Thread: The future of Ross University? Thoughts?

Hey guys, I'm making this thread to try and get a perspective on Ross University as a whole in the upcoming years considering that these are pretty critical years considering that the university was recently bought by Devry and the increasing of US MD and DO schools/school enrollment, which don't seem like many reasons, but they still seem like things to worry about (at least from the future matriculating student point of view).

Note that I have used the search function, but many opinions have been about a year-2 years old and I feel that maybe they might be a little outdated considering the worrying of the future 2016 match.

First off, what's the atmosphere among the students concerning the upcoming matches who are currently at Ross? How are the professors/higher ups reacting? Are they worried about the 2016 match as if something terrible is going to happen? Is anything being done to help solidify relationships with hospitals before this match (Such as making contracts like how SGU did with HHC hospitals in NYC)?

Finally, what do you guys think will happen to Ross considering there's a new owner (Devry)? Does it make a big difference or is management still the same? I have a friend who said that there was a curriculum change that made things hard (I could be wrong and probably misheard).

Those who have gone/going through it, do you guys still think that Ross can be seen as a one of the top options in the scope of a Caribbean medical school or is that rapidly changing for the worse?

ross's owner is hardly new....
the devry purchase was made almost a decade ago in 2003

Originally Posted by johnny13

hey guys, i'm making this thread to try and get a perspective on ross university as a whole in the upcoming years considering that these are pretty critical years considering that the university was recently bought by devry and the increasing of us md and do schools/school enrollment, which don't seem like many reasons, but they still seem like things to worry about (at least from the future matriculating student point of view).

Note that i have used the search function, but many opinions have been about a year-2 years old and i feel that maybe they might be a little outdated considering the worrying of the future 2016 match.

First off, what's the atmosphere among the students concerning the upcoming matches who are currently at ross? How are the professors/higher ups reacting? Are they worried about the 2016 match as if something terrible is going to happen? Is anything being done to help solidify relationships with hospitals before this match (such as making contracts like how sgu did with hhc hospitals in nyc)?

Finally, what do you guys think will happen to ross considering there's a new owner (devry)? Does it make a big difference or is management still the same? I have a friend who said that there was a curriculum change that made things hard (i could be wrong and probably misheard).

Those who have gone/going through it, do you guys still think that ross can be seen as a one of the top options in the scope of a caribbean medical school or is that rapidly changing for the worse?

lol nooooooooooooob

Originally Posted by MD_DREAMER

lol nooooooooooooob

Not really. His concerns are not unfounded.

I think you bring up a really valid question. I spoke to Head of kaplan medical regarding the same issue. Basically he mentioned that if you're going to graduate after 2015, going to a carribean school may not be the best idea. In the end, the goal is not to get an MD but to get a residency. The number of american medical schools and graduates are increasing, however the number of residency spots (which happen to be funded by medicare/medicaid) are is not increasing. Therefore american students will always have a better shot at a residency, even if they graduate from a medical school that only existed for a few years vs a carribean school thats been around for over 30 years.

Originally Posted by jcu

Not really. His concerns are not unfounded.

welp i guess i'm the noob ((((((((((((

I'm sure the lower tier carib and other international schools will have a much harder time in the coming years, but I don't see the big 3/4 changing that much.

Ross is famous for not planning ahead. In late 2009 and early 2010, Ross decided to ignore the Dominican Medical Board's rule limiting the classs size to 250 students. My semester, September 2009, had over 600 students start. The semester after me had close to 700. The number of human beings in the Portsmouth area far exceeded the infrastructure and everyone, including locals, often could not buy food in the stores. The DMB forced Ross to cut back to 250 students again, but now our semester, and those before and after us can not schedule required cores because there are not enough spots. Some students are being told they have to wait three or four months until a spot opens for surgery or peds. I am quite sure Ross will continue to increase class size with no thought to any student's ultimate future. Concern for the future of the student is reserved for private schools and is not part of the Ross business model.

Originally Posted by dlinfiniti

ross's owner is hardly new....
the devry purchase was made almost a decade ago in 2003

Damn, I dropped the ball on that one. Sorry

Originally Posted by StickItInDanal sphincter

I think you bring up a really valid question. I spoke to Head of kaplan medical regarding the same issue. Basically he mentioned that if you're going to graduate after 2015, going to a carribean school may not be the best idea. In the end, the goal is not to get an MD but to get a residency. The number of american medical schools and graduates are increasing, however the number of residency spots (which happen to be funded by medicare/medicaid) are is not increasing. Therefore american students will always have a better shot at a residency, even if they graduate from a medical school that only existed for a few years vs a carribean school thats been around for over 30 years.

This is exactly what I'm worried about, it seems like the days of a caribbean medical school education isn't as viable as it used to be, but it seems like more people than ever rush down there nowadays (I could be wrong)

Originally Posted by NullStrikes

I'm sure the lower tier carib and other international schools will have a much harder time in the coming years, but I don't see the big 3/4 changing that much.

This is one of the few things that console me, that and considering that I don't care for something competitive such as surgery/dermatology might lessen the burden on the residency match for me

Originally Posted by UrbanMD

Ross is famous for not planning ahead. In late 2009 and early 2010, Ross decided to ignore the Dominican Medical Board's rule limiting the classs size to 250 students. My semester, September 2009, had over 600 students start. The semester after me had close to 700. The number of human beings in the Portsmouth area far exceeded the infrastructure and everyone, including locals, often could not buy food in the stores. The DMB forced Ross to cut back to 250 students again, but now our semester, and those before and after us can not schedule required cores because there are not enough spots. Some students are being told they have to wait three or four months until a spot opens for surgery or peds. I am quite sure Ross will continue to increase class size with no thought to any student's ultimate future. Concern for the future of the student is reserved for private schools and is not part of the Ross business model.

Stuff like this worries me. I can't understand why it has to be like this. Ross students don't pay that big a difference less than SGU students, so why is it that Ross faculty members can't be less apathetic about the planning for future students. Especially in these crucial few years.

This is not something that will only affect Ross. It's going to affect all IMG/FMGs no matter which school they attend. If the AAMC/NBME is accurate in their predictions -- and the US grad to PGY1 ratio actually approaches 1-to-1 -- then foreign grads will most likely be screwed no matter where they've studied, and no matter what color their passport might be.