Question On Accreditation

[Meatwad]

This really crosses the boundary into the international forums, but it will receive more attention here, and considering I am nontraditional, I'll post here. Feel free to move it, mods.

My question is about foreign med schools that are accredited (by the LCME I suppose? There are so many commissions that I am quite confused about them). Since I'm a New Yorker, if I went to a foreign med school, I'd like to be able to go to a school recognized by NYS. According to http://www.op.nysed.gov/medforms.htm, there is a form you need to fill out if "...you are a graduate of a non-LCME-accredited medical school located in one country but completed one or more clinical clerkships in another country."

Furthermore, they say that this form " ...is not needed for graduates of the following medical schools, which have been approved by the New York State Education Department to allow students to complete more than 12 weeks of clinical clerkships in New York State." Thus follows a list of schools, among them SABA to U. of Silesia. Now, SABA's program is only about 2 years in the Caribbean and then you come back to the US, correct? What about a school like the U. of Silesia, which is a 4-year program? Could someone clarify how foreign medical education works? Specifically, if you are leaving the Caribbean after two years to do clinical education in the US, aren't you finishing much quicker if you go to, say, SABA, then if you go to a Polish school where you do non-clinical AND clinical in Poland, then you have to come here and do clerkships.

This is where I'm confused. I think I misunderstand medical education in general! Please, if anyone can, outline a "sample" curriculum for me from a program like SABA, and a 4-year program like a Euro school. I am indebted to all who respond.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[spicedmanna]

My understanding is that Caribbean schools are not LCME accredited; some are independently accredited by their own country/region. However, the major ones are recognized by WHO, and the MD degree that they grant is accepted in the United States. You need to do careful research on which Caribbean program allows you to practice in what US States. In general, degrees from higher-quality Caribbean schools like SGU are accepted in all 50 states. Please check this for each one you are considering applying to.

In good Caribbean programs, the curriculum is exactly the same as the US curriculum. That is, your first two years are pre-clinical and primarily spent in the classroom. Your last two years are your clerkship years, where you do clinical rotations at affliated hospitals and medical centers. What you want to do is to have a clerkship in the US. Please make sure that the schools you are considering in the Caribbean has pre-set, or pre-arranged, 3rd and 4th year rotations in affliated US Hospitals. This is critical to your success. I cannot emphasize this enough.

If I were you, I'd go to the Caribbean schools before the European ones, for the reason you sited. Many European programs do not follow the US curriculum model and don't have clerkships in the US. This could make matters more difficult for you in terms of matching for a residency and in taking the USMLE Step I. I do not suggest going to a European program unless there is no other choice. For that matter, I do not suggest going to a Caribbean program unless you have no other choice. I think you get the picture. Try to get into a US program before considering these things.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

I think most of your questions are answered here, by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates: http://www.ecfmg.org/