Carribean medical Schools

[Haroon]

Hi Everyone,

I am a U of Toronto,Canada, student trying to get into medical school. It has become almost impossible to get into U of T med-school for their requirement of 3.9/4.00 GPA. A friend of mine recommended Carribean schools. Could someone help me out how to start, what GPA is competitive, MCAT requirements, Costs, residency chances in States or Canada, and costs?

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Haroon

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[argonx]

All yo need is good credit and a beating heart to get into the schools. However you will need to WORK VERY HARD in order to be successful (or thats what i hear!)
Anyway you can do it!


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There is more joy in giving then there is in recieving.

 

[Stephen Ewen]

Canadians do far better by first seeking to gain entrance into non-Carribean foreign medical schools such as those in the U.K. There is a relatively significant Canadian student population in Ireland, I know. France would be another excellent option, assuming you have the language ability. Really, any top foreign school, as it would be potentially assessed such by Canadian medical Authorities, no matter where it may be is preferable. Many feel that if (when?) Canadian IMG laws change, Canadian IMGs will fare much better when they come from such schools.

 

[hopedoc]

Will there be any similar laws in the future for the US as there will be in Canada, according to the previous poster?

 

[Carbon Klein]

Before you go offshore, especially to the Caribbeans, you should consider where you want to practice. If you are interested in a US residency, then the proposition is very complex. In fact three of my classmates from St George's in Grenada are Canadian and all three are stuck for VISAs. One signed outside of the match but is having visa problems nonetheless. One match at an Ivy League Internal Med program, but again, visa problems...he can't seem to get a J1 visa before starting in July. The third guy isn't graduating from SGU, so I'm not sure what's up with him. Either case, it's extremely easy to get into a Caribbean school. If you have something in the mid 20s MCAT and about a 3.0 GPA give or take a little bit, then you'll probably get into the "Harvard of the Caribbean"....but if your credentials are a lot higher, then you should definitely try AMCAS again.

There's quite a lot of loops to jump through as a foreign grad because you're answering to the ECFMG. There's extra tests, extra provisions. Also, top programs in most fields will pick over foreign grads. Competitive specialties rarely entertain IMG applications. In other words, being an IMG limits your choices for specialties. If you're interested in Internal med, then it probably won't matter to you. If you're interested in General Surgery, then you'll have to be amazing just to get a mid-tier residency. If you're interested in Neurosurgery, then you better reassess your credentials.

I'm not sure what the provision is for getting a Canadian residency from a foreign school, but it's probably not good.

Foreign schools such as the Caribbean money making machines are extremely expensive. As a Canadian citizen, you will not qualify for financial aid. If you are a US citizen, then depending on the Caribbean school you attend (only SGU and Ross qualifies for this), then you can get US Gov't Financial aid/loans. Plane tickets to the Caribbeans via Puerto Rico is expensive. Living in the Caribbeans is not cheap. Phone calls to the US runs about 1-3 bucks a MINUTE. Meats and fruits/vegetables are airshipped to the islands so they are very expensive. Tuition from SGU is about $35,000/year including your summer sessions. I'm not even going to talk about the customs tax at the Point Salines Airport in Grenada....if you have electronics/computers, just be sure to bring a few hundred dollars cash on-board to give to the customs officer.

 

[sahmed]

Hello...to anyone who knows more about Medical Schools. I am in the process of searching for good medical schools outside teh US because Im sick of waiting for acceptance letters from them! Is there anyone that knows of a GOOD medical school. Ive heard of St. George's..is that really any good? Can someone please let me know. Also how hard is it going to be once I come back to the states? The good thing is Im a US citizen so unlike Canadians I dont think I need a visa to get back, am i right?

I'll be awaiting a reply..thanks

 

[Detroit Rock City]

Check out ross as well, it worked for me. Hey carbon,
hate to be nitpicky but, fruits and veggies were the only damm things to eat on the rock. If I see one more damm banana.......LOL

 

[srose]

Don't overlook Saba if you are looking into good Caribbean medical schools. I attend Saba and am so pleased. It is expensive, but if you are going in to debt, do it over your education. Saba offers many clinical sites, most in the US. You can opt to go to Europe but there are plenty of spots available in the US. Saba is exellent and I am will be finished in 10 months. My clinicals are already set up and I am going back to my home state. I strongly suggest considering it. You can see more on www.saba.org

 

[Annette]

Be very wary about what people tell you about foreign schools! There are alot of people who are adamantly against foreign schools no matter what, and alot of people trying to make money off of would be students.

The established off shore are Ross, AUC, St. George's, and UNIBE. Saba hasn't been around as long, but is fairly well known. I have heard horror stories about all of these schools, except UNIBE- but UNIBE has it's own set of troubles. There are some less established schools- St. Matthews, CASHU (aka Belize Medical College), MUA, and a whole bunch of others. Again, more horror stories, but medical students are a whiny bunch.

I have lost the address, but Dr. Carlos Pestana put together a great book about foreign medical schools. Spend some time in researching and you should be ok.