what's the story with 5th semester PMH applications this time? I heard over 150 people applied out of a class of less than 300. That is more than half the class!!! I didn't realize staying here in Dominica for ANOTHER semester was so popular! I don't recall this being the case in the past. What changed? Perhaps a better question would be, is this "rumor" even true?

In recent years a lot of student compared notes with each other as one group went through Miami and the other through Dominica's fifth semester program. I think the summation was Dominica was lower tech but much more hands on as far as patient contact.

There was a lot of concern/discussion over the relative costs of living in each location during fifth semester also.

I don't know what the application for this semester is/was but it had been rising.

Can any people who went through 5th on the island comment? How was the hands on and did you really learn anything?

I think 5th semester here is awesome. The doctors are really nice and eager for the students to learn. The staff is really friendly too. Everything is either in the hospital or in private clinics which is another 5 minutes drive away in a transport. Classes and the office are in the hospital.

While the students in Miami get to witness surgeries, the students here get to scrub in and assist. There are also many cases in which one may not see in the US as often, like the fibroids which is like in almost every session one can see at least one fibroid surgery. Then, there's amputation in which one can scrub in to assist in sawing bones off.. and a bunch of other things, which is also quite an often procedure.

I mean, that's just the tip of the iceberg.

So, that's basically it.

I can say that staying here for 5th is definitely an awesome experience

Yeah, but you get the stone age technology to go with it.

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Will is really matter since you will learn some of the technology when you start clinical rotations AND you really learn the most when you are in residency. I guess one chooses between technology vs hands on experience.

It's really just about what you want out of the experience. I'm in Miami and think it's great. I'm getting pleny of hands-on experience, though not assisting in surgery. I don't want to be a surgeon, so that wasn't a draw for me. There is less free time in Miami, but we are learning the ways of the US healthcare system which will definitely give us an edge when it comes to clinical rotations. I have heard that those who stay in Dominica are very satisfied with it, too, though, so it's just what you want to get out of it. You get out what you put in.

Here is one person's experience of 5th at PMH. There is more info in other posts before that one also.

Island Med Student Should I Do My 5th Semester at PMH?

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