Research as a Caribbean Medical Student

[Governors1315]

Is it possible for caribbean medical students to get involved in basic science research (in the US)? Whereas there is a summer break between first and second year in US Medical schools, which would allow them the opportunity to participate in research, Caribbean Medical Students are restrained by the unique semester set up. Are there any Ross, SGU or AUC students that can discuss if they or someone they know participated in research and how to fit that in around the unque semester situation. Do Caribbean Medical Students qualify for the same research opportunities that are afforded US Medical Students (i.e. that would allow them to take a year off to do research between second and third year of medical school)? I feel that this is most relevant for students who want to pursue the more competitive residencies. Thank you in advance.

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[relaxedMD]

IMO, the caribbean is not geared towards individual students that want to go into top (competitive) residency programs. There are a few (1-2%, just guessing) that do it each year, but they have to jump through a great number of hoops to do so!

That being said, go to a US MD or DO school and you will be overwhelmed with research opportunities during the school year and during the summer months.

If you would like to pursue a competitive residency, then I would recommend forgetting the carib option altogether. Do a year of research now, and then reapply to US med schools. If you need to retake the MCATs as well, then study hard for that.

I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR SGU:
There is research on campus, but not of the variety that may get you significant publications, recognition. Please see the SGU website for more info on research opportunities.

AS FOR MY EXPERIENCE:
It is very difficult to convince any university researcher to accept you into their lab over a student from their own institution. There is alot of competition among US med students to do research over the summer months. Only once or twice did I hear of research openings in university medical centers where a carib student was in the right place at the right time. They spent a month or two doing an away research rotation. It is possible but very rare.
After graduating from the carib, you could try and spend a year doing research in your desired field to help bolster your CV. If you do that, you may not be compensated and your loans will become due. Weigh the pros and cons.

rlxdmd

 

[dtwalrus]

Generally there are almost no opportunities for summer resaearch at the Caribbean schools. This is kind of amazing, since there are thousands of graduates for the bigger schools practicing in the U.S., a fair amount of whom are probably doing research and would be willing to help out students from their alma mater. Unfortunately, the school has no functioning alumni network to help students make these connections. One of the quirks of the Caribbean. While you're applying you'll probably get 3 calls from Alumni offering to bend over backwards to answer any questions. Once they've sold you on the school and you're already down here, the alumni connection is non-existent.

Bottom line, of those that do find summer research opportunities, most do so through reasearch groups they had previous afffiliations with or through personal connections. For everyone else interested there are typically opportunities for research in 3rd and 4th year during clinicals, when you can offer a research team more than 6 weeks of service.

 

[dragonfly99]

Is it possible for caribbean medical students to get involved in basic science research (in the US)? Whereas there is a summer break between first and second year in US Medical schools, which would allow them the opportunity to participate in research, Caribbean Medical Students are restrained by the unique semester set up. Are there any Ross, SGU or AUC students that can discuss if they or someone they know participated in research and how to fit that in around the unque semester situation. Do Caribbean Medical Students qualify for the same research opportunities that are afforded US Medical Students (i.e. that would allow them to take a year off to do research between second and third year of medical school)? I feel that this is most relevant for students who want to pursue the more competitive residencies. Thank you in advance.

I think you could become involved in research in the US, but it will be much more difficult. There are research fellowships that take foreign MD grads, but usually they are 2 years long...which might make your med school diploma seem out of date by the time you apply to residency. If you have a previous research contact(s) in the US, like someone you worked with in the past, they might take you on for a summer or a semester. The way I'd do it if I were a Carib student would be take one of the semesters off (like between your 2nd to last and last basic science semester) to do research. It might be hard to find a research spot in the US if you don't have previous connections, though.

As far as Carib students qualifying for some of the special year-long research gigs (like things at NIH, etc.) I'll bet they don't. It probably requires you be enrolled in a US school...would check the NIH web site (for Howard Hughes Medical Institute program) and other web sites.