Hi,

I've applied to St. Chris and I'm planning on transfering there for my medical studies. I will be transfering from MUA (where I finished all mypremed work); The reason I don't want to stay here at MUA is for several reasons, but most importantly is because MUA has to find their own electives for clinicals. St. Chris offers Maryland clinicals, so I can do most of my clinicals there--which is my home state; and they even offer a PhD program which sounds quite interesting because I'm interested in clinical research, eventually.

I'm looking forward to hopefully getting accepted and living in England instead of the Caribbean, where facilities are much more reliable and encouraging.

Any pointers for a student coming from the Carib?

Thanks,
Bortani

Bortani,

I am glad to hear that you will be transfering to SC. I have to inform you that the PhD program is still not up and running. Dr. Whitehouse plans to have the program up and running within the next semester or so. If you have any questions on this behalf, please feel free to contact me, I can also put you in contact with Dr. Whitehouse so that you can speak to him personally and inquire about the PhD programme.

Take Care

D

I'm rotating in Maryland right now. The rotations are good. Currently, you can only do IM core, IM electives, Psych electives, and possibly a Psych core (limited spots-overbooked). There is chatter of expanding the network in Maryland but I can't confirm this. You will have to move around for other rotations.





Just like the other poster said, this is a work in progress. Since there has been muliple changes in the Dean of Basic Sciences position, this has delayed the PhD & research programs. I believe you can do something at a nearby U.K. university. You just have to talk with the deans and they can possibly set something up for you.



We have a lot of transfers from MUA and AUC. I recommend that you visit the campus and talk with the students before you make a final decision.

I'm also rotating with students from Saba and Ross. They were all surprised to hear that we studied in England. They thought initially St. Chris was another Caribbean school because of the "Saint" name. They all thought it was neat that we could live in England because the Ross students said their living conditions were harsh. Also, the Saba students said their living conditions were fine but they were isolated from a lot of things. A Saba student told me he used to fly with his classmates to one of the big islands to relax. Also, Saba seems to have more sites in Maryland than us.

__________________
St. Christopher's College of Medicine
Official Student Representative
stchrisrep@stchris.edu

Thank you for your posts. That was very helpful.

I called the office in NJ and they told me that I can do all my CORE rotations in Baltimore, but I would have to move for my electives. That's exactly what they told me. I'm surprised that I can only do one or perhaps two of them (which is probably only 3months or so and then I'll have to pack my bags and move).

Regarding the PhD program, I read somewhere that it's 9semesters to complete a MD/PhD (with 6semesters in the US rotations). I really am interested in the PhD program, and would like to know when they will have it up and running...

After reading several posts, I heard that there is no heating in the classrooms? Is that still true? We have the opposite problem here in MUA, the ACs are blasted on continously and you catch colds once you step outside the classroom it's super hot. But, you learn to adjust.

I have a family friend right now in Luton, he told me it's pretty good. I saw the pictures of the dorms, they're not bad. But, all in all, my primary reason for transfering to Luton is first they offer rotations in MD, second, they have a PhD program, third, things are probably more accessible (i.e. grocery store, school supplies), and lastly the I heard that the US boards look favorably upon a school that is in England (even though it's chartered in Senegal) than in the Caribbean.

Well, thanks all for your input.

Take care,

Bortani

"I heard that the US boards look favorably upon a school that is in England (even though it's chartered in Senegal) than in the Caribbean."


...just do your homework and know what you are getting into and get a balanced view...i think bts can sell you on the positives of the school and darylin can verufy them....

__________________
OBGYN PGY II
I see light at the end of the tunnel!!!...wait a minute its just another freakin tunnel!

that may be the most ignorant thing i have read on the st chris forum in a LOOOOONNNNNGG time and that is saying something...

the state boards and residency directors are NOT that stupid. this is a new school, with a huge set of potential problems, not the least of which is the fact that it operates primarily outside of the country of charter! additionally, there is no oversight by the english govt (and i have a feeling that these types of schools will not be allowed to stay in england for a whole lot longer)

transfer if you want, but at least be aware of the problems and do not do it for such trivial reasons...your island time is a small part of your life, and you can always go back to MD for your residency...

best of luck

Regardless of what others have said, it is true that just saying you are not a caribb student makes a difference in some places. Granted, not all care, but I have had PD's express relief that I am not a caribb student, even after I explain that my school is chartered in Senegal. In fact, they get interested and want to ask more questions.

If you choose st chris, good for you, if you choose to stay at MUA, thats fine too. I hope you succeed wherever you go.

__________________
BTS4202
St. Christopher's COM
4th Year
http://www.mdparadise.com

"If there really is a God, He has a lot of explaining to do"
- Dennis Leary

actually, it is true...........but not of st. chris. london's 6 year med programs are among the best in the world........but they are 6 years. they are better rated than the caribbean's.........but not st. chris.......it's a 4 year program and it's a new school......

when u apply for residency it will not make a difference..
foreign is foreign is foriegn...

initially on ur residency app... u dont distinguish between what country let alone what continent u went ot school on.. it just international medical graduate...

and then.. if u make it past the foreign filters...
they gonna see where the school is chartered.. its not going to say england, it will say senegal...

getting licensed is an unbiased procedure, either you make the requirements for a particular state or u do not, its as simple as that. its concrete objective rules... its not wishy washy... ...

if you feel you are not getting ur education at ur current school, its a great idea to transfer, transfer to a school that will provide you with the education needed so that you can perform your best on step 1, to a school where the environment facilitates your studying/learning the best and to a school that can get u licensed in the state(s) of you choice... if st chris fits the bill thats great... and it does for a number of students... but research what u are getting into first....

dont transfer somewhere just because u think it looks better... u owe yourself more than that, take your time and do the research and get concrete answers, choosing a med school is no joke, if you messed up with your choice the first time, dont let it happen again, at least u are able to fix the problem this time by transferring, once you graduate from med school u are stuck and you will not be able ot do anything and it will really suck if u cant get licensed where you want to, made a mistake once fine.. but dont make the same mistake again...

jumping from school to school to school is a bigger problem than making it through one school in the caribbean or africa or england or hungary... will end up having a lot more explaining to do....

ive had similar reactions when ive told em i went to school in the caribbean... the "oh thats so cool, you're so lucky, i wish i had done that, that must have been an interesting experience, " blah blah blah mind you ive stayed away from img infested community hospitals and rotated and interviewed at bigger institutions where all the other students attend american med schools...

most ppl have no clue whats going on in the caribbean other than those are ppl that didnt make it into us schools.. same goes to any us citizen that goes to school anywhere else in the world... reason u left . .. didnt make it into a us school...the end..

and so anecdotes about how interested one PD is about your experiences here or there are irrelevant when it comes to getting a permanent licenc..

its not a matter of looking better or interesting... should not be the basis from which u make your decision..

it wont be reassuring when someone at the medical board says "im sorry you dont meet the requirements for a permanent license, but going to school in transylvania must have been real interesting tell me more about that"..