TROPICS MD
Reflections of a Caribbean Medical Student
{"items":["e726b5ae-bfbb-4713-a1ef-a64b3c58b52a","7f727352-3986-44f4-80aa-c418c56bf5b7","8b5c9ef9-e224-4a35-8918-c8ace19ca738","322e88fd-b6a4-4969-b1e0-25c38d3ace6f"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":false,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":320,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"floatingImages":0,"chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":1,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCubeRatio":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":0,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"useCustomButton":false,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_HOVER","galleryHorizontalAlign":"center","galleryTextAlign":"center","galleryVerticalAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"expand","fullscreen":true,"allowSocial":true,"allowDownload":false,"allowTitle":true,"allowDescription":false,"loveButton":false,"loveCounter":false,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","scrollDirection":0,"overlayAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowTitleExpand":true,"allowDescriptionExpand":true,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"APPEARS","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"AUTOMATIC","textBoxHeight":0,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"textsVerticalPadding":0,"textsHorizontalPadding":0,"titleDescriptionSpace":6,"customButtonText":"","customButtonBorderWidth":1,"customButtonBorderRadius":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"Load more","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"NO_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":1,"videoLoop":true,"gotStyleParams":true,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|fill|true|0|1","showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryImageRatio":2,"sharpParams":{"quality":96,"usm":{},"allowUsm":false},"imageLoadingWithColorMode":"PICKED_COLOR","imageRatioType":"FIXED","numberOfDisplayedItems":3,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"itemShadowOpacityAndColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,0.2)"},"textBoxBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"textBoxFillColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(219,217,217,1)"},"alwaysShowHover":false,"isStoreGallery":false,"previewHover":false,"galleryLayout":2,"itemOpacity":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,0.3)"},"itemFont":{"style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"family":"baskervillemtw01-smbdit","preset":"Heading-M","editorKey":"font_5","size":25,"fontStyleParam":true,"displayName":"Basic Heading","value":"font:normal normal normal 25px/1.4em baskervillemtw01-smbdit,serif;"},"itemFontSlideshow":{"family":"baskervillemtw01-smbdit","displayName":"Basic Heading","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":25,"preset":"Heading-M","editorKey":"font_5","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 25px/1.4em baskervillemtw01-smbdit,serif;"},"itemDescriptionFontSlideshow":{"family":"futura-lt-w01-book","displayName":"Paragraph 2","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":15,"preset":"Body-M","editorKey":"font_8","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 15px/1.4em futura-lt-w01-book,sans-serif;"},"itemDescriptionFont":{"family":"futura-lt-w01-book","displayName":"Paragraph 2","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":15,"preset":"Body-M","editorKey":"font_8","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 15px/1.4em futura-lt-w01-book,sans-serif;"},"itemFontColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"itemFontColorSlideshow":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"itemDescriptionFontColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"itemDescriptionFontColorSlideshow":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"loadMoreButtonFont":{"family":"futura-lt-w01-book","displayName":"Paragraph 2","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":15,"preset":"Body-M","editorKey":"font_8","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 15px/1.4em futura-lt-w01-book,sans-serif;"},"loadMoreButtonFontColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"loadMoreButtonColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"loadMoreButtonBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"arrowsColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"oneColorAnimationColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"isAccessible":false,"allowLeanGallery":false,"layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0},"container":{"top":237,"bottom":"","left":0,"right":0,"width":null,"height":299,"position":"absolute","marginLeft":0,"marginRight":0,"avoidGallerySelfMeasure":true,"galleryWidth":2560,"galleryHeight":299,"scrollBase":0}}
Welcome to my site! I am creating this blog to help document my journey to becoming a physician through Caribbean Medical School at American University of the Caribbean. After all the negative stigma's against Caribbean medical programs, I hope to further clarify the questions many medical students have about International Medical Programs.
I am currently in the September 2021 class in my second semester located in Sint Maarten. I am excited to document my journey and many of the experiences I have as a Caribbean medical student at AUC.
Cheers to a new beginning!
{"items":["bc4a6181-7a62-4867-9ea9-5747b55cc763","007068ec-1837-11e8-a9ff-063f49e9a7e4","dba778c7-6bb6-433e-9c48-d76a7b1561ca","d64e4dc8-6c01-4e7b-8ac8-6a5e144a7540"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":false,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":320,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"floatingImages":0,"chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":1,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCubeRatio":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":0,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"useCustomButton":false,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_HOVER","galleryHorizontalAlign":"center","galleryTextAlign":"center","galleryVerticalAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"allowSocial":true,"allowDownload":false,"allowTitle":false,"allowDescription":false,"loveButton":false,"loveCounter":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","scrollDirection":0,"overlayAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowTitleExpand":true,"allowDescriptionExpand":true,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"APPEARS","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"AUTOMATIC","textBoxHeight":0,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"textsVerticalPadding":0,"textsHorizontalPadding":0,"titleDescriptionSpace":6,"customButtonText":"","customButtonBorderWidth":1,"customButtonBorderRadius":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"Load more","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"NO_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":1,"videoLoop":true,"gotStyleParams":true,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|fill|true|0|1","showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryImageRatio":2,"sharpParams":{"quality":90,"usm":{}},"imageLoadingWithColorMode":"PICKED_COLOR","imageRatioType":"FIXED","numberOfDisplayedItems":3,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"itemShadowOpacityAndColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,0.2)"},"textBoxBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"textBoxFillColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(219,217,217,1)"},"alwaysShowHover":false,"isStoreGallery":false,"previewHover":false,"galleryLayout":2,"itemOpacity":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,0.31)"},"itemFont":{"style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"family":"baskervillemtw01-smbdit","preset":"Heading-M","editorKey":"font_5","size":25,"fontStyleParam":true,"displayName":"Basic Heading","value":"font:normal normal normal 25px/1.4em baskervillemtw01-smbdit,serif;"},"itemFontSlideshow":{"family":"baskervillemtw01-smbdit","displayName":"Basic Heading","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":25,"preset":"Heading-M","editorKey":"font_5","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 25px/1.4em baskervillemtw01-smbdit,serif;"},"itemDescriptionFontSlideshow":{"family":"futura-lt-w01-book","displayName":"Paragraph 2","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":15,"preset":"Body-M","editorKey":"font_8","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 15px/1.4em futura-lt-w01-book,sans-serif;"},"itemDescriptionFont":{"family":"futura-lt-w01-book","displayName":"Paragraph 2","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":15,"preset":"Body-M","editorKey":"font_8","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 15px/1.4em futura-lt-w01-book,sans-serif;"},"itemFontColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"itemFontColorSlideshow":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"itemDescriptionFontColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"itemDescriptionFontColorSlideshow":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"loadMoreButtonFont":{"family":"futura-lt-w01-book","displayName":"Paragraph 2","style":{"bold":false,"italic":false,"underline":false},"size":15,"preset":"Body-M","editorKey":"font_8","fontStyleParam":true,"value":"font:normal normal normal 15px/1.4em futura-lt-w01-book,sans-serif;"},"loadMoreButtonFontColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"loadMoreButtonColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"loadMoreButtonBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(0,0,0,1)"},"arrowsColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"oneColorAnimationColor":{"themeName":"color_11","value":"rgba(255,255,255,1)"},"isAccessible":false,"allowLeanGallery":false,"layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0},"container":{"top":39,"bottom":"","left":0,"right":0,"width":null,"height":299,"position":"absolute","marginLeft":0,"marginRight":0,"avoidGallerySelfMeasure":true,"galleryWidth":2560,"galleryHeight":299,"scrollBase":0}}
About Me
A little bit about me... My name is Tayler Avakian. I grew up in Lodi, CA. When I was 15 I had some minor health problems that caused me to have several surgeries. Once I started learning more about the medical field I grew more and more intrigued at the possibility of becoming a medical doctor. My parents, Deanna and Gene, own a mortgage company and have always been all about business. Needless to say, I never grew up knowing anything about the medical field.
As an undergraduate, I went to San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, CA and earned my A.A. in Math, Science and Teaching. I then transferred to UC Davis where I graduated with my B.S. in Psychology. After working at Lodi Memorial Hospital as a scribe and at Urgent Care Now as a medical assistant, I knew becoming a physician was my place in the world. Due to my health problems, my GPA was NOT the greatest. So, I started a post baccalaureate program at Dominican University and moved to Chicago to start my pre-health journey. After 2 months in the program, I excelled tremendously. My professor, Dr. Hughes, informed me of my options at Caribbean medical schools. After completely finishing my first semester with a 4.0 in 6 graduate level courses, I started studying for the MCAT and then began applying to Caribbean medical schools.
I received an acceptance letter from AUC's MERP program in the April 2017 class in Miramar, FL. Once I was accepted I started looking at so many other blogs from students in Caribbean medical programs including Benji Ho's blog Diary of a Caribbean Medical Student. I wanted to record my experience to help those people who are looking into Caribbean medical schools. Over the next several years, I hope to be as open as I can to help you picture my realistic experience as a Caribbean medical student. I want to post information on classes, living, expenses, and more!
Hope it helps!
Show More