Foreign Medical Schools and Caribbean Medical Schools

 

Going to Caribbean Medical Schools

Advantages of Caribbean medical schools

  • First thing comes to mind is women in bikini swimming and sun bathing on the beach which happens to be next to your anatomy laboratory. They are often hypersexual. They are willing to allow you to examine their anatomy. This is the fastest way to learn anatomy.


  • Usually less expensive. Many Caribbean Medical Schools are affordable compared to US medical schools. However, make sure you include the costs of travel abroad, travel student health insurance, and other miscellaneous costs in calculating the cost of medical school abroad. Often the education is a bargain even when these extra costs are included.

  • Usually easier to get into. The medical school requirements for GPA and MCAT scores are lower than most US Medical schools. There are also 3 application periods in a year. Nonetheless, your medical school personal statement should be tailored to these schools.

Disadvantages of Caribbean medical schools

  • You might be exhausted from having sex with the locals and unable to study. If you have unprotected sex, you might become a patient instead of a doctor.

  • NOT ALL ARE ACCREDITED. This is very important. If you plan to go to a foreign medical school make sure your degree will be accepted in the US or Canada (depending on where you want to practice). Not all schools are accredited - so you must be sure your MD will count. Four states (California, Florida, New Jersey, and New York), evaluate foreign medical schools individually - most Caribbean medical schools are not accredited in all four of these states.

  • The stigmata is horrible. People think that you can not get into U.S medical schools that is why you have to take this route. This maybe true but at the end if you study hard and finish your residency you are a doctor. So tell them to get off your case because foreign medical school is the way to go.

  • You might need to know Spanish or Creol. Find out what language courses are taught in, and what language your patient interactions will be in. Many foreign medical schools are taught in the native language of the country.

  • You might be at a disadvantage when competing for strong residencies. However, your USMLE scores are an important determinant of your residency match - strong USMLE scores make up for a lot and can be a great equalizer.

  • Limited clinical rotations. Often the clinical rotations are done in US medical schools. Many Caribbean Medical Schools have arrangements with US hospitals, but your options in rotations might be limited compared to the options available to a student in a US medical school.
Foreign Medical Schools Caribbean Medical Schools