Curious Prospective Student

Curious Prospective Student

        Every once in a while I get an email from a student that is interested in applying and want some kind of reassurance that they will be going to a real school. I know I felt the same way. I was afraid that I would apply and come to realize that there was no such entity and I was taken for my money, but even worse, my dreams. Well, the university is real and has real students. 

     Todays post is from an email that I received today. Hope you enjoy and feel free to ask me any questions.

Email:

Hello Amy,

I'm applying to UMHS for the fall semester. I was wondering if you could share your experience with me. I graduated Rutgers with a Cell Biology and Neuroscience Degree. How were the classes? How do you rate the effectiveness of the professors? Was moving there an easy experience?

My response:

     I believe that education is a personal experience as much as it is a social one. I believe that each person is individually responsible for their own learning and education. I believe that our professors are as good as any you will find in the states and as bad. I have had the personal experience to glean from each one of them the most that I can and use books and other resources to make up the difference. I believe that I would have had the same educational experience at any University in the states.

As to classes:

     I suppose by classes you mean the students. The only variables between classes are the students and the professors and classrooms. The classrooms and facilities are as good or better than any that I have ever had the experience to sit in. I have already mentioned the professors, so the students are all that is left. I would say that the students are respectful during lecture usually and if not it isn't tolerated so they usually shape in a short time. There is a lot of information and you will be studying mostly so I wouldn't worry too much about anything else as it pertains to classes. The tests are fair and written in board style. 

Moving down here:

     That is also and individual experience. Life is pretty much what you make it. If you want to be miserable you can find a way, and if you want to be happy and enjoy life you will find a way to do that also. It is up to you as to how to view long waits and no fast food. For me I have loved living here and the transition wasn't very difficult at all. I don't believe there is any formula that I can offer you to make that transition a good one for you.
     

      I made note of my own preferences and found a place to live that suited them. I have a post about where to live on my blog. It really takes a lot of self analysis and commitment. I also would suggest that you come with no expectations, then you will be pleased and not disappointed.

     I have been here almost two years so it is very difficult for me to look back and try to see what I thought was the hardest, and for me it would be different probably then what might be the most difficult for you. 

     

     I don't regret coming and I love the island and I love the staff here. I used to listen to country music when I was little and as Reba McEntire says in her song, Fancy, "Just be nice to the gentleman, Fancy, and they'll be nice to you". Replace gentlemen with Kittian and staff. Remember that you are a guest in someone elses country and you are just passing through. If you constantly put down their country where they must live then it is disrespectful and only solidifies what they already believe, "America is better", "i would be richer", "my life would be easier if I lived in America". The truth is there are problems in America, too. There is poverty in America, too. Some people have to work very hard in America and they are still poor. 

      The one thing that I am so thankful for is that I have had the opportunity to live in a foreign country for almost two years. I have gotten to know some of the customs and culture. I have grown to love the people, the climate, and the geography. I see the differences as just differences. I don't pity the people here, and I don't feel like I am better than them when I go back to the states. Living here as allowed me to grow, and to be content. I see the options that I have in the states now which I had never seen before. I relish only having two different brands of chips and feel completely overwhelmed when I go to Wal-Mart. I also realized that I don't need that much. I live a much simpler life with less clutter. I am much more aware of my needs vs my wants. Is that an important thing to be reminded of? Only you can answer that question for your self.

Until next time,
Amy Jones, B.Sc.
Future M. S., M.D. 

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Why Caribbean Medical School?

Why Caribbean Medical School?

The first question I get asked when I say that I go to medical school in the caribbean is " Why caribbean medical school?".

I went to undergrad in the US ( I am from the US). After my undergrad degree I realized that my grades from early on in my undergraduate times were not the best and I felt like I really didn't have a great chance at getting into medical schools in the states. I didn't have the money to pay for the Kaplan MCAT review so my score for the Physical Sciences section was low. I probably could have taken a prep course or studied for it more and increased my score high enough to have a chance, but that would have taken another year and I would have been two years off from entry into medical school. I still wasn't sure that I would even get in based on my grades in some of the prerequisite courses.

My other obstacle was the cost of applying. Just the application process alone could have cost me thousands of dollars. So a friend jokingly said in class that he knew of a guy that was going to medical school in the caribbean, and I got to thinking about it.

I love the ocean. I love the beach. I love warm weather. I felt like I would probably love the caribbean even though I had never been out of my country. Ever. I wanted the experience of traveling and learning about a new culture. I love adventure and I am pretty adaptable. It seemed like a good option.

I researched, researched, researched, and researched more. Then I asked my sister to research. I wanted to know how it would affect my chances at a US residency, and what my chances were of passing step 1. My ultimate goal was to become a doctor and taking a different path wasn't a problem for me as long as I was sure that I could get there.

From that research I learned that I could still practice in the U.S. and that I would probably get a residency as long as I kept up with my studies and did my best in my rotations.

I found several caribbean medical schools that I liked. I found St. Georges, Ross, AUC, and St. Matthews and University of Medicine and Health Sciences. I visited Wake Forest medical school in the states for comparison. All of them I felt like had good programs compared to Wake Forest. I wasn't crazy about St. Matthews because they didn't have real cadavers, but I had seen that some programs were going to that method due to the increased focus on the radiographic imaging. It was on a nice island, Grand Cayman. I felt like it would be a good option. The application fee for most of these was anywhere between $75 and $100. So given that it was costing so much less to apply, I applied there.

Then, I went to a Ross informational meeting and felt like Ross was a good University, but they wanted an application that looked similar to the schools in the states.  I didn't have that, so I didn't apply. AUC was similar to Ross, they wanted higher MCAT scores, and they didn't start in May only in August. St. Georges was the best in my opinion of the schools but they also wanted applicants to look very much like a US applicant. There start date was in August as well. So I didn't apply there. For all of the previous schools the class size was anywhere from 200-400 per semester that came in.

I also liked UMHS, I liked the campus and I liked the fact that it was owned by the Ross family who began Ross University, which had a good reputation. Their classes seemed to match up with schools in the states. I liked their facilities. I could start in May 2010. I could interview over the phone. It was cheap to apply. The class sizes were smaller. The island was just nice enough to have the essentials, but not overly touristy. The island had a high petty theft crime rate, but serious crime was pretty limited. I didn't have to worry about my MCAT because at the time it wasn't required. In comparison to Wake Forest they were fantastic!

I applied and it was my first choice.

I interviewed and was offered a place in the ARP class. I had to pass ARP to be accepted into the following semester. I was also offered a spot at St. Matthews. I felt like I could pass the ARP and I would rather be on the island from the very beginning rather than transfer. So I accepted the ARP offer and thus began my journey here.


I had planned on moving my family with me so ARP was a nice way to transition to the island especially given that I was trying to familiarize myself with how the schools worked and where to put my kids in school. It gave me time to see where I would like to live with my family, which parts of the island were the safest. Ultimately, my family never came down, but it was still a good way to find an apartment and get all of that settled before having to deal with the real challenges of medical school.

I love UMHS. I am so glad that I came to the island for medical school. I am sure that there are challenges ahead, but I believe that God has a plan for me to be a doctor. I wouldn't trade my experience on the island for anything. My biggest regret is not forcing my husband to come here or bring my children. I believe I would have done fine with them here and they would have loved it.

The island is gorgeous! There are so many beautiful beaches and places to lay out in the sun. I haven't even seen everything. It is a small island but you don't have time to take island tours and go places because you are studying so much. So even though it is small it is plenty large enough for you to have something to do when you need to go out.

My accommodations have been spectacular, and I know that not everyone has the same experience. My experience has been an unbelievably wonderful ride. I could never have imagined that I would love it so much. I hope that everyone could be so blessed as to have the experience of living in a foreign country and in caribbean once in their lives.

I will truly miss my island life. The weather. The people. Best buy (a grocery store). My taxi driver, Uncle Millie. And everyone that I see here.


Until next time,
Amy Jones
80 something days before I am no longer an islander.

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Where to live?

       Where do I live?
     I think this is a huge questions for most new students. I have had the experience of living in basseterre and frigate bay and the Royal. So this is my honest assessment. I will also tell you what I have heard from other students.
     My first semester on the island I was an ARP student. At that time I thought my children and husband would be joining me on the island for the next semester so I opted to live short term at the Royal to get to know the island and find a home for my family.

     Living at the Royal my first semester was a great way to get to know people that I went to school with. I lived above and next to many of my friends so it was easy to knock on doors when you were going out and meeting up was easy. We rode the bus to campus together every morning so there was the time waiting for the bus that we talked and socialized. All in all it was a good experience for me. I didn't have some of the problems that others experienced. That has been two years ago. At the time the staff would clean your room for you once a month, and I had some change go missing and others also had stuff missing at times. So if you live at the Royal I would suggest you lock up any money or valuables if they still do house cleaning. Some people experienced a mold problem, and I think this is pretty common on the island due to humidity. It just seems amplified at the Royal. I didn't have a problem with it. I would suggest you keep a keen eye out in the beginning and tell someone at the first sign of any problem. Also if you pay your rent on time or early it is easier to get what you want ( IMHO).

Royal Bed: Day 1

Royal Room Day 1

     For my Med1-Med4 semesters I lived in a nice apartment in Frigate Bay. Still on the same stretch of road as the Royal, but I had more space and a kitchen. A big plus for me was having separate living space. I like to cook and I like eating at a dining room table. I like to watch tv from a couch or chair. I like to sleep in a bed. At the Royal I did everything on the bed or at the little table. I think they may have changed the furnishings since I was there so there may be a desk in all of the rooms now. My apartment was great. I loved living near restaurants and being able to walk to the Bamboo lounge (a night club) was great. I never had to worry how I would get home or who I would have to ride with to get home. I had some freedom to come and go even though I didn't have a car. I had a pool and an ocean view. I used the pool some but not a lot, and I hardly ever used the beach by my apartment. It was a nice view though and I would stand on my balcony at times and enjoy the beauty. The nice thing was that my apartment was quiet and relaxing. It was well decorated as a vacation home and it felt like home away from home. That was also important for me.

My View of the Ocean from my balcony in Frigate Bay Apt.

Frigate Bay Apt.

Frigate Bay Apt.

     This semester ( I am staying one extra semester due to a failing grade in Neuroscience) I live in basseterre. I am very close to the value mart/ IGA and the town of basseterre. I can take an H bus to campus and home. I like that. I like that I can walk to a real grocery store, although I do prefer best buy or Rams to IGA. It is a bit noisy here compared to my frigate bay apartment. I can hear everything. I hear my neighbors, I hear the dogs outside barking, and I hear people working their garages. There are cars on the street next to my apartment that I hear zooming by. I didn't have that in my apartment in Frigate Bay. I don't know if the street was quieter, I suspect not, but I believe the building was more insulated against noise, and the ocean probably masked a lot of the noises that could have been heard. There were occasions where I could hear people outside or my neighbors in my Frigate Bay apartment, but it was usually noises like moving chairs across the floors or going up and down stairs. So all in all there are pros and cons to either location. I miss being able to walk to my favorite restaurants, and being close to the strip or club. Just because I like the freedom of dropping in for an hour and then leaving when I want to. I have to take a taxi now and I don't like not having that control.

Corner of Frigate Bay Apt.

What I have heard others say:

     Some people really like living closer to campus. They like walking to school everyday and being able to go home and eat lunch and come back to campus. They don't mind being a little removed from the Frigate Bay area. They are ok with taking taxis to the beach when they want to go and come home. For me it is a financial thing. To go to the beach and home is ten us dollars minimum. Just getting there! Not to mention that if I were to be there all day it could easily cost me $50 to $75 for a day at the beach.  

     Most people that I have talked to do not like living out farther away from campus and Frigate Bay. They feel very isolated and they feel like they aren't in with the other people.

     Usually people end up with roommates when they live other places and they generally don't like living with that person down the road. We all change when we get to the island so it is very difficult to know who you are going to get along with best once you get here. We also grow up a little. So someone who you feel like you have a lot in common with before you get here, may grow faster or slower than you and you will end up having differences that could make it difficult to live with one another. Also, I would suggest that if you are looking at roommates that you be very honest with each other. If you are messy say so. If you like your living area to be well kept but you are messy in your bedroom then put it out there. To live with others you have to be willing to lay out some ground rules in the beginning and then it is up to each individual to respect those rules so that there can be harmony in the home. Remember both or all of you have to study and are here to become doctors, don't let petty stuff like dirty dishes get in the way of that.


My Two Cents:

     Live at the Royal your first semester, or in Golf View or the White "Crack Houses", Island Paradise, Sea Lofts, St. Christopher's Club,- for the ballers- Ocean's Edge. You will be close enough to the Marriott to walk and get food (american food) and you can ease into the Caribbean lifestyle.

     Get to know the island and yourself and your friends. If you choose to live with friends your next semester don't ditch the ground rule conversation, you might regret it later. Your friend whom you thought you knew so well might have some really crazy living habits that you weren't aware of.

      Don't sign a year contract unless you know you are going to love it and then you only have to be there one semester. In fact, if the only thing you take away from this post is don't sign a year long contract, then I have done my job. Do not sign a year long contract with anything here on the island. You never know what might happen and getting things like deposits back is almost impossible. Even if there is a problem and you would think that you should be given the option to move with your deposit, it may not happen that way here. Stick with a semester lease until you have lived there a semester.

     I personally like Frigate Bay the best, but you may like living closer to campus, so examine yourself and what you like to do to relax. Through a very thorough examination of what makes you happiest you can determine where you should live.

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