This is NOT an endorsement for Caribbean medical schools. This is a day in the life as portrayed by a current Caribbean medical student. I've spoken my mind about the pros and cons in previous videos (link in description) and will be uploading another video in the future about my recent trip to the Caribbean. Stay tuned!
Wow, same things here in China, everything is postponed now but normally very similar but a lot less organized Terible matching rate How much is it per year at the caribbeans
What makes you say she isn’t qualified? Yes Caribbean med schools have low entry but they also have high attrition… the ones that make it out are qualified. That’s how sgu keeps their USMLE score average decent.
I'm a current M1 at Ross University. At the end of the day you're in another country and there will be some downsides (utility problems, etc.); however, IF you've exhausted all your US school options then an accredited Caribbean school is worth it. It's all about the work you put in... yes there's a bunch of students that fail out but that's because they take it lightly and get distracted by the island life. I agree being exposed to a new country and culture can potentially make you a better doctor. You'll have the opportunity to experience cases you might rarely see in the US. Also, you'll have to work harder at these schools. If you're going to invest into your education make sure you're 100% committed before coming. PRO TIP: IF you do choose to go to a Caribbean school MAKE SURE ITS ACCREDITED! There's a bunch of schools that have no accreditation and no solid clinical rotations. Do you research. Apply to the top schools only (SGU, Ross, AUC, etc.)!!! Don't waste your time or money with other schools. Not worth the risk. P.S. - The path to becoming a doctor isn't necessarily a straight arrow... cultivate your own path!! Good luck to anyone reading all this... Hope all your dreams come true! (: and Thanks Dr. J for making these videos and educating peeps. Keep 'em coming!
Is it still worth it to go? Since the step 1 is becoming pass/fail in 2022, I would be taking step when that becomes implemented. I heard that this is going to really change things for the worse in terms of matching for imgs.
@@Sleptking994 The focus is just going to shift to Step 2 CK, letters of recommendations and research/publications. I'd only suggest caribbean schools if you've exhausted your US options and you're willing to work beyond hard.
floroberg I’m a product of a lower tier Carib school. At my residency there were only IMG’s, mostly from India, Pakistan, a few from some Arab countries, and a few from China/Thailand etc. I noticed the Indian and Pakistani students were extremely smart, like to the point if I trusted their clinical decisions over some of my attendings. Only problem was they all had accents and that made it difficult to form relations with their patients. But most of them did really well
Just want to jump in for the viewers that are not in medical school yet: there is NO reason to wake up at 4:30 on a regular basis. Unless it’s your surgery rotation.
Djme2 whaaaat? Seriously? You must absorb content pretty quickly because in understand I studied like 10 hours a day and I just scraped through into medical school
Hey! I get up that early for a few reasons. I have to stay on top of my own material as well as the terms who are below me. I run exam reviews with a colleague of mine, for all the terms below us. That means that I am constantly reviewing their material at the depth that they need to know it for their unit test so that I can help them with questions. I am also learning my own material and am unwilling to sacrifice my own education while helping others. Thus I make the choice to get up early so that I can cover everything I need to cover that day! I have also made working out a priority and to do so without compromising my studying, again it requires me to wake up at 430! It's really all just comes down to choices 😊
My firm belief is that medical school, no matter where you attend, is what you make of it. If you go to a Caribbean school and fail out, odds are you would have failed out at a US school as well because for a lot of the people who are victims of attrition it's not just a school problem it's also a student problem. Sometimes students don't adjust to the rigors of medical school or the way their curriculum is structured fast enough, sometimes personal things get in the way of performance, sometimes students don't take it seriously. All of those things will lead to poor academic performance and personal or behavioral issues aren't exclusive to one medical school or a specific group of medical schools. Some people just aren't meant to be in medical school or would probably be better off at a different school and that goes for US medical students and IMGs. With that said, just like you have people who won't make it through the process at a Caribbean school you also have people who had red flags for US schools but are truly great students or at least students willing to work very hard to reach their goals and more often than not the IMG process works out for them. Chelsea is a great example of this type of student since she's brilliant, hard-working, and gives back to the classes below her. She found a place that gave her the opportunity to do what she loves and she's slaying it and will probably keep slaying it all that way into an attending position. That path may not be for everyone, but it's a path, a path that can lead to where you want to be if you pick the right place and do the work. The key is finding a place that A) gives you the opportunity to accomplish your goal of becoming a doctor, B) gives you a solid education that will translate into passing the medical boards and becoming a skilled physician and C) provides enough academic and emotional support to nurture you through this tough process. I personally found all three things at SGU, but I know that some people don't and that's okay. Some people find what they're looking for in the US, some people find it In the Caribbean or at some other international university. Once you find it you have control over your results and how far you go. I know people who attend US schools who hate the organization of their curriculum, feel their university gives them zero academic support and never developed proper study habits so they have struggled just like I know people who went to certain Caribbean schools who did not enjoy the experience at all and could not figure out how to master the material we are required to know so they also struggled. On the opposite side of the coin, I know people who are thriving at their US schools and at their international schools and there are no gaps in knowledge between them just based on their school of choice. At the end of the day no matter which side of the coin you call on no one is guaranteed to be a physician at the end of their journey, not even US medical students. The additional obstacles that IMGs face are very very real, but they aren't insurmountable.
Thanks for sharing this with us. I found it VERY insightful! I rotated with some students from St.Georges whilst on my surgery rotation, during PA school.
That’s if you have the time to enjoy them. If you spend majority of your time cooped inside a building. It wouldn’t matter if you are located in caribbs or Alaska.
Our attrition rate is 8-10%, and the plurality of that is people lost in the first semester, so the amount of students lost later in the program is only a few percent
@Abus Not a sham, they just allow people that shouldn't be in medical school to go to medical school only to take their money. It is a for profit model, and I don't see the problem with it. If you are there to study medicine then you better be smart enough for it and fully invested in it. Plain and simple.
I went to a lower tier Caribbean medical school, passed Step 1 but didn't even attempt Usmle Step 2. I knew I was not going to pass and I was doing medicine for all the wrong reasons. I didn't even have a passion for medicine. I would have failed out of any medical program whether is was a Caribbean or a US one. Its not the program its the student. Caribbean med students study from the same books and questions banks as everyone else. The majority of my classmates that graduated did match. The problem with Caribbean medical schools is not neccesarily the school themselves. The schools give you the bare foundation to pass the boards. The problem is that many of the students they accept ( including myself) should not be in medical school in the first place. If you go to a Carribean medical school and do well on the USMLE then you will match somewhere. Things may change in the future though with mid level providers becoming more popular.
Im about to finish basic sciences at AUC in 6 months and head to NYC for clinicals. It really comes down to how much work do you want to put in. All youre doing is paying for the opportunity, and its up to you to make your dreams a reality. I picked AUC over SGU because ive had cousins go to SGU and they always complained about how the school literally didn't give two shits about you. WAY more cut throat and they drop students like hot potatoes (in comparison to AUC). This is no way an endorment for AUC because I get pissed at the sheer incompetence of certain faculty at times, but at the end of the day, if you work youll get through and thrive. Plently of my friends who recently took step passed with 230+. Just matters if youre willing to deal with whatever comes your way
As an SGU student I wholeheartedly disagree that it's cutthroat. I went to a cutthroat undergrad and SGU has been the total opposite. A big part of that is that our exams are on a standard grading scale and we're not curved against each other, so everyone is willing to help each other unlike in premed programs when our exam scores depended on others doing poorly. Back on the island I'd be studying for an exam and if I needed more practice questions I could walk up to a random person in the study hall that I recognized from lecture and knew they'd be able to share some resources with me. Once you're in clinicals, be careful with how you schedule your time and how you put effort into your required comp exams before step 1 & 2. Of all the people I know at AUC, I've yet to meet one that successfully completed the program in four years; all of them have needed to extend their time to a fifth year, whether from failing a comp exam or having trouble scheduling clinicals that align with each other.
I understand that each of our experiences are based off what we heard/saw, I simply shared mine. I have had 2 cousins go to SGU and graduate 3 years ago, and 2 friends from undergrad that are currently in their 4th year. This is what they've told me in conversation. I understand what you're saying about people taking 4-5 years to finish. What you are neglecting to take into consider is attrition rate; AUC definitely less cutthroat compared to SGU in that sense. A higher percentage of those who start at AUC finish the program, albeit some in a longer time, in comparison to people that start in SGU. You dont hear that about SGU students because they dont make it through. Just my 2 cents tho
@@caliswaggur currently attending SGU and i would say they do show care ! they don’t soften the blow because in the real world it isn’t because DES (department of education services) am able to stay on top of my grades ❤ also i had family members that attended the school who had good experiences
This was a pretty good video. Def recommend only looking at top Carib schools if you really can’t get into US schools. I went to one of the more lower tier Carib school and it was not good. Thankfully I got through somehow and some days I’m shocked I’m an attending now... but I suggest doing a video on one of those smaller schools because I have too many friends who were 100-200k in debt before they realized it was too late, wasted so many years, and now have to support families, but had to restart their careers in a different field.
Caribbean Student here. This is not representative of most Caribbean schools. Keep in mind that St George’s is extraordinarily expensive and “Elite” among the Carib Schools. Moving to another country is hard and on top of the stress of med school it will make people crack. Every part of your life is made harder. Groceries, Paying bills, Transportation etc etc. Many schools have a mandatory attendance policy with lecture, will treat you like children and could not give a flying crap about your mental health. With that being said, is it worth it? Even if the odds are stacked against you. I would have to say hell yes. I’ll take a 50% chance of getting a residency over the 0% chance I had in the US after I didn’t get in. Go for it.
great video! great information and intro to the daily life of a med student in the Caribbean-- I have been wondering what it is like to go to school in the Caribbean vs the US and this really helped me ! :)
Pre 3rd year SGU student studying for Step 1 here. Earliest I ever had to wake up was 7 during my 2nd and 3rd semesters. During 1st and 4th semesters I would usually wake up at 9.
I guess she woke up that early to score a 268 on step 1. You gotta do above average things to score like that, otherwise score 231 on step like other avg people.
there are lots of other Caribbean schools and attending one myself, I would not say that this accurately represents them generally, as SGU is one of the more sought after schools in the region and offers a great deal more than most and still with its flaws like all systems i gather - however I am a firm believer that something is only as good as what you make of it - so essentially, having said that, you should do proper research into the Caribbean school that you are interested in and not go based on this video completely.
My son is currently attending a Caribbean med school ( I don't have the liberty to state the name of the university) and there has been a 65% failure - dropout rate in his class up until this point. He's entering his 3rd year. So when a school states that there is a 98% pass rate it's misleading. Take a full class less the 65 % that don't make it, there is a 98% pass rate for the remaining 35% . The classes ran 40 hours per week with required attendance.
As a Caribbean MS4, this is super atypical compared to most experiences I've seen/heard about. Typically yes, start early, study, get breakfast. But then usually lectures/lab from 8-4. After that, get an opportunity to study and engage in whatever is required, including question practice, lecture review, anki, clubs, etc. It's also a little misleading, as it doesn't engage "island life" at all. Buying groceries, internet/power going out, hurricanes (look at SGU's advertising after Irma and Maria wrecked other schools). SGU is also known to be unforgiving and cutthroat environment for students, with huge class sizes. The match rates for all Caribbean schools are super inflated because they fail students very frequently prior to taking STEP and put in checkpoints you can't pass unless you perform, or kick you out.
Im currently at SGU and this is pretty typical for most us. I'm Term 4 and I have class in the AM 8-10 or 9-11:30 (ITI) and then small group/lab/imcq in the afternoon either 1-3 or 3-5 depending on your group. I live off campus my power or internet haven't ever gone off yet (Knock on wood), no major weather since I've been here but anything can happen and most people go grocery shopping at the end of the week. And I personally haven't experienced any cut throat behavior but thats just my experience and this of course only applied to SGU. I can't speak for other Caribbean med schools
@@dayaf0 We'll see, I'm applying this year. I think Caribbean should really be an option if you're 100% certain you can endure hardship and come out on the other end unscathed and if time matters a lot to you. If either isn't true, I would wait a few years and reapply to US medical schools with an improved application. As far as training goes, I feel equal to my US counterparts, but that was mostly through my own efforts, rather than anything the school helped provide me.
From the radiology resident alumnus who interviewed me for this school, I loved the advice and transparency he gave me. At the end of the day the cheaper med school is the better med school: he was 300k in debt with frugal living by the end of his time there, and he finished in 4 years. He got to where he wanted through independent studying and clinging to first aid to get the board exam scores he needed. There are other medical schools in the Carribean that are less expensive, might be more forgiving if you struggle academically, and have better and more convenient rotation placement in your 3rd and 4th years so you won't have to move around so much. My two cents
M1 at an accredited medical school in Mexico, I would be down for a video to show a different option that is not Caribbean medical schools that also allows you to come back to the US.
Great video! I really enjoy this series! It makes me happy that you’re allowing premeds like me to see life in med school and life as a physician in different specialties. If possible, could you do a video on a day in the life of a pathologist? My major is clinical laboratory science, and my experience as a CLS has given me the desire to study laboratory medicine and pathology. I think the medical laboratory is one of the most (if not, the most) isolated places of the hospital. Therefore, I don’t think laboratory medicine gets the recognition it deserves, especially during this pandemic, as the laboratory plays a critical role in testing. So if it’s possible, could you make a video on a day in the life of a pathologist? Thanks, Justin
I know the chick is insane. Her worth ethic is insane and I think she cultivated that while doing her masters. All that 4 am waking doesn’t come naturally for most people. Getting a 4.0 is no piece of cake, let me not even go there with a 268 on step 1.
I am almost finished with my pre-med transfer degree and wanted to know more about Caribbean medical school as a potential option. Unfortunately due to medical school being so competitive, it makes it so much harder for dedicated people to become doctor's. Thank you for sharing this, it made me way more informed.
Thanks for a great video! Why do you think you didn’t get into us medical schools? You seem like a great candidate! Intelligent, self motivating and determined! Was it grades/MCAT scores?
This seems very unwise. You are essentially jeopardizing your career by attending a Caribbean medical school when you just could have waited a year and got into a US medical school with far more opportunities. The fact of the matter is that there is certainly a stigma with being a Caribbean medical student, and it will affect your ability to get into a top residency if your choice. I would have advised you otherwise but it is too late now.
@@Bejman13 for people rejected from US MD schools, their chances of getting in the following year are around 1%, if not less. She made the right decision.
Emily Wassmer I’m saying she should not have applied to Caribbean schools in the first place. She should have submitted the application for US programs and Caribbean schools for the first time one year later. She seriously is jeopardizing her career, unless she wants to go into family medicine or primary care, which are one of the very few options IMGs can realistically match into.
Consider that people motivated enough to post videos online might also have unusual motivation in other facets of life (or theyre lying) thus social media might not be stastically representative
hate to burst the bubble, but I believe it mainly for show. Most of them dont even look like they lift. I'm guessing they do about 30-40min of exercise and that's it. like i guarantee you, when exam time comes, they all drop it.
I'm no medical student and I workout at 5am before working out. Maybe because they feeled accomplished and are extremely disciplined. I believe that since they are a medical student and decided to take that route that most are disciplined and want to improve their lives
Hey I have a question about the match process, Let’s say you only apply to specialty programs in orthopedic surgery and cardiology for example, if you don’t match into any of the programs would you have a chance to apply again the next year? Or would you have to apply for something less competitive like family med or IM? For both Caribbean and us medical schools
Chelsea you should invest in an IPad(any version) for studying. A laptop isn't as interactive since all you do is just read off it whilst the with the IPad you can play with your notes which is fun and helps retain information better. That thing is PHENOMENAL for studying, I can't emphasize it enough. Best student invention EVER!
Hi! I actually do use an iPad daily! I get through my anki decks in the morning, usually around 2,000-2,500 cards. The rest of the day is usually written notes all in my Notability app. I really appreciate the advice though, its's great!
@@thanhthanhvo5191 Hey! I go through so many largely because I ready very quickly. I think it certainly depends on the complexity of the card, though. When it comes to pharmacology, Microbiology or even pathology it is more or less click and go. If the cards are more complex, say for physiology, it will take me a bit longer to get through them. I also have my setting where if I am learning a new card it will show me that card tomorrow instead of showing it to me again the same day. I know most people would advocate against that, but it has been very successful for me up until this point. Do what is best for you and for your study methods! If 700-800 cards is successful for you and feel you are retaining the material efficiently, by all means stick with that!!! Best of luck in school!!
Just to add anything above 1,000 reviews per day is atypical. She’s probably a superhuman or knows the content really well to a point where she’s is doing a card every 10 seconds. 700-800 is pretty avg for what I have seen students do for Anki each day, but if it takes you more than 5 hours to do that much then that is not normal.
i wonder if you explored the average parental income of students nationwide in the US who match into competitive specialties and also those who succeed in the caribbean, what you would find? i am willing to bet there is a correlation between success in medical school admission, competitive residency match, and parental income
since us and osteopathic medical student seats increased dramatically in the past few years and residency spots have not gone up most residency seats will be taken by the US graduates. Most Caribbean students will have a tough time matching.
Hi Dr., Recently I've been noticing some increasing attention on midlevel "encroachement" and how there is a mongering fear of NP's and PA's being increasingly allowed to practice "independently" and replace physicians (as in some EDs in the country, for example). What are your thoughts on this?
I heard that you have to stay on the island for 2 years before being able to do clinical rotations in the US. During those 2 years, do you stay on the island for the entire time or are you able to go home for semester breaks like you would at a traditional college?
They have a lot of checkpoints the whole way through the medical school curriculum. Only the students who survived all those checkpoints, out of that group 94% matched. This percentage is misleading bec it doesn’t include the number of people who failed out and weren’t accounted for in the statistic. If we knew how many people entered medical school each year and out of that group how many matched, then we can properly assess the percentage.
Is it better to go to a Caribbean medical school vs one in the states? It was frown upon by doctors I ask. My goal is to be a surgeon and I want to know if there is a difference other than cost.
@@MS-yr7ve Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure I have heard Dr. Jubbal recommend pursuing DO schools before pursuing Caribbean Allopathic schools as a last resort. With the new change of STEP 1 though, that hierarchy may be different now in terms of your chances of getting a residency spot.
I don't understand why people apply to carribean schools.... Just strengthen your application and reapply. You immediately limit your options for residency when you go carib over M.D./D.O. Even international MBBS students fair better...
I respectfully disagree, but I don't blame this notion. Going to a Caribbean school does make it tougher, but you fair better than international MBBS students. Check the match stats please :D
@@neji9012 I've checked the match stats. Not to mention MBBS costs £30,000 for 5 years, Carribean costs $300,000 for 4 years lol, and then you end up matching FM and earning fuck all.
@@neji9012 Not to mention the schools in the UK, UCL, Oxbridge, Cambridge, Keele, Kings, Edin to name a few... vs some fifth world degree mill in the middle of the ocean.
Joseph Designs hey, could be worse. They could be like the pharmacy students, 300k in debt and having to compete with 15k new students per year for 1.5k available jobs.
Tougher for high-end medschools(US IvyLeague schools i.e Harvard,Yale.....), easier for the rest but still VERY competitive so don't underestimate it just because it doesn't rank top20.
Tougher for high-end medschools(US IvyLeague schools i.e Harvard,Yale.....), easier for the rest but still VERY competitive so don't underestimate it just because it doesn't rank top20.
Kevin Jubbal, M.D. I’ve seen most of your videos. I know your position on the Caribbean. But having a day in the life video serves to legitimize and bring visibility to the scam that is Caribbean medical school. A lot of your viewership are people who are not competitive for US MD or DO programs and may fall prey to this million-dollar mistake.
![Day in the Life - Caribbean Medical Student [Ep. 15]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KKQPidCWItY/mqdefault.jpg)
![Day in the Life of a Medical Student [Saint George’s University]](/img/1.gif)
This is NOT an endorsement for Caribbean medical schools. This is a day in the life as portrayed by a current Caribbean medical student.
I've spoken my mind about the pros and cons in previous videos (link in description) and will be uploading another video in the future about my recent trip to the Caribbean. Stay tuned!
Wow, same things here in China, everything is postponed now but normally very similar but a lot less organized
Terible matching rate
How much is it per year at the caribbeans
It's about 10k pee year in chin including dorms
How to get in there?
Kevin Jubbal, M.D. would you ever do mexico? I feel that is also a great option also a alternative to the Caribbean
@@alahadislam if you want to go to Medicine in Philippines. Just message me🙂
She is so positive and uplighting! I want to say thank you to this channel and her for sharing her journey with us.
Just looked up her instagram. It is private but it says she is a surgical resident. Good for you Chelsea!
Wow crazy. I would never be comfortable with someone operating on me that wasn't qualified/smart.
@chordia919 what an ignorant comment.
@@chordia919 Well then it works out great that you'll never have to perform surgery on yourself or others!
What makes you say she isn’t qualified?
Yes Caribbean med schools have low entry but they also have high attrition… the ones that make it out are qualified. That’s how sgu keeps their USMLE score average decent.
I'm a current M1 at Ross University. At the end of the day you're in another country and there will be some downsides (utility problems, etc.); however, IF you've exhausted all your US school options then an accredited Caribbean school is worth it. It's all about the work you put in... yes there's a bunch of students that fail out but that's because they take it lightly and get distracted by the island life.
I agree being exposed to a new country and culture can potentially make you a better doctor. You'll have the opportunity to experience cases you might rarely see in the US. Also, you'll have to work harder at these schools. If you're going to invest into your education make sure you're 100% committed before coming.
PRO TIP: IF you do choose to go to a Caribbean school MAKE SURE ITS ACCREDITED! There's a bunch of schools that have no accreditation and no solid clinical rotations. Do you research. Apply to the top schools only (SGU, Ross, AUC, etc.)!!! Don't waste your time or money with other schools. Not worth the risk.
P.S. - The path to becoming a doctor isn't necessarily a straight arrow... cultivate your own path!! Good luck to anyone reading all this... Hope all your dreams come true! (: and Thanks Dr. J for making these videos and educating peeps. Keep 'em coming!
Is it still worth it to go? Since the step 1 is becoming pass/fail in 2022, I would be taking step when that becomes implemented. I heard that this is going to really change things for the worse in terms of matching for imgs.
@@Sleptking994 The focus is just going to shift to Step 2 CK, letters of recommendations and research/publications. I'd only suggest caribbean schools if you've exhausted your US options and you're willing to work beyond hard.
@@doctormenon7034 what about other international schools elsewhere? Like Europe or Australia?
floroberg
I’m a product of a lower tier Carib school. At my residency there were only IMG’s, mostly from India, Pakistan, a few from some Arab countries, and a few from China/Thailand etc. I noticed the Indian and Pakistani students were extremely smart, like to the point if I trusted their clinical decisions over some of my attendings. Only problem was they all had accents and that made it difficult to form relations with their patients. But most of them did really well
@@User1Mac indian ppl are crazy smart. stuff we learn in college is stuff they learn in grade school (no joke)
ya'll I googled chelsea and she ended up matching info surgery :,) I'm so happy fo her!! carribean life aint so bad after all
Thanks Dr.Jubbal for reaching out to Chelsea at St.George University. This was very insightful and informative! ✌🏾
Just want to jump in for the viewers that are not in medical school yet: there is NO reason to wake up at 4:30 on a regular basis. Unless it’s your surgery rotation.
ikr, this was too intense. Im M1 in Canada and i probably only study for like 5 hrs/day and thats plenty lol
Djme2 whaaaat? Seriously? You must absorb content pretty quickly because in understand I studied like 10 hours a day and I just scraped through into medical school
Hey! I get up that early for a few reasons. I have to stay on top of my own material as well as the terms who are below me. I run exam reviews with a colleague of mine, for all the terms below us. That means that I am constantly reviewing their material at the depth that they need to know it for their unit test so that I can help them with questions. I am also learning my own material and am unwilling to sacrifice my own education while helping others. Thus I make the choice to get up early so that I can cover everything I need to cover that day! I have also made working out a priority and to do so without compromising my studying, again it requires me to wake up at 430! It's really all just comes down to choices 😊
Discipline=Freedom
The Man With The Dash Cam I have to say I respectfully disagree with this
My firm belief is that medical school, no matter where you attend, is what you make of it. If you go to a Caribbean school and fail out, odds are you would have failed out at a US school as well because for a lot of the people who are victims of attrition it's not just a school problem it's also a student problem. Sometimes students don't adjust to the rigors of medical school or the way their curriculum is structured fast enough, sometimes personal things get in the way of performance, sometimes students don't take it seriously. All of those things will lead to poor academic performance and personal or behavioral issues aren't exclusive to one medical school or a specific group of medical schools. Some people just aren't meant to be in medical school or would probably be better off at a different school and that goes for US medical students and IMGs.
With that said, just like you have people who won't make it through the process at a Caribbean school you also have people who had red flags for US schools but are truly great students or at least students willing to work very hard to reach their goals and more often than not the IMG process works out for them. Chelsea is a great example of this type of student since she's brilliant, hard-working, and gives back to the classes below her. She found a place that gave her the opportunity to do what she loves and she's slaying it and will probably keep slaying it all that way into an attending position. That path may not be for everyone, but it's a path, a path that can lead to where you want to be if you pick the right place and do the work. The key is finding a place that A) gives you the opportunity to accomplish your goal of becoming a doctor, B) gives you a solid education that will translate into passing the medical boards and becoming a skilled physician and C) provides enough academic and emotional support to nurture you through this tough process. I personally found all three things at SGU, but I know that some people don't and that's okay. Some people find what they're looking for in the US, some people find it In the Caribbean or at some other international university. Once you find it you have control over your results and how far you go.
I know people who attend US schools who hate the organization of their curriculum, feel their university gives them zero academic support and never developed proper study habits so they have struggled just like I know people who went to certain Caribbean schools who did not enjoy the experience at all and could not figure out how to master the material we are required to know so they also struggled. On the opposite side of the coin, I know people who are thriving at their US schools and at their international schools and there are no gaps in knowledge between them just based on their school of choice. At the end of the day no matter which side of the coin you call on no one is guaranteed to be a physician at the end of their journey, not even US medical students. The additional obstacles that IMGs face are very very real, but they aren't insurmountable.
Amen, sister!
- Term 1 SGU med student
Great comment!
She's so honest. I go to medical school in the Caribbean and you literally have to be a self-learner or you wouldn't get through!
Which school?
Which one?
Thanks for sharing this with us. I found it VERY insightful! I rotated with some students from St.Georges whilst on my surgery rotation, during PA school.
Finally another day in the life video!!!! Been waiting forever. I really love your Day in the life series!!!
I loved her determination, found it inspiring 😊
She is rocking that stoic mentality!
just got accepted for the april term and the application process was soo smooth! finally feeling relieved
Congrats! 💪🏽
IMG matching surgery is incredibly rare. Good for her!
One nice thing about Caribbean med schools is that the views are beautiful
Yes, that's about the only nice thing.
That’s if you have the time to enjoy them. If you spend majority of your time cooped inside a building. It wouldn’t matter if you are located in caribbs or Alaska.
94% match rate =/= attrition. I’m sure most match if they don’t fail out, which a lot of Carib students do.
Absolutely. I’m going to cover all the numbers and my take in a future video
The thing I've learned since starting med school is that it doesn't matter as much where you go, but what you put into it.
Our attrition rate is 8-10%, and the plurality of that is people lost in the first semester, so the amount of students lost later in the program is only a few percent
Joshua McGough those numbers are a lie
@Abus Not a sham, they just allow people that shouldn't be in medical school to go to medical school only to take their money. It is a for profit model, and I don't see the problem with it. If you are there to study medicine then you better be smart enough for it and fully invested in it. Plain and simple.
I went to a lower tier Caribbean medical school, passed Step 1 but didn't even attempt Usmle Step 2. I knew I was not going to pass and I was doing medicine for all the wrong reasons. I didn't even have a passion for medicine. I would have failed out of any medical program whether is was a Caribbean or a US one. Its not the program its the student. Caribbean med students study from the same books and questions banks as everyone else.
The majority of my classmates that graduated did match. The problem with Caribbean medical schools is not neccesarily the school themselves. The schools give you the bare foundation to pass the boards. The problem is that many of the students they accept ( including myself) should not be in medical school in the first place. If you go to a Carribean medical school and do well on the USMLE then you will match somewhere. Things may change in the future though with mid level providers becoming more popular.
That is an interesting perspective that I really haven't heard before. Thank you for your honesty. It definitely gives you something to think about.
@@ericae.6547 you are welcome =)
What school? I’m looking into them now.
@@weemsical6137 SHSU..or Spartan Health Sciences in St.Lucia
You can study 3rd party material and pass boards. It's about how much yoh study and has nothing to do with school.
i went to a smaller carib med school and still matched categorical gen surg. its all possible, just depends on what you want and how hard you grind.
Thick chick scored 268 on step 1. She’s def not going to have any difficulties matching.
What school? I’m looking into them now.
Im about to finish basic sciences at AUC in 6 months and head to NYC for clinicals. It really comes down to how much work do you want to put in. All youre doing is paying for the opportunity, and its up to you to make your dreams a reality. I picked AUC over SGU because ive had cousins go to SGU and they always complained about how the school literally didn't give two shits about you. WAY more cut throat and they drop students like hot potatoes (in comparison to AUC). This is no way an endorment for AUC because I get pissed at the sheer incompetence of certain faculty at times, but at the end of the day, if you work youll get through and thrive. Plently of my friends who recently took step passed with 230+. Just matters if youre willing to deal with whatever comes your way
Can I message you questions about AUC?
As an SGU student I wholeheartedly disagree that it's cutthroat. I went to a cutthroat undergrad and SGU has been the total opposite. A big part of that is that our exams are on a standard grading scale and we're not curved against each other, so everyone is willing to help each other unlike in premed programs when our exam scores depended on others doing poorly. Back on the island I'd be studying for an exam and if I needed more practice questions I could walk up to a random person in the study hall that I recognized from lecture and knew they'd be able to share some resources with me.
Once you're in clinicals, be careful with how you schedule your time and how you put effort into your required comp exams before step 1 & 2. Of all the people I know at AUC, I've yet to meet one that successfully completed the program in four years; all of them have needed to extend their time to a fifth year, whether from failing a comp exam or having trouble scheduling clinicals that align with each other.
@@brittneyowens1307 yeah go for it!
I understand that each of our experiences are based off what we heard/saw, I simply shared mine. I have had 2 cousins go to SGU and graduate 3 years ago, and 2 friends from undergrad that are currently in their 4th year. This is what they've told me in conversation. I understand what you're saying about people taking 4-5 years to finish. What you are neglecting to take into consider is attrition rate; AUC definitely less cutthroat compared to SGU in that sense. A higher percentage of those who start at AUC finish the program, albeit some in a longer time, in comparison to people that start in SGU. You dont hear that about SGU students because they dont make it through. Just my 2 cents tho
@@caliswaggur currently attending SGU and i would say they do show care ! they don’t soften the blow because in the real world it isn’t because DES (department of education services) am able to stay on top of my grades ❤ also i had family members that attended the school who had good experiences
This was a pretty good video. Def recommend only looking at top Carib schools if you really can’t get into US schools. I went to one of the more lower tier Carib school and it was not good. Thankfully I got through somehow and some days I’m shocked I’m an attending now... but I suggest doing a video on one of those smaller schools because I have too many friends who were 100-200k in debt before they realized it was too late, wasted so many years, and now have to support families, but had to restart their careers in a different field.
EBV good to hear you made it through.
@@MV-qw2dw Larry did you not make it through?
What school? I’m looking into them now.
There is nothing in this world that would ever persuade me to get up to study at 5:00 A. M.
HeavyProfessor lmao I get up at 4 am. But 8 pm is bedtime, so it’s still a 16hr day.
@AFly7 I'm graduating from med school this May. Only woke up that early when I absolutely had to for a couple rotations.
Yea unless she trained her body to just wake up at that time it’s insane lol
HeavyProfessor that’s why you will never be susscsessful
I get up at 2am!
Caribbean Student here. This is not representative of most Caribbean schools. Keep in mind that St George’s is extraordinarily expensive and “Elite” among the Carib Schools. Moving to another country is hard and on top of the stress of med school it will make people crack. Every part of your life is made harder. Groceries, Paying bills, Transportation etc etc. Many schools have a mandatory attendance policy with lecture, will treat you like children and could not give a flying crap about your mental health. With that being said, is it worth it? Even if the odds are stacked against you. I would have to say hell yes. I’ll take a 50% chance of getting a residency over the 0% chance I had in the US after I didn’t get in. Go for it.
great video! great information and intro to the daily life of a med student in the Caribbean-- I have been wondering what it is like to go to school in the Caribbean vs the US and this really helped me ! :)
Pre 3rd year SGU student studying for Step 1 here. Earliest I ever had to wake up was 7 during my 2nd and 3rd semesters. During 1st and 4th semesters I would usually wake up at 9.
I guess she woke up that early to score a 268 on step 1. You gotta do above average things to score like that, otherwise score 231 on step like other avg people.
there are lots of other Caribbean schools and attending one myself, I would not say that this accurately represents them generally, as SGU is one of the more sought after schools in the region and offers a great deal more than most and still with its flaws like all systems i gather - however I am a firm believer that something is only as good as what you make of it - so essentially, having said that, you should do proper research into the Caribbean school that you are interested in and not go based on this video completely.
My son is currently attending a Caribbean med school ( I don't have the liberty to state the name of the university) and there has been a 65% failure - dropout rate in his class up until this point. He's entering his 3rd year. So when a school states that there is a 98% pass rate it's misleading. Take a full class less the 65 % that don't make it, there is a 98% pass rate for the remaining 35% . The classes ran 40 hours per week with required attendance.
I will bet that it is on Saba.
How about a day in the life of and IMG studying for USMLE or in residency?
Not going to be much different...
My partner in the medicine school have a lot different way of life. They spend all day doing extracurricular activities.
Im 5th year med student
As a Caribbean MS4, this is super atypical compared to most experiences I've seen/heard about. Typically yes, start early, study, get breakfast. But then usually lectures/lab from 8-4. After that, get an opportunity to study and engage in whatever is required, including question practice, lecture review, anki, clubs, etc. It's also a little misleading, as it doesn't engage "island life" at all. Buying groceries, internet/power going out, hurricanes (look at SGU's advertising after Irma and Maria wrecked other schools). SGU is also known to be unforgiving and cutthroat environment for students, with huge class sizes. The match rates for all Caribbean schools are super inflated because they fail students very frequently prior to taking STEP and put in checkpoints you can't pass unless you perform, or kick you out.
Faraz Rahman thank you for the insight:)
I remember that Dr. Jubbal said that your chances of passing are less then that of a coin flip. As an MS4 do you think it was worth it in the end?
Im currently at SGU and this is pretty typical for most us. I'm Term 4 and I have class in the AM 8-10 or 9-11:30 (ITI) and then small group/lab/imcq in the afternoon either 1-3 or 3-5 depending on your group. I live off campus my power or internet haven't ever gone off yet (Knock on wood), no major weather since I've been here but anything can happen and most people go grocery shopping at the end of the week. And I personally haven't experienced any cut throat behavior but thats just my experience and this of course only applied to SGU. I can't speak for other Caribbean med schools
@@dayaf0 We'll see, I'm applying this year. I think Caribbean should really be an option if you're 100% certain you can endure hardship and come out on the other end unscathed and if time matters a lot to you. If either isn't true, I would wait a few years and reapply to US medical schools with an improved application.
As far as training goes, I feel equal to my US counterparts, but that was mostly through my own efforts, rather than anything the school helped provide me.
Faraz Rahman Oh ok, I misunderstood your reply. I’ll be applying this year as well. Best of luck
3rd year osteopathic medical student if you’d be interested in a day in the life I’d be down lol
Where you located
Yes please! 👍👍👍
Christian casteel yes, please.
From the radiology resident alumnus who interviewed me for this school, I loved the advice and transparency he gave me. At the end of the day the cheaper med school is the better med school: he was 300k in debt with frugal living by the end of his time there, and he finished in 4 years. He got to where he wanted through independent studying and clinging to first aid to get the board exam scores he needed. There are other medical schools in the Carribean that are less expensive, might be more forgiving if you struggle academically, and have better and more convenient rotation placement in your 3rd and 4th years so you won't have to move around so much. My two cents
If you ever come to Australia and want to do a Day in the Life, I'm a first year med student in South Aus. 😂
strongbad666 I attend Flinders University :) Good luck with applying! I hope everything goes well for you.
Thank you so much, Chelsea!
Keep it up man. An MD is an MD.
Am in med school, I still can't relate to the fact how she is having no offline classes in college, no clinical postings, no attendance pressure!
M1 at an accredited medical school in Mexico, I would be down for a video to show a different option that is not Caribbean medical schools that also allows you to come back to the US.
Came for the information, stayed for the random cat in the background.
SGU ❤️❤️❤️ one of the best months in my life - internship on Grenada!
Great video! I really enjoy this series! It makes me happy that you’re allowing premeds like me to see life in med school and life as a physician in different specialties. If possible, could you do a video on a day in the life of a pathologist? My major is clinical laboratory science, and my experience as a CLS has given me the desire to study laboratory medicine and pathology. I think the medical laboratory is one of the most (if not, the most) isolated places of the hospital. Therefore, I don’t think laboratory medicine gets the recognition it deserves, especially during this pandemic, as the laboratory plays a critical role in testing. So if it’s possible, could you make a video on a day in the life of a pathologist?
Thanks,
Justin
i looked her up and she got A 268 ON HER STEP 1!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN GIRL
I know the chick is insane. Her worth ethic is insane and I think she cultivated that while doing her masters. All that 4 am waking doesn’t come naturally for most people. Getting a 4.0 is no piece of cake, let me not even go there with a 268 on step 1.
Where did you find her? I'd love to hear more about where she is now. It's so cool seeing people's journey.
Thank you for making this!!
Haha wow it's super windy there in Grenada, would be nice to kitesurf at after a hard exam.
How will Step 1 pass and fail affect the match Rate !
Very informative thanks for sharing.
I am almost finished with my pre-med transfer degree and wanted to know more about Caribbean medical school as a potential option. Unfortunately due to medical school being so competitive, it makes it so much harder for dedicated people to become doctor's. Thank you for sharing this, it made me way more informed.
Watch my other videos. Avoid Caribbean unless absolutely necessary
@Abus Thanks :)
Anyone else have nightmarish flashbacks to when you had to percuss lung fields? There is so much stuff in med school that you will NEVER use again 😆
Thanks for a great video! Why do you think you didn’t get into us medical schools? You seem like a great candidate! Intelligent, self motivating and determined! Was it grades/MCAT scores?
This seems very unwise. You are essentially jeopardizing your career by attending a Caribbean medical school when you just could have waited a year and got into a US medical school with far more opportunities. The fact of the matter is that there is certainly a stigma with being a Caribbean medical student, and it will affect your ability to get into a top residency if your choice. I would have advised you otherwise but it is too late now.
DO schools are also good idea
@@Bejman13 for people rejected from US MD schools, their chances of getting in the following year are around 1%, if not less. She made the right decision.
Emily Wassmer I’m saying she should not have applied to Caribbean schools in the first place. She should have submitted the application for US programs and Caribbean schools for the first time one year later. She seriously is jeopardizing her career, unless she wants to go into family medicine or primary care, which are one of the very few options IMGs can realistically match into.
Bejman13 have you looked at SGU’s match list? We match into competitive specialties, not just primary care.
i kind of died a little when i saw the weather at 1:53...very "everything is fine" dog sitting in a burning room vibes
Interesting how most medical students I see on social media have a morning routine that mostly involves working out.
Consider that people motivated enough to post videos online might also have unusual motivation in other facets of life (or theyre lying) thus social media might not be stastically representative
They are Goals LOL
hate to burst the bubble, but I believe it mainly for show. Most of them dont even look like they lift. I'm guessing they do about 30-40min of exercise and that's it. like i guarantee you, when exam time comes, they all drop it.
I'm no medical student and I workout at 5am before working out. Maybe because they feeled accomplished and are extremely disciplined. I believe that since they are a medical student and decided to take that route that most are disciplined and want to improve their lives
I think they are just morning people, I would rather workout in the evening.
She is a general surgery resident now.
Just Commenting for the algorithm ❤️
The editing is Awesome !!!😀😀😀😀😀
can you do a day in life of neonatal nurse!!!!
woot woot another day in life vid!!
Hey I have a question about the match process,
Let’s say you only apply to specialty programs in orthopedic surgery and cardiology for example, if you don’t match into any of the programs would you have a chance to apply again the next year? Or would you have to apply for something less competitive like family med or IM? For both Caribbean and us medical schools
Great video!!!!!! Loved it
Chelsea you should invest in an IPad(any version) for studying. A laptop isn't as interactive since all you do is just read off it whilst the with the IPad you can play with your notes which is fun and helps retain information better. That thing is PHENOMENAL for studying, I can't emphasize it enough. Best student invention EVER!
Hi! I actually do use an iPad daily! I get through my anki decks in the morning, usually around 2,000-2,500 cards. The rest of the day is usually written notes all in my Notability app. I really appreciate the advice though, its's great!
@@chelseaspencer2655 How are you able to get through 2000 cards in the mornign? I takes me the entire day to go over 700-800 cards....
@@thanhthanhvo5191 Hey! I go through so many largely because I ready very quickly. I think it certainly depends on the complexity of the card, though. When it comes to pharmacology, Microbiology or even pathology it is more or less click and go. If the cards are more complex, say for physiology, it will take me a bit longer to get through them. I also have my setting where if I am learning a new card it will show me that card tomorrow instead of showing it to me again the same day. I know most people would advocate against that, but it has been very successful for me up until this point.
Do what is best for you and for your study methods! If 700-800 cards is successful for you and feel you are retaining the material efficiently, by all means stick with that!!!
Best of luck in school!!
@@chelseaspencer2655 thanks a lot! wishing you the best of luck!
Just to add anything above 1,000 reviews per day is atypical. She’s probably a superhuman or knows the content really well to a point where she’s is doing a card every 10 seconds. 700-800 is pretty avg for what I have seen students do for Anki each day, but if it takes you more than 5 hours to do that much then that is not normal.
Does she ship her car from the states, or she probably leases the car on that island while she there?
Damn, that's a tight schedule! So no Netflix or you tube at all?
i wonder if you explored the average parental income of students nationwide in the US who match into competitive specialties and also those who succeed in the caribbean, what you would find? i am willing to bet there is a correlation between success in medical school admission, competitive residency match, and parental income
On large scales income is correlated with everything.
since us and osteopathic medical student seats increased dramatically in the past few years and residency spots have not gone up most residency seats will be taken by the US graduates. Most Caribbean students will have a tough time matching.
Would Caribbean med school be okay if I want to be an EM attending and later complete a fellowship in sports med?
I’ve been wondering about St George’s bc I keep seeing theirs ads.
oh its awesome
In the spirit of Med School Insiders, do the research
Brick Martin don’t apply Carrib
you should talk about how step may affect these schools! great video overall
If you should be in Germany some time, I'd be down to show you medical school in Germany 👌
I’ll be back to Germany in the future for sure
You know you're in trouble when your doctor says "um" and "like" every 3 seconds lol
Hi Dr., Recently I've been noticing some increasing attention on midlevel "encroachement" and how there is a mongering fear of NP's and PA's being increasingly allowed to practice "independently" and replace physicians (as in some EDs in the country, for example). What are your thoughts on this?
VERY good and important question. Will talk about this at some point in the future
I heard that you have to stay on the island for 2 years before being able to do clinical rotations in the US. During those 2 years, do you stay on the island for the entire time or are you able to go home for semester breaks like you would at a traditional college?
gets home at 10 prolly doesnt get in bed until 11..then gets up at 430...yikes
Great video and very inspirational woman!
You are another beast yourself.
Loved this video! I’ve never thought about Caribbean Med Schools, that was very insightful! Could be an option!
You got a car at SGU. Privilege!
So awesome more students should do this !!!!
Having graduated from a US medical school I can tell you it’s a damn shame this girl didn’t get into one. Wish her nothing but the best of luck.
It is a damn shame that a US med school missed out on a student you scored 268 on step 1.
Sir, can you make a video on life of an Indian Doctor in USA as a med schooler and as a resident.
She said today was atypical.
94% match rate! thats crazy
They have a lot of checkpoints the whole way through the medical school curriculum. Only the students who survived all those checkpoints, out of that group 94% matched. This percentage is misleading bec it doesn’t include the number of people who failed out and weren’t accounted for in the statistic. If we knew how many people entered medical school each year and out of that group how many matched, then we can properly assess the percentage.
ruclips.net/video/TkMJul2-cHE/видео.html
God bless you
Is it better to go to a Caribbean medical school vs one in the states? It was frown upon by doctors I ask.
My goal is to be a surgeon and I want to know if there is a difference other than cost.
Absolutely not. US programs are always better
@@kevinjubbalmd Would you recommend going D.O. before going Caribbean?
@@MS-yr7ve Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure I have heard Dr. Jubbal recommend pursuing DO schools before pursuing Caribbean Allopathic schools as a last resort. With the new change of STEP 1 though, that hierarchy may be different now in terms of your chances of getting a residency spot.
thanks for the interview!! and to show us BTS
who stopped watching at 4:34 lol
I don't understand why people apply to carribean schools.... Just strengthen your application and reapply. You immediately limit your options for residency when you go carib over M.D./D.O. Even international MBBS students fair better...
I respectfully disagree, but I don't blame this notion. Going to a Caribbean school does make it tougher, but you fair better than international MBBS students. Check the match stats please :D
@@neji9012 I've checked the match stats. Not to mention MBBS costs £30,000 for 5 years, Carribean costs $300,000 for 4 years lol, and then you end up matching FM and earning fuck all.
@@neji9012 Not to mention the schools in the UK, UCL, Oxbridge, Cambridge, Keele, Kings, Edin to name a few... vs some fifth world degree mill in the middle of the ocean.
Joseph Designs hey, could be worse. They could be like the pharmacy students, 300k in debt and having to compete with 15k new students per year for 1.5k available jobs.
Brown Noser. Most Caribbean Grads end up failing. Those who pass rarely get a residency.
Can pakistani students take admission in carribean med schools
why does she have a car and where was she living?
SGU includes car?
What about the cornavirus
Sgu is one of the most propaganda machines out there.
please tell your story!
@@andres8416 check the doctor forums.
@@andres8416 ruclips.net/video/TkMJul2-cHE/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/o85um2gcvUI/видео.html
can i enter med college it us easy or tough
Tougher for high-end medschools(US IvyLeague schools i.e Harvard,Yale.....), easier for the rest but still VERY competitive so don't underestimate it just because it doesn't rank top20.
Tougher for high-end medschools(US IvyLeague schools i.e Harvard,Yale.....), easier for the rest but still VERY competitive so don't underestimate it just because it doesn't rank top20.
All this hard to be replaced with machines and mid-level providers.
.🦁
This video is a tacit endorsement of Caribbean schools and you should NOT go Caribbean.
Certainly not an endorsement if you’ve seen any of my videos where I speak about the Caribbean (links in description)
Ahah he could be endorsing sgu since he’s now a business man
Kevin Jubbal, M.D. I’ve seen most of your videos. I know your position on the Caribbean. But having a day in the life video serves to legitimize and bring visibility to the scam that is Caribbean medical school. A lot of your viewership are people who are not competitive for US MD or DO programs and may fall prey to this million-dollar mistake.
Carib med school...that's short for a waste of time, right ?
Not worth to go to any Caribbean school after the changes in Step 1.
very true
Why is it not worth it?
@Abus correct.
True, also another thing is the DO/MD residency merger thats coming up. It could make it harder for IMGs to get residencies.
@@Poonam_Dhamsania now in the caribbean you're gonna have to work like 1000x harder for FM/IM
are you single?
Probably should’ve worked this hard in undergrad...
Should’ve worked this hard in undergrad, eh?