Shall I Attend Caribbean Medical School?

Most Caribbean medical schools are easy to get admission in, but there are extra hoops to jump through later on. The major disadvantage is that many of the Caribbean medical schools are not accredited by all states in the US. In particular, Florida, New York, California, New Jersey have particularly stringent accreditation processes. Many of these medical schools teach in the native language of the country.

In addition to USMLE tests, a candidate is required to take the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA). Strong United States Medical Licensing Examination scores make up for a lot and can even provide with a good resident. Getting into a Caribbean medical school might be of disadvantage when competing for strong residencies. Being a part of a Caribbean medical school also gives limited clinical rotations, which means practical exposure to medical practice is limited too. Many Caribbean medical schools have tie-ups with US hospitals, but the options in rotations are limited as compared to the options available to a student in US medical school.

The most advantageous aspect of Caribbean medical schools is that otherwise qualified students, who show the dedication and determination to successfully complete the rigors of a superior medical education, get a chance to be physicians. US medical schools have limited seats and hence they are bound to prevent many deserving candidates from attending their schools. Studying in a foreign country offers students the advantage of exploring a different cultural environment and the opportunity to be a well-rounded professional.

However, the criteria for admission into a Caribbean medical school are far less stringent than they are in the US. One more reason why many students from US and Canada prefer to apply to them is that students who have been eliminated due to insufficient scores in US or Canada stand one more chance of qualifying as doctors.

Despite the immigration process being tedious, foreign students often find easy to get sponsorship and funding for studying at one of these colleges. Some of the best Caribbean medical colleges are: Ross School of Medicine, Saba School of Medicine and St. George University.