters…but, if they are bad, they are only there for 9 as well. So, unless this policy has changed, many of the professors people are hearing about may not be there by the time they arrive on this island. I really think that this is one of disadvantages of Saba. The fact that they had (don’t know if this is still the case) many transient professors. In addition, without having many MDs as professors, some of the professors have no real grasp as to what the boards will focus on, or more importantly how the information they will teach will apply to the clinical setting. Yes, I know that many US medical schools also use PhDs to teach classes; however, there is a large network of practicing physicians available.
Next topic is rotations. Be flexible. The more you are willing to travel, the more opportunities you will have for not only high quality rotations, but also for contacts for residencies. Look at each day you are in a rotation as the opportunity to learn. Never look to get out of a day or a shift…always strive to do more. You need to realize that the US students have all of their rotations set up for them. You on the other hand, may not. This means that if you bust your butt on a rotation and impress someone, you may be able to set up additional rotations for yourself. Even if it is not at that institution, your attending may be willing to make a call for you. I did an elective rotation and impressed the director so much that he told me that he would make any phone calls or write any letters he had to in order to get me additional rotations or help me get a residency. Also, you really need to shine to get a personalized letter of rec. I think this is probably the most important thing in terms of landing a residency. Having a letter in hand that states, “X is a good medical student and a hard worker” is a dime a dozen. You need a letter that really sets you above others. A letter that is personalized and gives specific examples of what you did on your rotation will do wonders.
As for residency…it can be frustrating. I applied to what I perceived as a competitive field for foreign medical grads. I applied to about 47 programs and only had 4 interviews (and 2 wait-lists). I had programs rejecting me after downloading my application (not even seeing my letters, grades, USMLE scores), etc. However, I wound up with 3 more interviews than I needed. There are programs out there that will look at you for who you are, not where you went to school. Once you get an interview, you need to realize that the spot is yours to lose. Also, if there is a program that you really want to go to and they have not offered you an interview, there are some people that advocate recontacting them and “bugging them” as often times they will view this persistance in a positive light. I had an associate residency director that told me that if you were to do this, it shows that you are tenacious and they would then offer an interview if they had a time available..many will even make a time for you. You need to realize that there are some residencies that are more popular and more difficult to obtain than others. However, hard work, good board scores, strong letters of rec will do wonders for your application process. Once you are in residency, you start on even footing with everyone else. I am now completing my residency where I have continued to do very well and am applying for fellowships and it seems like the doors are wide open (even from fellowships at hospitals which would not look at me for residency).
As for life on the island…this I am sure has changed much since I was in school. I know that they have built a new campus and I am sure there are other things that have changed. There are not the luxuries that you may be used to; however, for me this was a selling point as there are no distractions. Realize that for many, Saba is a “last chance” to pursue your dream. You need to take full advantage of it. Every third Monday is a Black Monday where your classes test. If you think to yourself, “I have a test every third week” you may find yourself behind the 8-ball. The way you should look at it is that you have a test every day. Prepare in this manner….review on a daily basis…and this way, the weekend before the exams is not stressful; however, it is just the time to brush up on a little review. Remember….you don’t have patient encounters every third week in the real world. You need to be prepared every day.
The last thing I will say is just be very weary about any post that only highlights the positives of any given institution. At the same time, be very cautious about any post that slams a given institution. There is good and bad behind any school. I will once again state that I am very thankful for the opportunity that Saba gave me; however, it was not without difficulty, headache, and frustration. Just remember, “Adversity builds character”