Need some info

[gundersfat]

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Did some searching but couldn't really find any answers. First of all great forum. I'm an Ontario student with very high marks (in final year of highschool). I'm applying to McMaster university for some of their science and med undergrad programs. I know it's really tuff in Canada to get into med school so I was looking to go to the Carribean, I heard it is also a much shorter program. 5 years compared to 8? I was wondering if an IMF trained in the CArribean can practise in Canada, and if there will be any discrepancies with the residency aspect. Can someone explain the residency program please for IMF? Also it's only 1 year undergrad at a Canadian university then the MCAT then apply for a 4 year program in the Carriebean? Any info is appreciated.

 

[erichaj]

Did some searching but couldn't really find any answers. First of all great forum. I'm an Ontario student with very high marks (in final year of highschool). I'm applying to McMaster university for some of their science and med undergrad programs. I know it's really tuff in Canada to get into med school so I was looking to go to the Carribean, I heard it is also a much shorter program. 5 years compared to 8? I was wondering if an IMF trained in the CArribean can practise in Canada, and if there will be any discrepancies with the residency aspect. Can someone explain the residency program please for IMF? Also it's only 1 year undergrad at a Canadian university then the MCAT then apply for a 4 year program in the Carriebean? Any info is appreciated.

You might want to call the Canadian health ministry and ask them that. Also, the Carribean school may be able to give you that information or direct you to the right person to ask that from.

If you have high marks and think you can get into McMaster, try that first. You educational experience will be much better. Your residency training will be accepted in the US and you can try to find a job in the US after you have finished.

You should only use the carribean as a last chance.

I know of one person who used it as their first choice. he was 21 when he entered. His father was an FP with a huge practice. So, he knew that when he finished he would most likely have it made.

 

[McGillGrad]

It is very foolish to skip undrgrad to go straight to med school.

Undergrad will not only be some of the best times of your life, but it will allow you to discover other subjects and fields of study before you focus on medicine.

 

[gundersfat]

So a person who has recieved his medical doctor degree from the Caribean will not be able to practise in Canada? One can only practise in the US with a degree from the Caribean? Plus is it only one year undergrad that is required? Will that one year of undergrad prepare me for the MCAT? I may get admission in the Macmaster but if I can do the same degree in less time why not. Some please post some more info on length of program and CANADIAN acceptance...

 

[McGillGrad]

The only way you are getting back into Canada after going to the caribbean is after you do residency in the US and that is still not for sure.

 

[utorontograd]

Here's the best advice I can give you if you want to practise in Canada. It's a reality that you may not like to hear as a highschool student. You're far better off going to a small university, that maybe isn't as competitive as some of the big name brand schools like U of T, McMaster, Western, UBC, McGill; that maybe doesn't have the best McClean's ratings but will allow you to maintain your highschool average. This way you can get into a Canadian medical school. Here's a personal anecdote: Third year Anatomy class at U of T our lab demonstrator was an upperclassman at U of T med and was a graduate of Lake Head University.

Were I to do it all over again, I'd much rather have attended a not so famous university for undergrad and gone to any Canadian medical school than have attended a top ranked university for undergrad and resorted to a caribbean medical school thereafter.

To answer your question though:

The top 4 caribbean schools do require a certain amount of undergraduate work. I believe it's 90 credit hours across the board. Not sure what that translates into in terms of academic years. An undergraduate degree is preferred but that doesn't mean you won't get in without one if you do well in the minimum amount of time required of you.

The issue really isn't will you get in and how fast it can all be done but will you be able to get licensure in the state you want. I say state because most med students going offshore are choosing to practice outside of Canada due to the convoluted process of getting back into the country with a foreign M.D. I say foreign because your M.D. degree will be conferred by the country in which the school is located even though more than half of the education is conducted in clinical centres throughout the U.S.

Keep in mind things are changing. I recently heard of a Ross student that matched for a residency in Ontario. Don't know if it's true or not, so you may want to verify by calling Ross. Perhpas they can help you. Also a couple of students from Medical University of the Americas made their way back to... Saskatchewan I think (may want to verify that as well).

If you have any question feel free to PM me.

 

[gundersfat]

On the website of this University it says it is accredited by the Canadian Medical Council. But the residency is in the US still, not a problem though. Is residency only 1 year?

http://asumaruba.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=42

Plus thankyou all for the input. UofTgrad I think we live around the same area, Hamilton? I'll be dropping you some emails soon. Or better yet, email what courses you took and where, I'm applying to Mcmaster, Guelph and Toronto this year, so any push towards the right direction is appreciated.

Did some more research, http://www.mcc.ca/english/examinations/index.html. That site has alot of info for Candians, there is al whole list of schools that are accepted by Canada. Just have to pass some tests, to recieve lisensure...

The only reason I'm looking towards this route is because of the shorter time frame. Roughly 6 years to get education, pass exams etc and get back to Canada and practise. Compared to the 8 + 1-2 year residency.

 

[utorontograd]

On the website of this University it says it is accredited by the Canadian Medical Council. But the residency is in the US still, not a problem though. Is residency only 1 year?

http://asumaruba.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=42

Plus thankyou all for the input. UofTgrad I think we live around the same area, Hamilton? I'll be dropping you some emails soon. Or better yet, email what courses you took and where, I'm applying to Mcmaster, Guelph and Toronto this year, so any push towards the right direction is appreciated.

Did some more research, http://www.mcc.ca/english/examinations/index.html. That site has alot of info for Candians, there is al whole list of schools that are accepted by Canada. Just have to pass some tests, to recieve lisensure...

The only reason I'm looking towards this route is because of the shorter time frame. Roughly 6 years to get education, pass exams etc and get back to Canada and practise. Compared to the 8 + 1-2 year residency.

-I live in Toronto not Hamilton.
-The right direction is getting a good undergraduate education. Trying to rush
becoming a doctor is not a wise move and it may end up backfiring on you. You haven't even begun university and you've already made up your mind that you will not get into a Canadian medical school. Pragmatic perhaps but common kid give it shot.
-Graduates from many foreign schools are eligible to sit for Canadian licensing exams. I've never heard of Allsaints before you brought it to my attention. I think I have seen some ads for them on vmd though. You're better off attending other caribbean institutions. Spend ten minutes on here and you'll figure out which ones those are.

 

[oldpro]

On the website of this University it says it is accredited by the Canadian Medical Council. But the residency is in the US still, not a problem though. Is residency only 1 year?

http://asumaruba.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=42

Plus thankyou all for the input. UofTgrad I think we live around the same area, Hamilton? I'll be dropping you some emails soon. Or better yet, email what courses you took and where, I'm applying to Mcmaster, Guelph and Toronto this year, so any push towards the right direction is appreciated.

Did some more research, http://www.mcc.ca/english/examinations/index.html. That site has alot of info for Candians, there is al whole list of schools that are accepted by Canada. Just have to pass some tests, to recieve lisensure...

The only reason I'm looking towards this route is because of the shorter time frame. Roughly 6 years to get education, pass exams etc and get back to Canada and practise. Compared to the 8 + 1-2 year residency.

1st off, we had a student who transferred from All Saints, and what he said WOW glad I'm not there, It's an unproven school. When it comes to things like accreditation do not take any schools word for it check with the source they claim accreditation with, as far as I know no Caribbean school is accredited, just listed or approved by one thing or another, accreditation is different than an approval.

2nd 90 credit hours is a US requirement, it's close to 3 years of undergrad.
6 year MD degrees are fine, but you have to do the 6 years in whole for anything. Some of these shools shorten the premed part and do not teach the premed very well, just read about the schools on www.valuemd.com you will see that some schools suck at the MD courses just think how bad premed would be then. My school has 30% Canadians and the school is in the process of setting up Canadian rotations (WOW right? Well we have had some clinical students rotate in Canada and they think this can be done) So we will see.

 

[gundersfat]

Thanks for all the info! So, I have to go to one of the top Caribbean schools ,for my own benifit ofcourse. Ross is one, any others that are good?

What I want to do is, get my degree from a Caribbean school and come back to Canda and practise. Which school will allow me to do this? I read on the All Saints medschool website that only one year od undergrad is required?

I see that the All Saints school is approved by the Medical Council of Canada, so why isn't going there acceptable, quality of education?

Old Pro what school do you go to? Clinical roations in Canada! 😍


http://imed.ecfmg.org/results.asp?country=107&scho
ol=&currpage=1&cname=ARUBA&city=&region=CA&rname=Central+America%2FCaribbean&psize=25

 

[gundersfat]

Did a bit more research. Seems like if your an IMF that got his/her degree from an country other than Australia, Uk etc.. you have to do residency in Canada again. Is this true, also heard that it is very hard to get residency in a Canadian hospital.

 

[McGillGrad]

Once again, you have next-to-zero chance of coming back to Canada after Caribbean medical school unless you do a residency in the US.

Also, carib school rquire 3 years of undergrad, so unless you want to go to Australia or Ireland for a 6 year degree, forget about it.

Or go to All Saints. Actualy, please go to All Saints. That would be great.

 

[oldpro]

Thanks for all the info! So, I have to go to one of the top Caribbean schools ,for my own benifit ofcourse. Ross is one, any others that are good?

What I want to do is, get my degree from a Caribbean school and come back to Canda and practise. Which school will allow me to do this? I read on the All Saints medschool website that only one year od undergrad is required?

I see that the All Saints school is approved by the Medical Council of Canada, so why isn't going there acceptable, quality of education?

Old Pro what school do you go to? Clinical roations in Canada! 😍


http://imed.ecfmg.org/results.asp?country=107&scho
ol=&currpage=1&cname=ARUBA&city=&region=CA&rname=Central+America%2FCaribbean&psize=25

I go to St. James and the President just met with us and said in the past 2 students did rotations in Canada and the room buzzed and he went on to say that so far no other Canadian wanted to do that, then loudly about 10 of the Canadians spoke out not true not true and he said it would be possible again but that it's not easy. A group of Canadians are now preparing a petition for the President for Canadian rotations but I have to tell you even though Canada has lightened up a lot I think Canadians have to live with the fact that as the USA is FMG unfriendly Canada is down right Hostile, Just read the stuff from the Canadian Medical Student association web site, you will see they really do not like FMG's the best hope is to just suck it in and do the USA clinicals and residency and fly to Canada for visits. IMO

 

[gundersfat]

All Saints was never one of my options, it was just an example of what I had found from research. Don't Caribbean med students do their residecny in the states anyway? Can you exaplin a little more with regards to the US residency and coming to Canada. If I do a residency in the States, will I then have to do residency in Canada again to be able to practise in Canada?

Old Pro what do you mean by Rotations? Really new to this, please bare with me.

Thanks for all the input,
GsF

 

[McGillGrad]

All Saints was never one of my options, it was just an example of what I had found from research. Don't Caribbean med students do their residecny in the states anyway? Can you exaplin a little more with regards to the US residency and coming to Canada. If I do a residency in the States, will I then have to do residency in Canada again to be able to practise in Canada?

Old Pro what do you mean by Rotations? Really new to this, please bare with me.

Thanks for all the input,
GsF

We are bearing with you, as long as you do not bare yourself or ask us to get bare with you.


Most Carib grads do residency in the US because it offers the most opportunity (especially if you are American/Canadian). Europeans can choose to go back to the EU and continue their education there, but I am not privy to the details.

There are Canadians that graduated from Carib schools and completed residency in the US, then applied for a subspecialty or positions in Canada and gained entry that way.

Canada and the US have their own unique number of years required for a specialty. Sometimes, they are equal and sometimes they are not. When they are not equal, extra residency years may be required to fulfill the deficit.