Thread: Accepted '08 Students Scared of Clinicals

Hey all, this thread is for students accepted for May and September 2008, who are scared of the attending Ross with the clinical problems.

What made you all choose Ross even with all the problems?

I did all this research and read so many bad things which are discouraging, do any of you feel discouraged or regretful now that you have made your decision and given your deposit?

It's a little scary, so I just wanted some input, I feel like the clinical problem will change by the time its my time, but you never know.

I'm really excited about going there but that clinical problem unsettles me a little.

Can you also post your STATS PLease
My Status/Stats
I sent in my App 1/6/08
Status says "Interview Stage" 1/10/08
Waiting for a call for interview, they are pretty fast.
GPA 3.23
MCAT 19M

Originally Posted by got milk?

if you are scared, you are rightly so.

from an investor's standpoint, it would be wiser to apply/go to SGU, and pay the $40000 premium. It's priceless to learn everything in the proper order, without delays, and with minimal inconvenience. Graduate on time, and be on your way to 6fig salary.

To add an important point to your list.....all SGU clinical rotations are green book.

California has accepted ALL of my rotations through Jackson Park. The rumor about this ACGME recognition is so played out! I chose a Caribbean medical school and, so far, the only people who have had a problem with the Caribbean medical school is the Caribbean medical students. It's sad. If students spent half as much time verifying their information as they do complaining on this forum, they'd have wisdom beyond their years.
Every school has the same rumors..."the school is closing", "the rotations aren't ACGME", "US residency programs are closing the door on foreign grads". It's been going on for years. Before you buy into the rumors that you read, send an email to the people that would know...the medical boards of the states you want to practice in and the hospitals where you're interested in doing a residency. It's worth the effort and it beats reading the same rehashed rumors on the forum.
For me...no lie...the clinical department was a BIG BIG help. If your experience was different that's too bad...not everyone has had the same experience as you.

I was accepted to Ross, AUC and received an interview at SGU for September 2008. My original plan was to attend Ross b/c it had a good reputation, and I have friends there already. However, after reading everything on here and hearing people I know talk about the clinical rotation problems, I decided to go to AUC instead. I am sure Ross is a good school, but due to the clinical issues, I just couldn't justify spending all that $$ on a medical education where I'd have to constantly worry about my rotations. I am a pessimist, so I worry that the situation is only going to get worse.

Also, with AUC, my wife is much more content going down to SXM than Dominica with our baby.

Originally Posted by Aggiemd2b

Why in the h e double hockey sticks would you risk it?! Never mind, because you did not get accepted into AUC or SGU. In your case I would risk it and make the best of it. I just assume that if someone has the ability to get into Ross they should be able to get a spot at AUC or SGU (sometimes here, but not always). For you, good luck and I hope you get in and you do what it takes to make it!

To give you guys my side of the story...

I never applied to AUC. I got accepted to Ross first and then SGU, thought about applying to SABA but never did.

I was scheduled to start in January but decided to defer to May.
My final decision is to go to ROSS.
I am a non-trad student, I have a family coming with me (wife and 2 little ones)
I simply couldn't justify having my family sacrifice their life for me for another 6-8 months. To be honest, 16 months on the island, had me sold. (extra $40K was also a large chunk of burden to place on my wife's shoulders)

Are clinicals worrying me? Yes and No..Luckily I have friends (anesthesiologist and radiologist) who graduated from Ross and they spoke very highly of the school. They taught me about the possible difficulties but they said it was all worth it.

I believe that the second chance schools are not going to spend too much time guiding us but as long as we put our best effort, there shouldn't be a problem..

Again, I see many students recommending SGU over ROSS... He told me that PDs will not give a S%$#%t because whether we like it or not, they are BOTH second chance schools. They are going to look at your numbers and grades. PERIOD. Before they get to know us, they are ALWAYS going to assume that we are bunch of idiots who couldn't get into US Med school. So, only thing that is going to save your butt is your numbers, and your knowledge level and your personality..

SGU or other second chance schools will not save you from that perception.

Is it possible that I may have problems with the clinicals? Yes.. I may have to do cores in 4th year? Possibly.. Is that going to make a difference in what kind of physician you are going to become? NO. (exact words from the anesthesiologist). Do I want to make this transition (life changing decision) with my family as smooth as possible? Yes.. Am I going to try my best to succeed in Med. school? Yes.

So.. Ross is where I am going..

Originally Posted by IvanMDMD

I am a non-trad student, I have a family coming with me (wife and 2 little ones)
I simply couldn't justify having my family sacrifice their life for me for another 6-8 months. To be honest, 16 months on the island, had me sold. (extra $40K was also a large chunk of burden to place on my wife's shoulders)

..Luckily I have friends (anesthesiologist and radiologist) who graduated from Ross and they spoke very highly of the school. They taught me about the possible difficulties but they said it was all worth it.

Do I want to make this transition (life changing decision) with my family as smooth as possible? Yes.. Am I going to try my best to succeed in Med. school? Yes.

so...after hearing all that has been said here by CURRENT students (not attendings that graduated over 4 years ago- and were in clinical over 6 years ago, when this wasn't a problem) do you really think that the only hardships you are asking your family to endure will be on the island? What about moving around from place to place, uprooting your kids from pre school or school, spending more money to get short term housing all over the country, and so forth...

i feel for those who have gotten caught up in all of this not knowing what the situation would become, but now with all this info out there, even if will get better, why would you take the risk? Like you said, if these are all 2nd chance schools and one is no better than the other, then why would you not pick a place that is not having these problems? AUC's tuition is similar to Ross's with smaller class sizes and no problem with clinicals. SGU may be more expensive and classes are large, but clinical space is not an issue and will not be with the HHC contract. Seems that these would be other, viable, choices.

Hopefully in 2 years you will not bemoan the fact that you are having difficulty in getting 3rd year cores IN 3rd year core (you may not think this is important now, but you will learn later it is )or just getting all your rotations (well at least ACGME ones) back to back without big gaps.

Firefighter,
Thanks for your 2 cents and it's very much welcomed. For those other schools that you mention, I'll try my luck at Tel Aviv Sackler school of medicine in Israel ,which I already applied to. They have 100% USMLEs passing rate and also 100% placement in the US hospital plus the fact that you get to do your electives in the States. Your core rotations are however done in Israel. You also come back as a Hebrew speaking MD, this may help you understand some of the things Jesus did when he was alive 2000 years ago (laughs). Who knows tomorrow?

Originally Posted by FireFighterMD

Kofi - makes no sense . You are getting old , so if Ross merps you , then apply to SMU , AUA , etc etc . In fact you should already have applied to these schools . Time is not on your side so why wait another year when other schools can take you if you are merped ..
just my 2 cents !

plus imagine all the hottie israeli chics you will goto school and get to date.

granted i graduated a long time ago, but this is getting silly.

its really not that bad, i think you gusy should worry about passing all 5 semesters adn passing step 1 rather than worrying about something 2 yrs down the line.

Cannot play nice

ummm...did you forget??? You're not a ROSS student either...I have had more interaction with real Ross students than you have...

like i said, will be interesting to see you pissin and moanin on here in 2 years that you are carting your family all over creation and can't get your clinicals in time and so forth....you will probably be the 1st in your class to do so i have a feeling (that is of course if you beat the odds and make it to Miami)...

notice I am not just recommending SGU (its not for everyone), but AUC (and Saba as well) and used to recommend Ross (read my old threads)...those who have been here for a while know that i have always been an advocate for the older more established Caribbean schools (if Ross had accepted me for Aug instead of Jan, I probably would have been there as well), not just the school I picked....

but really....the pollyanna atitude can only carry you so far...for heaven sakes! you have ROSS students and more improtantly ROSS grads telling you not togo there!!! If a resident pulls me aside on an interview day and says...don't come here...i'm gonna listen!!"

oh and BTW, 42...raised 3 children (one is a pharmacy student, one a med student, and one a freshman in college....pretty proud of them too if i must say....I raised them in the States W/O draggin them everywhere).

but this is just