You have many options at hand. These include setting up an online VOIP account (i.e. talking over the phone via your computer) through services like SKYPE, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, etc, which are all able to be rated, etc on Cnet.com. In addition to using your computer, many students also use their local cell phones on the island to call home, etc. All this requires is for you to either bring with you an UNLOCKED GSM cell phone and purchase your SIM card here through one of the Cell phone providers on the island (~approx 15USD) or purchasing your phone & sim all-together her on the island. Almost all of us use the pre-paid plans, and buy cell phone credit as needed. (all incoming calls are not charged credit).

Should the place that you rent have a laundry machine, etc included, you can do your laundry at your own home. However, in the event that it is not, or you are lazy, or do not have the time, there are local laundromats available that usually have your clothes done by the next day!

We do not have a meal plan in place. Nonetheless, we are located in and around several different eateries and a grocery store, which makes for easy availability for lunch and dinner. In addition to these places, there are a few businesses that cater to your personal needs and have delivery services available too.

1) most students communicate with back home using either Yahoo! Voice or Skype (these are all IP phones that are used through the internet and your computer). Its the cheapest, easiest way to call home - the only thing is that you have to be on your computer to do so. The rates for the internet phones are around 1 to 2 cents a minute to the US - and they usually have an incoming service that you can pay for on a monthly basis where you have free incoming calls. Its a pretty good deal.

In terms of cell phones - people usually use cell phones to contact people on the island or call home if its an emergency or if the internet is not working (which can happen at times). Calling the US is pretty expensive - but it can be done. The service that people usually use down here is Digicel (a component of Cingular or AT&T - whatever its called now) or Cable and Wireless. You can bring a phone from the US that takes SIM cards - so that excludes all phones from Verizon essentially. They must also be "unlocked" - or you must have the pin code for them to unlock them. If you don't know how to unlock it - they can be done down here as well. I would suggest using the IP phone to call home and keeping a cell phone for calling people on the island.

2) Laundry - well, there is a place here that does the laundry for you - you pay about $20 EC for a load of laundry and the place will wash it, dry it and fold it for you. Not a bad deal. If the place where you are staying at has a washer - there are some students who just do their own laundry and then hang dry it. Most places that do have a washer do NOT have a dryer. Those are about the two options you have.

3) Meals plans are not available as of yet (that may change in the near future), but most students usually go to the local grocery stores and cook food at home. At school, we just either order food and have it delivered or go to any one of the local restaurants to eat. There aren't really a TON of options, but there is some variety and there are a few places within walking distance of the school. The grocery stores pretty much have everything that you're going to need - just not any of the nicer things you are accustomed to at home. Some thing people have to get used to when they get here.

Even if you are living in the dorms - there is no meal plan available (as of yet, once again). Sorry - but thats about all I know along those lines. I usually just cook my own food or eat out if I'm too lazy (which incidentally happens to be quite often).

Hope that info helps.

A few questions please if you could answer for me:

1) Do i really need to bring a printer down with me or is there one available on campus that is good to use?
2) What kind of emergency lamp do students have down there, if any, and how often does the power really go out for and for about how long?
3)what kind of food should i bring down there if any?
4) are the apartments there furnished or would i have to bring a lot of stuff from home..any type of guidance would help me greatly on what apartments there are like.
5) lastly, what books exactly do i bring down for my first semester...because i ordered all the books for the first semester according to the website online, but when i got my orientation packet it shows four classes only...im a bit confused on this.

ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!!!!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING ALL OF YOU

I would highly recommend to bring any unlocked, GSM phone and get the pre-paid service with Digicel to communicate with people locally here. To talk to family back home, most people use yahoo or skype, but you may need a headset for this if your laptop is not equipped with a microphone.

Most of us use "Andrew's Laundry" located near the residential areas or a maid to do laundry.

There are no meal plans, the SGA runs a store for food and snacks to purchase at school. There are multiple shops at eat at right across the school and one restruant that delivers. At the dorms, it is easy to cook and eat whenever.

Expect a third world country and not a SeanPaul video!

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1) If you plan on doing LOTS of printing - then I suggest bringing your own printer, otherwise the SGA has a printer for students use (as long as you pay the SGA dues at the beginning of the semester). You are given an allotment of pages at the beginning of the semester and can purchase more as time goes on (if you need them)

2) Most students have flashlights if the power ever goes out - but that is a rare (I've been here since the Fall of 07 and its only happened 2 times in that time span - for about 1 to 2 hours at most) If there is an actual emergency then students are usually called to stay at the school to ride out any problems that may occur. The school has a backup generator for situations like that.

3) Food - well, it really depends. What I normally bring are pasta sides (from Lipton) and ready-made rice packets that I can just heat up and eat with whatever I make down here. Its really trail and error depending on what you really need - I've brought stuff down here only to find that it is available on the island. After your first semester, you'll know what you need/don't need to bring with you on your subsequent trips back to the island.

4) When we say apartments are fully furnished, we mean that you'll have a bed, desk, probably a lounge area with a couch, if there is a kitchen then it'll have a fridge, sink, etc. It'll have everything you need in terms of furniture - is there anything more specific that you were looking for? Let us know...

5) As far as the books go - I would suggest bringing at least the main text books and then seeing which review books you find useful. I would suggest sending an email to one of the students (or any one of the students posting here on ValueMD) about what books that you bought are useful for which subjects - as we have pretty much already been through it. Keep in mind - different people like different books. It may not hurt to bring all of the books and then find out with works for you. Take the ones you don't need at the end of the semester back with you.

Is there anything I wasn't able to answer?

On the orientation packet it says to bring two pairs of scrubs...now does this have to be any particular color ..and are these for like gross anatomy use or for hospital use. Also it said to bring two short sleeve white coats...i have ones that do not have a collar...is that what we need...or are they supposed to be collar ones? thank you.

The scrubs are used for gross anatomy as well as hospital use - however students don't start hospital work until the 3rd semester. Your primary use for the scrubs will be for gross anatomy your first two semesters. The scrubs can also be used for clinics that are done on the weekend (if permitted). The colors don't really matter - do whatever makes you happy.

The white coats should have a collar, although I don't think it'll be a huge deal if they don't. If you can find ones that have a collar, I suggest bringing them because it is more professional.

The scrubs could be of any color, size, pattern (you'll be the one sporting them). For your first two semesters, your scrubs are basically for your Anatomy Labs and sometimes weekend clinics. Upon entering your third and fourth semesters, you can either use the same pairs or new(er) ones for your ER weekend rotations-my advice, is to have a seperate pair (but you'll have plenty of time to figure things out by then).

Nonetheless, finding a short sleeve lab coat is going to be tough-it's really only written down as 'short' sleeve, as the weather on the island is sometimes a bit hot, so having short sleeves may lessen the incurred heat. Keep in mind, that almost all of us end up wearing the long sleeves, b/c they are more readily available. It's basically a matter of preference and if you can find them. And like Iaustudent006 said, having a collar would be preferred, although not necessary (you're going to wear this about 1/wk for a few hours)...

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About the apartments, are they furnished, and the ones that are furnished,do they have a stove,microwave,fridge,dishwasher, or what? If someone is living in a furnished apartment if they can please sort of give me a better idea of what is expected in there apartments. i only ask this because I am not sure if i have to bring down like a pan to cook in..or food that is microwave food...etc. Do i need supplies for bathroom..like shower curtains or anything? If you can also tell me is there a store that is close to campus that I can purchase these type of things if I cant bring them all down or if i forget and is it reasonable and comparable to US prices. Thanks.

Furnished apartments do vary on how "furnished" they are - however, generally speaking - this is how they are:

Kitchen - Microwave, Refrigerator, Stove (gas), Oven, and usually whatever other odds and ends you need (plates, silverware, etc) anything else that you need can be purchased down here from the local stores.

Bedroom - Bed (obviously), Bureau, and maybe a desk (depends on the place). Mirrors and other things vary from place to place.

Bathroom - the essentials are there (they usually do have shower curtains already in them - but even if they don't all of the supplies can be purchased locally.

Living Area - All of the following may or may not be there: TV, couches, cable, internet, etc.

In terms of things for living - appliances and the like - they can all be purchased down here (for a price). I would recommend against brining utensils and things like that - focus on things that cannot be found on the island in variety.

If Dallas office has a place in mind for you - ask them to tell you what is available in the apartment and so forth. Thats the only real way you're going to know whats there.