I am a first semester student at another Caribbean medical school and am looking to transfer. Having visited UMHS several weeks ago, I was extremely impressed with everything I saw. The facilities put my school (and many others, I'm sure) to shame. Professor W, who led the tour, did an excellent job and truly represented the school well. I have no fears that this will not pan out. My only issue is with clinicals and licensure. I have some knowledge of the process and I know it's a long line of headaches and bureaucracy for a new school to secure these, but I was wondering if any timeline could be put on them. I know I would be able to transfer in for the May semester (I would be able to take a full slate of classes), but I do not want to act until everything is in place.

Is there any timeline on when clinicals and licensure will be obtained? Are they likely to be obtained in the next week or two? By the start of the May semester? By the end of this year? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated...and if the answer is "We have absolutely no idea," I can live with that as well.

Also, is there any update on the U.S. location for 5th semester?

Thank you very much!

Unless they post a list of ACGME-accredited rotations on their website or discuss with you which hospitals they plan to acquire and give you a timeline, it is not wise to seriously consider attending this school.

Despite any promise it may show, the first students to enter a school like this usually get screwed over in terms of clinical rotations.

Another thing is that new schools often do is lie about having Greenbook rotations even when they don't. You must verify everything that you're told by yourself using acgme.org.

__________________
Sree

[X]Family Medicine [X]Internal Medicine [X]Ob/Gyn [X] Surgery [X]Psychiatry [X]Pediatrics
Electives [X]1 [X]2 [ * ]3 [ ]4 [ ]5 [ ]6 [ ]7


Don't know what a Greenbook rotation is? Click here.

I've delayed replying until I could get you the best estimates of the timeline you requested, jstern217. Let me emphasize that these are estimates only. Since some of the items depend on others completing certain tasks, UMHS is not in complete control of the timeline so please accept this as our best guess and, if we are off by a small amount, be merciful.

By approximatly March 31, we should start announcing clinical sites. We have been carrying on discussions with various teaching hosptials and those conversations are almost ready to bear fruit. Most of the initial sites will be along the East Coast. (We will develop sites in other parts of the US but initially, we are targetting the east.) At about the same time, UMHS should also be able to announce the sites of the fifth semester. You'll notice that I used the plural. If all goes as expected, we will have several sites where the advanced ICM course and the Board Review course can be taken.

We should have ECFMG approval in mid-May. They will be notified when classes actually commence and approval generally takes about 2 weeks to be granted.

At the moment, this is the most precise that I can be. As we get closer and our estimates can be more accurate, I'll let you know.

I realize we must verify stuff ourselves. I have heard that some places are Greenbook for pediatrics (for example), but not for psych. How specific would you get in verifying this kind of stuff? Would you call the hospitals that are listed?

Just wondering what specific advice you can give...

THANKS UMHS

You just answered some concerns I listed in an email to the University.

Cool

You don't have to call anyone to verify the accreditation status. Just go to acgme.org/adspublic. You should call the hospital to make sure that your school can rotate through the specific department that you are interested in. For example, Ob/Gyn is Green at Harbor Hospital but only St. Matthews has a contract with that department.

That actually does sound promising for a new school. If you guys manage to pull of Greenbook clinicals this early, you're going to catapult yourself ahead of every other non-NY approved school.

__________________
Sree

[X]Family Medicine [X]Internal Medicine [X]Ob/Gyn [X] Surgery [X]Psychiatry [X]Pediatrics
Electives [X]1 [X]2 [ * ]3 [ ]4 [ ]5 [ ]6 [ ]7


Don't know what a Greenbook rotation is? Click here.

Can we still expect the clinical sites to be announced this week?

Also patiently waiting for clinical and 5th semester announcement!!

From what I hear... there will be more info coming after the May class starts. Once the school opens, they can get their ECFMG, and annouce their 5th and clinical spots.

They will most likely announce the STATES their clinicals are in, at least for the start, since it is a clinical spot war out there between schools.

Stay tuned until sometime in May.. everyone is waiting..

__________________
John Webb, MS, DC, CCEP, DAAIM, FAAPM
SMU
STUDENT
MD 2010
MBA 2009

A bad day at school is still better than a good day at work.

This is what I was told also. Somewhere right before the first day of the opening or in that first week is when clinicals and 5th semester will be posted. Very anxious to see the outcome, it is the final deciding factor.