Is Caribbean Med School an option for me?

[iluvmedicine2]

Hello,

I was recently dismissed from a U.S. osteopathic medical school for academic reasons (failing courses during my first year) and I’m weighing my options for the future. Following 5 application cycles in the States, I seriously considered going the Caribbean route, but decided against it after receiving interviews from U.S. schools during the 6th cycle. My cumulative and science GPAs were low initially, but later raised by some graduate public health courses I took. And my MCAT score was competitive albeit for the old format of the exam (yes, I am a non-traditional student lol).

I have since completed my Master of Public Health degree, so I’m at a crossroads of making a career for myself in public health or giving medicine one last shot overseas. So, my question is, have any of you met or heard of anyone being accepted to and ultimately successful in Caribbean medical school after being dismissed from a U.S. medical school? Any thoughts or advice you could offer would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance!

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[BigBoss]

I think you should stop pursuing medicine and go into public health. I don't understand why you think going to the Caribbean is a good idea, especially when you failed med school in the states. Even if you get accepted to a Caribbean school, what's to say you won't fail again? Besides, the residency match rate in the Caribbean is around 58%. This is not a risk worth taking.

 

[bedevilled ben]

I have said this many times over but it warrants repeating: It is much easier to get into a Caribbean medical school, but it is much harder to get out of one successfully. All US medical schools (or schools teaching to the US medical model, ie most major Caribbean medical schools like the Big Four,) follow very similar curricula. They are all teaching to the Step exams as that is the primary determinant for getting a residency in the US. Caribbean medical schools have a bunch of added stressors including higher debt, lack of social/academic support, cultural differences, and more difficult living situations, all layered atop a roughly 10x increase in your chances of not Matching from the outset. If you were able to get into a US medical school but were unable to complete the coursework, your chances of successfully graduating from a Caribbean school and Matching are virtually nil. Graduating with below-average grades from a US med school will still net you a residency with some planning. Graduating with above-average grades from a Caribbean med school is still a pretty significant gamble. Even if you are convinced that you can complete the academic coursework, that is only part of the equation. Graduating with a Caribbean MD without a residency is saddling yourself with $200-500k in debt with no real prospect of paying it off. You would be significantly better off working full time at a fast food chain for the 4 years you would spend in the Caribbean.

 

[Like]

My SGU classmates that failed out during basic sciences were not able to gain acceptance at any other Caribbean school. I'm not so sure that they would make an exception because you come from a US school. As the others have stated, perhaps public health is the route for you to pursue now.

 

[NITRAS]

I’m going to be brutal for a minute.

No. When you failed out of med school, you lost your chances be a physician. You applied 6 years been a clue. Get a career that doesn’t involve going to med school.

You have to get in, you have to pass, then you have to pass STEPs, and then you have to get into residency. All are very questionable.

Don’t do it. Move on.

 

[iluvmedicine2]

My SGU classmates that failed out during basic sciences were not able to gain acceptance at any other Caribbean school. I'm not so sure that they would make an exception because you come from a US school. As the others have stated, perhaps public health is the route for you to pursue now.

Thank you for answering my question.