Thread: Is MUA really a lot easier than SABA? or is it a myth?

Is MUA really a lot easier than SABA? or is it a myth?

I got into both programs for Jan '12, but deciding which one to accept. I personally wanna choose a path thats much easier and less stressful. I dont want to shoot myself on the foot and go to saba but unable to manage the curriculum and waste time and money. So is MUA actually a lot easier or less intense as saba?

I graduated may 2010, and left the Nevis part August 2008. Regarding easier, I doubt either one could be considered easy from a purely academic standpoint. My information is that the academic portion is almost the same with minor differences.

Here are some important differences I've learned of;
1. SABA is an EXTREMELY small and socially closed island. You hear surprisingly little about this. Alslo, living Supplies are very limited and the change in living circumstances is absolutely OVERWHELMING for many students, particularly those who've never lived away from home before. This causes a percentage to just leave early each entrance. Moving to a smaller island like Nevis is too much for some, but I get that SABA is 10X as schocking a change thatn SABA.

2. SABA has a cut-throat feel to it. Students are competitively pitted against eachother, somehow, I know not how, but it's real.

3. MUA is more or less friendly. Students help eachother, and professors help students succeed.

4. Nevis is a big enough Island to have some variety in supplies and social life and resteraunts, and also is a short ferry ride from the larger St. Kitt's (Casino, more doctors, etc.).

5. SABA is california approved which is very important to some people.

I think the overall experience would be easier at Nevis, but I'm not speaking of academics.

Curious to hear other's opinions.

Best of luck and either way it will require some flexibility in your lifestyle, tolerance and patience, and a lot of daily hard work (including weekends), unless you are academically gifted.

Congrats Spodat on passing Step 3.

Saba has a minimum pass block exam score of 75 where MUA is 70, for some that 5 points is enough to finish basic sciences.

Originally Posted by Sharky

Congrats Spodat on passing Step 3.

Saba has a minimum pass block exam score of 75 where MUA is 70, for some that 5 points is enough to finish basic sciences.

This means absolutely nothing because they are not the same exams. The difficulty levels could be enough that 75 on one and 70 on another could be equivalent, especially after they are scaled.

Originally Posted by Sharky

Congrats Spodat on passing Step 3.

Saba has a minimum pass block exam score of 75 where MUA is 70, for some that 5 points is enough to finish basic sciences.

This is a post that was posted in the SABA forum on 19th June 2012 .So there will be no difference in the pass mark between MUA and SABA .

• To All Students:
  
  
  Announcement
  June 19, 2012
  
  To guide the development of the curriculum, the University has developed competencies that graduates will be expected to demonstrate by the end of their training. These competencies define the essential qualities that a physician must possess and are used throughout the medical education continuum. The University will use these competencies to focus the educational experiences, environments, standards and assessments.
  In a meeting of the Board of Trustees held on June 1, 2012, the University formally adopted the competencies (a copy of which are attached hereto). Commencing with the September 2012 semester, the University will begin utilizing these competencies in its formalized assessment of students.
  In conjunction with the development of the competencies, the University also conducted a comprehensive review of standards and assessment, both for the competencies as well as the current curriculum. In this review, it was determined that a score of 70% meets the guidelines for achievement in the University?s program of medicine. As such, beginning in the semester ending in August 2012, final grades of 70% or better will satisfy the University?s requirements for continued academic progress in good standing. Final grades received prior to the current semester and decisions regarding satisfactory academic progress made at such times will not be affected by this change.
  
  SABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
  
  
  
  
  Last edited by mr2dr; 06-19-2012 at 04:50 PM.
  
  

Check the curriculum for both schools MUA course content used to be less than SABA but recently this appears to have changed with MUA having more lecture hours than before .

However SABA has a 6th Term which involves a research review . This addition is most likely a provision to obtain the approval of the Netherlands Medical Education Authorities so that the SABA medical degree is approved in the EU also. Please correct me if I am wrong.

is MUA owned by saba? mua is definitively a good option, i would like to here from some current students there thoughts on how they like it there, and If it meets up to there standards. are federal loans available for mua, i know they are not for saba.

Hmmmph!!

Well...medical school is not easy no matter where you go. You still have to go through a rigorous curriculum at both of the schools. I do not know if anyone can gauge how easy/difficult two different schools are unless they have been to both. Regardless, I'll give you my two cents..

You have to work pretty decently hard to get an A at MUA. It does not come easy. I hear that it has become harder. You have to have a committed mind and be able to work your behind off for 20 something months. I am glad that the school pushed me to work hard because otherwise I would have been SCREWED for the board exams.

Would you rather go through an 'easy curriculum' where you are not motivated to work hard or learn the materials properly and FAIL Step 1?

OR

Would you rather work hard, do decent in your classes, be motivated, retain the materials that you learn..and do well on Step 1?

Please please please do not try to take the easy way out in Med School. If you do, you will not be prepared in the future.

The question as to which school to go for, it is a personal choice. If I were you, I would find out things about each island through google or what not, and figure out which is more of a comfortable stay for you. If you do not care about where you stay and are purely looking at accreditation purposes, SABA might be a better choice. Of course MUA has applied for CA approval and all, but that process is going to take a couple of years.

When you post here, you see one or two people's opinions. Do a wide search on the internet and on VMD. You will find MANY discussions on both schools. If you have time, please do so.

I have worked with many SABA students. They have all been very nice. I have some amazing friends who are from SABA. Frankly, I have not noticed any kind of difference in intelligence or board scores among us. If anything, MUA students work harder, are EXTREMELY helpful, and much pleasant!!

No brainer. SABA will open more doors for you.

saba will open more doors if you want cali approval. given the option between mua and saba I would choose saba. I went to mua and did my rotations with saba students. Overall I think saba has a higher amount of stronger academic students, which may make it harder to get through. if you are a smart person and know how to study then either school will be fine. I landed a very competitive residency and do not think saba would have put me in a better position. if you are canadian, either school is fine. saba has a bit more of a track record and might be known more to canadian program directors, but it is minor, and the student's capacity has more of an influential factor than the school they went to.

SHARKEY, thanks for the congrats.