M.D from caribbean schools

[phisigman03]

I was wanting to know do M.Ds from the caribbean schools looked down upon when entering into the U.S.? How much recognitions do they get being an IMG?

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[GAdoc]

I was wanting to know do M.Ds from the caribbean schools looked down upon when entering into the U.S.? How much recognitions do they get being an IMG?

If you look at the match list on NRMP.org you'll see that in certain specialties like family practice and internal medicine, MANY spots go unfilled each year. The demand for this type of physician is such that anybody willing to fill one of these positions is welcome. By the time you jump through all the hoops necessary to get a U.S. residency, no one will probably notice or care where you went to medical school.

I think the general consensus is that if you want a high end specialty, you may not have a very good chance at a Carib. school. There are certainly exceptions. However, if you have what it takes to ace medical school and rock the boards, you probably have what it takes to do the same in college and try to get into a US allo school. Its not that these schools are better per se, but simply there are less obstacles to overcome.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

I was wanting to know do M.Ds from the caribbean schools looked down upon when entering into the U.S.? How much recognitions do they get being an IMG?

Yes but not as much as DOs. lol

 

[penguins]

Some folks, especially old white men, do look down on you for being from the carib. Most people don't, however. You just have to prove yourself on day one and work your booty off. I really do think most attendings see you for what you are rather than what school you went to. If you aren't a good clinical student you will get the stereotype label, whereas if you excell, the attending might ask you why you couldn't get into the US because you are so great, etc.
There is prejudice against DOs as well. I had one doc that I met at a conference say "you couldn't even get into a DO school?!" very loudly. I was so embarassed - especially for the DO students he had with him. I said as politely as I could that I didn't apply for DO school (or MD school, but I didn't tell him that much).
A lot depends on the area of the country with regards to DO.
In the end, you will be a doc wherever you go. How good of one depends on you more than what school you went to.

 

[phisigman03]

But what about moving on up the latter? I don't plan on just practicing medicine full time all of my life. Do caribb's students get any opp. to be professors at US Med Schools? and Can they move up into chairman and such positions? Or does this depends on your reputation?

 

[McGillGrad]

But what about moving on up the latter? I don't plan on just practicing medicine full time all of my life. Do caribb's students get any opp. to be professors at US Med Schools? and Can they move up into chairman and such positions? Or does this depends on your reputation?

You are what you make yourself to be and you are on or relatively even ground starting residency so you have the opportunity to go as far as your intelligence, hard work and charm will take you in academic medicine.

 

[penguins]

But what about moving on up the latter? I don't plan on just practicing medicine full time all of my life. Do caribb's students get any opp. to be professors at US Med Schools? and Can they move up into chairman and such positions? Or does this depends on your reputation?

At 2 interviews I ran into carib grad faculty. One was at a mid to low tier school and she was high up the chain of command in neurology. The other was a junior faculty member in IM at a mid tier program. He had been a resident there.
I am sure there are more than this, but these are facts I know. Surely, you will be excluded from some big name programs but for the most part you will be judged on your performance and reputation.

 

[Jamers]

Yes but not as much as DOs. lol

Despite what path you may choose, D.O. or FMD, you will face bias. However, unless this poster has personally polled over 30,000 people to make for a statistical obersvation he should be careful as to what he types. D.O's are highly respected in most states and this only increases with every passing year. Also, if you do well enough on your boards in a FMD school, no doctor will ever question your degree. However, if you suck at life or go through it with your head stuck up your ass, you will most likely end up at the low end residency and your degree will be questioned. In the end, it comes down to A) how much you care about M.D. vs D.O. (I love D.O. and dropped my Ross acceptance right after I got it) and B) How much you want it.

 

[phisigman03]

Thanx yal have been very helpful to me and I am sure to many others who is on here. Just to switch ift up a little Does any one out there knows how hard it is to get into Albany College of Medicine in NY? I got my acceptance to Ross 3 weeks after they interviewed me but Albany is just now looking at my App. I also looked at their stats on MCAT scores some are great but others look like caribb.'s stats. (no offense I might head down there myself). Any info on Albany?

 

[DiverDoc]

Yes but not as much as DOs. lol

I pity you and your ignorance

 

[hotlikebutter]

dont know what you guys are thinking, but i dont trust anyone right off the bat, fmg or harvard md. doctors in general shouldnt be trusted until they perform at a level in which we can invest more trust in them. white coat does not equal automatic trust, it means they deserve a chance to earn my trust.

i think if more people think like this, a lot of health care problems will go away because we will be left with doctors, educated anywhere who are capable of caring for their patients without the god ego.

the all knowing god mentality has got to be one of the most hurtful images that face doctors today. people expect we know everything and losers in white coats act like they know everything adding flames to the fire.

 

[penguins]

dont know what you guys are thinking, but i dont trust anyone right off the bat, fmg or harvard md. doctors in general shouldnt be trusted until they perform at a level in which we can invest more trust in them. white coat does not equal automatic trust, it means they deserve a chance to earn my trust.

i think if more people think like this, a lot of health care problems will go away because we will be left with doctors, educated anywhere who are capable of caring for their patients without the god ego.

the all knowing god mentality has got to be one of the most hurtful images that face doctors today. people expect we know everything and losers in white coats act like they know everything adding flames to the fire.

What? Did I miss something? What does this have to do with the price of tea in China?

 

[PathOne]

Which school you went to can matter a lot when seeking a residency. After that, the place where you trained, and then your reputation, scientific acomplishments etc. become more important. I work at THE #1 rated US hospital in my field, and we have several Carib graduates at the attending level. In fact, you can see a lot of non-US grads at chairman level at top 15 schools. However, the vast majority of those will be "true" FMG's, i.e. foreign nationals who come to the US in the beginning, or late, in their career.

 

[stookie]

I've been accepted to a carib med school, and when anyone found out that I got in they would ask where, I would say " a foreign school" everyone thought it was pretty cool. Most people either don't know the difference or don't care because you're going to be a doctor, and that's cool enough !

 

[Taurus]

I've noticed that doctors are very proud and egotistical people (what an epiphany! I should write up a report on this finding). They will look down upon anyone who they think is lesser than them. Whether it's MCAT scores, school ranking, etc. So, traditionally, US MD's > DO > Caribbean MD's > PA's, NP's > nurses, etc.

 

[DoctorC++]

Yeah, isn't that funny? That some doctors look down upon people. I guess it depends on the person. I don't like to look down upon people in general. Regardless of their career. I want to become a doctor to help others. Telling someone that they suck because of the school they went to or because of their profession is not my thing.

You shouldn't care what other people think. Are you becoming a doctor for yourself or for everyone else?

Just ignore all this. Do what you have to do to get where you are going. The negativity will always be there. It's your own personal choice if you want to let it get to you or not.

 

[McGillGrad]

Even if you care about status among doctors...For every person who looks down on you, there are about 100 people who look at you with awe and respect for spending your time and energy making people healthier.