Hello all,
I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Jasmine. I’m a 32yr old Pre-med student at West Chester University of Penn located in West Chester, Pa.
I have just gotten my acceptance letter from St. Luke School of Medicine in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. However, due to the civil unrest, I will be attending classes at St. Andrews International Academy in Pune, India where I will finish my BSc degree and go right into the Basic Science portion of the MD program. Then after 2yrs of Basic studies, I’ll come back to the US for 2 yrs of clinicals.
I’m really excited about this and everything seems like a dream come true for me. Yet, when I read the struggles of what other go through and went through to get into med school, I feel like I cheated or that I’m not worthy of being called a medical student.
For one, I did not have to take the MCAT. My school just put into effect that all entering students must take the MCAT. However for those that have already been accepted or are current student do not have to take the MCAT.
Second, the competition to get into SLSOM is very low. Unlike some other international medical schools, competition can be as strong as getting into a US medical school. Some of the Carribean medical school you need at least at 3.5 GPA and at least mid 20 on the MCAT. I don’t even think that my school has the competition that you see in these Carribean schools. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or bad thing. Not that SLSOM is not a good school, everything that I have read and researched on this school has been positive.
SLSOM is a fairly new school, just opened it’s doors in 1998. There are graduats (those that transfered from Carribean schools and some US schools) of our school and those in their 4th year here in the US. SLSOM has a 80% USMLE pass rate so far. So the the school is doing very well. However, I don’t like to go into details about my school because I have taken a bashing on my school from those who don’t know anything about it.
I choose SLSOM because I felt it was a last chance for me to ever become a physician. Before SLSOM, people had already stated to tell me to go into others field beside medicine. But, I am already in medicine. I’m a Registered Medical Assitant. I work as a Peer Educator at my School (I get paid for this). I work side by side with physicians, physician assistant’s and nurse’s including nurse practioners. My job allows me to work with college students helping them understand alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, STD’s, Nutrition, Smoking Cesstation (I’ve been smoke free now for 2 1/2 months) and present health education at wellness conventions. I’ve worked in doctors offices, I have been a manager of a medical pratice. I have assited in surgery and worked as a phelbotomist. I have given physical therapy in the doctors office and give babies injections. As I said to those who lost faith in me becoming a doctor, there is nothing else that I want to do but become a doctor and heal those that are in need of healing. Medicine is part of my blood now. So, there is no turning back for me.
If any of you have simular stories, I’d like to hear from you.
Thanks,
Hi Jasmine,
Congratulations on your acceptance into medical school. I am sure that you will have an interesting journey ahead of you so be sure to post from time to time and let others know how and what you are doing. It is great to have folks studying internationally who can provide information for those who come behind them and might wish to study medicine overseas.
Be sure to keep up with the ever-changing rule and regs regarding international medical grads practicing in this country. I promise that they are changing every year and that even now, more changes are in the works.
Good luck and let us hear from you!
Natalie 
Jasmine,
Welcome to OldPreMeds! Also congrats on your acceptance to medical school! I’ve not heard of your school, but we try to not bash on OPM I’m with Natalie, we would love to hear about your experiences there, especially since that is a newer school. Is the instruction in English?
Kathy
Welcome to OPM! I’m always happy to welcome new people and look forward to hearing about your experiences. International perspectives are especially interesting to me.
Love,
Stacy