Things you will need at Windsor MED 1 / Island Tips :

Technology

 Laptop – yes everything is on power point! (Mac or PC)

 Small Printer – The school does print things for you in BW but the copies are bad and
color really helps – printing paper and cartridges are a must.
 "Jump Drive" 1+ GB (Tech Deals site LINK )
 External Hard Drive 350+ GB (Trust me you will need it for movies and USMLE
review material)
 Movies (DVD’s), Video games, ect… (There is a movie theater in St.Kitts but its like a
“Dollar movie theater” )
 Surge protector (APC Brand)
 Wireless router if you plan on getting internet.
 Unlocked Tri band cell phone...if you can. (Free from the school, International In
coming calls are free on Cable and Wireless)
 Skype..ect ( When you get internet you will want to call home)
 Some Basic School supplies (pens, highlighters, note cards)
 Box of Ear plugs or noise canceling headphones...You can get the ones that
construction workers use at home depot.

Books

 BOOKS : Additional books for med one

o BRS Anatomy, Physiology, Goljan Rapid Review Pathology, Langmans
Embryology. Windsor provides semester books but for further reference use
other books ie...BRS, RAPID REVIEW, HIGH YIELD, FIRST AID, USMLE...etc
 Good Site to search for the cheapest books and download books online.
 If you can get the whole BRS series it will be very,very useful. Old editions are ok
and can be found at Half.com or craigslist.
 Good Sites for PDF booksMY BLOG

Food/Supplies

 Water filter – Brita (bottle water gets real expensive real fast)
 Spice Mixes (Indian/Paki/Nigerian/Chinese)
 Snack Bars
 Drink Mixes (Ice T, Cool Aid,ect...) not cheap on the island.
 Protein Shake mix (If you work out) (3 gyms on St.Kitts)
 Do not bring canned items..they weigh down you luggage too much.
 Britta water Jug...Clean water is a must! (Extra filters)
 First Aid Kit with medicines (Tylenol, Hydrogen cortisone, ect…) If you have allergies
than bring extra medicine, just in case.
 A Battery powered Alarm clock.
 Flashlight (Just in case the power goes out)
 You favorite toiletries – (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, ect…) very expensive and hard
to find at times.
 Backup toothbrush
 Foreman Grill or similar (makes your life easy)
  Good Frying Pan...(Most homes should come with pots and pans as well as utensils.)
There are cheap Chinese stores in downtown if you need to buy anything...
 Small coffee maker (optional favorite coffee/filters)
 Toaster if you have space
 Good pair of Flip-Flops (One/Two) You will not wear shoes after your first week on
St.Kitts.
 Shorts, Tees and One pair of nice clothes for parties. (Adult)
 Sunscreen (SPF 15 < )
 Sunglasses (Must) Bring an extra pair if you tend to loose yours. It's very hard to
find a nice pair here at a reasonable price.
 Hats
 Add fluorescent light bulb's to your list, electricity is expensive on the island and
every little bit helps. Try to get the brightest possible.

Banking

 You can use your US or Canadian ATM cards here. Just check with your bank as to
the ATM fees. Wells Fargo charges me 5 us per transaction.

 Remember to always pay in EC Dollars. First thing when you get to the island
exchange your money. The locals love to take advantage of newbies. You can pay
in U.S. Dollars but exchange rates vary greatly.

Transportation

 H – Buses (Buses with green license plates) are much cheaper than Taxis. You just
have to ask the driver if he is going to your part of town.
 If you have to use a Taxi use TIGER he is the cheapest and gives students the best
rates.
 You can rent scooters for 250-300US per month.
 Cars run around 300-400US per month.
 If you buy a car pay no more than 4K other wise you will have a hard time selling it.
 Try to avoid renting scooters from Big Banana! Several students have had major
issues.

Groceries

 Places to get Groceries…in order to comparability to US grocery stores : IGA, RAMS

(near school), Super Foods (Near ROSS nursing school) , RAMS (Downtown)
(cheapest), CC Super foods, Value Mart.

Housing

 Best places to live in order Frigate Bay, Golf View (near Marriot Casino Hotel) Lime
Kin (Near ROSS nursing school) and Bird Rock. School has housing in all three
locations but the Frigate bay area fills up fast. And mostly girls are placed there.
Most of the guys are in Lime Kin or Bird Rock.

Airline

 The cheapest airfare to St.Kitts is always on AA.com.

  Also sign up for the AAdvantage Program program. If you go back every break you
should have enough miles for a free ticket. I also have the AA credit card and
charge everything on it so I have managed to get two free tickets so far.

 If you are flying to St.Kitts your first time out than try to avoid Puerto Rico.
Sometime if the time between your arrival and departure flights is short you
luggage will not arrive until the next flight or next couple of days. If you still want
to take the PR flight due to cost than pack 3-5 days of extra clothing on your carry
on.

Shipping

 If you want to ship something like a scooter or a bicycle from the States you need to
use Tropical Shipping. Some of the students ordered bikes from wal-mart and had
them shipped directly to Tropical. They had their bikes down here in about 1 weeks.
They also do barrel shipping from US and Canada.

Luggage

 Buy some decent luggage. Costco or Sams Club has a lifetime warranty on their
luggage. Trust me you will wear it out if you have some cheap stuff. Also if you can
manage purchase a good backpack or small duffel bag. You should be able use the
bag to carry at least 40-50 lb of stuff. You do not have to check in your carry on
which is in addition to your laptop bag.
 If you are bringing newly purchased items, please ensure that it is not in its original
wrapping. You will be charged by customs for bringing brand new items.

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs' Overseas Citizens Services

You thought you were just bringing home a ceramic monkey, but instead you've picked up a
concussion, 73 stitches, and a trial date in a Moroccan drug court. Luckily, you have the
U.S. Department of State's Overseas Citizens Services on speed dial. Their case officers can
assist in handling robberies, medical emergencies, missing passports, and pretty much any
other sort of calamity that could ruin a family vacation. 202-501-4444

STUDY
My advice :

First , learn the definitions. Have a Medical dictionary handy or use one online. Before you
can start to learn Medicine you need to know what the terms mean.

Second, use the class power points as an outline. Go over them as you get them. DO NOT
FALL BEHIND. Keep reading everyday, cramming will get you no where.

Third, use the BRS series for anatomy, physiology, and pathology. They are to the point
and every item is High Yield.

Fourth, do very well in your weekly exams. Out of 30% you need at least 25-30% to be
safe for the finals. They are the only bonus points you will get. Because the final is 70% of
your grade...and is comprehensive.

Fifth, make a study group your first semester. It is the hardest semester because
everything is new to you. Keep the group to 2-3 people. (Any more, than its a party) Take
notes over every thing you learn and then use them for the finals. Make charts, graphs and
Mnemonics. (This is called active learning and you will remember more if its in your own
words.) Make sure you are surrounded by students that work harder than you.

Sixth, use the office hours with the teachers to grasp concepts you do not understand. Plus,
you will establish a rapport with them...which may help you when you need a letter or
recommendation for the MATCH.

Seven , surround yourself with people who are positive. Students who are on the island to
be doctors not playboys and dope heads. There are a lot of students that exude negativity
, don't get caught up in their misery. You will need a good support network while on the
island.

Eight, learn the material well. Your 4 semesters on the island will be the foundation of your
medical education. Do not waste your time. You are competing with US students for
residency spots. Not the students in your class. Know Path, Pharm, Physio cold. Your goal is
99% on the USMLE.

Nine, Get rest. Study normal hours 6-10. Sleep at least 8 hours a night. Your brain need
time to process the information you learned. Do not miss class. Even if you are tired. If you
can learn one thing than the class was worth it.

Ten, make sure you take one day off a week. You need down time...a tired brain is a lost
one.

Other survival tips

1. Sams club or Costco has freezer bags, you can pack frozen foods (nuggets, deli meats)
and cheese

2. Some cash for a car, the smartest thing new students can do is buy a car and then sell it
later when you leave. Renting gets expensive.

3. Birdrock is the cheapest rentwise, frigate bay is expensive. Living in town is do-able but
lots of kids are "scared" . A car + Cayon is the best mix, cheap and they have a 24 hour gas
station out there.

5. A usb stick, black friday is coming. Get a 2gb stick, a laptop, a digital camera. Vonage is
a must for you from the US, Canada, and the UK
HOUSING:
What are the dorms like at Windsor? How many people to a house? how many people to a
room? If possible can somebody load some pics of the dorms?
I thought dorms were included in our fees? Do we have to pay additonal fees for each
dorm?
Students require the appliances in each dorm to decide if they need to bring anything
ie....Royal’s new heat plate charge, no oven...etc.

NECESSORY LAB EQUIPMENT:

1. Lab coat is a must.
2. Latex gloves- as many as possible because you have dissection in MD 1 and MD 2
3. If you decide to join Student for Health clinic program- you need your blood pressure
cuff and stethoscope.

ADVISE THE STUDENT OF THE NEW DRESS CODE AND THE CRITERIA.