Creole Day

October 29th is Dominica's Independence Day.  They have festivals that sometimes last weeks in the capitol city of Rosseau, Dominica. Around campus we say many of the Ross employees dressed in their Creole attire.  One of them mentioned that people come from all over the Caribbean to enjoy the festivals.  It's like a Caribbean Mardi Gras.  They have traditional Creole food and various entertainers and musicians.

Unfortunately, my landlord said that Ross always schedules Mini's right after the Creole festival weekend, presumably to discouraged 1st semesters from going.  They probably don't want to be held liable, especially as we've gotten emails of students being a little too tipsy around campus.

Hopefully next year I will be in my "groove" as far as study strategies and knowing how much extra time, and I will be able to attend this festival.

Mini 3

We had our 3rd mini today.  It seemed to go much better than the first two.  For this mini I felt like I had a better grasp of the material, and I believe the study strategy I used was more effective.  I finished early, which I usually never do.  I hope that turns out to be a good thing, I should find out on Wednesday.  

I never imagined that I would have these struggles going into medical school, but I guess it's all just a part of the process.  I remember being told by advisors that I probably wouldn't get into medical school, and failing basic chemistry and biology courses.  Throughout my failures, God got me this far and had a plan for me all along.  The hard part is trusting Him and showing gratitude for the many things I am blessed to have even when life isn't going my way.  Eventually, God will make a way.  In times such as these I am reminded of Philippians 11-13:
"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Reasons to become a doctor

I was listening to the medical school HQ podcast and they had a great segment on 5 reasons to go and 5 reasons to become a physician.
Reasons to go into:

• Leading people to better health
• Leadership
• Lifelong learning
• Diversity in employment opportunities
• Ability to perform surgery

Not to go into:

• Money
• Prestige
• Grey's Anatomy or House
• Family pressure
• Live a prestigious lifestyle (weekly golfing, yachts, etc.)

All of the 5 reasons that they mentioned as reasons to go into medicine where things that definitely attracted me to becoming a physician.  Surgery not as much as the others, as I do not plan on being a surgeon, however I won't know for sure until rotations, but even family practice physicians usually do minor surgical procedures.  The leading people to better health should be a given when considering what becoming a physician is ultimately all about.  Good health is something that's taken for granted until an issue arrises, and it would be a blessing to be able to help someone in that aspect every day.

I am also excited about the many different employment opportunities that I will have once I am a doctor.  The direct patient aspect is a given, however there are also opportunities in research (clinical and non-clinical), educating, developing health care laws, reporting, public health, pharmaceutical development, medical equipment improvement and development, and entrepreneurship.   I would like to take on the challenge of operating my own clinic one day.

Money is usually the most obvious reason not to go into medicine.  Yes, the premise of getting at least six figure income after graduation was one of the reasons I choose to be a physician (I wouldn't go to medical school if I got paid $50,000/year as a physician), however there are much easier and more efficient ways to accomplish that goal.  By the time I graduate, I will likely be about $200,000 dollars in debt, and after graduating will likely be payed close to or less than minimum wage during residency when considering the 80hr/wk workload.  Comparatively, someone who got a job paying 60,000 a year would've already made 240,000 (pre-taxes) by the time I graduate medical school.  If they are actively investing that money, that makes the gap even further.  Compound interest throughout the years would put them in position to retire much more comfortably and quicker than me.  However, the physicians I have spoke to with a genuine passion for medicine find joy in their work and aren't looking forward toward retirement, helping to improve someone's health becomes an extension of who they are, not merely a job.

Interruptions

 This is the latest I've stayed up in a while.  At this point in the semester, it sort of feels like I'm on autopilot.  The days seem to blend together, because of the constant studying.  At this point, I start to welcome unplanned interruptions.  Such as when a native by the river who has been in Dominica since Ross was first established.  He shared the story of seeing various students come in and out of the island.  Much of the story I couldn't understand because of his very strong accent, but his passion and exaggeration made me listen intently.  He then encouraged me and pounded his fist into mine.  Or even the beggar named Charles outside of the IGA some days; he usually has an elaborate story that changes every time I see him, then he proceeds to ask for rum or some food.  I feel guilty if I plan a prolonged break, which I need to do, but it is hard when I constantly feel like I don't know enough from the previous lecture.  Then I see wives or husbands of Ross students walking their children, and I ask myself how efficient I am being with my time.  Many times students with spouses or children seem to be progressing just fine through the material, even though they have a huge responsibility to tend to outside of school.  I guess time constraints force you to be more efficient.  And that has been the hardest adjustment this semester, figuring out how to study most efficiently and what methods work for me the best.

We had our second clinical skills activity on Wednesday.  Initially, I see these clinical skills activities as distractions, as I look at them as taking away from my study time, however afterwards I am glad that we have these activities scheduled.  I learned how to conduct a general musculoskeletal exam.  This is important especially after particularly traumatic accidents, because many times patients may not realize how many different areas are injured.  Also, sometimes lower back pain is not caused by the vertebra in the back, but possibly an injured nerve that isn't transmitting properly from one of the limbs.   These activities help keep on eyes on the big picture and establish our examining skills early on. 

On Monday we have our second Mini exam and on Wednesday we have our first Anatomy lab practical.  We had a mock practical this morning, and helped to realize that I still have a lot of work today.  However, I feel well prepared for the mini exam.

Tomorrow I will go on a run before it gets too hot, go to church, then go over the previous weeks material for the upcoming Mini.  I'll probably subconsciously be waiting the next interruption as well.

First Exam Results/ Study Strategies

Well I got in the 13 percentile for the first test.... the bottom 13 percentile.  I failed the test.  it's a devastating feeling to see all those hours spent studying go to waste.  The good thing is that this first mini is only 10% of our grade as compared to 30% in previous semesters.  I'm actually very satisfied with my work ethic and study time, I averaged about 7 hours of studying (except for the first two days) during those two weeks.  I know for sure that I studied more than a large percentage of those who did better than me, which leads me to a crossroad:  1) give up and acknowledge that I am not intelligent enough for medical school  2) change my study habits and strategy.  Those who know me already know which path I'm taking.  Today, I implemented concept maps instead of my usual recopying of the notes.  Really, I didn't have a strategy for the first mini.  I just figured that if I studied the power points long enough then I would absorb the information.  I guess that old saying holds true... "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." For the next mini I'm adopting a new study strategy.

I'm going to preview the lectures the day before they begin.  I am also going to actually attend lectures, as it will keep me accountable to watching the lectures at a specific time and being around my peers.  I passed on various opportunities such as playing basketball, partying after the White Coat ceremony, and going out to eat.  I wanted to just focus on the exam, but my efforts proved to be futile.  I will also review Netter's anatomy flashcards every morning.   On Saturdays I will do the CTL practice problems and try to answer all the learning objectives without any notes.  I will also review all of my notes from that week.  On Saturday or Sunday I will join a study group with some friends to go over practice questions and review the learning objectives.  This plan will get me at least an 85% on my next test.

- Are you gonna bounce back or bounce backwards?

First test

Well that day has finally come, the first test of medical school.  It was a fair exam, and on every question I remembered that topic being addressed during lecture, however there is sooo much material that is introduced during lecture.  Most of the first week's material was review of simple cell biology and physiological concepts, but there were also plenty of details that were new to me.  I was fortunate that this test was given so early, as it only counts for 10% of our grade and gives us an opportunity to see how well our study methods are working out. 

 I didn't feel too confident after the test, especially after hearing how confident other people sounded.  There were at least 15 questions out of the 60 that I was unsure about.  I studied really hard for the mini and put in about an average of about 7 hours of study time per day, not including class.  I realized that I got distracted by prep/cook time and just unexpected things that seem to happen here in Dominica: ants invading the house over the smallest crumb, brown water or no water (our water was out for a day), IT problems, and simply getting adjusted to the island.  Overall, I'm satisfied with the amount of time I spent studying, however my time spent studying could've been much more efficient.  Therefore, instead of doing something fun after the Mini like many of my classmates, I just grabbed a pizza and went home.  I ate it, got greeted by a couple of ants, then decided to take a nap.  I woke up and listened to some Joe Budden's Mood Musik 3, which put me into a sad mood.  Then I listened to some Drake, which put me in a sadder mood, then looked on the internet to figure out how to revamp my study habits.  Then I listened to Kendrick Lamar's the Heart pt. 1-3 and Social Club's Summer of George.  Now I feel reenergized.  

After browsing I figured out a few things about how my study habits will change:

I have always tried to learn every single detail introduced in a lecture, and that hurt me during this test.  I didn't spend enough time focusing on the major concepts and memorizing what the professors implicitly told us that we need to memorize.  This week I will review Netter's flashcards of a specific muscle group in the morning, create condensed study packets of the lecture notes immediately after class, preview the next morning's lecture, and review yesterday's lecture.  I'm shooting for a 85% or better on the next Mini, which is 3 weeks from now.  Success is measured daily, not just during exam time, and I'll try to keep that in mind these next few weeks.

White Coat Ceremony

On Friday we had our white coat ceremony.  I wondered why we didn't have the ceremony during orientation week, when many parents were still here.  I later realized that they knew we would be feeling overwhelmed after that first week, so they probably wanted to encourage us.  It helped me to keep the big picture in view as I was becoming overwhelmed due to the many powerpoint slides, particularly in biochemistry and anatomy.

The ceremony began with the introduction of the president of Dominica and other politicians and notable members of the Dominican community.  Then statistics from our class were read off.  It turns out that we have: 431 students in our class, age range of 20-44, avg. age of 26, avg. gpa of 3.26, avg. MCAT: 26, a bodybuilder, and an attorney.

Our speaker, Dr. G, was excellent.  He really seemed to enjoy his life as a family practice physician, which is what I plan to become.  He went into teaching for a few years before deciding that he wanted more.  He then joined a group practice in Dominica.  He emphasized the quality of the professors at Ross and how great his experience was.  His colleagues didn't look negatively upon the fact that he went to a Caribbean school, instead they were interested to hear about the experience.  It is unreal that we get to do our schooling on this gorgeous island, and he encouraged us to take advantage of this opportunity.  Dr. G also went on to say how the hospital he did his residency at actually preferred Caribbean students, because they had something to prove and worked harder.

My apartment: Jedany's Comfort

I have enjoyed my stay at Jedany's Comfort so far.  This apartment is near the Annex, but unfortunately first semester students no longer have classes in the annex.   My rent is $650 a month, and the landlord, Glen, lives downstairs for easy access to fix and problems.  I have had water get under my back door to the balcony, so I have to see what can be done about that.  However, everything else has been fine. 

  

  

  

  

  

New Student Orientation

The new student orientation lasts from about 8-12:30 every weekday.  Various staff or professors address different topics that we were encounter during our trip.  We were welcomed by Dr. Weaver, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs; he was funny and seemed very down to earth.  Dr. Weaver was a widely respected surgeon before decided to focus on developing the next generation of surgeons and doctors in general.

One thing that stood out was the huge class that nearly filled the large classroom at the St. James Academic Center.  The official count hasn't been released yet, but it is at least 450+ students.  However, Ross provides lots of resources and staff in the Center of Learning and Developing to try to provide personalized attention to this huge class.  The staff took time to explain the differences between "The Curriculum" and the accelerated curriculum, as this is the first year we are given an option.  The non-accelerated program seems more appealing to me, because of the scheduled study breaks before the examinations.  However, doing this track means four more months on the island.

On Tuesday we were greeted by dean Joseph Flaherty via videoconference.  He was once the dean of the University of Illinois School of Medicine, at one time the biggest medical school in the U.S.  He assured us that we are receiving a top notch education and that rigorous preparation has been taken to provide us with the best chance of success.

Other orientation topics included:

• study strategies
• time management
• pass/fail system
• Ross only assigns high pass, pass, or fail grades for the first semester.  Letter grades are given for the other semesters.
• clinical education
• campus life
• There are many opportunities to get involved in different clubs/ organizations.
• history of Dominica
• semester one schedule
• foods of Dominica

First day on the island

It always seems like no matter how long i start packing in advance, I always rush to get my luggage together.  It is difficult to figure out which of your items are essential to take on the island and which aren't.  I rushed to get to the airport bus from Bakersfield by 6 and was at LAX at 8 for my flight that left at 11:50.  I read in the airport, and ran into a student I had met at the information seminar a few months back.  I slept the whole way on the flight from LA to Miami.  Then I took the flight from Miami to San Juan and met a few more students from Ross who were sitting nearby.  The lady behind me was from California as well, about 2 hours from my hometown.  San Juan to Dominica was where things started getting tricky.  I didn't have problems with Liat, but it was the TSA in the San Juan airport that took forever to let people through the security gate.  I rushed to get to my flight a few minutes before takeoff.  The winding road heading from the airport to Jenner Hall, on Ross main campus, wasn't that bad, the driver was a good tour guide and really nice.  The people from my semester seemed pretty laid back and friendly; we'll see how long that lasts when exam time comes.  When we got in they had a mini orientation and slideshow.  After that they fed us a good meal of chinese food.  Finally, I headed to my apartment and got settled in.  I came in amazed at how much greenery there is, just hills of tall trees and bushes.  In Bakersfield, I'm used to dust and tumbleweeds.  It really does look like an untouched island.  I think I'll really enjoy it here.

My journey to a Caribbean school

I get the question "why the Caribbean?" quite a bit, to which I semi-jokingly respond..."Uhhh... the beaches, tropical weather, beautiful scenery, beautiful people, fresh fruits, veggies, and fish, hiking trails, scuba diving, festivals, and Caribbean music!"  Truthfully, I probably won't have too much time to really enjoy the island, except for a few times throughout the school quarters, but it is nice to have those options.

I spent the last two years of my last two years of my college career facing an uphill battle trying to offset some pretty bad grades.  My first semester of college, I failed both general Chemistry and general Biology, the two classes that pre-med students were especially supposed to excel at.  I retook gen Chem and got a C- the second time.  I barely passed gen Chem 2 with a C.  I was afraid to visit counselors out of fear that they would tell me to consider a different career, and one of my favorite professors informed me to consider microbiology or nursing.  However, even when I had second thoughts about medical school, I always knew that I would regret at least not attempting to follow my dreams and get in.

During my junior year I realized that in order to look more competitive I needed to do more volunteer work and get into research.  To fit the mold of the typical pre-med student, I jumped at the first opportunity to participate in research, even though I had little to no interest in the project.  Due to my lack of interest, I didn't go to the lab very often and when I did I was unproductive.  This ended up being a hinderance, as my professor didn't write me a strong letter of recommendation.  I also volunteered at a hospital, which truthfully I didn't too much care for either.  I imagined that I would be interacting with physicians, following around technicians, and moving around among different units in the hospital.  However, I was mostly wiping down and sterilizing benches and beds, providing patients with blankets and water, and stocking the rooms with supplies.  When the department was fast, the days went by much faster, but during the slow days 4 hours seemed like forever.   There are only so many blankets and sheets to restock.  I felt like I was standing around a lot.  When I tried to observe doctors operate or interact with patients, I was often given dirty looks or asked "can I help you?" by the assistants.  I had much more fun and felt more productive volunteer with the American Lung Association or with the Boys and Girls club, which I actually enjoyed.  The medical experiences I spoke about were the times when I shadowed a nurse practitioner in family practice and a radiologist.  Trying to become a cookie cutter pre-med student instead of following my passion and immediate interests ultimately ended up hurting me during interviews.

I spent probably too much time looking at my chances of getting into post-baccalaureate programs and average GPA's for school, acknowledging that I was below the ranges of any U.S. MD or DO schools. My junior year, I created the hypothetical situations of if I get A's in  the rest of my classes (bringing me to a 3.3) and a 30 on the MCAT, I might have a chance to get into a medical school.  In hindsight, I spent too much time speculating and creating hypothetical situations instead of doing my best to simply be successful one day at a time.   I graduated college with an overall GPA of 3.18, probably closer to a 2.7 or 2.8 when using the AMCAS grading scale and a 25 MCAT score.  Looking at these numbers led me to seriously consider attending a Caribbean MD school.  I first considered going to a Caribbean school when I attended a medical conference at UC Davis.  Based on the negative stigmas attached to Caribbean schools, such as (you won't get a residency in the U.S., the classes are overcrowded, and they're overpriced, the attrition rates are ridiculously high) I didn't give the Caribbean schools much consideration.    There were reps from Caribbean schools at the booths, and the Caribbean schools seemed like a legitimate option.

I realized that graduates from Caribbean schools are actually capable of attending competitive residencies, after looking at statistics from the lists of residency matches.  I felt that Caribbean schools would provide a quality education, as the curriculum is similar to U.S. medical schools.  Also, many schools do a great job of preparing students for the USMLE, as it is especially important for a foreign grad to perform well.  Particularly in Kern county, where I live, there is a large percentage of doctors who are foreign medical grads, and I have met at least three doctors in the county from Ross University.  The application process is much more quick, taking a few weeks as opposed to a year for U.S. medical schools.   I considered doing a postbacc program, which I explained in a previous post.  It also seemed like a great time to be exposed to medical process in different countries and probably more hands-on opportunities because of loosened regulations oversees.  At Ross I was really intrigued by the Salybia mission program, which provide health fairs and medical care for residents of Dominica.  I also was impressed at how aggressive some of the Caribbean schools were in securing contracts with hospitals, guaranteeing a certain number of rotation spots for clinical education.   I am glad to know that many of the professors at the Caribbean schools are strictly there to teach, so they wouldn't have other major obligations such as research to attend to.  I am pleased with the choice to attend Ross University, and i believe that I will be receiving an education on par with many U.S. medical schools and even surpassing some schools, because of the professors' strict commitment to teaching.

Packing my barrel

Wow, I never imagined I'd be bringing this many items to the island.  I figured it would worth it to purchase a 55 gallon barrel filled with "essential" items.  Some people make it seem like we're the new contestants on a season of Survivor, because of the rural conditions so I just wanted to make the transition somewhat easier.  Others make it seem as only the spoiled Americans buy the barrel to bring their fruit loops, Cheetos, and oreos.  Overall the cost of the barrel and shipping is $280.  I hope it's worth the price considering the convenience of: not having to scramble to find and buy items from Dominica at significantly higher prices, having a barrel to return items in when leaving the island, and bringing my favorite foods that are unique to the U.S.   I just finished sending my barrel off to Olarte transport in LA.  From Olarte it goes to Miami where Tropical shipping ships it to Dominica.  Overall, it should take the barrel 2 weeks to arrive at the island, about a week after I arrive.  Oh, and shot out to the dudes who ship an ice chest full of T-bone steaks to the island, using dry ice to preserve it.  That's extreme dedication to premium cuts haha.  I'll just be looking forward to the various types of fish I can get on the island.

My barrel packing list:

• George foreman grill
• Blender
• Ipod alarm clock
• Blow drier
• Bath rug
• Crock pot
• Rice cooker
• Applesauce
• Cliff Bars
• Canned goods
• Binders/ notebooks/ losse paper
• Fan
• White board
• Shower curtain
• Blanket
• Reusable grocery bags
• Pull-up bar
• Nuts: peanuts and pistachios
• Grains and beans
• Pitcher
• Other random items

In hindsight, I probably would've got the 75 gallon barrel.  It seems like a lot but I was surprised at how quickly I filled the 55 gallon barrel, forcing me to leave items out.

Ross Information Session/ New Student Gathering

I went to the Ross information session, where incoming 1st semester students were invited as well, yesterday in Santa Monica and it was a great session.  Most of the information that was presented during the session I was already aware of, but it was good to have that opportunity to ask further questions to the panel, which included Ross University administration, current medical students, practicing physicians, and residents.  They were all very informative and honest about their experiences at Ross.  Some of the information they presented was the significant correlation between RUSM GPA and USMLE step 1, which indicates that Ross does a excellent job of preparing students for the step 1.  That's the goal to do well on USMLE right?

We also had a new student orientation at the Hyatt hotel where they bought drinks and appetizers for us.  We got a chance to meet the other incoming students, Ross staff, practicing physicians, and medical students.  It was  a great opportunity to get insight about the details of the island and what to expect coming in. Two of the students were completed their rotations in my hometown so it was nice to have that in common.  Everyone seemed very nice, and they all felt like going to Ross prepared them very well.  Having a alumni group that large means that most hospitals are familiar with Ross University, making it easier to get a residency.

Pre-Med Extracurriculars

Some of the extracurriculars I have done, I ended up regretting.  Two in particular are research and volunteering in the hospital.  It seems taboo to say that I didn't enjoy those two experiences.  My research probably ended up being more of a detriment instead of an asset to my application.  During the interview for American University of Antigua, my interviewer brought up that my research professor, who wrote my l.o.r., brought up some concerns.... my heart stopped when I heard this.  I then had to try to think about the concerns on the spot, which I was sure had to do with my haphazard attendance during to the research lab.  The ongoing punchline among the research group became... where's Terrance?  I didn't enjoy the research, but I continued out of a sense of obligation.

Volunteering at the hospital wasn't too much fun either.  I was mostly just stocking the same areas over and over until my 4 hours were up.  I enjoyed talking to the patients, techs, and some of the nurses.  One of the nurses had the audacity to say aloud, "this is fucking disgusting" when changing the sheets of an elderly patients who smelt bad with sores all over her body.  The day just seemed to drag on, when the department was slow.  There's only so many blankets or cups or water to bring.  However, it was a valuable experience to see how each of the health professionals worked together.  It was slightly disturbing to see how little time the physicians spent with the patients, they spent a lot of time in their isolated room on the computer. 

My favorite experience was shadowing a nurse practitioner who operated the clinic under a physician who was rarely there.  I admired how he interacted with his patients and how they genuinely trusted him.  He took his time to diagnose the patients and had a personal relationship with them.  He was able to prescribe medications, but still had some limitations as a nurse practitioner; he said that he would've went to medical school if it weren't for him starting a family at an early age.

Don't Cut Yourself Short (Postbacc vs. Caribbean Schools)

My aunt Alma, who is a nurse, gave me the number to a student who attended UCLA/ Charles Drew Medical School.  Alma's coworker, also a nurse, is the mother of the previous medical student, Susan, who is now doing her residency at Kern Medical Center.  When Alma informed her coworker that I would be attending medical school in the Caribbean, she replied with, "I'm so sorry to hear that."  She gave Aunt Alma her daughter's phone number so that I would contact her and hopefully change my mind.

I ended up calling Susan to figure out why she was so unreceptive towards Caribbean medical schools.  She mentioned a few reasons including: her experiences alongside IMG's have shown they are not as prepared, her friend from the Caribbean had over $300,000 in debt, thus concluding that Caribbean schools are 2X as expensive, you won't be able to get a good residency, a postbacc would prepare me better for medical school.  There was a conference at my local school where a UCLA medical school student said that the Caribbean students he rotated with very well prepared.  The median debt for Ross students is $232,743 in federal student loan debt, as posted on their website.  A quick look at the residency placements posted on the Ross website will indicate placements into very prestigious hospitals and specialties.  Therefore, don't simply rely on the opinion of one person when making a decision.

Ultimately, I didn't want to be 30 when entering residency.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I would prefer the opportunity to do it at 26.  The only way I would consider doing a postbacc is if I either didn't feel academically prepared to enter medical school or if I was set on getting to an extremely competitive residency.  Going to a U.S. medical school does give you a much better chance to get into a very competitive residency, but it is still very much possible from a caribbean medical school.  NRMP.org provides very detailed statistics on the % of residents that are IMG's.

My point in saying this is to do your own research, in some situations a postbacc might be a better option for some, but some will discourage you based on outdated information.  For me I wanted to get done as soon as possible and am fairly certain that I want to go into a primary care practice.  In essence you are pushing your med school education back 2 years with a postbacc: 1 or more years of classes and a year application process, not to mention the stress of not knowing if you will even get into a U.S. medical school as they are unbelievable competitive.  I made the decision to start school earlier, which means less loans, and a quicker opportunity to pay off the loans I do accumulate.  Medical school is a long enough process in itself, I did not want to lengthen the process.

Philippines Medical Mission

Medical students have given me the advice to travel while you get the chance, before med school starts.  Fortunately, I'll have the opportunity to do so.  Follow my journey at: filipinofun.blogspot.com  I look forward to soaking up knowledge from medical assistants, nurses, and physician's assistants who will be joining me on the trip.

R.O.S.S.

After perusing sites such as ValueMD, it is fairly common to come across complaints that Ross treats its students like just another paying customer and are not very supportive.  This was a concern that I had when trying to decide between schools, especially with Ross's large class sizes.

When browsing the Ross website, I came across the acronym R.O.S.S.  This stood for Remarkably Outstanding Student Services.  I'm no stranger to corny acronyms, as they help me remember material during studying.  In my limited experience, this acronym has proven to be quite accurate.  My New Student Coordinator has been extremely supportive and has always given timely responses to any questions she didn't know at the moment.  So far... so good.

Criteria for Caribbean Medical Schools

It is important to establish a criteria for yourself when comparing medical schools.  I had a list of about 25 aspects that were most important to me.  The top 11 most important were:

1. Chances of getting a residency
2. Rotation spots available/ Average wait time for rotations
3. USMLE Average scores
4. Hospital affiliations
5. Tuition Costs/ Average student debt
6. Availability of federal loans
7. Technology of equipment/ dummies
8. Attrition rate
9. Student: faculty ratio
10. Difficulty of curriculum
11.  Living Conditions

 * I didn't include average USMLE scores because this is an arbitrary percentage.  A more beneficial % would be the pass rate of the Comp test that students must pass in order to take the USMLE.  This is a better indicator of how well these schools prepare their students, however these numbers are hard to access.

Acceptance!

After eagerly waiting for two and a half weeks, I received the call from Ross that I was accepted to the September 2013 class!  I had been praying that the call would come before May 1st, the day the deposit for AUC was due.  My mind was set on going to Ross after I found out the Ross and Kern Medical Center (KMC) signed a contract for rotation spots, as I want to go to Kern County to practice.  After notifying the recruiter at AUC, she called back and mentioned that AUC has a clinical affiliation with KMC and that she thought AUC's smaller class sizes and personalized attention would suit me well.  She also added that she thought I would make a great physician and wished me luck.  I would've felt much better about my decision to choose Ross over AUC if she just would've said "good riddance."  However, Ross has many more rotation spots at KMC as a result of the contact; I couldn't pass that up.