Hey guys, I really need your help to decide which school I should go. I got accepted in Saba University and St Matthews University. I know both schools are good, but I also know they have some differences and I have not come out with solution yet. I have been with headaches since I got accepted in both schools because I do not know where to go. A little info I am from Florida, in case this helps to make any decision. Please, if some one can give me any positive advice I will appreciate it. Thanks.

Hi
I'm currently at ROSS, but transfering out to St Matt. I also was accepted into SABA for Sept'04, but decided to stick with ROSS. I still have my SABA acceptance, but if admitted to SMU for Jan'05 will go to SMU.
It's always good to have a choice. For me it's personal decision.
Medical school is stressful enough without challenges of living in the 3rd world countries. In this regard SMU by far has clear advantage over most carrib schools. I'm married and need to be able to stay in touch. Some people consider it a secondary issues.Well, more power to them. But if you're married, or have some stable relationship, and would like to keep it through this toughest period, my seggestion is DO NOT subject your loved ones to stress they need not have.
Believe me, friend, all of these so-called "nature islands" will get way up close and way too personal by the time you've done with them.

So it's up to you. Just go with your heart.
Hope to see you in Maine in January
Good Luck on your decision

I choose saba in jan05. I have a wife and 2 little girls. Their school system is very good and very safe. The family, from what I can tell speaking with other families already on the island, do quite well. the downer is things to do. but there's an active spouse club at the med school. great place to not have distractions. if you do get board, st martin is a ferry ride away. You are only there for 20 months. go with the most reputable school that you can. The one with the lowest attrition rate, usmle pass rate, class size. To me saba was all of that.

jives

Saba isn't as third-world as Dominica or Grenada, as you seem to imply. Secondly, shouldn't you notify Saba that you won't be attending, since right now you are holding on to a spot you know you don't want and some other hopeful student would like to have?

__________________
Saba Forum Moderator
Saba University School of Medicine, MSIV
Interests: Pediatrics, Psychiatry

CUBMED
I am also from Florida and practice in FL 14 yrs,I can tell you as of this minute obviously SABA is better[no one can argue with that]on the basis of CA approval and Indiana approval[well in Indiana no carribean school considered good because if you check their website they have disapproved,questionable for possible approval,and reinstated for possible approval catagories].and I am little skeptic about the maine campus business because I have seen long term problems with some states licensures regarding med education completion in the basic sciences in the USA.
on the other hand if St Mathews got CA approval I would consider it.
sometimes I read that people do not care if a school they attend not approved in one of the states because there are many other states to apply to,my friends: your school must be approved in all states regardless because if a complaint filed against a physician and the lawyers discovered that doctor school not approved in some states then its hard to win a case[I reviewed cases before and seen it all].

Billydoc please inform Saba if you are not planning to attend. I know of two people that are waiting for spots to open.

djinbh
How do you know if I have or have not informed SABA on my decision?
If you're trying to respond to my post,which by the way was addressed to someone other than you, specifically, you can at least make an effort to read the whole message. And if you are an official working for SABA, we sure could find some other ways of communication, than SMU forum. Please don't feel bad about it, but I think you have no clue as to who I am, even if you think you do.

Here is a list of hospitals clinical rotations for Saba: (straight from their website) http://www.saba.edu/admissions_curriculum_ha.php

Harbor Hospital Center, Baltimore, MD
Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Spring Grove Hospital, Catonsville, MD
Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Springs, MD
Greater Southeast Community Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Brookdale Hospital, NY
Peninsula General Hospital, NY
Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT
Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, MA
Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago, IL
St. Anthony Medical Center, Chicago, IL
St. Joseph Hospital, Elgin, IL
St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, MO
St. Mary's Hospital, St. Louis, MO
Brentwood Behavioral Health, Shreveport, LA
Leonard J. Chabert Hospital, LA
Lafayette General Hospital, LA
Ridgeview Institute, GA
Cherry Hospital, Goldsboro, NC
Columbus County Hospital, Whiteville, NC
Winding Roads Health Consortium, WV


Here is are the clinical rotation sites for SMU:

Core Clinical Sites, North America:

Atlanta Medical Center , Atlanta, GA
Christian Hospital BJC System, St. Louis, MO
Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, Roswell, NM
Florida Hospital, Orlando, FL
Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, MI
Harbor Hospital Center, Baltimore, MD
Hotel du Grace, Windsor, Ontario
Huron Hospital, Cleveland, OH
Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago, IL
Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, IL
Peninsula Hospital Center, Far Rockaway, NY
Provena St. Joseph’s Hospital, Elgin, IL
Providence Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Sacred Heart Women’s Hospital, Pensacola, FL
Saint Anthony Hospital, Chicago, IL
Sheppard Pratt Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Southwest Hospital and Medial Center, Atlanta, GA
St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD
St. Johns Episcopal Hospital, Far Rockaway, NY
Synergy Medical Alliance, Saginaw, MI
Winding Roads Health Consortium/Roane Gen Hosp, WV
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

If you are from Florida, you will notice that SMU has atleast 2 sites that offers core rotations in Florida. You can also do elective rotations there (for both schools). If you live and plan on practicing in Florida, SMU is a better option. Oh, concerning Island life (when it comes to family), you just can't beat Caymans. If you have a family, Cayman's is better. For even though St. Martin is a ferry ride away, Cayman's has most of what you need right there. I am at Ross (will be transfering to SMU), and I heard the same ol' stuff at the info seminars: "The island is beautiful, and there is an active spouse club"! Most spouses are bored or if they are lucky have a job to keep them busy. Secondly, why stay in Saba for 20 months, when you can stay in Grand Cayman for 8 if you do the MD/MHSA program (if you enter Jan 05, you will be in Maine)? Hope this helps.

Juni

__________________
Juni

How else is anyone supposed to interpret that statment? If you did not mean to imply that you are holding on to a spot you don't think you'll use, please clarify, because that's how we're interpreting it. Don't jump all over djinbh for making an honest mistake! (Unless you are selfishly holding on to a spot you don't want....in that case, nevermind. )

__________________
Saba Forum Moderator
Saba University School of Medicine, MSIV
Interests: Pediatrics, Psychiatry

Wolfvgang22
You certainly are very skillful in isolating little written bites out of my post.
If only you were just as good at reading them.
Do the words "but" and "if" mean anything to you at all? No really, these are in the same line, which you have taken out of the context.Which part of it did you not understand, and what other clarification do youy need?
Let me break it down for you the Frankenstein way:

SABA:good (accepted)
SMU:very good (not yet accepted)

I really wanted to avoid getting into some pi$$ing match with you and your
friend djinbh about it, but you two keep bringing this up.Furthermore,If you've read my original post you should understand what words "transfering out" mean too. So I'm not competing with any of your friends for the same spots. You are so blinded by your hidden agenda on SMU forum that you are practicing selective reading.
I'm forever greatful to SABA for considering me, and extending this opportunity to me. Don't you think even for a moment, my dear friend, that I take it lightly.They are a great school, with extremely great performance record, and so is SMU. Nobody in the right mind could argue with that. So when I responded to the post of a fellow from FL, I gave my humble, and only one man's opinion as to why I would choose SMU over SABA. But some of you posters out there turned me into "antiSABAite"
So please go to your "poor" friends, and explain something to them. If medical school sees great potential in them, they will extend this privellege, if not for this semester, then for the next available one.And if their lives revolve around SABA only, well then, good things are worth to wait for.
So my suggestion is go and speak with SABA admissions,not SMU forum.
I hope to end this pointless argument once and for all.

So goodluck to you and your friends in whatever you do.