So far very few people have provided much factual evidence in the matter involving St. Chris and the ECFMG not permitting St. Chris students to register for the boards. The majority of what is being posted here is nothing more than hearsay. Also, the numerous posts surrounding this issue appear to be from people simply repeating themselves and paraphrasing others. Additionally, given the many hidden agendas of "posters" on this website...has it not occurred to people that perhaps there are individuals deliberately posting misinformation pertaining to this matter?

The known fact is that the ECFMG is not accepting board applications due to lack of proper documentation from the govt of Senegal – pertaining to recognition/charter of the UK campus. Include with this fact, that the administration of St. Christopher's is telling their students that it is simply a paperwork issue. Realistically, 4 months is not a long time to handle this situation when you consider you are not dealing with one government, group, or institution. This situation involves several foreign governments, a foreign med school, and two educational agencies from two different countries. With all the parties involved there is no way that this matter could be settled within a few weeks let alone several months. For students that have attended or attend schools in the Caribbean, think about how slow these governments and their related bureaucracies are in responding to issues surrounding the medical schools that are housed within their countries. So, I am suggesting that 4 months to resolve this issue is on par with what to expect when dealing with this type of situation. It just stinks that it places students in limbo for the time being...this is only adding fuel to the rumor mill fire.

What is interesting is how this situation has been translated into the rumor that the school is now closing. Be careful in this respect. Did the US not learn to get all the facts first before rushing to judgment for war with Iraq? (i.e. claiming weapons of mass destruction before having all the facts.. and still then using/extrapolating one small fragment of information into a platform for war). I hate to use that analogy but that is what seems to happening at this point in time regarding this St. Chris matter and the ECFMG. Also, people need to be careful in that if there is not concrete evidence available to back up their statements.... because the people making them may potentially be causing St. Chris and its students’ financial loss.... thus this has the potential to become a legal issue.

People need to focus on the facts here, not spread rumors, or create un-necessary panic/duress. This forum allows people to exercise their right to free speech, but it does not excuse people from being possibly held responsible by individuals or institutions for libel or slander. If a rumor is written that intentionally inflicts harm, causes loss emotionally & financially it may fall under the categaory of “libel.” Libel can be proven if the "libelous material" identifies a person or entity and the material reflects badly on the character of the person or entity in such a way that is harmful to the reputation, causes diminished esteem, respect or good will in which the person or entity's community holds him, her, or it.

In reviewing the posts pertaining to this matter so far....many people are trending into the area of libel. If it turns out that this issue with the ECFMG is simply a paperwork issue, as claimed by the ECFMG and St. Chris, then when the proverbial dust settles there could be huge problems if people persist with posting of "hearsay, rumor, and outright inaccurate information." Then, St. Chris or its students would probably be able to easily/readily and justifiably prove that a person, group of persons, or website has met the above stated criteria for libel and hence bring suit against anyone involved in creating the damages.

If people have actual facts pertaining to this situation...please share them with all of us. However, if it is hearsay, unverifiable, or simply a malicious comment please refrain from posting it...lets use this forum for its intended purpose...to disseminate objective, factual information, to assist potential medical students, current medical students, colleagues, and others pursuing interest within the field of medical studies...

I do feel that the law will be an issue for the admin in the very near future and that there will be several lawsuits.

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I agree with you. This website is based on rumors. Everyone has a hidden agenda. Some people just want to sturr up trouble to attract people to the website. while other people want to recruit st. chris students. i'm guessing this paperwork problem has happened so many times that these people know exactly what to do. I agree there may be legal action taken later if not sooner. I love the people who post just facts on this website. I say good job to them and thank them for not hurting st. chris with crewel remarks.
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You greatly...and sadly..missed the point! Until proven beyond a reasonable doubt with a verifiable body of evidence people should not be making false statements about the St. Chris situation. Your assumption that St. Chris Admin could have legal problems in the future is treading in the "dangerous" zone of libel. I am not deliberately attacking you.. but your response is a prime example of people putting their opinion out here as if it were proven fact... I am all for expressing your opinion, your definitely entitle to it...but not when it does more harm then good.... especially when it is creating so much hysteria/duress and at the expense of so many other people's hopes, dreams, and goals.

Let's end the rumor mongering and pontificating...and let's actually try and help one another out by posting concrete/verifiable evidence!

You are certainly correct about that, my friend.

Civil lawsuits, in my opinion, are a given. Whether any money will be recoverable from SC and its proprietors is another matter. Being the clever folks that they are (hey, they successfully strung along all these med students for quite some time now), I wouldn't be surprised if their funds have not been transferred to offshore accounts already.

If I were a SC student, I would also contact the U.S. Attorney's office, preferably in NJ. I'm not saying there is criminal liability (fraud, misrepresentation) here, but its certainly a possibility given the circumstances that have come forth thus far.

I think milos just proved my point of hidden agendas. contacting a state department as he knows it would hurt the school. Such manipulation is a common theme.
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What is wrong in New Jeresy?

If SC and its proprietors have done nothing wrong, they should welcome an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's office (or any another government agency). The NJ U.S. Attorney's office can only "hurt the school" (as you claim) if SC has exceeded the bounds of the law and criminally liable.

The undisputed fact at this time is that SC students who have not graduated and passed USMLE Step I/II prior to 2/10/06 are at current time NOT ELIGIBLE for ECFMG certificate.

If it takes ECFMG 4 months OR LONGER to resolve this issue as it has taken GMC (without resolution at this time), this will put the timeframe into late June/early July, which puts all the SC students who have matched this year in serious trouble of not able to start residency and violating residency contract -- a record that will follow them for the rest of their career.

P

__________________
Jean Luc Picard
Academic Hospitalist/Assist. Professor of Medicine, Star Fleet Medical, Earth, United Federation of Planets
Borg-Certified... Resistance is Futile.

In Glock, We Trust... Everyone Else... Keep Your Hands Where I Can See Them.

http://www.odmp.org/search.php?searc...=2001&cause=27
http://www.nypdangels.com/wtc.htm
http://www.hampsteadnh.us/police/A%2...ica%20Died.htm
http://longmontpolice.com/MEMORIAM.HTM

And for the OP -- how about the flip side?
How about those SC students (or at least claim to be) who have given one erroneous predictions after another (with hints that they are somehow previe to behind the scene ground work) on "time lines" of resolution (We've heard from in a few weeks, mid January... etc the works) in hopes to keep current students and recruit future students. And those that continue to encourage people to matriculate into the upcoming class, knowing that at this time, the school has been put on hold, suspended (or whatever the term you want to use) by both the US and UK regulatory bodies... and until further development, licensure is CURRENTLY not possible in either country. What kind of "legal liability" (I use it very loosely as any first year law students can contest this) do you place on these individuals IF the outcome is not favorable to SC??

In order to be "fair and impartial," shouldn't you address your comments to both extremes?? Otherwise, what kind of "legal liabilities," (again using the term very loosely) are you, the OP, facing??

BTW, I do hope that things work out for ALL current SC students one way or another... and that they get to continue their journey in becoming physicians. And yes, I do believe that it is healthy to talk about ALL possible outcomes of the current situation and what they mean to current students. And yes, I do believe that until there is a clear outcome, it is very unethical to continue recruiting future students or preventing those who want to leave to do so.

P

Just food for thought

P

__________________
Jean Luc Picard
Academic Hospitalist/Assist. Professor of Medicine, Star Fleet Medical, Earth, United Federation of Planets
Borg-Certified... Resistance is Futile.

In Glock, We Trust... Everyone Else... Keep Your Hands Where I Can See Them.

http://www.odmp.org/search.php?searc...=2001&cause=27
http://www.nypdangels.com/wtc.htm
http://www.hampsteadnh.us/police/A%2...ica%20Died.htm
http://longmontpolice.com/MEMORIAM.HTM