Caribbean Medical Schools - Top Picks and Pitfalls

Why Apply to Caribbean Medical Schools?

If that is the case, one option is to reapply the following year. The other option is to apply to Caribbean medical schools. If I didn't get into a US medical school, I was going to apply abroad. I didn't want to lose one year reapplying. There are many people from the US attending foreign medical schools and ultimately practice medicine in the US. I know of a few doctors who are foreign graduates and are doing well currently.

That being said, if you choose to attend a school abroad, be prepared for a more difficult journey.

What to Expect?

Disadvantages of Caribbean Medical Schools

You will have to jump through an extra hurdle as a foreign medical student. Not only will you have to take the USMLE, you will also need to take an extra exam to receive the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate (ECFMG) certification. You'll need it to be eligible for residency in the US and to practice medicine in many states. However, less than 50% of the people will pass on their first try.

As you see, the odds not reaching residency is already over 50%. I'm not even factoring in the drop-out rate before the USMLEs. If you do succeed and make it to applying to residencies, most places would rather take US medical school graduates over foreign graduates. The match rate into residency for 2008 was only 52% for foreign graduates compared to 94% for US graduates. This means that if you want to get into a competitive residency, you will have a much harder time to do so. Many of the foreign graduates go into primary care. Hey, that's the field I'm planning to go into as well.

So unless you're pressed for time or if there is no other option (and you absolutely must be a doctor despite the rejections from US medical schools), a risky road is better than no road at all.

Which Schools to Choose?

• St. George's University School of Medicine (SGU)
• American University of the Caribbean (AUC)
• Saba University School of Medicine (Saba)
• Ross University School of Medicine (Ross)

They are considered the best because they are accepted in all 50 states. If you attend other foreign medical schools, you may limit your options because you are restricting yourself from practicing in certain parts of the US.

So which of the four is the best? It is hard to tell because there isn't one source which compares all the schools, like what the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) does for the US allopathic medical schools.

I turned to trusty Google for advice on which of the four is the best. And again, there was no real consensus. There are people bashing on each of the Caribbean schools and others praising the schools. After much research, I ranked the top Caribbean schools .

Below, you will find general information about each of the four Caribbean medical schools. Most of the information are from their website, but the inside dirt I had to deep somewhere else for. I standardized the data so it would be easier for comparison.

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