What graduating class are you in?

2012

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

No

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

Not applicable

What was your MCAT score?

493

What was your undergrad GPA?

3.3

What was your undergrad science GPA?

3.2

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

45356

What is your race/ethnic background?

Caucasian

Overall, how would you rate this medical program?

7 out of 10

What do you like most about this school?

"Looking back, I enjoyed a few things while on the island: the isolation from typical hometown/university town distractions, and the close knit student community. I felt bad for those around me that didn't have the courage to leave their comfort zone and interact with new people or join clubs/organizations (I was one of them for a while, though I did get more studying done at the time). Off the island, during my clinical blocks, it was beneficial to experience many different hospital systems and clinical styles in varying locales. Some of the students around me couldn't handle the lack of omnipotent control over their schedules, though I found that the students who had connections (not me) or those few students with all of their t's crossed and i's dotted (again, not me) were pretty much able to go where they wanted. I tended to go with the flow." Report Response

What do you like least about this school?

"It's important to know that a handful of states have additional requirements that need to be met before they accept international students for a residency spot. California being one... Near the end of my clinicals there was a weird situation that occurred with a hospital that I rotated through where it may or may not have been acceptable for California residencies. This whole thing was pretty confusing for me and even though the administration did everything they could to try and fix the situation, I chose not to pursue obtaining residency in California as a result. Not a huge deal, I still interviewed for several very selective residency spots and got my second choice. I've since settled down in the state where I completed my residency, and looking back as a licensed/certified MD, I sometimes wonder "what if" I had pursued the residency in Cali (where I initially wanted to be). The other thing, getting acceptable clinical rotations to meet those state requirements are often difficult to obtain. From what I understood at the time, those spots were prioritized for locals of that state and/or students with merit. It was likely in my control (using the merit argument), but the whole situation was a bit convoluted for me until actually going through it, and therefore was the aspect I liked least of Ross U. If you go international, and you want to train in a state with an exception, make sure your ducks are in a row from the get go." Report Response

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

5 out of 10

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

No Response

Please provide any other general comments on your school

"Having read the other review here about Ross University SOM, I was compelled to provide students considering this route with another perspective. I studied hard and passed all my exams/boards with good/great scores on the first try. I secured an excellent residency spot with my second choice. After completing my residency, I got my license and board certification and now I'm living the dream as a clinical assistant professor for a major university. In addition, my close network of friends all obtained equally good residency spots - many FP and IM but also EM, OBGYN, surgery, etc... I personally didn't know anyone who went into rads/ortho/anesthesia/derm and the like, but my friends didn't apply for those spots. Friends of friends did get in though. FYI, a match list is posted on the Ross website for all to see going back to 2005... So, it's really not a mystery. Ross grads do match into good residencies and the ones that are determined and put in the work are well respected by their peers. Having worked in a faculty position at a US medical school now for several years I will attest, the education does not differ between schools. Medical school is medical school, they all teach the same thing... It's the students that differ. I do feel bad for those who did not make it, but it's for the best because being a physician is not an easy path to take. It only gets more difficult and the responsibility only increases as you progress through school into residency. At Ross, just like any other medical school, you will be tested. But at Ross, factor in that you will likely be away from family, friends, familiar comfortable places and foods. It's not for everyone. It's an opportunity. If you want it bad enough, and if your determined and driven, you will succeed!" Report Response

Are fees/tuition expensive?

7 out of 10

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

4 out of 10

Are many institutional scholarships/grants available?

5 out of 10

Is institutional aid need-based or merit-based?

No Response

How is the curriculum structured?

No Response

How many courses are taken at a given time?

No Response

How long are you typically in class per day?

No Response

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

No Response

How many days per week is anatomy lab?

No Response

How many students per cadaver?

No Response

How long (in months) do you have anatomy?

No Response

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

5 out of 10

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

5 out of 10

What books are necessary?

No Response

What books are unnecessary?

No Response

Is the curriculum designed to promote a specialty? If so, which specialty?

No Response

Are faculty members very open to students during office hours?

5 out of 10

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

5 out of 10

How is the instructional faculty during pre-clinical years?

No Response

How is the instructional faculty during clinical years?

No Response

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

5 out of 10

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

5 out of 10

What is the grading scale used during pre-clinical years?

No Response

What is the grading scale used during clinical years?

No Response

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

No Response

Are the desired rotation sites easy to obtain?

5 out of 10

Is desired rotation order easy to obtain?

5 out of 10

Are the elective rotations easy to obtain?

5 out of 10

Is there substantial hands-on experience for medical students?

5 out of 10

Are the rotation sites conveniently accessible for medical students?

5 out of 10

What responsibility do med students have on the wards?

No Response

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

No Response

How far are the clinical sites from the main campus?

5 out of 10

What is the typical patient population medical students work with?

No Response

How do you feel about the location of the school?

8 out of 10

Do you feel safe on campus?

10 out of 10

How available and convenient is public transportation?

7 out of 10

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

No Response

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

5 out of 10

What is the quality of available on-campus housing?

5 out of 10

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

No Response

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

5 out of 10

How expensive is nearby off-campus housing?

5 out of 10

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

8 out of 10

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

No Response

How would you rank student involvement in extracurricular clubs?

8 out of 10

What is the range of extracurricular clubs available?

8 out of 10

Is the student body cooperative or competitive?

7 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for underrepresented minorities?

8 out of 10

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

8 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for students with disabilities?

5 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for married students?

8 out of 10

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

8 out of 10

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

"Match stats are posted to the Ross University SOM website to review back to 2005." Report Response

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

"Since Ross graduates (and most offshore schools) are filtered out of many residency spots, particularly the selective specialties, I would say primary care residencies are the strong suit. They are the most common and arguably the easiest group of residencies to get into. From my experience, students are also aware of this before matriculation and it probably reduces the potential applicants who prefer the more selective specialties. In addition, I think students may take on (or happen to match into) primary care spots if they determine they lack the competitive edge for the more selective specialties as they work their way through the medical school program." Report Response

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

"In my opinion, it depends on the graduate and their particular situation. Residency is difficult and it's important to know the track record of an applicant and how they will manage the impending stress and responsibilities of the residency program and beyond. Many students go to offshore schools because they did not get an acceptance from a US school. That is a red flag and I would assume some residency programs don't want to take that risk. For many US residency programs, I would also assume that there is pressure to not accept offshore candidates for fear that it will make the residency program look weak or poor in quality. That probably isn't good for the bottom line. It's also important to know how the graduate managed their time and coursework while in the medical school program. Other issues that come up are: Was leave taken? If so, for how long? What for? Any failures (blocks/boards)? Why? These things all add up with plenty of other factors to make a graduate competitive. I would have to say that residency directors that aren't under pressure to avoid offshore grads, likely review those applications carefully to select the graduates who demonstrate the commitment and determination to be successful in their program and beyond." Report Response