**Hi everyone,
I’ve been hearing many people going from North America to Caribbean for pursuit of medical studies. One of my friends’ friend has just completed her medical degree from there and she is going to write licensing exam now…
So, I was wondering if someone here has more information on this…Have you heard or do you know someone who has studied medicine in Caribbean and is now working in US/Canada? How long is the course? etc.
Your input will be greatly appreciated.
Regards!
**
Re: Medican Schools in Caribbean
One of my friends did her med school from Carribean.. she spent two years there for basic sciences, did her clinical in the US, passed her USMLE and is now doing her residency here in the US.. my best friend is in her second semester in Carribean and hoping that she will be coming back at the end of 2009. Both of them went to Ross though! I heard Ross and one other school has a good percentage of people passing their USMLE's here in the US.
Good luck!
ps: I forgot the name of the otehr school though!
Re: Medican Schools in Caribbean
by far, Ross is the best! they have a higher residency placement rate than even the US schools 
there are 5 other schools in the caribbean which are considered to be really good…St. Georges, SABA, AUC, MUA, and St. Matthews…
these universities also have info sessions every 4 months or so in all the major cities in canada and the US…so u can definitly get more info then…
I know of at least 2 guppies who have been to caribbean med schools…there are a few other threads on this topic as well, just do a search and u’ll find 'em 
Re: Medican Schools in Caribbean
It's not worth it.
I think osteopathic, and possibly even dental school, in the US is a better idea than going abroad.
Re: Medican Schools in Caribbean
Hi everyone!
has anyone tried to studying in uk or elsewhere.
It's not worth it.
I think osteopathic, and possibly even dental school, in the US is a better idea than going abroad.
and u say that based on...what facts? :)
Hi everyone!
has anyone tried to studying in uk or elsewhere.
usd101: there was an old member on GS who was studying medicine in the UK...haven't seen her around in ages, so not sure where she is/what's going on...
and u say that based on...what facts? :)
Based on the fact that Caribbean med schools are essentially money-making enterprises (Ross included). They accept virtually anyone, take their money for 4+ years of study, and give them an MD, but there's absolutely no guarantee that these people will pass the USMLEs. I know enough Caribbean grads who have been sitting in the US for years after repeatedly failing/barely passing the USMLEs and have been unable to get residencies. And then, even if you do succeed in doing well on the USMLEs, you still face the stigma of being an American IMG, which puts you at a distinct disadvantage when applying for residency. Your application is lower priority than that of a US osteopath, or even a foreign IMG (a foreigner who went to med school in his/her own country) in many cases.
Pretty much anyone in the medical field will tell you that its better to go to Osteopathic school than it is to go abroad. Anyone who says otherwise knows nothing about the residency application/placement process. As for dental school, again its guaranteed placement in the health professions...and probably works out to a better lifestyle and hourly wage than many medical specialties.
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Based on the fact that Caribbean med schools are essentially money-making enterprises (Ross included). They accept virtually anyone, take their money for 4+ years of study, and give them an MD, but there's absolutely no guarantee that these people will pass the USMLEs.
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Are they for-profit? Yes
is it easier to get into a caribbean med school compared to the US ones? Yes
do they accept anyone and give an MD to anyone? NO
given that the requirements aren't as stringent as the US counterparts for admissions, the number of students entering med schools there is higher...however, over the first 2 years, approximately 40% of the students drop out cuz they can't handle med school...with so many ppl dropping out, it tells me that they do well enough to filter out the candidates who will go on to make good doctors...
as for the gurantee that will these ppl pass the USMLE - u tell me, which univ. even in the US guarantees that? none as far as i know...they can only help prepare the students...the rest is up to the individuals to work hard, review the material, and try to get a good score...
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I know enough Caribbean grads who have been sitting in the US for years after repeatedly failing/barely passing the USMLEs and have been unable to get residencies. And then, even if you do succeed in doing well on the USMLEs, you still face the stigma of being an American IMG, which puts you at a distinct disadvantage when applying for residency. Your application is lower priority than that of a US osteopath, or even a foreign IMG (a foreigner who went to med school in his/her own country) in many cases.
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Again, this boils down to the individual results...why did they not do well on the USMLE...i know enough people as well who went to caribbean schools, did awesome on their USMLEs and are practicing docs now...i'll just talk about Ross, cuz I've done my research on it - currently, 96% of the graduates from Ross end up in residency - the numbers for the match are lower (around 70%), but are made up due to the pre-match/scramble/off-cycle deals etc...
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Pretty much anyone in the medical field will tell you that its better to go to Osteopathic school than it is to go abroad. Anyone who says otherwise knows nothing about the residency application/placement process. As for dental school, again its guaranteed placement in the health professions...and probably works out to a better lifestyle and hourly wage than many medical specialties.
[/quote]
is it better going to a med school in the US? of course it is!
is it better going to an otheo school in the US? only if u plan on staying in the US to practice...
for MDs, not all programs/insitutions are IMG friendly and will only accept applicants who got their MD from the US...however, allopathic med school admission policies are stringent and a lot of hard-working, brilliant people don't get accepted there...
DOs, while recognized as doctors in the US, are not recognized as full physicians elsewhere...i think they are only recognized as full physicians with the right to pratice medicine in the UK and Germany...everywhere else, unfortunately they're basically treated as chiros...and it is unfortunate, cuz they end up learning the same thing, if not more, as MDs...MDs on the other hand are recognized as doctors everywhere, regardless of where u got ur degree from, as long as its on the WHO directory...
as far as going for dental school instead - why would u do that, if the only thing u want to do is practice medicine? personal choice again...
what r ur choices then if u didn't get into one of the MD programs in the US...and u don't want to "change" ur career path and head for DO or dental school...i'd rather it be a med school from the caribbean where i can get an MD, and my chances are a lot higher to match, compared to any other foreign IMGs, of which only half the applicants barely match...
I'll take a 96% chance than a 50% chance anyday :)
that's what it boils down to...personal choice...pros and cons for all cases...
P.S. u can double check all these stats on NRMP, Ross, student board etc...
Re: Medican Schools in Caribbean
Go DesiMunda :AID: