i decided to make a thread so that other students wont make the same mistake and would be aware of this before they step foot on dominican republic.

so here are my impressions-along with others-of the school and its surroundings :

* the school looks quite good. the only bad thing is that once you step outside of school you are in danger.

*dont wear gold at anytime! it will be snached off of you!

* they tend to not accept your credits. they do anything they can so they could leave you a semester behind.

* according to collegeboard, unibe does accept AP credits (important for those who are going to unibe straight out of high school) however, they claim that there is no such thing even when you show them papers that indicate that they should.

*there are no dorms. the apt. that are close to school are always booked. the farther you get, the more dangerous it is.

*dont trust the watchguard/security in your building as well. [according to some ppl, a student (female) was raped and killed by her watchguard. she was european, however this could happen to ANY student. every student is in risk.]

*the houses and apartments are like prison! no kidding! all the windows and doors have bars. you can assume how dangerous it is out there.

*if you know spanish, you are in a good shape. if not, good luck to you.

*if you have fair skin, take extra precaution. they assume you are filthy rich.

*there is always but always someone who is watching you. if you go into an ATM, they wont keep their eye off of you.


also, if you dont want to believe what i said, then dont. but apparently even the professors in unibe said things about this at the orientation such as:

* dont use your cell phones outside of the school. answer it when you go home or when you enter the school area. (to make it clear: they could stab you just for you cell phone.)

* the prof. himself got robbed many times by gunpoint. and guess who it was who robbed him: the police! (to make it clear: you cant even trust the police!! )

*dont use the bus. every student gets around by taxi. dont even take a taxi if you are on your own. when you take a taxi, make sure you know what color taxi and the taxi number. always go somewhere as a group.

*dont get out of you house after 8pm. yes, 8pm! if you do, dont go alone. (everyone is afraid, even the locals themselves)

*many students got robbed especially after taking out money from the ATM. (pray that they dont hurt you.)

etc. etc. etc.
these are just some of the opinions of some other individuals and I.

you could take a risk and go to unibe but at least keep this in mind if you ever decide to go there: everything isnt about going to medical school, sit down and think about your own safety too.

this school should be your last resort! BEWARE!
IT USUALLY IS THE LAST RESORT….
MEANING YOU WERE NOT ACCEPTED TO HARVARD
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i decided to make a thread so that other students wont make the same mistake and would be aware of this before they step foot on dominican republic.

so here are my impressions-along with others-of the school and its surroundings :

IF YOU PERMIT ME TO WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS IN ORDER NOT TO CONFUSE MY COMMENTS WITH YOURS.

* the school looks quite good. the only bad thing is that once you step outside of school you are in danger.

I THINK THIS IS A MISCONCEPTION ON YOUR PART. YOU ARE IN NO MORE DANGER THAN ANY OTHER LARGE CITY IN THE WORLD. AND KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WITH A GREAT DEAL OF POVERTY AND DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE.

*dont wear gold at anytime! it will be snached off of you!

JUST LIKE IN NEW YORK OR MIAMI. FLASHING EXPENSIVE JEWELRY IS AN INVITATION TO BEING ROBBED.

* they tend to not accept your credits. they do anything they can so they could leave you a semester behind.

NOT QUITE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS AS THIS IS NOT MY DEPARTMENT HOWEVER, WHY WOULD “THEY” WANT YOU A SEMESTER BEHIND.

* according to collegeboard, unibe does accept AP credits (important for those who are going to unibe straight out of high school) however, they claim that there is no such thing even when you show them papers that indicate that they should.

SORRY, BUT THE REGISTRAR IS THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHAT CREDITS ARE ACCEPTED AND NO ONE ELSE. NOT FAMILIAR WITH "COLLEGEBOARD"?? AND THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS WHO ENTER UNIBE UPON GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL. IN FACT, WE HAD A 14 YEAR OLD STUDENT MATRICULATE LAST AUGUST. IT MAY BE A SURPRISE TO YOU BUT MANY UNIVERSITY CREDITS ARE NOT INTERCHANGABLE ON THE ISLAND WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES. TRY TO REMEMBER, IT IS THEIR UNIVERSITY AND THEIR RULES.

*there are no dorms. the apt. that are close to school are always booked. the farther you get, the more dangerous it is.

DID YOU ARRIVE EXPECTING DORMS? THERE ARE NO DORMITORIES AT ANY OF THE UNIVERSITIES ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND. AND THE FARTHER AWAY YOU LIVE FROM SCHOOL, THE DANGER IS THE TRAFFIC.

*dont trust the watchguard/security in your building as well. [according to some ppl, a student (female) was raped and killed by her watchguard. she was european, however this could happen to ANY student. every student is in risk.]

AS A MATTER OF FACT THIS DID HAPPEN ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. SHE (A BULGARIAN NATIONAL) APPARENTLY “KNEW” THE GUARD AND THERE WAS NO FORCED ENTRY. AND YES, CAN HAPPEN TO ANY STUDENT AND IN FACT DID HAPPEN THE VERY SAME DAY IN PHILADELPHIA (JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE) WHERE A YOUNG LADY WAS MURDERED IN FRONT OF HER APARTMENT.

*the houses and apartments are like prison! no kidding! all the windows and doors have bars. you can assume how dangerous it is out there.

SEE THE COMMENT ABOVE. THE WINDOW BARS AND GATES ARE FOR SECURITY PURPOSES. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, NO ONE LOCKED THEIR DOORS AND LEFT THE KEYS IN THEIR CARS. DON’T THINK THERE IS ANY PLACE ONE CAN DO THAT NOW. THREE DIFFERENT APARTMENTS I LIVED IN WHILE IN CALIFORNIA WERE THE SAME WAY.


*if you know spanish, you are in a good shape. if not, good luck to you.

I AGREE. BEING A SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRY IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO KNOW THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE JUST AS IT IS ADVENTAGEOUS TO KNOW ENGLISH IF YOU ARE IN THE USA.
BTW IS ENGLISH A SECOND LANGUAGE FOR YOU?

*if you have fair skin, take extra precaution. they assume you are filthy rich.

I KNOW MANY WHITE DOMINICANS THAT ARE NOT FILTHY RICH NOR PERCEIVED AS SUCH. THIS HAS A TONE OF PREJUDICE IT APPEARS.

*there is always but always someone who is watching you. if you go into an ATM, they wont keep their eye off of you.

IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO USE AN ATM ON THE STREET NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY YOU ARE IN. VICTIMS ARE USUALLY "SCOPED OUT" FIRST BEFORE THE HIT.

also, if you dont want to believe what i said, then dont. but apparently even the professors in unibe said things about this at the orientation such as:

* dont use your cell phones outside of the school. answer it when you go home or when you enter the school area. (to make it clear: they could stab you just for you cell phone.)

NOT ONLY COULD THEY STAB YOU BUT 4 STUDENTS IN ANOTHER CITY (SANTIAGO) WERE MURDERED FOR THEIR CELL PHONES. BUT THIS NEVER HAPPENS IN THE USA.

* the prof. himself got robbed many times by gunpoint. and guess who it was who robbed him: the police! (to make it clear: you cant even trust the police!! )
I WAS ROBBED AT GUNPOINT ONE TIME AND IT WAS A SET UP. AND YES THE POLICE WERE THE PERPERTRATORS BUT WERE CAUGHT. ALL POLICE ARE HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY IN USA, READ THE PAPERS.
APARTMENT WAS ROBBED OF WRISTWATCH BUT I WAS NOT PRESENT.

*dont use the bus. every student gets around by taxi. dont even take a taxi if you are on your own. when you take a taxi, make sure you know what color taxi and the taxi number. always go somewhere as a group.

GROSS MISUNDERSTANDING. THE CITY BUSSES (OMSA) ARE QUITE SAFE, AIR CONDITIONED AND CHEAP (30 CENTS). PRIVATE TAXI ARE ALSO GENERALLY SAFE WITH A FIXED FARE. THE TRANSPORTATION TO AVOID IS THE “PUBLICO” OR PUBLIC CAR WHICH IS A PUBLIC TAXI THAT STOPS AND PICKS UP PASSENGERS UNTIL THE CAR IS FULL!
AND IT IS WISE TO KNOW THE TAXI COMPANY AND NUMBER OF THE CAR TO PREVENT A "PICK UP" BY A GYPSY TAXI SUCH AS I EXPERIENCE IN BROOKLYN YEARS AGO.


*dont get out of you house after 8pm. yes, 8pm! if you do, dont go alone. (everyone is afraid, even the locals themselves)

DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE GOING. THERE ARE SOME BARRIOS THAT I WOULD NOT ENTER AT HIGH NOON, LET ALONE AT NIGHT. JUST AS THERE ARE AREAS OF NYC AND L.A. THAT ARE NOT SAFE AT ANY HOUR.

*many students got robbed especially after taking out money from the ATM. (pray that they dont hurt you.)

DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY “MANY”. THERE ARE 2 ATM MACHINES ON CAMPUS AND QUITE SAFE TO USE AT ANY TIME. SECURITY ON CAMPUS IS EXCELLENT. BUT THIS REMINDED ME OF THE TIME I WAS ROBBED AT HIGH NOON ON THE STEPS OF A BANK IN NEW YORK SOME WHERE ON 8TH AVENUE.

I THINK THE ORDER OF THE DAY AT ORIENTATION WAS TO INSTRUCT STUDENTS TO BE ALERT OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE CITY AND COUNTRY. CULTURE AND LANGUAGE. I THINK YOU PERCEIVED THIS AS A THREAT OF SOME SORT WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A REMINDER TO BE CAUTIOUS UNTIL YOU ARE TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR NEW AREA. THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENT IS PARAMOUNT BUT OFF CAMPUS IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

etc. etc. etc.
these are just some of the opinions of some other individuals and I.

you could take a risk and go to unibe but at least keep this in mind if you ever decide to go there: everything isnt about going to medical school, sit down and think about your own safety too.

__________________
ERNEST C. HOLBROOK, M.D. FACS

This is a school OFFICIAL. Say it like it is. I like your approach. No sugar coded either.
I wish some of the other school officials come clear and put it that way.

__________________
Something that bothers you, just flush it off and wipe the remaining patiently. RS-Stanislas

Umm just to respond on a few points:
1.The police agencies are nothing more than the biggest gangs in the country. Everybody knows that if you have any sort of interaction with them on any level, you will be robbed in one way or another
2.If you say that being fair skinned doesnt instantly peg you as being rich you are wrong
3.If you try to compare your safety in the DR to dangerous places in the US you can. Almost the entire DR is as the most dangerous places in the states. Trying to imply otherwise in a forum where prospective students are weighing the ups and downs of possibly moving to another country and embarking on the biggest move of their lives is pretty much criminal irresponsibility.

oh common.....i have lived in the DR for the last 2 and half years and your statements are not accurate, its not that dangerous. its like any other country...there are places to stay away from and places that are perfectly fine..... i go every where and anywhere without caution on the island and have never been exposed to any problems what so ever. the island being a equivalent to Americas ghettos is such B.S. if someone has a problem with the schools ability to provide adequate education then please go ahead and voice your opinions, but as for running the country down with incorrect information is uncalled for. to scare away students who seek a affordable path to obtaining a MD is wrong. stick to the facts.

25 years ago i was either naively unaware or should have been since it seemed one could go to any area safely. i wonder if things really changed or just the perception?

__________________
================================================== =
Take this soul, strand it in some skin and bones
take this soul. and make it sane, sane

what no man can own..... only God can take
take this heart, take this heart. take this heart

and let it break

In my humble opinion, I believe quality of life is all relative.

For example, I was born and raised in the worst area of the South Bronx (NYC). I moved to a different city within the state to go to college. Many students told me how bad the neighborhood was. After a few days I felt I was reliving an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" (it was very safe).

Those who said it was "bad" came from the suburbs and were not used to "urban" atmospheres.

The reality is that most people who pursue Post-baccalaureate degrees (even if right out of highschool, the M.D. degree is considered Post-baccalaureate) come from households where one or both parents went to college. And let's face it, people who attain a college degree move to "good" neighborhoods for the sake of their kids. These same kids were never exposed to significant danger and therefore have a perception of malice that "may be" exponentially worse than reality.

I believe it is wise for the school to warn students of any potential dangers in and around campus. I also believe students should humble themselves to live the way the natives do.

I currently have a wardrobe full of tailored made suits. However, if I do go to UNIBE (and I hope to go real soon) I plan on bringing 5 collared T-shirts and 2-3 pants/shorts. I'll try to make them last the entire 4 years.

I think a little humility (no cell phones, jewelry, fancy clothes or "showing off" money from the ATM withdrawal) is definitely emotionally enlightening, not to mention safe.

LOL, Dr Ernest ,you are using the bold letters again, time to take those blood pressure pills.
Oh come on, the OP is a young kid from the US, he/she will get over it.In 2 years from now, he will be defending the DR.

As for your coments on not being accepted to Harvard, thats true, but it raises questions as to why a US MD is at UNIBE , why does he not enjoy the USA in his last years, particularly when his eyesight is dimming!LOL, I love you Dr Ernest, you take to task some kid who is here from the US, for the first time.How old is the OP and how old are you?Show some wisdom Dr Ernest, please!!
Where is your compassion?

Dr Ernest, as per your post,you have robbed a lot of times in your life.You sure,its that many times?Wow, you must be rich looking, and handsome too.No wonders the robbers are drawn to you like a magnet.
If you are interested, I know a 62 old ,Christian woman, anglo saxon,US citizen, here in Santo Domingo, who is looking for man as you.


Now, my dear ORIGINAL POSTER, please calm down, you are OK, as long you dont go out of your way to court trouble.Network with fellow students and you will figure out a way.
Listen, you CAME to DR, the DR did not CALL you here.You came here to accomplish a mission, and thats your MD degree.Time flies, soon in a few moons, you will be doing a coveted residency in the USA, where peers will be marvelling at your EXCEPTIONAL clinical skills(one of the perks of DR internado).Just relax!!
You will do fine, the secret,make networks of friends, huge netwokls, and keep your nose to grindstone, meaning study at least 4 hours after school.

All the best future doctor,God bless you!!

I agree with the OP that credits aren't given for courses completed at other colleges I had this same experience. Primarily UNINBE is a business based and is focussed on making money if they can hold you back one semester that's $4500 in the bank.

supposedly unibe is the harvard in DR. i suppose even you know what position it takes now.