Greetings, young misguided one of the cheese-infested hinterlands, and mark this date on your calendar, for The Trifling Jester has graced you with his presence.

As your "research" is based entirely on the perusal of an internet messageboard, I hereby declare it to be as valid as the rubbish purported by an Iraqi Information Minister.

In the spirit of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog... misguided one, I hope that you gain enlightenment from public castigation.

Apparently, you could care a whole lot less, since you've subjected the entire board to a rambling rant on how it astounds you.

I believe you've miscommunicated... Did you mean to say that you couldn't care less?

How a propos!

Of course you won't justify your opinions. That would open yourself to a scathing rebuttal. Instead you'll spew dubious generalizations as pure fact then tuck your tail between your legs hightail it outta here.

It wouldn't take an "extensive" internet search to find an article on a US educated doctor who'd committed a felony. If you want to play this game just let me know.

Enjoying the tropical climate, I remain,
The Trifling Jester

Perhaps the author's time would be better spent attempting to convince his brother, who apparently has a high GPA and MCAT score, not to attend Ross, than to convince all other prospective students.

Ross, like all foreign medical schools, is about giving opportunities. However, the student is ultimately responsible for determining his fate. The USMLE scores will speak for themselves, and the student has noone to blame but himself if he performs poorly.

__________________
Class of 2008, 4yr MD
Poznan University of Medical Sciences
Poznan, Poland

Student Website: www.poznanmedicine.org

University Website: www.ump.edu.pl

NY Admissions Office Website: www.mdprogram.com

"Dispel from your mind the thought that an understanding of the human body in every aspect of its structure can be given in words..."

- Leonardo da Vinci

i find it interesting that this guy regarding his brother seems to know a lot about whats going on, but only became a member yesterday. I think this is Nasir all over again, this guy needs to get a life. Don't believe his story about his brother, if my brother posted something like that, i would be so pissed at my brother if he did that. It doesn't make sense...

The Trifling Jester has struck again...






BTW, no, its not Nassir/Stephanie B...Nassir/SB would never dare challenge another's grammar/spelling when his own was completely horrible...this person is in fact, the WMM.

I am not sure I doubt his story about his brother. It's possible. However, I do think he has other intentions for posting here. Although I completely disagree with the top 10 list, I do completely agree with Rossloss' advice to his "brother" or any prospective applicant.

Ross should be an alterterative if you are not able to gain admission at US medical school. That is why I am at Ross. After applying to US schools for 2 years, I decided to apply to Ross. Sure, I would have jumped at the oppurtunity to attend a US medical school. Unfortunately for me, this opportunity did not come about. That being said, I have no regrets toward choosing Ross and the medical education that I have received from Ross.

Bottom line:
Should Ross (or any offshore medical school for that matter) be your first choice? NO
Will Ross provide you with an adequate medical education? YES

Hi RossLoss, thanks for your post. I couldn't have rallied a group of that many RUSM students myself with just one list. Great job!

With that said, and seeing as that I'm a full doctorate degree ahead of you, have several years of clinical experience, and had better undergrad stats than you-- I'd add the following to the thoughtful and downright hilarious posts above:

TRY APPLYING TO A CALIFORNIA MEDICAL SCHOOL.

Now, on to your post. I AM happy with my decision to attend Ross University and thoroughly researched the options before I applied to any foreign schools. I'd agree that being skeptical isn't a bad thing. Trusting every single claim we hear these days about anything certainly isn't a quality of a good physician.

Second - I have never encouraged any US students to make a foreign school their first choice -- neither has the RUSM admissions director, neither has Dean Wagner. In fact when I attended the open-house session for Ross in San Francisco, the admissions director said that students should go to a US school if they had that opportunity. Its not that US medical schools have better faculty, facilities, or provide a better education. However, the US system does get your foot further in the door and holds your hand along the way. Additionally, being close to home makes the experience seem easier.

Who ever said that the Dean of Students needed to be a PhD or an MD? Who ever said that an MD is qualified to do anything not related to medicine anyways? The answer is NOBODY. The MD is not an academic doctorate, it is a professional degree that indentifies an individual educated and trained to practice medicine. The skills to interact with and counsel students don't come with any degree, and Dean Wagner (who holds a Masters Degree) serves quite well in his position. A little research (it need not be extensive) of the Ross University website will provide you more information about our Executive Dean and our Provost, both of which are phyicians AND well qualified and experienced in US medical school administration.

So what makes you so down on Ross University anyways?

+ You mentioned the relaxed admissions policy. You say this despite the fact that your school took a chance on you (with such a low GPA)?? Is it wrong for Ross to allow students a chance as well? Especially when the US is short of physicians in many areas.

+ Maybe you doubt the faculty here? Interesting concept. I guess the Dr. Meisenberg, the author of "Principles of Medical Biochemistry" used througout the world (including many US medical schools) as the chair and a professor of biochem and genetics here isn't good enough? Maybe its our Chair of Microbiology, Dr. Hawley, who is the co-author of the BRS Micro/Immuno and author of the Pre-Test Micro/Immuno books and has years of US Medical experience that bothers you? Oh I know, its Dr. Tweeddale in Pathology from the Mayo Clinic or Dr. Szarek in Pharmacology from West Virginia that you object to? No, that just can't be your problem either. I guess its one of the many other accomplished and experienced professors from US/Canadian medical school that have decided that they are sick of being pressured to do research when the education of future physicians is really where their true focus lies.

+ Maybe THAT'S it!?! You object to the fact that our professors are really here to teach us medicine, and that is pretty much all they do!?!? No masters or doctorate students teaching us here. No pressure to do research so they can pay the bills. No, that doesn't sound like a major issue...

+ Maybe it is the facilities here that bother you? All the plasma screen monitors in the new classrooms, computers all over campus, the computerized human patient simulators "Harvey" and "Stan" that cost hundred of thousands of dollars aren't good enough for your brother? Does your University have such things to help you learn and practice your physical exam, pharmacology, and procedural skills? MOST US schools can't afford them. I have been in several US medical school classrooms, and we are definitely up to par (and far better) here.

+ Okay, so it must be the environment. Now I'll agree that this is a poor contry and many students have problems adjusting at first. However, there aren't many palm tree lined medical schools, with stairs to the Caribbean Sea in the US that I know of. That certainly isn't a reason to choose a school, but sometimes I find myself walking around campus asking myself "Where else could I study medicine in such a beautiful place?"

+ Maybe its the fact that RUSM keeps all their students in Dominica or Guadalajara for under-par clinical rotations?? WAIT, we DON'T. In fact, ALL RUSM students get clinical rotations in the States in teaching hospitals just like you get.

+ Poor board stats? RossLoss, if your brother is good enough for a US medical school (but can't get in) and is still willing to work hard, he will pass his board exams (and do well) after he comes here. In fact, despite the RUSM admissions policy our board pass rates are quite good.

Well, my study break is over. RossLoss, I hope your brother is accepted to a US school. I think its great that you care enough about him to spend your time making up lists just so you can show your love to him. But you just aren't informed enough about the University to comment (try a hug).

To RossLoss' brother: Best of luck to you. Do your research as all of us have done, and if you aren't accepted and want to be a physician that badly, Ross University will give you a great chance!

MitchDC

__________________
MitchDC/MD
RUSM 2006 Graduate

Why are you laughiing? I, too, took a look at the match list. Although there's nothing wrong with rural medicine or family practice, it's unlikey any Ross grad will get much more than that. You do have SOME good matches, but 5 out of 349 is slim to none.

TRY APPLYING TO A CALIFORNIA MEDICAL SCHOOL.

Why? I'm not from California and have no intention to step foot in that state of chaos.

This Mitch guy gets better and better. HEAR YE! HEAR YE! Mitch, do you or have you ever gotten a kickback from Ross for recruiting students? Perhaps you should talk them into that. I particularly LOVE the link to palm. Here, I was expecting a pic of beautiful palm trees and instead I get an affiliate link. You sure you didn't go to business school?

Mitch is the Man! If he can't sell Ross, no one can!

My point exactly, you aren't from California as many of us are. But if you were from California you can bet that you'd be flipping burgers right now -- your stats wouldn't get you into medical school there. That is why there are LOTS of students from California (and other such schools) with better stats than yourself here at Ross and other schools.

By the way, the system automatically adds the link to palm, kaplan, health insurance, and other things. Its one of the ways that ValueMD pays for this site. I can't remove that feature. Good try though.

MitchDC

__________________
MitchDC/MD
RUSM 2006 Graduate

sorry, my spelling is great, my typing sucks. and as stated, nobody here is saying "dont go to an MD school in the states, go to Ross". the fact of the matter is, not everyone can get into an MD program in teh states. I was wait listed 3 years in a row at 5 different schools. i finally gave up and said "hello dominica!!!" my scores were drastically higher then those quoted here by others. and i didnt want to go to a DO school(and now that i am a doctor, i am very glad taht i didnt do the DO thing). so i went to ross. and guess what? depsite what you say, i got into a very good residency in IM, iwth a placement rate in soem very good fellowships approaching 60% in the last 5 years. you seem to have aproblem with people getting a shot to rpove themsleves. a shot that nobody else would give them, either correctly, or incorrectly. as for the 5 out of 349, I know a lot more who got good spots then 5. i know a few surgerys, a couple nuerosurgerys, a couple ERs, radiologys, pathologys. heres a little tip. if youre brother wants to do this, why should you get in his way? what makes you such an expert? and yes, as stated before, if your only source of info about Ross is this forum, then you are absolutely clueless about the school.