I believe you will forgo U.S. clinical experience (USCE) which will put you at a disadvantage relative to carib grads who have USCE, LOR from US physicians. Many programs have a requirement for USCE and US letters. I think you will still get a residency if you go to UAG but you will probably have more options if you go to SGU. I agree with the other posters that location should generally be a secondary factor in medical school selection. I don't think selecting UAG would be a disaster or prevent you from getting a residency; however, you will be a stronger candidate if you get USCE, etc.

I think there is an ethical angle as well. As a future doctor, you have a responsibility to obtain the best training you can. Ask yourself, "Would my future patients benefit more if I got clinical training in Mexico or the US?"

incedently, do you know anyone who has gone to UAG or SGU? did you graduate from an international school?

wow, that is quite a compelling argument. i honestly don't know which country would provide a student better clinical training. i have heard, in fact, that the training in mexico is much more involved due to the lack of constricting laws and hospital regulations such as hippa.

all this is to say, i am not convinced that i would receive better training in the US. i do, however, greatly appreciate your insightlful candor. you have given me a lot to consider...

I have also heard that students at UAG get MUCH more responsibility. One can question whether this is a good thing for patients; however, I suspect the standard of care and the legal environment are different in Mexico.

I don't know the answer to the question I posed. Most people will tell you that the clinical learning you do in medical school is minor relative to what you learn as a resident. Thus, at the end of the day, it may not make much difference where you get your med school clinical experience. Still, I think it an important question and I would seek advice from some people who have attended UAG and then gone on to a US residency. They would be able to help you evaluate the tradeoffs.

Also, I would not frame your decision as UAG vs SGU. Rather, I would broaden the decision to UAG vs CA approved carib school (SGU, Saba, AUC, Ross). First, you need to decide UAG vs carib. Then, if you decide carib, pick one. SGU is not the only alternative.

A faculty member at the University of Texas, CP, wrote a book some years ago about off-shore schools. (He has written a good book on fluid management in surgical patients and I believe he is an adjust prof at SGU). He actually travelled around and visited various schools and, at the time, recommended the Mexican Schools over carib schools. The book is out of date now (published in the mid 90's) and I suspect he would change his mind now. He might be useful person to contact because he is familiar both with SGU and the Mexican schools. As I recall, he gave rave reviews to another Mexican school that he thought was better (and less expensive) than UAG.

Amazon.com: Pestana Fluid Surgical

"Foreign Medical Schools for U.S. Citizens by CP, M.D., Ph.D. (P.O. Box 790617, San Antonio, TX 78279-0617). This wonderful book is now back in print in an updated 1995 edition. It gives anecdotal, well-written, and very informative write-ups on the good and less-good best foreign schools for American medical school applicants, as well as application tips and other survival advice. "

The Medical School Applicant: advice for premedical students by CP, M.D., Ph.D. (see immediately above). Another wonderful book by Dr. P, bringing his unique perspective to all the usual matters that books on medical schools have, and a great deal more, including a remarkable chapter on "Special Angles: The Dirty Tricks Department a frank analysis of unconventional pathways to a medical education."

Hope that helps.

To say you only want primary care before you start medical school is not a well thought out statement. People do change their minds during clinical rotations and if you got to a school that doesn't have a reputation for grads matching into the specialty that you later find you love and can't see yourself doing anything, you'll be unhappy settling for something less than your ideal. Good clinical rotations (which almost all will say exist in the US compared to Mexico) are also important because a bad educational experience may force to rule out out specialty that might have been the one for you. Therefore, US clinicals will allow you to see how medicine is practiced in the US (where you want to practice) with modern, state-of-the-art technology. Finally, residency programs don't look as highly upon foreign grads who have no US clinical experience (especially in the the field in which they are applying) compared to those that do have such experience. Don't put yourself in that situation, go to a school with strong US clinical rotations.

I certainly don't have an axe to grind for either, as I am still deciding and am considering both, but I think it is worth noting that you may do your 4th year of clinicals in the US if you meet some modest expectations (B+ average in school, pass Step 1 your first try, etc).

In addition, I gather that you can fail the Step 1 in Mexico and try again. Whether or not the Carib schools will tell you to kick rocks is probably different for each individual school.

In the apples to apples vein, you can rest assured you will get *more* clinical experience in Guadalajara than any carib school as you start from day one. The argument that your experience in residency pales this comparison I believe is an unfair judgment, as I am sure that you will see a good share of very diverse situations in Mexico, which you will only read about marooned on some island.

Anointed with great responsibility so early on is akin to plunging in head first as opposed to testing the clinical waters. Without a doubt, the legalities of the medical system differ in Mexico vs. the States.

My question is this : why not take the opportunity to screw up in Mexico instead of the US, which could easily spell the end of your career?

What career-ending screw up are you referring to? By do ALL of your rotations in the states you will see the method of practicing medicine in the country in which you will ultimately practice. You will have responsibility during rotations in the US, but I have yet to hear of a hospital center from a graduate from a foreign or US school be given the level of responsibility as a med student in which a patient's care would be sub-optimal. Also, you stated that you are someone who is still deciding about med school, while I am writing as someone who will be graduating from med school in 3 weeks and will be starting residency in July. During my rotations, I have come across students from different foreign schools. Those who did clinicals outside of the US, had more difficulty in matching into programs of their choice. If you want a good residency of your choice, US clinical experience is a very important step to get there.

nice to see you have high expectations of yourself there.
and while i don't know the ins and outs of UAG or the other mexican schools, i believe they enter the US through the 5th pathway system and so need to complete theie 4 years in mexico and before they complete the clinical internship required by mexico for an MD degree, they can come to the US (someone correct me if i am wrong on the time line). Also I have heard that the 5th pathway will soon be stopped (only 2 schools i believe sponsor it anyways), so if that is the case, then the mexican schools will be seen in the same light as any other foreign school that has no UCE.

hmm, lets see, i saw rheumatic fever, leptospirosis, splenomegaly that i could feel in the RLQ, dengue, etc during my time on the islands...you will be surprised at the lack of medical care in the islands and what that will allow you to see....

personally i like having the oversight that UCE gives that any chance to "screw up" as you put it is caught fairly on and i would think as a medical student (or potential one) you wouldn't look at your patients as someone to practice upon and would feel better that you get to "practice" on a population that evidently you see as somehow less...

__________________
Graduation -May 3rd!!![ ]
Diploma Received [ ]
ECFMG Certified []
Training License []
Move Complete []
Orientation []
PGY-1 (OMG!) []

i made that statement after hundreds of hours of clinical observation (in various specialties) as a pre-med. for you to assume that my statement was "not well thought out" implies that you know me better than is possible via an online forum.

__________________
"The Dude abides."