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All Questions & Responses

  • Saba University School of Medicine (Saba, Caribbean)
  • Allopathic Medical School
  • Devens, MA
Individual Feedback 2 2 Responses
General Info

What graduating class are you in?

Response # Responders
2007 1
2008 0
2009 0
2010 0
2011 0
2012 0
2013 0
2014 0
2015 1
2016 0
2017 0
2018 0
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Are you pursuing any joint degrees (MD/PhD, MD/MPH, etc.)?

Response # Responders
No 2
BA/DO 0
BS/DO 0
DO/JD 0
DO/MA 0
DO/MBA 0
DO/MPH 0
DO/MS 0
DO/PhD 0
MD/JD 0
MD/MBA 0
MD/MPH 0
MD/MS 0
MD/PhD 0

Are you considered in-state or out-of-state for tuition purposes?

Response # Responders
in-state 0
out-of-state 1
international 1
Not applicable 0

What is your race/ethnic background?

Response # Responders
Caucasian 2
African American 0
Hispanic 0
Asian or Pacific Islander 0
Native American/ Native Alaskan 0
Other/Multiracial 0

Overall, how would you rate this medical program?

Response Avg # Responders
8.00 2

0 = terrible, 10 = world class

What is the reputation of the school in the medical community?

Response Avg # Responders
5.50 2

0 = really bad, 10 = top tier

What is the reputation of the research that goes on at this school?

Response Avg # Responders
5.00 2

0 = really bad, 10 = top tier

What was your MCAT score?

Response Average # Responders
510 2

What was your undergrad GPA?

Response Average # Responders
2.70 2

What was your undergrad science GPA?

Response Average # Responders
3.00 2

What was the zip code of your residence in high school?

30354

60190

What do you like most about this school?

"Small class size. Good facility" | Report Response

"Prepared me very well for Step 1 and clinical rotations." | Report Response

What do you like least about this school?

"Lack of abundant recreational opportunities" | Report Response

"Stressful nature of living on a very small island with limited amenities." | Report Response

Please provide any other general comments on your school

"A sound Basic Sciences program with several excellent clinical rotations. Small class size means more attention from faculty and less competition for facilities. Facilities are good." | Report Response

Curriculum

How is the curriculum structured?

Response # Responders
Systems-based 0
Traditional 2

How many courses are taken at a given time?

Response # Responders
1 0
2 0
3 1
4 0
5 1
6 0
7 0
8 0
9 0
10 0

How long are you typically in class per day?

Response # Responders
<1 hour 0
1-2 hours 0
2-3 hours 0
3-4 hours 0
4-5 hours 0
5-6 hours 1
6> hours 1

Are courses recorded for medical students?

Response # Responders
Video recording 0
Free note taking service 0
Fee-based note taking service 0
Powerpoint slides provided only 2
None 0

How many days per week is anatomy lab?

Response # Responders
1 0
2 0
3 1
4 1
5 0
6 0
7 0

How many students per cadaver?

Response # Responders
Prosections only 0
1-2 0
3-4 0
5-6 2
7-8 0
>8 0

How long (in months) do you have anatomy?

Response # Responders
3 months 1
6 months 1
9 months 0
12 months 0
24 months 0

Is the curriculum lecture-centric or small-group centric?

Response Avg # Responders
3.00 2

0 = 100% lecture, 10 = 100% small group

Are standardized patients used?

Response # Responders
yes 0
no 2

How much patient interaction is there in the pre-clinical years?

Response Avg # Responders
3.50 2

0 = none, 10 = extensive

Are syllabi provided for the student?

Response # Responders
yes 2
no 0

How frequently do pre-clinical medical school activities have mandatory attendance?

"Frequently" | Report Response

"Very frequently" | Report Response

Location & Housing

How do you feel about the location of the school?

Response Avg # Responders
8.00 2

0 = Uncomfortable, 10 = Desirable

Do you feel safe on campus?

Response Avg # Responders
9.50 2

0 = Not safe, 10 = Very safe

How available and convenient is public transportation?

Response Avg # Responders
1.50 2

0 = Non-existent, 10 = Extensive & convenient

Is a car necessary at any point during your education here?

Response # Responders
Pre-clinical years 0
Clinical years 2
All years 0
No 0

If a car is required for education, how available and convenient is the parking provided to students?

Response Avg # Responders
7.50 2

0 = Almost impossible, 10 = Available & convenient

Is on-campus housing available?

Response # Responders
yes 2
no 0

What is the quality of available on-campus housing?

Response Avg # Responders
4.00 2

0 = terrible, 10 = great

What percentage of your medical school classmates would you estimate live on campus, if on-campus housing is available?

Response Avg # Responders
4.50 2

0 = 0%, 10 = 100%

Is couples housing available?

Response # Responders
yes 0
no 2

Is nearby off-campus housing available?

Response # Responders
yes 2
no 0

How expensive is nearby off-campus housing?

Response Avg # Responders
5.00 2

0 = exorbitant, 10 = reasonable

Please describe the on-campus housing if available (i.e., cost, type - studios, 1-br, 2-br, etc.)?

"The on campus housing is owned by some of the locals and is way too expensive for what you are getting. The on site laundry facilities are a complete rip off." | Report Response

Cost/Financial Aid

Are fees/tuition expensive?

Response Avg # Responders
8.00 2

0 = exorbitant, 10 = reasonable

How is the cost of living (rent, food, bills, etc.)?

Response Avg # Responders
6.50 2

0 = exorbitant, 10 = reasonable

Are many institutional scholarships/grants available?

Response Avg # Responders
3.00 2

0 = none, 10 = many

Is institutional aid need-based or merit-based?

Response # Responders
Need-based 0
Merit-based 2
Both 0

Faculty/Grades

Are faculty members very open to students during office hours?

Response Avg # Responders
9.00 2

0 = Not at all, 10 = Very open

Are faculty members very available to students via email/message board?

Response Avg # Responders
7.00 2

0 = Not at all, 10 = Very available

Are there many opportunities to shadow/work with clinical faculty?

Response Avg # Responders
5.50 2

0 = none, 10 = lots

Are the faculty willing to mentor students in regards to career guidance?

Response Avg # Responders
6.50 2

0 = no, 10 = very

Is the class ranked?

Response # Responders
yes 0
no 2

How is the instructional faculty during pre-clinical years?

"Excellent Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Immunology, Microbiology" | Report Response

"Hit or miss. Some are absolutely fantastic and there are a few that are terrible, most fall somewhere in between." | Report Response

How is the instructional faculty during clinical years?

"Often quite good, alongside US students in most cases" | Report Response

"Depends on where you are rotating. Some rotation sites have very good faculty some don't. The large centers in Kansas City and Baltimore tend to have really good faculty." | Report Response

Clinical Rotations

Are the desired rotation sites easy to obtain?

Response Avg # Responders
8.50 2

0 = difficult, 10 = easy

Is desired rotation order easy to obtain?

Response Avg # Responders
7.00 2

0 = difficult, 10 = easy

Are the elective rotations easy to obtain?

Response Avg # Responders
8.50 2

0 = difficult, 10 = easy

Is there substantial hands-on experience for medical students?

Response Avg # Responders
9.50 2

0 = none, 10 = substantial

Are the rotation sites conveniently accessible for medical students?

Response Avg # Responders
4.00 2

0 = difficult, 10 = accessible

How far are the clinical sites from the main campus?

Response Avg # Responders
0.00 2

0 = far away, 10 = close

How are clinical rotations scheduled? What are the required rotations?

"Basics first. Med, Surg, Psy, ObGyn, Peds. Electives can be arranged through the school or by the student" | Report Response

"After successful passing of Step 1, a coordinator assigned to you helps you schedule rotations at the various sites throughout the country. If you are flexible with what locations you are willing to be at it is fairly easy to get rotations scheduled back to back with no gaps." | Report Response

What responsibility do med students have on the wards?

"About as much as you want" | Report Response

"Depends on the rotation site. Some places we saw patients on our own, wrote notes and pre-rounded, other places we rounded as a group. Some of the surgery rotations allowed for a significant amount of hands on experience." | Report Response

What is the status/condition of the affiliated hospital(s)?

"From Run Down to Brand New" | Report Response

"Most are decent, there are a few on the East Coast that have a reputation for being less than stellar. Overall though most sites are fine, and in many places we are rotating alongside AMG students." | Report Response

What is the typical patient population medical students work with?

"Varies greatly" | Report Response

"Varied. Depends on clinical site, but mostly urban under served." | Report Response

Social Environment

Do students do a lot of activities outside of school together?

Response Avg # Responders
10.00 2

0 = none, 10 = lots

How would you rank student involvement in extracurricular clubs?

Response Avg # Responders
8.50 2

0 = none, 10 = lots

What is the range of extracurricular clubs available?

Response Avg # Responders
6.50 2

0 = almost none, 10 = wide range

Is the student body cooperative or competitive?

Response Avg # Responders
9.50 2

0 = competitive, 10 = cooperative

Is the environment supportive for underrepresented minorities?

Response Avg # Responders
7.00 2

0 = no, 10 = very

Is the environment supportive for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual students?

Response Avg # Responders
7.00 2

0 = no, 10 = very

Is the environment supportive for married students?

Response Avg # Responders
9.00 2

0 = no, 10 = very

Is the environment supportive for students with disabilities?

Response Avg # Responders
3.50 2

0 = no, 10 = very

Is the environment supportive for older/non-traditional students?

Response Avg # Responders
10.00 2

0 = no, 10 = very

What do the students typically like to do in the area?

"Travel, Party, Scuba Dive, Fish" | Report Response

"Diving, hiking, island bars: Guido's, music night at Swinging Doors, Topo Gigio's , soccer, going to the pools at the various hotels, tourist restaurants, poker night." | Report Response

Post Graduation

How do graduates from this school fare in residency and clinical practice?

"Very well with Primary Care" | Report Response

"Our match rate varies from year to year but my class was told by the clinical dean that our match rate for the past few matches was about 80-85%. Saba is a Caribbean school so obviously most of our matches are in primary care, and we seem to do well matching people to FM, IM, Peds and psych" | Report Response

What do you believe residency directors think about graduates from this program?

"Few really know about it, but I followed another Saba grad into residency so I believe we have a good reputation" | Report Response

"(My PD says he likes me for what that's worth.) We generally do very well once we match. A lot of upper years I know are getting selected as chief residents. Unfortunately because we are a smaller Caribbean school without the name recognition of some other places, many PDs choose not to interview us for more competitive programs or specialty positions, even when we have excellent board scores and clinical grades." | Report Response

Is this school known for producing physicians strong in a certain area? If so, which area?

"Primary Care" | Report Response

"Primary care. Lots of FM and IM matches through the years" | Report Response

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