| 3 of 3 people found the following result helpful. |
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Take this survey now!
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| 1. What do you like best about your school? |
• - Gave me an opportunity to follow my dream of becoming a physician -Environment allowed for ample time to learn -School constantly upgrading facilities -Had the opportunity to live in a 3rd world environment amongst a completely different culture -Most professors genuinely care about students progress - About the only things that I like about Spartan is the opportunity to set-up your own clinicals in the US, and the cheap tuition ($2850/trimester) - About the only things that I like about Spartan is the opportunity to set-up your own clinicals in the US, and the cheap tuition ($2850/trimester) - The opportunity to sit for the USMLE. - gave me a chance - The classes are small so you have an opportunity to be one on one with the teachers if you need their extra time or tutoring. The professors are generally teaching the material well and if you do your share of the learning you will get much out of the experience. As with anything in life you get what you put into it. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in community projects, school government, AMSA, journalism, etc... There is much access to just about everything...you just have to be motivated to do it...Many of my classmates and I have found that the class work in combination with USMLE reviews has made us successful in not just passing but doing very well on the National Boards. And if you take advantage of the many opportunities for extracurricular activities you should have no problem filling up your CV when the time comes. Overall, the curriculum (although jam packed) is more than adequate for basic science purposes if students take time in learning the material. The books used in class are the same books used in all the major US medical teaching institutions, so all you have to do is take the time to learn what is being taught, tested and inside those books. As far as rotations go, if you pass the exit exam and the USMLE you are placed in US clinical sites. I have personally been (some to my effort) to some of the best teaching hospitals in the United States. I wanted to travel so I was exposed to quite a few of the top 25 ranked hospitals in the nation. I would say I had a GREAT educational experience and feel more than ready to begin residency. Some of the residents that I know personally have done very well and have gotten into Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Neurology, Anesthesiology and competitive fellowships such as Cardiology & Gastroenterology. I have enjoyed my medical education experience in St. Lucia and would recommend it to anyone that can be self-motivated and does NOT need pushing to excel and do well. The location (Northern St. Lucia > Southern St. Lucia) is spectacular and there are a verity of activities including a three-story mall, rainforest safaris, horse-back riding, hiking, beaches and TONS of fabulous food. My favorite place is the Italian Gelato Ice-Cream shop...Overall, it is a great place to study and live.
• 1. The Island where it's located 2. The school will give those with no chance a chance (for what reasons I'm still not sure).
• Spartan is a smaller school with a maximum of 40 or 50 students per class. There is a very low teacher to student ratio and therefore, professors really try and help student learn what they dont understand. There is good comradery between medical students for the most part. The island is beautiful and quite safe. The clinical training received during years 3 and 4 are excellent.
• It was in the early stages of moving from an old furniture factory to a new facility. I was there when our classes where in one classroom all day. Now it has flourished to being competitive with other schools.
• Very cheap tuition
• I really appreciated the small class sizes and how easy it was to speak with and get additional information from faculty (day or night).
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| 2. Atmosphere |
| | Competitive | Cooperative | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Learning environment | |  | (7) | (100%) |
| [Time] | (3) | (4) | | |
| [Percent] | (42.86%) | (57.14%) | | |
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| 3. Atmosphere |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities and level of student involvement | | | | | | (7) | (100%) |
| [Time] | (0) | (3) | (2) | (1) | (1) | | |
| [Percent] | (0%) | (42.86%) | (28.57%) | (14.29%) | (14.28%) | | |
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| 4. Geography |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Safety of the campus | | | | | | (7) | (50%) | | Enjoyment of the area | | | | | | (7) | (50%) |
| [Time] | (0) | (0) | (5) | (7) | (2) | | |
| [Percent] | (0%) | (0%) | (35.71%) | (50%) | (14.29%) | | |
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| 5. Supportive Environment for: |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Careers in primary care | | | | | | (7) | (22.58%) | | Underrepresented ethnic minorities | | | | | | (7) | (22.58%) | | Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students | | | | | | (5) | (16.13%) | | Students with disabilities | | | | | | (5) | (16.13%) | | Married students | | | | | | (7) | (22.58%) |
| [Time] | (2) | (5) | (9) | (4) | (11) | | |
| [Percent] | (6.45%) | (16.13%) | (29.03%) | (12.9%) | (35.49%) | | |
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| 6. Academics (Years 1 & 2): |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Quality of teaching in years 1 and 2 | | | | | | (7) | (25%) | | Adequacy of curriculum in preparing you for USMLE Step 1 | | | | | | (7) | (25%) | | Hours per week in lectures for students in traditional curriculum | | | | | | (7) | (25%) | | Opportunities for patient interaction in the year 1 and 2 curriculum | | | | | | (7) | (25%) |
| [Time] | (6) | (4) | (8) | (4) | (6) | | |
| [Percent] | (21.43%) | (14.29%) | (28.57%) | (14.29%) | (21.42%) | | |
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| 7. Academics (Years 3 & 4): |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Quality of teaching in years 3 and 4 | | | | | | (6) | (33.33%) | | Amount of responsibility given to students for patient care | | | | | | (6) | (33.33%) | | Overall assessment of the clinical training at your school | | | | | | (6) | (33.34%) |
| [Time] | (3) | (0) | (3) | (5) | (7) | | |
| [Percent] | (16.67%) | (0%) | (16.67%) | (27.78%) | (38.88%) | | |
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| 8. Facilities |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Adequacy of computer labs | | | | | | (7) | (33.33%) | | Adequacy of libraries | | | | | | (7) | (33.33%) | | Adequacy of study space | | | | | | (7) | (33.34%) |
| [Time] | (2) | (2) | (9) | (7) | (1) | | |
| [Percent] | (9.52%) | (9.52%) | (42.86%) | (33.33%) | (4.77%) | | |
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| 9. Administration |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Helpfulness of administration, i.e. Dean of Students | | | | | | (7) | (25.93%) | | Financial aid counseling | | | | | | (7) | (25.93%) | | Administration's support/encouragement of student organizations | | | | | | (6) | (22.22%) | | Student involvement in administrative decisions, i.e. admissions, curriculum, etc. | | | | | | (7) | (25.92%) |
| [Time] | (4) | (9) | (7) | (5) | (2) | | |
| [Percent] | (14.81%) | (33.33%) | (25.93%) | (18.52%) | (7.41%) | | |
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| 10. Opportunities |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| For research | | | | | | (7) | (33.33%) | | To receive career guidance and mentoring | | | | | | (7) | (33.33%) | | For experience with underserved populations | | | | | | (7) | (33.34%) |
| [Time] | (6) | (8) | (1) | (5) | (1) | | |
| [Percent] | (28.57%) | (38.1%) | (4.76%) | (23.81%) | (4.76%) | | |
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| 11. Overall satisfaction |
| | Poor | Fair | Average | Above Average | Excellent | [Time] | [Percent] |
| Provide an overall rating of your school | | | | | | (7) | (100%) |
| [Time] | (0) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | | |
| [Percent] | (0%) | (28.57%) | (28.57%) | (28.57%) | (14.29%) | | |
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| 12. What do you like least about your school? |
• - Administration often unorganized -Not wide variety of hospitals for 3rd and 4th yr rotations - Anti-student posture taken by the majority of the faculty, and the overwhelming poor quality of individuals teaching. - Anti-student posture taken by the majority of the faculty, and the overwhelming poor quality of individuals teaching. - Quality of teaching. - disorganization, lack of support - The class hours are very long. Tests seem to come one after the other (every other day or so). There is NOT much of leash or beating down on the students so as a student you have to be motivated and self-reliant. Some of the students loose track of that independence and do not fair well in class exams and then it goes down hill from there for them. It’s very easy to slip, fall and not be able to get up in such a system. The administration and the professors are approachable to your questions, comments or concerns and are willing to help, but only if you ask for it. Because the campus is small most of the students enjoy creating tensions and conflicts to keep their minds busy...that can get on your nerves and has a potential to create great havoc and steal form a potentially pleasant experience. Once you successfully pass Step One of the Boards the school is more than happy to help place you in US clinical sites. However, if you do not pass your exit exam or USMLE you are on you own but amazingly enough the school does not hold you back; they actually allow you to set up your own clinicals if it meets the required standards (this in not easy). Most Caribbean school and certainly many US medical schools are not as amiable. In many of the US schools if you are unable to pass the USMLE or their equivalent of our exit exam you get pulled out of rotations and in some cases are made to repeat some classes.
• The administration is not student friendly, and they are not proactive about the schools image and future existence of it's graduates. Most students have no administrative support or any type of mentoring.
• The school does not help to student enough for preparation for USMLE Step 1. It is really up to the student to study secondary material in order to prepare. Students are not "spoonfed" whatsoever. I think if Spartan added another semester of basic sciences that concentrated on USMLE Step 1 preparation, Spartan could move from average to above average.
• I would have appreciated some type of school run intramural sports teams. Students set things up themselves which actually worked out very well but I would have preferred some type of standard set up of when games would occur.
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| 13. Please share any other thoughts you may have about your school. |
• - Spartan is a great school for the motivated medical student. Much of the determination must come from within as the island's beauty provides much distraction if one allows it!! - If my school had the proper administration in control it would be a much better environment for learning. Unfortunately, it is schools like this that give good students like myself the stigma of having to "prove" ourselves once we return to the US. - If my school had the proper administration in control it would be a much better environment for learning. Unfortunately, it is schools like this that give good students like myself the stigma of having to "prove" ourselves once we return to the US. - For those with a high threshold for patience and with a highly motivated work ethic, it's an excellent place to have the chance to pursue medicine. - As with almost any Caribbean school...if you are searching for a competitive residency do not attend a Caribbean school as a general rule...you are better off trying again for a US school of going off to Europe (however it is harder to do US clinicals if you are in a European school system). If you are a self motivated student, enjoy independent studies, able to get along with other (play nice), want to get a Caribbean Medical Degree without the inflated price and have reasonable goals for yourself, I would recommend Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine to you. I wish you all the best in your medical education...as I have enjoyed and excelled in my experiences.
• I believe this school has a very good chance to turn itself around. Unfortunately this organization is run by one man (micromanager) instead of a group of educators and managers. The students are hurt by this in the long run.
• Great if you have an inner drive to acheive
• I do highly recommend SHSU to others. It is a great school where everyone is friendly and the environment is not a kill or be killed situation like many of the larger schools. I feel very well prepared for the USMLE. The rotations sites are very good as well. I have rotated with students from almost every other carib school and I have even rotated with many US students.
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