Thread: Corruption at Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba

We are writing this post as a warning to all students that are considering to attend Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba (XUSOM). We are currently MD 5 students and we regret ever applying to this “institution of higher learning.”

We are sure that there are problems at other Caribbean med schools, but we cannot personally attest to that. Although, we have witnessed firsthand how poorly this school is run:


1. We became MD1 students in the spring of 2013. The school began a new curriculum. The admission’s councilor’s failed to mention this at all while we inquired about this school. Furthermore, in spring 2014 they once again changed the curriculum without notifying any incoming students.


2. The new “integrated” curriculum has been a failure. Professors fail to comply with systems and teach what they “think is necessary.” For example, our MD 1 semester, every class was studying the gastrointestinal system, but our anatomy professor, Dr. G (also dean of student affairs), decided to teach the head and neck.


3. We’ve sat through teacher incompetence from the day we started at XUSOM. Teachers failed to provide adequate notes. They requested that students make presentations and subsequently use those notes/presentations to teach future students. Laziness is a key trait among faculty members.


4. There is a disconnect between the New York office and the Aruba campus. It takes weeks/months to receive messages and replies.


5. The grading system is subjective. Students will get passed based on how much the professors like them. Fortunately for us, we learned that sucking up goes a long way and have made it all the way to MD 5 without any problems. We mention this because the professors care more about their egos than students’ actual performances.

6. The 5th semester coordinator was fired in the middle of our term. We didn’t find out from the school. Our fired professor, Dr. D, sent us all personal emails telling us what happened. The school refused to acknowledge that anything was wrong until our class basically protested. We have a few very vocal and opinionated students that helped.

7. Our new 5th semester coordinator, Dr. N, teaches the pre-med microbiology course. He has been off putting and demeaning to the MD5 class. He has never taken the USMLE Step 1 and insists that XUSOM’s, “way of reviewing” is the best way to pass.

8. The Dean, Dr. D, refuses to speak with basic science students regarding the 5th semester. When prompted, he simply replies, “We don’t know yet.”

9. 5th semester is an online Kaplan course. If students do not take the ONLINE course at XUSOM in Aruba, then they automatically fail. There are several online test proctoring services, but the school refuses to use them.

10. Students are controlled by fear. If anyone criticizes the faculty or administration, then they will automatically lose points in their subjective assessment. Additionally, students are threatened with suspension.

11. The school charges an NBME examination fee even though the NBME exams are not allowed to be taken at XUSOM. This is because professors took an exam, copied the answers, and provided them to students.

12. The behavioral science course is possibly the worst taught class out of every at XUSOM. Dr M, has repeatedly and openly flirted with students. It was taught so poorly our semester that when the Dean sat in class, he asked for Dr. M to wrap up his lecture. The dean told the students that they can learn the material on their own at a later time.

13. Teachers are missing. We cannot even begin to count how many professors have come and gone in our time at XUSOM. There is no stability. The school currently has no physiology professor. The premed math professor teaches the med students epidemiology.

14. Currently the MD 2 & 3 classes have combines as there aren’t enough faculty members. MD 2 students are forced to learn material for which they have not received the adequate basic prerequisite knowledge (physiology, biochemistry, & anatomy) The small school, intimate feel that XUSOM prides itself on is a lie. XUSOM doesn’t have a low faculty to student ratio.

15. The integrated curriculum has been a failure. Our class was not properly taught biochemistry, physiology, nor histology. In fact, 4 of our professors were fired or quit. As a result of not properly learning these building block courses, we as a class have not properly learned microbiology, immunology, pathology, and pharmacology.

16. The school itself is in shambles. The anatomy lab is kept at room temperature. As a result the various body parts stores are rotting.

17. The roof leaks whenever it rains and the corridors become flooded.

18. The library can only be used on weekdays from 5-9 pm because the school wants to save money on air conditioning. Security forces students to leave or move to a classroom.

19. Administration and faculty care more about making money than seeing the school progress. They are not approachable or helpful. They make us run around in circles to get answers and this is simply so that they can cover their tracks.

20. In our time here, we have not heard from a single student to move on from Basic Sciences and be in clinical rotations. We are not sure who to trust or believe.

We hope you reconsider when applying to Xavier. There are many better options. Saying this may hurt our class and current students in basic science because we are sure that the faulty and administration will somehow try to spin this, but we feel that it is important to let people know what really goes on at XUSOM.

Sincerely,

A few brave MD 5’s

Using big words to compensate for your lack of knowledge really doesn't impress anyone. That's a great story but once again is being completely disregarded since nobody knows if it's true...but nice attempt at trying to prove any of us wrong. What does your friend being melanotic have to do with anything we're discussing? Of course we're going to defend our school who wouldn't? Your levels of ignorance are absolutely ridiculous and it's quite clear with your illiterate statements filled with grammar mistakes that you are in no place or institution of higher learning then we are. So once again i'll say, if you have nothing good to say since you really don't know the facts, you shouldn't be talking, nobody is taking you seriously with your hilarious comments but keep em' coming, they're nothing but entertaining and humorous "likkle boy".

Dr. Charles Xavier "likkle boy".

Using big words to compensate for your lack of knowledge really doesn't impress anyone.
NOT TRYING TO IMPRESS ANYONE LIKKLE BOY “DR CHARLES”. YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CORRUPT SCHOOL ah lie?


That's a great story but once again is being completely disregarded since nobody knows if it's true...but nice attempt at trying to prove any of us wrong.

NOT TRYING TO PROVE YOU WRONG LIKKLE BOY YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CORRUPT SCHOOL ah lie?


What does your friend being melanotic have to do with anything we're discussing? XAVIER’S MANAGEMENT IS RACIST BUT WILL TAKE MONEY FROM BLACKS ah lie?

Of course we're going to defend our school who wouldn't? YOU CAN NOT DEFEND THE INDEFENSIBLE
YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CORRUPT SCHOOL ah lie?

YOU ARE ARDENTLY DEFENDING YOUR CORRUPT LIKKLE SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU CANT GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL ANYWHERE ELSE

Your levels of ignorance are absolutely ridiculous and it's quite clear with your illiterate statements filled with grammar mistakes that you are in no place or institution of higher learning then we are.

LIKKLE BOY WHO CALLS HIMSELF “dr” YOU ARE VERY ILLOGICAL AND QUITE WRONG

HAS IT OCCURRED TO YOU THAT JUST AS YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS ARE POSTING ON VMD THAT THEY MAY ALSO BE SENDING EMAILS ELSEWHERE INCLUDING TO ONE WHOM YOU THINK IS ILLITERATE?

So once again i'll say, if you have nothing good to say since you really don't know the facts,
YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CORRUPT SCHOOL ah lie? AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE FACTS DON’T THEY?

BTW I am no longer a "likkle boy".

And unlike you---------I AM A REAL DR OF MEDICINE WHO GRADUATED FROM A REAL MEDICAL SCHOOL----ONE IN WHICH YOU CAN NEVER ENROL


Remember YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CORRUPT SCHOOL AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE FACTS DON’T THEY? ah lie?

now go and do your school book? lol

It's a shame that this forum which was designed to help individuals make conscious decisions as to which medical schools they should apply to, is being overrun by TROLLS that claim to be going to medical school but clearly have enough time to bash medical schools all day on a forum.

If you are truly a doctor, we ask, where do you find the time?

aimu observer

whats up "DOC"??? you say you are a REAL DR??? seriously!??! wow!!! I thought "DOCTORS" were suppose to be respectable, professional and knows grammar and spelling. All of which you definitely don't have. So why would anyone want to enroll in your school???? so we can be like you????!!!! and if you are who you say you are then what the hell are you doing here on valuemd?? don't you have much better things to do like attend to your patients??? if you think you are better than us here at Xavier then why are you wasting your time bashing our school????? maybe you are afraid of us??? afraid that we might become better Doctors than you???? or maybe...... you never passed the exams being given here coz its too much for your "brain" to handle???? or......maybe..........you got fired from Xavier because you didn't know how to do your job??????? what ever the reason is......we don't care! people can see by looking at your profile that you have nothing better to do except to go around replying to all the forums here at valuemd and say bad things about schools. Do you even know what the word "corrupt" mean?? the word would actually best describe you. Dishonest, for saying that you are a doctor! Unethical, I don't think you've had ethics as a course! Untrustworthy, Fraudulent, Shady, Dirty, Underhanded, Criminal, some other words that defines the word CORRUPT.

Aimu observer

I honestly cannot believe a "real" doctor has time to post so many comments on multiple forums. I always thought that doctors barely had time for their families. How naive of me, anyways, everyone knows all you do is go around posting comments to downgrade multiple schools. Sorry to break it to you honey, but your profile actually shows everyone your activities. I don't know whether this is your job or hobby, but you need to stop talking trash to Xavier University and its students.

lol
you guys really got me laffing loud

it was one of your colleagues that started this post-------- and I believe every word he said----------and others do to

I always thought that doctors barely had time for their families not true I ALWAYS HAD TIME FOR MINE LOL

this forum was designed to help individuals make conscious decisions as to which medical schools they should apply to, but is being overrun by CHEERLEADERS AND APOLOGISTS AND DENIERS

YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CORRUPT SCHOOL

it was one of your colleagues that started this post-------- and I believe every word he said----------and others do to
.

Please stop, I can't handle this anymore, you're too funny and entertaining you have me "laffing" out loud, there is no way in gods green earth you are a doctor...ahahaha. You're on a forum website which first of all who even uses forums anymore...it's 2014? I'm only here to defend my school against putrid idiots like yourself but for you...a doctor...arguing with young aspiring doctors...there is really no explanation for it other then the fact that you're either paid to do this, a disgruntled student, a crazy person, or someone who didn't have what it took to become a doctor. This is definitely my last post my face is cramping from laughing at your comments, but once again i'll say to current and future students of XUSOM, don't believe the idiots of the internet, especially ones like "aimuobserver", and secondly remember just work hard and you can be successful. Xavier University School of Medicine is a great institution and we're privileged to attend it.

-Dr. Charles Xavier

I agree with most of the things the original poster(s) wrote (the responses I saw contesting these facts are lies that I have also heard, but know are false- it is a small place where word of mouth goes further than administrative spin.) Saying that, at the end of the day each person is responsible for his/her self. Many great people came out of the program. If you are applying and looking for a school that will work for you- this may not be that school, unless you are a very independent learner who just needs proven credit hours. If you are there and have invested considerable time and energy into YOUR education, sticking it through may prove a great option. (Enjoy how I used all caps in the last sentence?) Just because a place isn't the best doesn't mean you can't make the best out of the place. I wish everyone luck in their endeavors. At the end of the day it is your life, make the best choices for you.

So to sum all this up...serious allegations have been pronounced...several posters have agreed...several posters have also argued against, some even providing email addresses and even names for the spam bots to record and sell on to marketers...
Those of you who are defending Xavier, if you are in fact students and not administrators (who have actually posted-and have not identified themselves as administrators until they were called out- in the past)...please defend the school with your Step 1 scores. After all, that is the only measure that all schools actually measure themselves by.
You'll notice a complete absence of THAT defense. What was the prior class' average Step 1 score? Did it meet, or beat the national average? Did it meet the statistical bar of those students who had the trajectory to most likely match? If the school did have those numbers, they'd be advertising it on the radio and at every recruitment event. Its completely up to you and your exclusive efforts that determine if you become a practicing Doctor. But it was THEIR curriculum that they developed if the majority of you did. Think about what the reciprocals of what those declarations of self-determination mean. No need to be defensive. You are studying to be a skilled observationalist and detective of biological clues. Surely critical consideration of how both the student and school have a responsibility to each other is worth consideration.

Also, there are some heated comments passing back and forth. Notice that this board is also used by the clinical students. That's because we rarely see the same students after any particular rotation. There's a reason you never hear from an upper-class(wo)man. The clinical system is not set up for stability or mentorship between the different MD levels (both of which would aid in educational endeavors if considered).

This school may have the most unacceptable learning environment...or the best. It doesn't matter at all. In point of fact, nothing matters, not even if you got straight A's and think you've learned everything necessary to become a great physician. None of it matters if you don't attain stellar Step 1 and Step 2 scores. The State-side schools are finding that 5-10% of their graduates are not matching. These are the same schools that run their own residencies. If there aren't enough spots for their own grads, do you really think just hitting the national average for the Step scores as an FMG is going to be enough? Have the other Xavier graduates who studied as hard or harder than you matched?
Where did they match? Isn't it a bit startling that the school you are attending doesn't have a proven track record of training students to the point that they match? All they would need to have that track record, is to celebrate their grads who did match. To verify those residency placements would make it proven.

So, discuss all you want about the professors or the lab conditions or any other "in the moment" observation. Just notice that the bigger questions aren't being answered. Maybe not enough people are asking them. Maybe its time you consider your own professional prognosis...not just the current symptoms (or lack thereof).