Thread: A current opinion

I have just read with interest the posted comments about IUHS. I just thought a brief commentary from a current student may be of interest. I am studying for a block exam. In the past eight weeks, I have attended 100 lectures in biochemistry, anatomy, cellular physiology, immunology, microbiology, and medical ethics. If you google the biochem prof, he has about 300 sited articles in prestigious publications accredited to his name in addition to 6 fiction novels! He is truly outstanding and worth every cent of the tuition. Immunology by a Ph.D, MD, Micro by a Ph.D clinical microbiologist with field experience, ethics by a Ph.D practicing clinical psychologist, anatomy by a tenured anatomy professor with more than 40 years teaching experience. I think you get my drift. The support and adjunctive resources and materials I have been provided overwhelm and each individual associated with the program has impressed me with their commitment to my success.

A colleague of mine recently passed step one USMLE with score of 86 first time with preparation by this program. I'm not sure what else one cold expect in preparation or support in an alternative pathway for medical licensure in the U.S.

While I'm not able to comment on the early years of the IUHS program, I can certainly state with complete honesty that I, for one, am completely satisfied with my education to date, and prospects for my future.

I thank you for this opportunity to express my gratitude to the IUHS faculty and chance to recommend the program to anyone interested in this career path. Remember, any program requires an individual to utilize the available resources and be motivated to succeed. No program can spoon feed positive outcomes. Thanks/JC

Originally Posted by Genossa maximillian

There will be states that will license you, no doubt about that. Now that you mention that, I got news of an acquaintance, look at this, he attended 2 different medical schools, one in Mexico, one in the Caribbean, failed USMLE 1 several times, failed USMLE 2 several times too, managed to get into a residency program not via the match IM, and got licensed in Wisconsin, and what surprised him was that his license took a couple of weeks literally speaking to arrive in the mail. No digging into anything about his record or nothing, almost a no questions asked kind of thing. Everything is possible.

That is unbelievable!! I thought failing both parts so many times probably would ban a Carib grad from any state. But hey, looks like its not a problem in some states.

But I think the problem states have is with programs like IUHS and OUM, which offer the distance program basic sciences. It does not make sense to deny a license based on the mode of basic sciences education to someone who has good USMLE scores in the 1st attempt itself while granting a license to someone who fails USMLE many times but attended an on-campus program. I think anyone who is able to go through a program like IUHS or OUM successfully and passes USMLE exams is very independent and perhaps well suited for life as a doctor in the real world because they have the self directed learning ability and are independent. This is not to say that traditional schools dont produce such grads, but perhaps people should not try to put down any Carib program without actually going through the program themselves or checking the facts.

I know one IUHS grad myself who got above 92 in all 3 USMLE exams (part 3 incl) and is licensed in 2 states. Yet he says that people who just hear that he did his basic sciences via such a program dont take him seriously at first until they actually look at his clinical work and medical knowledge. According to him, people who haven't done the program will ridicule it because they dont understand that this program is for real and it is sometimes more difficult to study in this format than a traditional one. But the fact that he has the medical knowledge and thus got top scores in USMLE, completed a residency and gained great clinical skills is proof that he is on par with any other Carib graduate.

i realize that it is perhaps more difficult, yet possible to perform well on USMLE taking an online basic science course. If you think about it, nobody really has clinical experience anyways before 3rd year. In my opinion, if you perform well on boards and demonstrate solid clinical knowledge throughout rotations, then how you obtained your fundamentals in basic science should not be an issue.

i'm interest though if the school offers shelf exams.

OUM or IUHS?