Thread: SABA is a disgrace

I am a new admitted student to SABA for this coming Fall semester. However, I can help but feel dismayed by what SABA does.

Firstly, I reveiced email about an online chat with SABA financial aid officer today from 7-8pm EST. However, after I logged in I found nobody!!! Has anyone chat with their financial officer today?

Then, SABA suddenly increased the tuition for fall term. But they dont even bother to let me know. I never received emails from SABA abt the tuition increase. And I was never aware of the increase of tuition before I was admitted. Disgrace.

Now most importantly, I am so upset with SABA from what I found. After thorough research on this forum, I found out from upperclass that out of 110 admitted students, only 40-45 will make it to the 5th semester on time!!! This is about 65% attrition. (you can use search and find yourself) I know Ross, which is infamous for its attrition rate, is trying to solve it by decreasing the newly admitted students from 650 to less then 400 per semester. And Ross is also trying to setup new clinical spots, such as Norwegian American Hospital in Chicago and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Oakland (SJMO) in Pontiac, MI. Thus the attrition will drop significantly if I am not wrong. Lets look at SABA, it has done nothing. I never heard any attempts to setup new clinial spots. So out of big 4, SABA is the school that weed out students (even good and hard working ones). And the strange part is, I dont find a lot of post on SABA forum complain abt this but plenty on ROSS forum bashing Ross.
Now I am so confused abt whether to attend SABA. Coz I know only 40% I can graduate. After investing at least 150K, I dont even stand 50% chance of getiing the MD. SAD!!!

I am contacting AUC now. Hopefully it is not too late for their fall term. Shame on you SABA. There will never be big 4, only big 3.

don't be mad, i'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

Originally Posted by drrichand1

don't be mad, i'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

I'm already half way through the program at Saba, and I am not mad I'm actually very happy, woot! lol

ps: instead of getting defensive and all, you could simply rephrase your question because I still don't know what you were trying to ask

He's not asking anything. He's trolling. Check previous posts - St James was high on his list previously.

Schools don't fail people for attrition purposes or because they don't have enough clinical spots. Everyone takes the same tests do they not? If half the class could pass why couldn't you (not saying you didn't because you didn't start yet but the principle). I always post this when I hear people complaining that a school fails people on purpose. If half the class could do it, then you could too. I have yet to see someone answer correctly on tests and fail out.

Originally Posted by medic300107

Schools don't fail people for attrition purposes or because they don't have enough clinical spots. Everyone takes the same tests do they not? If half the class could pass why couldn't you (not saying you didn't because you didn't start yet but the principle). I always post this when I hear people complaining that a school fails people on purpose. If half the class could do it, then you could too. I have yet to see someone answer correctly on tests and fail out.

This is not necessarily accurate. Although on the surface your argument is sensible, one cannot then extend the argument to conclude that a school may not intentionally attempt to manipulate the attrition rate behind the scene by varying exam difficulty levels. In fact, I can assure you that at Saba this does occur (not by rumor) but was a discussion I had with several faculty members.

Having said above, greater credence is given by the mere fact that limitations on clinical spots is a reality for all schools most every year. And all the 50-state approved schools realize that one selection criterion that is monitored is the wait list for clinicals. My understanding is that Ross and AUA both have been reprimanded on this specific issue with numerous students constantly on wait lists for clinicals.

The issue of those who fail in a school regardless of the same exam being given is a issue that I have addressed all along - and that is that a school such as Saba nowdays, or more specifically post-2004 is really only appropriate for those who had the science GPA and MCAT scores to get into a North American Medical School and could not due to extenuating circumstances. What people fail to realize is that all these schools (including SGU, AUC, Ross, and Saba) at one point had started on the premises that these were 2nd chance schools - truly 2nd chance meaning for those individuals who needed guidance and a holding hand to get thru the program to Step 1. However, over the past 20 years most of these schools with popularity and an influx (no shortage) of applicants can now afford to move away from the original true 2nd chance paradigm into more of a filter down the population to the best candidates to sit for Step 1 mode. This way they can maximize profit while simultaneously boost their stats in front of the state medical boards, especially California - which to this day is beyond me why that state (which is broke) is considered the end-all-be-all of state medical boards.

For example, when Saba says over 90% first time pass rate on Step 1 - yes that is true for those who made it to Step 1. However, it can be very misleading for prospectives considering schools. What most "naive" applicants do not realize is that it does not account for those who were accepted to the program and failed out. Some then argue that it does not matter since we are only to measure who passes Step 1 out of those who do actually take the exam. Yes, but the greater point is that these schools are intentionally accepting naive applicants who they know all along have little to no chance of making it thru their program. If these applicants had better knowledge on the rigor and stats of these schools - they may think again!

I think U.S. State Medical Boards should put pressure on all Caribbean programs to release (make readily available) stats on numbers accepted, voluntarily left school, failed out, were held back, and those who make it to Step 1 and first time pass rate on Step 1. Secondly, and very important turnover rate of faculty at a school. This in totality gives a much more accurate depiction of what transpires at a particular school. It is interesting (and not surprising to me) that schools only selectively provide information and withold intentionally other aspects - but then again it is a big business and my only point is to make naive applicants aware of this before proceeding. And this is exactly what these schools do not want to happen!

I agree to a degree with both of the perspectives posed in the previous posts. It is true that many exams here are very difficult, but many people are able to pass them (without cheating). The tests are surmountable if you have good study habits, problem solving skills and put the time/focus into school that is necessary to succeed. I would argue that most of the people who failed out/repeated during my time at Saba were deficient in one of these three categories, therefore making their failure a personal pitfall and no fault of the University. However, I also feel like some of the students accepted into the program are set up for failure the minute they are admitted. What are the odds that an individual with a 2.9 arts degree from an easy university and a 19 MCAT is actually going to make it through this program? VERY low (yes, I know there are success stories but they are the exception not the rule). Yet, people like this are currently sitting in the first semester classroom (though likely not for long). These individuals are accepted into the program with a high prediction for failure, odd considering that is the very reason they were DECLINED from US or Canadian schools. Saba admissions is not about to remind them of that, or council them on their likelihood of attrition prior to matriculation. THAT is somewhat the University's fault. Everyone is painted a rosy picture of the school until they have already paid their tuition, arrive on the island, and find out what it really is that they have gotten into. The school should be more transparent and honest with incoming/prospective students about academic expectations and predictions of passing/failing. HOWEVER, as I have mentioned in previous posts, it is ultimately each individual's responsibility to do some flippin research before choosing to come here. I feel that any responsible person would put some time into gathering information from multiple sources before making a life changing decision like moving to an island in the middle of nowhere to go to med school. After even a small amount of research, the nature of this school becomes readily apparent, so I have a difficult time believing people genuinely have/had no idea SUSOM was so rigorous or that so few people made it to the finish line. At the end of the day, people need to own the decisions they make. If you decided to come here despite all of your own red flags, or the red flags about the school, responsibility for the positive/negative outcome ultimately rests on you.

Hi all,

I didn't read the entire thread but the title caught me so I wanted to throw in my view of Saba.

I started Saba in January 2006, finished on the island August 2007, completed most of my rotations in Kansas City, MO and Chicago, IL and matched into a great program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA in 2010. I'm currently a PGY-3 in my program, the only foreign grad, and one of the top performers in the class.

While Saba certainly has it's fair share of problems and things may have changed for the native since I attended, it got the job done for me (and fairly well) along with all of my close classmates.

Study hard, immerse yourself in the information, find good friends who will push you, and hopefully things go as well as they did for myself and my friends,

Wish you all the best!

Originally Posted by md2be123

I didn't read the entire thread but the title caught me so I wanted to throw in my view of Saba.

I started Saba in January 2006, finished on the island August 2007, completed most of my rotations in Kansas City, MO and Chicago, IL and matched into a great program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA in 2010. I'm currently a PGY-3 in my program, the only foreign grad, and one of the top performers in the class.

Study hard, immerse yourself in the information, find good friends who will push you, and hopefully things go as well as they did for myself and my friends

The key phrase as stated in your post is "....one of the top performers in the class." Out of curiosity, what were your stats coming to Saba; science GPA and MCAT score?

Obviously, "study hard, and immerse in the information" is common sense but my argument still stands - that positive attitude alone is not true predictor of success at Saba. More importantly is the capacity to be able to handle the rigor of such programs. And to that end, in an internet age where information is readily available compared to 20 years ago, an applicant who is considering Saba should do a thorough research on the expectations of the curriculum (I even encourage island visits) and honestly assess one's capacity to make it thru the curriculum. Unrealistic expectations or completely misguided notion on one's abilities (e.g. I will suddenly change my attitude once on the island and work hard!) on the part of naive applicants leads to attrition every semester that far surpasses U.S. medical school attrition rates.

To prospective applicants who read this: there are many who go to Saba every semester (almost all with great attitudes and intentions) but clearly do not have the capacity to be in such a rigorous program (e.g. as "Maladdy85 stated earlier). These individuals never come on this forum to post their experiences. It is only those who were successful and at that those who really felt surpassed their expectations from day 1. So, be careful in assessing "your" ability as an appicant to this program for future success. It is truly based on "your" particular situation.