Honest Advice Only Please
I started at a Caribbean medical school in 2023 (at one of the top 3 - not identifying as I am still in the process) and recently got recommended for dismissal after struggling through Term 4 and Term 5. I repeated both terms, passed Term 4 but unfortunately still didn’t pass Term 5 the second time around (missed it by a little bit).
Reasons I had to repeat - T4 I was struggling with the content and volume, T5 I struggled with integration and cumulative assessment.
I’m planning to appeal the dismissal, but I’m also trying to be realistic about my situation. My school has a 6-year completion timeline, and because of the repeats, I’d have less than 3 years left to finish clinicals if I’m reinstated. That part is really stressing me out.
Please no bashing Caribbean med schools — I understood the risks going in and I’m not looking for people to tell me “you should’ve never gone there.” I’m just honestly trying to figure out my next move.
For context:
- Canadian applicant
- Applied to Canadian med schools for 2 cycles
- Applied US MD once
- Undergraduate GPA: 3.0 (i know this isn't the best) - BSc health science
- MCAT: 488 (i know this isn't the best either)
- Most US MD schools that responded suggested doing a master’s before reapplying
- Have over 700 hrs of healthcare volunteering experience
I’m still interested in medicine and healthcare overall, but I’m starting to wonder whether becoming a physician is something I should put on the back burner for now. I’ve been looking into alternatives like PA school or becoming a lab tech just to build a more stable path forward and to also help repay some of the debt I'm currently in. My parents are very supportive so that helpful in terms of the debt.
Part of me wants to keep fighting for the MD because I’ve already invested so much time/money/energy into this. Another part of me wonders if I’m forcing something that maybe isn’t working academically.
I guess I’m looking for honest advice from people who’ve been in similar situations:
- Is it worth appealing and trying to continue?
- Has anyone recovered academically after failing/repeating multiple basic science terms?
- At what point do you decide to pivot?
- If you left medicine temporarily/permanently, what did you move into?
I’m open to hearing difficult truths, just hoping for constructive advice rather than being torn apart.