Few moments are more exciting for future physicians than reaching the point when it comes time to choose a medical school. That said, there are many elements to consider when choosing a medical school before making a final selection. Hearing some firsthand insights can be incredibly beneficial in deciding which medical school to attend.

Find out whether the School of Medicine at St. George’s University (SGU) is the right fit for you by taking a look at what graduates of the SGU Doctor of Medicine (MD) program have to say about their experiences.

7 Common reasons graduates choose SGU

There’s a lot that goes into researching medical schools and ultimately choosing the MD program that’s right for you. If you ask SGU grads what helped them make their decision, here are some common answers:

1. The outcomes speak for themselves

Year after year, SGU graduates obtain postgraduate positions all across the US in a variety of specialties. In fact, SGU is the largest provider of new doctors to the US healthcare system.* Facts like these are compelling for future medical students.

“I chose SGU because of its reputation and wide network of clinical sites,” says Dr. Dina Jaber, an internal medicine resident physician at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. “I knew it had a high match rate, and that is the ultimate goal in medical school.”

“SGU’s reputation, particularly in the Caribbean, is really unparalleled.”

Residency success isn’t limited to those from the US, either. In fact, international students looking to become doctors in the US are very successful in obtaining residencies.

“SGU’s reputation, particularly in the Caribbean, is really unparalleled,” explains Dr. Kevin Hosein, a cardiology fellow at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center who is originally from Trinidad and Tobago.

2. SGU’s alumni network is unbeatable

With a network of more than 19,000 School of Medicine graduates, it’s hard to comprehend just how prevalent SGU physicians are throughout the US. One graduate is actually responsible for helping Dr. Jaber discover St. George’s University while she was working as an emergency-department scribe.

“She was a pediatrician who told me she went to SGU and that she had encouraged her brother to go there too,” Dr. Jaber reflects. “Now, they’re both successful pediatricians—he’s even a pediatric cardiologist.”

The alumni network can be useful for those who are preparing to apply for residency as well. “For students looking to apply and get into different parts of the country, there’s always going to be an SGU grad there to give you guidance,” offers Dr. Ninad Desai, an emergency medicine resident physician at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. “And that network is really the strong point of SGU, in my opinion.”

3. The academic quality is excellent

The MD program at SGU is designed to provide students with the foundation they need to be successful physicians. Instructors leverage questions and quizzes that are designed to mimic the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) tests. Students also participate in small group sessions and begin developing clinical skills during the basic sciences portion of the curriculum.

“I felt very prepared for my USMLEs, my clinical rotations, and residency”

“I felt very prepared for my USMLEs, my clinical rotations, and residency,” says Dr. Danielle Krol, medical oncologist and breast cancer medical officer at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Students continue to build on what they know as they progress in their studies. As they gain more clinical experience, students are challenged to conduct themselves as qualified physicians who take their roles seriously.

4. Participating in unique experiences is inevitable

Gaining exposure to people of different backgrounds is inevitable at SGU. Students, staff and faculty come from more than 150 different countries, and there are countless opportunities to experience other cultures through selective courses as well as clinical rotations. In fact, SGU has clinical training sites based in the US, Canada, and the UK.

“My times at SGU were some of the best of my life,” says Dr. Brett Jones, a psychiatry resident physician at the University of Toronto. “I was able to study medicine in four different countries, which ultimately prepared me to match in my first-choice residency.”

5. The learning environment is exceptional

The 42-acre Grenada campus is equipped with the latest technology, even featuring a simulation center that introduces students to new techniques and tools. Facilities also include labs, lecture halls, a fitness center, and a research institute. For many students, living in Grenada is ideal for completing their medical education.

“It was beautiful to live in and experience another culture,” Dr. Jaber says. “Something I found to be special was learning throughout our patient simulation sessions, which included local Grenadians as our acting patients.” She adds that she also enjoyed nonacademic pursuits while in Grenada, such as attending sunset yoga classes.

6. Classmates develop close personal relationships

“I made great friends in Grenada,” Dr. Hosein recalls. “The distance between us has grown with time—with everyone in residency, fellowships, and everything—but our friendship is still as strong as ever. We are very close and speak to each other almost on a daily basis.”

“I met some of my best and closest friends and mentors at SGU, and it was truly one of the best times of my life.”

There are plenty of other graduates who echo this sentiment. It’s one of the reasons why Dr. Nicole Salmen, an obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) resident physician at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, reflects on her time at SGU so fondly.

“I met some of my best and closest friends and mentors at SGU, and it was truly one of the best times of my life,” she says.

7. There’s an abundance of support

While medical school is rigorous, SGU gives aspiring physicians the tools they need to be successful. Students have access to many support services, including a robust array of programs offered by the Department of Educational Services (DES).

“I used support services mostly in my first term,” Dr. Jaber says. “I utilized the peer review sessions and found that learning from my peers helped solidify concepts and made it easier to apply them.”

“SGU absolutely gave me access to everything I needed in order to succeed and continue down the path of becoming a very knowledgeable and professional doctor.”

The culture of support is infused throughout the entire School of Medicine community as well. Faculty, staff, and fellow students all strive to help you be successful during medical school and beyond.

“SGU absolutely gave me access to everything I needed in order to succeed and continue down the path of becoming a very knowledgeable and professional doctor,” Dr. Desai states.

Start your MD journey at SGU

While each of the above graduates has their own reasons for choosing SGU, they all agree that it was the right school for them. According to Dr. Jaber, you have every reason to believe you can achieve the same level of success.

“If you know you want to be a doctor and you have the will and determination to put in 110 percent, don’t spend more time wondering,” she advises. “Go to SGU!”

To find out how you can start working toward your life as a physician, request information today.

 

*As the medical school graduating the largest number of students annually, SGU places the largest number of graduates into residency programs each year, based on internal SGU graduate and residency placement data as of May 2022.