What Students are Criticizing SGU For 

The Negatives about GU 

To address the elephant in the room, your chances for residency at this school are comparable to other schools that you are going to find in the Caribbean which are much lower than the averages in US or Canadian-based schools.  The nice thing about the school are the various partnerships with other hospitals to make clinical rotations a viable option in the US system but this is by far the most costly medical school out there and average around $200,000  if you are looking to the tropics.  The unsettling thing about this is you are taking a huge chance going to the Caribbean and with the quality of other IMG programs improving worldwide, the competition for spots generally reserved for IMGs is more difficult at can make this school an expensive gamble and a huge medical school debt if it doesn't work out. 

Another negative that former and current students cited was the "cut-throat" attitude that seems to be present on the island.  With so many students trying to stand out on such a small territory, it can be unpleasant to have that added pressure when you are already unsure about your future.  Students also commented about problems with security on the island which is something that should not be overlooked, but this may generally be one of the reasons why studying in the Caribbean is a bad idea. There were a few personal accounts where students state their apartments or their homes were broken into during the night and various electronics were stolen.  A few former alumni refute the claim that the entire island is dangerous and only specific neighborhoods can be problematic but did stress that you need to be cautious where ever you wander around the island.  

Another criticism quite consistent between the alumni was the low quality dormitories that are available once you get to the island.  Most stated they were forced to discover the island for themselves quite early on in the process because the dormitories were "unlivable."  When you are moving your live to an unfamiliar place, the stress of Medical School is hard enough.  No one wants to have to worry about a safe place to live as well.  

Overall, the general census among the alumni seems to suggest that it is a school that has some positives and negatives.  There are criticisms about the professors, classes, school office, and even some of the rotations but this is expected when you are considering this type of institution to get your medical degree.

 Although the school reports an attrition rate of around 10%, students claim this number is exaggerated.  As long as you work hard and apply yourself, especially if you "coasted through undergrad," there is a possibility to have a very successful career in Medicine.  If you don't apply yourself, you are having a very large loan against your name that is going to be hard to pay back if you are not switching to another professional career.  You have to realize that if you are in the Caribbean system, you already face an uphill climb so try not to make your journey even harder with bad study habits and a lackadaisical attitude to the profession.