Thread: St. George Combined **/MD Program

Hello,

Reviewing the current **/MD programs offered by many well-known universities, St. George's program has caught my eye. I was wondering if any current student of this program could give me some info/analysis of how it is or even if you're a regular MD Medical Student and know someone in this program I would be highly appreciative. Thank you in advance for information and tips.
(also, is it 4 or 5 years in length?)

i have a few friends in the program..they said it is really really tough..much tougher than pre-med in the states apparently so be ready to work..its a 7 yr. program..3 yrs. for bachlors then 4 for med..my friend is right now in 2nd year of the pre-med and he said 28 students failed biochemistry out of 60..and that is only 60 that didnt get eliminated from the previous year..you have to maintain a certain GPA..i think its 3.4..dont quote me on that..then you have to take a cumulative basic science exam which is pretty tough i hear, similar to MCAT..to advance to med program..but if you have a good gpa..above a 3.4..and you fail the cum. exam..i think you can retake it..or repeat the year..good luck..

Caveat: This was written with the assumption that you are from the us (or maybe canada), two of the few countries that offer **/md's.


Please remember that most of us chose this school after not getting accepted by medical schools in our home country (US, Canada mostly). That means that while this place is not bad, it is should not be someone's first choice...especially if you are in your late teens.

I think the med program is comparable to most us schools, however, the undergrad is not...especially when compared to US schools that can offer **/md programs.

In short, if you cannot get into any **/md progams in your country, get the ** first. I figure if you are competitive for **/md, that should make you very competitive for regular undergrad. Ultimately, the experience will be better for you, and for all you know, you might change your mind about medicine.

Originally Posted by tralfaz

Caveat: This was written with the assumption that you are from the us (or maybe canada), two of the few countries that offer **/md's.


Please remember that most of us chose this school after not getting accepted by medical schools in our home country (US, Canada mostly). That means that while this place is not bad, it is should not be someone's first choice...especially if you are in your late teens.

I think the med program is comparable to most us schools, however, the undergrad is not...especially when compared to US schools that can offer **/md programs.

In short, if you cannot get into any **/md progams in your country, get the ** first. I figure if you are competitive for **/md, that should make you very competitive for regular undergrad. Ultimately, the experience will be better for you, and for all you know, you might change your mind about medicine.

I would also like to add if you are looking for a quicker way to get your MD then don't go this route. While you save a year it is more expensive in the long run because the pre med program does not quilify you for federal loans and that is either all private loans or out of pocket.

I have a friend who just finished the 1st year of the pre vet program... same thing as the premed program and while I would miss her if she went back to the states to finish her prevet course work I want her to go because its a cheaper option and makes more sense financially and besides the UUG program at SGU isn't anything like an UG program in the states. The program lacks HUGE parts of a typical UG experience. 5 years ago I was deciding if I wanted to do the same thing and I came to the conclusion that doing UG @ SGU wasn't worth it to me in the long run, and I am glad that I never did go down that road because I would have missed out on so much.

So be wise in your decision.

get the ** education in the US

On the flip side, while I agree with what others are saying about having the UG experience (it's not all about just school) if medicine is the thing you want to do the most, from my understanding the program here at SGU REALLY prepares you well for doing the med program later on.

I haven't done it but many of my Caribbean friends have. And many of them are also in the honours society (IEA). Make of this what you will.

You're being taught many of the classes by the same profs that teach you later on in medicine. So you're getting what you need to know to succeed in SGU's program. They're basically going to teach you the same things you'll learn later on though perhaps with not as much depth. When you do the same class later on, you'll already have seen most of the material in some form. Often, it'll be almost like a review. At the very least, you have the basics down.

While you don't do classes like Pathology, Histology, Pharm, etc. you do get things like Anat, Biochem and Micro.

I am guessing that you are young. Well, once you start med school, you dont really get the chance to participate in normal activities of life. There are so many things that you will miss out on if you start out here. I say dont throw away your youth, if things dont work out with the US med schools after undergrad (assuming you are from there), then come here. And just wanted to add to what Saora said, many of the people who did undergrad here excel in the med program, but that is partially because they weed out the class (high attrition rate), leaving behind the smartest and most determined of the bunch

Here is my basic situation, I am from the US and attend a rigorous college preperatory high school institution (Junior/Senior year to go) and, as I believe that I may have somewhat of a competitive chance at gaining acceptance into UMKC 6-Year Medical School Program or possibly one or two others, I also realize that my gpa simply won't cut it for others. With that however, do not assume that I am simply an average high school student. I take an abundance of AP classes (college credit classes in high school [for those who don't know]) and participate in community service. At this point in my life, I am wise enough to trust myself that I am 99.9% sure that I want to become a doctor and dedicate my life to the practice of medicine, and knocking out even one year on a fast track to my MD would be worth it to me. What do you think?
(also) Some of the other questions that I have regarding the program include: - Are **/MD students mostly from the US?
- Since they are straight from high school, is it tough for them to adjust to that environment?
- How much time is spent studying per night (average)?
- Are tutors available for students if needed?
Thanks again for information and advice.

You have to ask yourself, what's the rush? Why not enjoy your ugrad years to the fullest? Most people say senior year is the most fun. No rush to get into the adult world b/c once you're in it, you will wish you were back in ugrad.

Zach,

I still caution you on your decision on going strait into a 7 year program and missing out on the whole under grad experience. Trust me its an experience that you will not get anywhere else. Don't miss out on an an experience of a lifetime because you want to hurry up and get to the finish line. I'm 26 and in my first year of medical school and I took time off before college but I decided to go the traditional route and I'm so glad that I did that because I met some amazing people and did things I wouldn't have done otherwise. And while yes the end of the race is important and the ultimate goal, don't miss out on the journey because you will miss out on more than you know. If you doubt me... talk to your family and friends about their college experiences and if they would relive them if they had the chance.