Medical school in Santo Domingo

Julievo

New member
Feb 12, 2002
6
0
0
a chiropractor wants to get his Medical degree in DR. and practice in USA

i am a chiropractor licensed in USA and would like to go to UNIBE to get my MD degree at Unibe, is this possible? is there a chance of getting residency in US and get US License? please advise!
 
Last edited:

Esteban

New member
Feb 22, 2002
2
0
0
Unibe

My cousin studied medicine at UNIBE. The medical classes are given mostly in English with modern English text books. The education here is way more hands on than in the US. Instead of spending 4 years fulfilling university requirements before applying to medical school, by the second year you may be working as an intern in hospitals and clinics. Since the country is relatively poor, there is a higher chance of dealing with disease and medical problems that may be rare in North America. Therefore, the education is based more on hands on experience and less on theory and text.
 

bichondad

New member
Jan 19, 2002
83
0
0
DR MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Estaban,

From personal experience, I have to agree with most of what you say.

The poster did not say where her husband wanted to practice medicine. If he is thinking about the US, he's about 15-20 years too late. His chances of getting ANY type of residency [ without which he cannot get a US license ] are almost ZERO!

In the US today, nobody cares how smart you are. You are an FMG [or IMG] AND from a DR medical school at that! :(

I wish it were different, but it ain't. :(
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Bichondad, I think you are mistaken.

However, at this point in his life, if her husband hasn't taken his university degree, he is probably not going to be very successful, even at UNIBE where ECH, MD works....
that is mostly an "Pay your money and get your degree institution" which caters to foreign students that couldn't cut it anywhere else.

Even so, after four or five years and his MD degree, the poor guy has to pass the famous Boards. If he can't pass the boards, he cannot get a Residency. If he is not a US Resident or citizen, he can't get a residency.

He CAN practice medicine if he passes the Boards. In some states, at least. (I wish ECH, MD would chime in on this).....He would be a general medicine doctor, at best, perhaps in a tiny town with no doctor...

This is pretty much a pipedream, at least from my experience....

Sorry, but that is life.

HB
 

Janice

New member
Jan 12, 2002
299
0
0
USMLE

HB

He must take a standardized exam to practice ANYWHERE in the US, the United States Medical Licesning Exam (USMLE) About 90% of "Beach school" students flunk it. We have ungodly malpractice exams with these "doctors," their knowledge is about that of an LPN
 

Julievo

New member
Feb 12, 2002
6
0
0
Re: DR MEDICAL SCHOOLS

bichondad said:
Estaban,

From personal experience, I have to agree with most of what you say.

The poster did not say where her husband wanted to practice medicine. If he is thinking about the US, he's about 15-20 years too late. His chances of getting ANY type of residency [ without which he cannot get a US license ] are almost ZERO!

In the US today, nobody cares how smart you are. You are an FMG [or IMG] AND from a DR medical school at that! :(

I wish it were different, but it ain't. :(
 

Julievo

New member
Feb 12, 2002
6
0
0
Re: Unibe

Esteban said:
My cousin studied medicine at UNIBE. The medical classes are given mostly in English with modern English text books. The education here is way more hands on than in the US. Instead of spending 4 years fulfilling university requirements before applying to medical school, by the second year you may be working as an intern in hospitals and clinics. Since the country is relatively poor, there is a higher chance of dealing with disease and medical problems that may be rare in North America. Therefore, the education is based more on hands on experience and less on theory and text.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Janice, you are so right about that exam. Most flunk it and there ends the dreams

However, I am happy to inform you that of the students of the PUCMM that decide to take that test, over 92% pass on the first try. Why? Because they have been thru hell and back to graduate, they are good and they know how to study. The University does not recruit any English Speaking students. Over 90%of its graduates are practicing medicine here in the DR, which is why it was created in the first place.

The ones that do decide to take that test are generally Puertoricans, Cubans or Dominicans educated mostly (Until they came to the PUCMM) in the US, know English very well and have proved to be good students.

No amount of money can guarantee a graduation there....

HB
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Bichondad: I was taking issue with your 2nd and 3rd paragraphs.

You seem to imply that a DR med school grad cannot practice in the US. Every year, hundreds are making the grade.

My point is, if they can pass the Boards, they can practice. And I am assuming that they are US citizens or legal residents to start with, since non-residents, I believe, cannot practice medicine.

Their main problem might be getting the residency they desire, since that is always, even for US med school grads, somewhat of a problem.

I do think that, in this particular case, you were pretty accurate, since we are dealing with an adult (25-35??), who has already passed the age of most of the students here who graduate this year!. As a candidate for graduation, I would put this person in the lower 20%....

I tell my students that you don't have to be a genius to become a doctor, but you must have the vocation, without which there is no way you are going to stand up to the rigors of med school...

HB
 

bichondad

New member
Jan 19, 2002
83
0
0
I STAND CORRECTED

HB,

You are correct. "IF" he passes the boards. "IF" he can then get a residency spot.

Those are two big "IF's" but I agree it can be done.

I really agree that anyone that goes to medical school to make money is crazy!! :(

It is, as you say, a vocation.......not a JOB. There are better ways to make money without working as hard as the average GP or Internist must
 

Dieu

New member
Mar 3, 2002
5
0
0
Julievo?

Tu veux vraiment t'installer au Etats-Unis? Je n'ai rien compris ? ta question!!!!!!
 

El Jefe

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
534
0
0
The person asking the question is already a chiropractor who also wants to double as a MD. This means at least 6 years of college and School of Chiropractic (right AZB?). This would give him a step up compared to most others. IMO

Edit: Do we have a Haitian virus attacking us?? Mon Dieu!!
 

bichondad

New member
Jan 19, 2002
83
0
0
CHIROPRACTOR>>>>>>>MD??

I can't imagine a practicing Chiropractor stopping his practice, becoming a full time medical student, just to put an "MD" after his name.

When you do the math, it doesn't pay. I'm referring to US pay scales.

What am I missing??
 

El Jefe

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
534
0
0
Its not that uncommon today. A lot of them do it so they can qualify for insurance payments form health insurers and HMOs. I have a friend who has both degrees and he did it because it increased his ability to serve his patients. He is also a nutritionist and has done a lot of study in that field.
 

bichondad

New member
Jan 19, 2002
83
0
0
El Jefe.

It still doesn't make sense!

Four years of Med School and three years of residency? What does one gain?
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
You have hit upon one of the points that I failed to make. IF a person is already out of college, the whole process of going back to school, plus the hassles of trying for a residency are really beyond not only feasibility but reality..

HB
 

sostres

New member
Apr 25, 2003
1
0
0
Med school at UNIBE

This is my first pot to this board (logged on trying to find a chiropractor in Sto Dgo, AZB - will call Marc Schechter). Anyway - I am a US attorney studying medicine at INTEC. I did quite a bit of research before moving down there last year. It is difficult to get residencies "of your choice". It is possible, however, to get residencies that are relatively uncompetitive or in locations that are considered undesireable by most US grads. For example, if your dream is to be an orthopedic surgeon, it will be difficult, if not impossible. However, if psychiatry (which is what I want to do) or pediatrics is OK with you, and you are willing to go to a residency program thats in an inner-city or out in a rural under-serviced area, your chances are much better. That, of course, is assuming you pass the USMLEs.

Hope this helps. If there is any other info you're looking for about med school in the capital, let me know.

Sostres