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So, let's break the schools down a different way.
I took the liberty of looking at the number of Caribbean schools that primarily cater to U.S. students who intend to come back to practice here in the States (and possibly Canada). As such, the schools from the Dominican Republic (a former common pathway), Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and others that don't fit the "U.S. student" criteria were left off the lists. Also, the U.S. schools (proposed or actual) in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are excluded, as they are (will) not (be) ECFMG/USIMG pathway schools.
If you look at the number of schools that have been established and the ones that have popped-up more recently, you can fit them into pretty neat time categories. Herein, I've done that.
1) Late 70's/Early 80's: There were five schools, still in existence, that were established during that time frame. They are, in order from 1977-1983:
2) The 1990's:
3) The 2000's:
4) The 2010's:
So, that is 34 schools that the discerning potential medical student looking to study abroad has to choose from. It can be a dizzying amount of choices. But, to simplify, I would hope that people would consider:
That's a question only you can answer. Best of luck in making this huge financial and timely decision. It has the potential of impacting the rest of your life, which is something many of you might not be able to fully comprehend right now.
Good luck!
-Skip
I took the liberty of looking at the number of Caribbean schools that primarily cater to U.S. students who intend to come back to practice here in the States (and possibly Canada). As such, the schools from the Dominican Republic (a former common pathway), Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and others that don't fit the "U.S. student" criteria were left off the lists. Also, the U.S. schools (proposed or actual) in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are excluded, as they are (will) not (be) ECFMG/USIMG pathway schools.
If you look at the number of schools that have been established and the ones that have popped-up more recently, you can fit them into pretty neat time categories. Herein, I've done that.
1) Late 70's/Early 80's: There were five schools, still in existence, that were established during that time frame. They are, in order from 1977-1983:
- St. George's University (1977)
- Ross University (1978)
- AUC (1978) - originally in Monserrat, now in St. Maarten
- Spartan (1980)
- University of Health Sciences Antigua (1983)
2) The 1990's:
- Saba University (1994)
- IUHS (1998)
- MUA - Nevis (1998)
- St. James SOM - Bonaire (NL) (1999)
- AISM (1999)
- AUIS SOM (1999)
3) The 2000's:
- St. Martinus University (2000)
- Windsor University (2000)
- St. James SOM - Anguilla (UK) (2001)
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences - St. Lucia (2002)
- St. Matthew's SOM (2002)
- Avalon University SOM (2003)
- University of Science, Arts & Technology Faculty of Medicine (2003)
- American University of Antigua (2004)
- Aureus University SOM (2004)
- Xavier University SOM (2004)
- International American University COM (2004)
- International University SOM - Bonaire (2005)
- All Saints University SOM (2006)
- CMU - Curacao (2007)
- American International Medical University (2007)
- University of Medicine and Health Sciences (2008)
- Trinity SOM (2008)
4) The 2010's:
- Texila American University (2010)
- Atlantic University SOM (2010)
- Washington Medical Sciences Institute (2011)
- All Saints University SOM - St. Vincent (2011)
- American University of St. Vincent SOM (2012)
- Georgetown American University (Guyana) (2013)
So, that is 34 schools that the discerning potential medical student looking to study abroad has to choose from. It can be a dizzying amount of choices. But, to simplify, I would hope that people would consider:
- A long track record of getting graduates successfully into residency and subsequently licensed in the state in which they ultimately want to practice.
- A solid history of delivering a meaningful degree that you will be able to use to secure future employment.
- Recognition by at least one (if not several) equivalent educational boards in the U.S.
That's a question only you can answer. Best of luck in making this huge financial and timely decision. It has the potential of impacting the rest of your life, which is something many of you might not be able to fully comprehend right now.
Good luck!
-Skip
