Ross University School of Medicine DeVry Ross University School of Medicine with over 40% failiure rate and substandard quality of education Dominica Miami

Ross University School of Medicine – Overview

Before you read this, it is the opinion of this author that anything that is published by Ross University is not credible. Ross University School of Medicine is a Caribbean medical school, owned and operated by DeVry Inc, a publicly traded company that owns many online Universities, including two for-profit medical schools in the Caribbean, the American University of Caribbean (AUC) and Ross University School of Medicine(RUSM). DeVry Inc. is currently being investigated by the offices of the attorneys general of Illinois and Massachusetts for its use of student loans, its compensation practices, and accounting malpractice. The company has also been under several investigations by both federal and state authorities in the past.

Based on published reports by DeVry Inc., Ross University School of Medicine’s attrition rate is about 10 times (27% vs. 3%) that of medical schools operating in the US. Furthermore, of those students remaining, only 52% graduate on time. But the actual attrition rate is much higher since the stated rate can neither be verified nor can it be trusted. The company has also been under several investigations by both federal and state authorities in the past.

There have been many lawsuits filed by students against Ross University and its parent company, DeVry Inc., and even many more against DeVry Inc. alone. But the voices of Ross students have been silenced within the halls of justice. Note that these lawsuits were filed by those students who could afford an attorney. The majority of students who have been victims of Ross University’s abuses are unable to seek justice because they cannot afford to do so.PASER online. PASER only covers a few courts . There are other lawsuits that are not accessible online.

Recent Lawsuit Filed by Students Against Ross University and Devry Inc:
Philp vs. Ross University
Blair Vs. Ross University
Greene Vs. Ross University
Archut Vs. Ross University
Goddard Vs. Ross University
Scott Vs. Ross University
Dasrath Vs. Ross University
Weitzman Vs. Ross University;
HortonVs. Ross University;
Other cases that we couldn’t access online;

When you file a complaint with Ross

When you file a complaint with Ross University, Ross does not usually respond. If, however, the complaint could be damaging to the school, then Ross may contact you through the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman works for Ross. It is his job to protect the university from complaints and/or allegations. The Ombudsman will first recommend that you sign a non-disparagement agreement mediated through Ross’ attorney, William Gyves, so you can continue your education. Their attorney always chooses the New Jersey court as the venue for any problems that may arise from the agreement. The New Jersey court has provided 100% favorable judgments for Ross in the past with no wins for the students. This is called forum shopping: choosing New Jersey as a venue to provide Ross University with a favorable judgment.

If you do sign the agreement, you are giving up your right to file a complaint. Then they make your life a living hell. For example, they will delay scheduling your rotations, or they may contact your clinical supervisors to disparage you, or they will place you into a low-end affiliated hospital where you’ll not receive any clinical experience, essentially undermining your chances for success. Even if you decide to transfer to another Caribbean medical school, Ross will contact your new school to increase your chances of dismissal.

If you don’t sign the agreement, they will find a way to kick you out of the program. If you file a lawsuit against them, they have deep pockets, a legal team fighting for them, and the patience to drag out your case until you have become financially, emotionally, and psychologically exhausted. Students have lost most lawsuits against Ross/DeVry because the judges often side with the major corporations.

Ross University – High Enrollment & Failure Rate

Prospective medical students who will be taking on huge loans to finance their medical education at Ross University need to ask themselves two questions:
1) What is the average fail rate of students for semesters 1 to 4 since 2008, and
2) What is the average enrollment rate for students since 2008?

High Enrollment Rate

No one knows the exact enrollment numbers except Ross University, which refuses to disclose any information. According to Ross University “Ross University enrolls approximately 350 students in each incoming class. Lecture halls are designed to hold approximately 350-400 students”. However, based on personal experience and personal statements from students, it is believed that since 2009 the average enrollment each semester at Ross University is greater than 600 students. But again, no one knows the exact numbers except Ross.
Furthermore, the enrollment numbers will vary since one needs to determine if the numbers reflect only new students for that semester or if they include some of the many who are repeating that semester all over again.

The lecture halls Ross University can hold a maximum of 300 students, the Anatomy Lab holds 50 to 60 students, and the library holds between 75 – 100 students. However, with an average enrollment of greater than 600 students each semester, this leads to overcrowding. Trailers have to be brought in to handle some of the overflow, but most of the time the students stay home and watch the video lecture.
In the United States a student must attend class no less than 60% of the time. But in Dominica, where there is no oversight, the students are forced to Mediasite due to overcrowding, which is online delivery of the videotaped lectures by Ross University, using Devry’s Inc. technology.

High Failure Rate for Semesters 1-4

According to Ross University, only 57% (percent) of Ross University School of Medicine students finished their program. However, no one knows the exact number of students who fail semesters 1 to 4 at Ross University except Ross University.The school refuses to disclose detailed information and this information is critical to prospective students in order to make an informed enrollment decision. According to Ross University “The current retention rate for Foundations of Medicine students is about eighty percent. Ninety-five percent of students who pass semester 1 and 2 without repeating any courses go on to graduate”. But statement made by Ross University should be taken with a grain of salt.
When pressed for answers, Ross University refuses to comply and submit exact figures. The Dominican Medical Board would not disclose this information either, though internal board meeting memos indicate their concerns about the Ross University’s high attrition rate.
Based on personal experience and personal statements from other students, it is believed that the average failure rate for semesters 1 to 4 at Ross University is between 40 – 50%.

Ross University – Misinformation & Misinterpretation of Facts

DeVry Inc., the parent company of Ross University, is currently under investigation by the offices of the attorney generals of Illinois and Massachusetts for its compensation practices, accounting mismanagement, and its use of student loans. In the past the company has also been under several investigations by both federal and state authorities. Therefore one needs to question the legitimacy of the claims made by Ross University when its own parent company is under so much scrutiny.

Furthermore, many of the data has been published by Ross University or its parent company, Devry Inc., cannot be independently verified and perspective students are given a false perception of the school. Ross University claims that medical students USMLE Step 1 first-time pass rate was over 95%. But a 95% pass rate for 320 students is not the same as a 95% pass rate for 600 students. According to Ross University Student Handbook, to be eligible to take the USMLE Step 1 Exam, a student must have: (1) passed all courses in the basic science curriculum during the first four semesters; (2) have successfully completed the fifth semester AICM course; and (3) have passed National Board of Medical Exams (“NBME’).
When I first started Ross University School of Medicine, we had over 650 students at the white coat ceremony. By the time I was in my 5th semester, there were only 325 students left from the 650 we started out with—a 50% failure rate! Furthermore, those who fail are forced to repeat ALL their classes instead of the one they didn’t pass. So when those students repeat and pass that class, then it looks as if the numbers were larger than they really were. Plus, they are charged over $15,000 per semester for tuition. When the students have to repeat, they have to pay that whole cost again. All this just brings more money into the bureaucrats’ pockets instead of working to help the students learn. Ross University has three enrollment dates per year. The other two enrollments the year I started brought in 650 and 600 students respectively, for a total of 1900 students that year. From those 1900 students, just 900 graduated (there were 900 graduates last year). And from the 900 who graduated, about 500 were matched with a residency program.
Again, when Ross University School of Medicine advertises that its passing rate for USMLE Step 1 is greater than 90%, they fail to mention that almost half of the student who originally enrolled into the program don’t even make it into semester 5.

Here is the adjusted rate based on total number of enrollments that I believe is more in line with the reality at Ross University:

Sem 1-4 Pass Rate – 50%
NBME COMP Pass Rate (1st attempt) – 50%
USMLE Step -1 Pass Rate – 45%
USMLE Step -2 Pass Rate – 42%
Residency – 40%

Ross Ownership:

Ross University School of Medicine is a Caribbean medical school, owned and operated by DeVry Inc, a publicly traded company that owns many online Universities, including two for-profit medical schools in the Caribbean, American University of Caribbean(AUC) and Ross University School of Medicine(RUSM).
Even though DeVry is the Ross University School of Medicine’s ultimate corporate parent, Ross University School of Medicine is not a direct subsidiary of DeVry Inc. In fact, several corporate entities separate DeVry and Ross University School of Medicine. DeVry wholly owns DeVry Medical International, Inc. (DMI). DMI, in turn, wholly owns Ross University Services, Inc. (RUSI). RUSI owns 99 % of International Education Holdings, Inc. (IEHI), with DeVry owning the remaining 1% of that entity. IEHI wholly owns Global Education International BV, which in turn owns two additional corporate entities through which Ross University School of Medicine is operated. This intermingling of ownership helps protect DeVry Inc. against any lawsuit that is filed against Ross University.

Ross University Administrators

Ross University administration is governed by Devry Inc. Ross University was acquired by DeVry Inc. in 2003. However, as a publicly traded company, DeVry seems more interested in their stock prices than the quality of their medical education. DeVry Inc. is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is here that policy decisions are made for the university, even though Chicago is about 2400 miles away from Ross University main campus in Dominica. Most of the student tuition and taxpayer funds end up here. In fact, the past four Ross university presidents retired as millionaires.
Ross University Millionaire Club:

Neal Simon: President of Ross University: 2000-2004 Simon started AUA Medical School and was sued by Ross University for copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade Secrets and more. He then sold AUA to an Indian firm for over $80 Million.
Thomas Shepherd: President of Ross University: 2004-2011
Andrew Jeon: President of Ross University: 2011-2013
William Hughson: President of Devry Medical Int.: 2013
Steven Riehs: President of Devry Medical Int.: Present

Ross University School of Medicine – The Business of Medical Education

Ross University School of Medicine is a for-profit, publicly traded corporation. Unlike a traditional medical school, the goal at Ross University School of Medicine is to increase profit by raising the enrollment rate and using Mediasite technology to reduce infrastructure and staff related costs in order to minimize cost and satisfy regulators. Masquerading under the pretense of a traditional medical school, Ross University School of Medicine utilizes Mediasite technology to provide medical students with distance learning in order to shunt any actual cost of running a real medical school and to prevent regulatory obstacles.More than $150 million a year in government-guaranteed aid is granted to Ross University School of Medicine. Ross University represents about 4,500 students, which is double the size of the biggest US medical school. Last year, DeVry, better known for its tech training schools, reported $165.7 million in net income after taxes. But the company also reported an additional $140 million in tax-free income from the Ross University operations . Ross achieves this by using Mediasite/distance learning to admit more students, to fail more students, and to open new campuses to increase enrollment. Again, the end result is to generate a greater profit for Devry Inc. and Ross University executives.

Federal regulators are now taking a closer look at evidence that suggests taxpayers and students may be getting shortchanged by Devry Inc. and by Ross University. DeVry Inc. is being investigated by the offices of the attorneys general of Illinois and Massachusetts, for its use of student loans and its compensation practices, and accounting malpractice.

Ross University School of Medicine – No Accountability & No Oversight

Ross University is not fully regulated by laws governing US educational institutions. In 2009, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was mandated by the US Congress to collect data on those Caribbean medical schools receiving Title IV federal loans, Ross University being included. It took GAO two and a half years to publish a report, and they even had difficulty collecting the actual data. The data that was published by GAO was an aggregate of information that was issued by the four Caribbean medical school receiving Title IV federal loans. The published report was damaging to Ross and helped the Department of Education decide to refuse funding for Ross University School of Medicine campus in Grand Bahamas. According to recent lawsuit filed against Ross University” Ross University School of Medicine have engaged in a fraudulent scheme, common course of conduct and conspiracy to use deceptive and otherwise questionable sales and marketing practices to increase enrollment at the for-profit college and receive increased tuition payments from students who acquired funds through Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Defendants have participated in such fraudulent practices as misrepresenting to prospective students, and students, information about the student’s likelihood of success, the colleges accreditation, graduation rates, its students’ prospective employment and salary qualifications, duration and cost of the program, and financial aid.”

Ross University Administrative office Miami

Ross University administrative office in Miami is the main administrative hub for RUSM. Clinical coordination is processed at this location. Calls and emails are not returned and students are given the runaround. The office is understaffed, which doesn’t help the situation at all and very unresponsive to complaints or questions about clinical assignments. The Dean’s Office for Ross University is no longer in Dominica. It is now in Miami, 1500 miles away from the main campus in Dominica.
The MERP (Medical Educational Review Program) is handled through the Miami office. This one semester course is pretty worthless because even with the course, the failure rate stays the same as those who never took the class. There is little advantage to the student at all.

Ross University Administrative office New Jersey

Ross University administrative office in New Jersey is where the Office of Student Finance is located and is mainly in charge of processing the financial aids. In order to attend Ross University School of Medicine, an average student borrowed well over $270,000. These loans are guaranteed by the federal government. But Ross University has lower pass rate and higher attrition rate than US medical schools.
High enrollment and withdrawal is driving up the amount of federal dollars flowing to for-profit institutions, including Ross University. Despite dismal student outcomes, for-profit institutions, like Ross University, are raking in record profits. For-profit college revenues are largely made up of the taxpayer dollars intended to support student success.

Note that at Ross University, a student loan is processed very efficiently, but that same efficiency falls by the wayside when clinical rotations are assigned. The office is very cooperative when it comes to getting their loan money.

Ross University School of Medicine – The Business of Medical Education

Ross University School of Medicine is a for-profit, publicly traded corporation. Unlike a traditional medical school, the goal at Ross University School of Medicine is to increase profit by raising the enrollment rate and using Mediasite technology to reduce infrastructure and staff related costs in order to minimize cost and satisfy regulators. Masquerading under the pretense of a traditional medical school, Ross University School of Medicine utilizes Mediasite technology to provide medical students with distance learning in order to shunt any actual cost of running a real medical school and to prevent regulatory obstacles.More than $150 million a year in government-guaranteed aid is granted to Ross University School of Medicine. Ross University represents about 4,500 students, which is double the size of the biggest US medical school. Last year, DeVry, better known for its tech training schools, reported $165.7 million in net income after taxes. But the company also reported an additional $140 million in tax-free income from the Ross University operations . Ross achieves this by using Mediasite/distance learning to admit more students, to fail more students, and to open new campuses to increase enrollment. Again, the end result is to generate a greater profit for Devry Inc. and Ross University executives.

Federal regulators are now taking a closer look at evidence that suggests taxpayers and students may be getting shortchanged by Devry Inc. and by Ross University. DeVry Inc. is being investigated by the offices of the attorneys general of Illinois and Massachusetts, for its use of student loans and its compensation practices, and accounting malpractice.

Ross University School of Medicine – No Accountability & No Oversight

Ross University is not fully regulated by laws governing US educational institutions. In 2009, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was mandated by the US Congress to collect data on those Caribbean medical schools receiving Title IV federal loans, Ross University being included. It took GAO two and a half years to publish a report,and they even had difficulty collecting the actual data. The data that was published by GAO was an aggregate of information that was issued by the four Caribbean medical school receiving Title IV federal loans. The published report was damaging to Ross and helped the Department of Education decide to refuse funding for Ross University School of Medicine campus in Grand Bahamas.According to recent lawsuit filed against Ross University ” Ross University School of Medicine have engaged in a fraudulent scheme, common course of conduct and conspiracy to use deceptive and otherwise questionable sales and marketing practices to increase enrollment at the for-profit college and receive increased tuition payments from students who acquired funds through Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Defendants have participated in such fraudulent practices as misrepresenting to prospective students, and students, information about the student’s likelihood of success, the colleges accreditation, graduation rates, its students’ prospective employment and salary qualifications, duration and cost of the program, and financial aid.”

Ross University Faculty & Campus Overview

There are two main campuses for Ross University, one on the Caribbean island of Dominica, and the other in Miami. The Dominica campus covers semesters 1 to 4 of the medical program and Miami campus covers semester 5 & AICM. The office of the dean is located in Miami, 1500 miles away from Dominica campus.
After the takeover of Ross University by Devry Inc., Ross University in Dominica increased enrollment from 200 students per class to over 600 students per class. During the same period, classroom size remained the same, holding a maximum of 300 students per classroom. As a result, many students, including myself, were forced to stay at home, use the library, and/or watch Mediasite.

The overcrowding became so out of control that Ross University School of Medicine sent out an email, offering free tuition for one semester to those who decided to postpone their education, sighting infrastructure limitations.

Ross University Substandard quality of Medical Education

According to Ross University, only 57% (percent) of Ross University School of Medicine students finished their program. Whereas the attrition rate for a US medical school is around 3%, the high attrition rate correlated to substandard quality of medical education at Ross University School of Medicine.

Ross University Faculty & Campus

There is a lack of quality education at Dominica. Many instructors at Ross University do not follow a US based system of medical education or standards, nor do they follow the guidelines provided by the accreditation agencies.

The faculty, comprised of people from the United States, India, Africa, etc., do not make themselves accessible to their students as is expected in the United States. They are not approachable after lecture. In fact, some students are given what is known as a professionalism card if they contact their teachers with questions.

If you receive three professionalism cards, you are kicked out of the program. Whereas instructors in a typical medical school in the US are actively involved in a student’s success and achievements, instructors at Ross University display a complete disregard for the student’s learning and academic success, plus they lack the time to meet with individual students because of such a large student body.
Students have tried to help one another learn by offering peer tutoring. But even here the tutors are told not to give the students all the answers. The university even frowns on students sharing their class notes with one another.

Whereas the attrition rate for a US medical school is around 3%, the attrition rate for Ross University is between 40 – 50%, which corresponds to substandard quality of medical education at Ross University.
The Dominica campus has many problems. The lecture halls hold a maximum of 300 students, the lab holds 50 to 60 students, and the library holds between 75 – 100 students. After the takeover of Ross University by Devry Inc., Ross University in Dominica increased enrollment from 200 students per class to over 600 students per class. During the same period, classroom size remained the same, holding a maximum of 300 students per classroom. The lecture halls hold a maximum of 300 students, the lab holds 50 to 60 students, and the library holds between 75 – 100 students.

However, with an average enrollment of 650 students each semester, this leads to overcrowding. Trailers have to be brought in to handle some of the overflow, but most of the time the students stay home and watch the video lecture. In the United States a student must attend class no less than 60% of the time. But in Dominica, where there is no oversight, the students are forced to Mediasite due to overcrowding, which is online delivery of the videotaped lectures by Devry Inc technology. The video lectures at Dominica are not interactive. They are recorded live, and an hour later they are ready to download and watch. A student can watch the video as many times as necessary, but this doesn’t help the medical student who needs that crucial interaction with the instructor.

For example, how can a student work on a corpse in anatomy class via a video? How is this good teaching? A medical student needs that close clinical contact that can only happen in the classroom and in the lab.
By any measure, Ross University provides inadequate training to its students. This is particularly true with regards to hands-on experience. Ross claims to have a full-fledged teaching hospital. This is absolutely not true. If it had a teaching hospital it wouldn’t have to pay U.S. schools to provide a year of clinical training for its students. Ross has only a very small clinic that cannot possibly accommodate over 600 students.
Students at Ross University who attended peer tutoring also reported that they were only given a tiny PBL (problem based learning) room that normally would hold up to 10 people. Instead, they would fit, on the average, 50-60 people. Students would sometimes get up on tables in the next room and peer through the windows above in order to watch the tutor teach. There was a 2-3 hour wait just to get a seat for the tutor session, and the overcrowding was so bad that students sat in the hallway just to listen. Students weren’t allowed to ask for a bigger room because they were told that if the authorities found out, they’d force them to stop meeting since it was a ‘fire hazard.’

Ross University Medical School campus in Miami is located at Miramar campus of Devry and it is a college within a college. Miramar campus consists of Chamberlain college, Devry University, and Ross University. It is anything but a real medical school. The Miami The Ross University campus in Miami handles the 5th semester students for AICM as well as MERP. The semester is divided into both lecture time and clinical work. However, the clinical experience is often a joke. Many students are sent to private Spanish-speaking clinics, where students cannot understand the patients, nor can the students be understood. As with the Dominica campus, the faculty at the Miami campus is not approachable either, and ex-Ross graduates who are still working on their residencies are often used as guest lecturers.

As stated earlier, to be eligible to take the USMLE Step 1 Exam, a Ross student must have: 1) passed all courses in the basic science curriculum during the first four semesters; 2) successfully completed the fifth semester AICM course; and 3) passed the National Board of Medical Exams (NBME). However, only 50% of the students pass semesters 1 to 4, and of those, only 50% pass the NBME COMP exam the first time, with the average student failing the exam twice. When Ross advertises its passing rate for USMLE Step 1 as greater than 90%, they fail to mention that almost half of the student who originally enrolled into the program don’t even make it into semester 5.

Furthermore, where the average medical school determines a passing rate according to all students attending per semester, Ross manipulates the numbers and gathers its passing rate by including the students who had to repeat from the semester before.

Ross University – Dominica Campus Highlights:

High Attrition Rate: Read More;
Overcrowding;
Poor Teaching Facilities;
Poor Education and Training Standards;
Absence of in-campus hospital;
Unsafe living environments: Read More;
Uncooperative Faculty and Administration;
Poor academic support;
Inadequate teaching materials;
Lack of oversight

Ross University Curriculum Overview

Ross University curriculum consists of four-year program, divided into a basic science curriculum followed by hands-on clinical experience.

Ross students have 16 straight months of concentrated coursework on Dominica, followed by a fifth semester of intense test preparation in Miami or Saginaw, Mich. Once students pass Step 1 of the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam, they’re assigned to two years of clinical rotations in hospitals around the country that have contracts with Ross. Since 2013,

Some students bail within days of arriving on Dominica, where there is little shopping and few restaurants. Others spend extra time on the remote island, repeating failed courses and running up debt.
The average attrition rate for a US medical school is 3%. The attrition rate for Ross University is 40 – 50%. This is so unusual that even the Dominican Medical Board, a third world agency, has questioned why this is so. Ross’ screening process is poor as well. These students incur huge debts in this idealistic pursuit of a degree they will never attain, benefiting Ross, not the student.

Ross University Medical Education Review Program (MERP)

About 35% of all students who apply for Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) are forced to attend the Medical Education Review Program, known as MERP. MERP program is for fifteen weeks, and it’s supposed to help students matriculate into the medical program. There is no clear criterion for how students are chosen and with attrition rate as high as 50%, there is no data to support that this program even benefits the students who attend. It seems like just another way for Ross University and its parent company, Devry.Inc, to make extra money.

Ross University Curriculum Foundation of Medicine (FOM)

Ross University’s medical program at the Dominica campus originally consisted of a four-semester track. However In 2013, the Basic Science Program (Foundation of Medicine) split into two tracks: the Curriculum and the Accelerated Curriculum. The Curriculum is a five-semester program for those who can’t go through the fast track. Students are encouraged to take this track by being offered a 25% discount for the 5th semester, which still brings in more money for the school. The Accelerated Curriculum is what used to be the normal 4-semester track. By the end of the first semester, all students need to decide which track they will follow.
The teaching program at Ross is not at par with its counterpart in the United States. Many of the teachers at Dominica hold PhDs, not MDs; therefore, students are not being taught the core of medicine. Teachers in the US primarily hold MDs. The failure rate for semesters 1 to 4 is very high, and students who fail even one course by a half of a percentage point are required to repeat the entire semester. In the United States, students are only required to repeat their failed class.

Many of the university’s teachers don’t speak English well. They come from third-world countries where their teaching styles are much different from how classes are taught in the US. Their teaching materials are not adequate, PowerPoint presentations are poor, and textbooks don’t often cover the teaching points, leaving students to feel lost and left out because of a lack of proper training.

The testing for each semester consists of three minis and a final. The minis are made excessively difficult, far beyond what is necessary. Many students fail and are forced to repeat the class, which brings more money into the school. The minis are multiple-choice. If a student wishes to know what the correct answer is to a given problem after the test, the teachers refuse to answer. How can students know how to improve themselves if they are not given the necessary help to learn and correct their errors? When pushed for a reason why there was this lack of information, one instructor said that DeVry has told the teachers not to talk about the results with the students. This is a disturbing trend, which again confirms that Ross University is not interested in educating students but rather to profit from students repeating classes and accessing Title IV funds.

Being a poor island country, Dominica cannot handle the heavy strain on its power supply. Sporadic power outages are common. The university has generators to supply its needs, but because of student overcrowding, many are forced to study at home. A sudden outage can cause computers to shut down, keeping students from watching class lectures or from keeping up-to-date with their studies.

Ross University Clinicals & Clerkship Overview

At Ross University less than one-third of the students finish in four years, compared to nearly 100% at US medical schools. Since Ross University, like other Caribbean medical schools, doesn’t have a teaching hospital, it pays hospitals stateside for students’ clinical training, with wide variations in quality. The American Medical Association opposes rotation payments by schools and said last year that it would ask state and federal regulators to outlaw such practice. This past June, the Texas legislature prohibited foreign schools from operating in their state.

Ross University Hospital Affiliations & Backlog

After passing semesters 1 to 4, the NBME Comp Exam, the AICM, and the USMLE Step 1 exam, Ross students vie for clinical rotations at more than 50 contracted locations nationwide. However, placement into an affiliated hospital’s clinical program comes with a price. Instead of being put into a hands-on learning situation, many clinical students are only allowed to watch, or they are given menial tasks to do. They fail to receive the necessary clinical experience that will allow them to be successful practitioners. Therefore, when these students move into a residency program, they aren’t prepared and are sometimes dismissed.
Furthermore, Ross University has failed to invest adequate money into securing quality clinical spots for its students. Currently, there are hundreds waiting for clinical rotations because there are only a few clinical spots available. Ross University Clinical Reference Guide doesn’t provide specifics, but as stated by the former registrar of Ross University, “There are simply not enough sites, and that problem is not going to go away anytime soon.” And when it’s time to place you in a hospital, according to Salvatore Compaccia, an attorney who filed a lawsuit against Ross University on behalf of his client, “Ross takes your money, and then they create an excuse to get rid of you.”

Students doing clinicals in the States continue paying tuition to Ross, which at more than $30,000 a year is comparable to that of private US medical schools. Yet Ross students say they have virtually no contact with the school’s faculty. That means they’re on their own if problems arise.

Ross University Clinical Quality Compromised

The quality of clinical education that a Ross University School of Medicine student receives is below average. For Example, a Detroit-area graduate was given a six-week psychiatry rotation that was supervised by a surgeon. The student was given an assignment on cardiovascular disorders, but was never given an opportunity to interview any psychiatric patients, virtually receiving no clinical experience. To make matters worse, while training in Miami, this student was unable to communicate with most of the patients at the Spanish-speaking clinic because he knew no Spanish. There was never any oversight by Ross during the two years that he worked at the clinic.

One student received “very high evaluations” from his supervisors during his clinical rotations in Miami, New York, and Chicago, and he passed his mandatory USMLE Step 2 exam. But three weeks into a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, the student was suspended from all clinical activities because of poor performance. A few months later he voluntarily withdrew.

He didn’t realize until he started his residency that he really didn’t know a whole lot. When he met with the dean at the college, he was shocked when she suggested he go back to Ross University to tell them how poor his training had been.