Most students aspire to become a doctor and seek enrollment in a good medical school. Getting into one, on the other hand, may be a complicated and exhausting task. Unlike medical schools schools in the United States, Caribbean medical schools have less stringent admissions requirements. Their relaxed eligibility requirements, on the other make them very popular. Statistics suggest that by the year 2030, U.S. may experience a stark shortage of physicians due to the increasing population. Additionally, nearly one-third of its currently working doctors are on the edge of retirement in the next decade.
There’s a lot said about Caribbean Medical Schools, but regardless of what you’ve heard, these off-shore institutions have a lot to give, such as a US-based program, USMLE oriented training, well-qualified teachers, fantastic facilities, and a spectacular location. It’s no surprise that the amount of enrolments are growing each year, making studying medicine in the Caribbean a preferred choice. But before closing down on your options and applying to any Caribbean medical school, you must check for requisite recognitions and accreditations and understand Caribbean medical school requirements and choose the best Caribbean medical school which will provide you opportunities to become a doctor in the U.S. Several Indian medical aspirants opt for Caribbean Medical schools to study MBBS abroad.
Let us take you through some basic guidelines to consider to help you decide on a good medical school to study MBBS abroad, especially in the Caribbean.
Some aspects to consider would be:
- Ranking & Accreditation
Are rankings important? Well, definitely there are. You must check the Caribbean Medical School Ranking to learn about the school’s recognitions and accreditations. You’ll also get a fair idea of how a particular medical school is in comparison with others before making a choice.
An important accreditation to look out for is the CAAM-HP (the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions). This is crucial since ECFMG 2023 rule suggests that physicians applying for certification must graduate from a appropriately accredited medical school. Not all Caribbean medical schools are on the same level, so you need to do your research to make sure that your choice of foreign medical school has the accreditations, approvals and recognitions in the jurisdiction where you hope to practice medicine in the future.
In this respect, the American University of Barbados, School of Medicine (AUB) is one of the most notable medical schools in the Caribbean, with CAAM-HP accreditation and all the required recognitions and approvals. AUB graduates are eligible for residency, licensure and clinical rotations in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, India and other countries as soon as they pass their necessary licensure exams.
2. Curriculum & Learning Environment
Your choice of medical school should have an international standard curriculum supported by experienced and qualified faculty. If you’re looking forward to practising as a physician in the US, you need to identify a school which follows a US-based curriculum with rigorous USMLE training so as to prepare you for the USMLE step exams. Class size and student-faculty ratio has a great impact on student success. AUB students follow an integrated curriculum with problem-based learning using 3D medical animation technology supported by structured interactive studies.
3. Clinical Training
You should carefully analyse the medical school’s clerkship / clinical training programs. Check for accredited clerkship programs in accredited teaching hospitals. Also enquire about the student-faculty ratio during the clinical training which helps to ascertain the quality of training students can expect.
4. Some common Admission Requirements
- Qualifying undergraduate GPA / Senior Secondary Certificate
- Graduate degree in a science field from an accredited college or university (when applying for lateral entry to the medicine program)
- Letters of Recommendation
5. Fee-Structure
A medical school with an affordable tuition fee plan and scholarships will be an excellent combination. Additional benefits, such as awards and grants based on academic achievement may also be beneficial.
6. USMLE Exam
USMLE exams are the entry point to U.S. residencies for both U.S. and International Medical Graduates (IMGs). You should analyse the medical school’s USMLE Step Pass Percentage and average score on their website before settling down for any Caribbean medical school.
Epilogue
With a reasonable fee structure and a variety of scholarship opportunities, studying medicine in the Caribbean will help you realize your dream. Medical schools in the Caribbean that are fully accredited provide students the best courses, clinical instruction, and residency opportunities. Your quest for the Best Caribbean Medical Schools will almost certainly take you to AUB, which is one of the top accredited medical schools in the Caribbean, making it an excellent option for you and a launchpad for a successful medical career.
Study Medicine in The Caribbean 