University of West Indies

[busupshot83]

Has anyone attended the University of West Indies in the Carribbean? If so, what do you think of them and their training there?

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[Isabella]

Hey there,
I have not attended UWI, but from what I hear it is a top medical school in the caribbean. It is different from the other ones that cater to american and canadian students. UWI is a true caribbean university. I visited it's barbados campus and it was amazing!
Are you thinking of going there?

 

[busupshot83]

Well I'm a pre-dental student, and I'm vying for a spot in U.S. schools first. I happent to be Trinidadian, so if things don't work out, Ill head there to get my DDS.

I'm just researching about the schools for pre-med friend of mine. Thanks, no one talks in this forum...

 

[Jamaican MD]

I was actually considering UWI (at Mona) as well. My parents are from Jamaica. It's a 5 year program from what I gathered from the internet site. I don't quite understand the application process because they have an examination system over there it seems (versus GPA here in the US) so I dunno. . .Like you, my preference is a school in the US, but an MD is an MD. I know a couple top attendings/fellows who went to schools in Dominica and Mexico.

 

[C.A.R25]

UWI is a VERY competitive school to get into (from what I know from the medical school)... only 1 in 10 applicants with GOOD grades actually make it in there 1st atempt (I am talking As in the British A LEVEL here!). The demand is there but not the space for placement, so I could just imagine the difficulty for a non-Caribbean citizen in getting in.

Personally, even though the school is great I would not bother to go there if you?re really set on practicing medicine in the US because am not sure about the us rotations etc...

But either way, a MBBS from UWI is quit an accomplishment unlike an MD from a cookie cutter school that attracts "regects." (Some are trying to change their image though but some just take anyone.)

 

[busupshot83]

But they train you for USMLE, right?

 

[soon2bdoc2003]

At sgu we had a couple of uwi transfers.. basically it is a great school if you dont want to come to the US. They really dont prepare you for usmle and you do all your rotations in the caribbean. We had an MS3 from uwi transfer into 4th term sgu (tail end of 2nd year) and he was blown away by the depth / volume of materials in our coursework. Their education is more clinically oriented and less geared toward board prep.

 

[busupshot83]

whoa, very interesting

 

[skarim]

UWI is an excellent school, clearly the best in the Caribbean, with a system of training equivalent to any UK school.

However, it will be very difficult to get back to the US once you graduate from there. You could practice/train in the UK easily enough however, disregarding immigration issues.

 

[Stephen Ewen]

bump

 

[busupshot83]

does anyone know if graduates from UWI Med School can take the USMLE?

 

[poly]

yes, see http://imed.ecfmg.org/results.asp?c...rpage=1&cname=&city=&region=0&rname=&psize=25

 

[busupshot83]

.... what is IMED?

 

[dimsum]

UWI is a very respected university. It should never be compared to any offshore med school. Period.
The UWI faculty despise the "caribbean" description and prefer to be referred to, as "west indian", because of the stigma associated w/ caribbean med schools.
I have visited the UWI Mona ( a kingston suburb), and the hospitals several times, and would compare them, academically to its research affiliates Harvard and Oxford. The graduates breeze through the usmles in general. and get top notch residencies, in top locations, even in comparison to US graduates. Yes, there are a few schools that seem to get better billing than the mediocre us schools. There are a bunch of these grads at the Mayo, Cleveland, Harvard, and even a couple at Hopkins, but the vast majority are at the Univ of Miami's Jacson memorial hospital.
The UWI It is very very difficult to get in. They have 2 seats for Foreigners each year.
That wasnt a typo, they have 2 seats per year for foreign students, and these seats are filled by some brilliant kids. the faculty are all educated either in UWI, or some of the top med schools in the world.
With all due respect to the offshore schools, we should be careful in comparing carib schools to this school. It is affiliated with top US med hospitals such as the Mayo and harvard.
It's sister school in Trinidad is supposed to be just as good, but i havent seen/been to it...

 

[CaribSeaDog]

As a graduate of that Prestigious West Indian Institution...you are spot on, DimSum. UWI began as a college of the University of London, its medical degree is highly respected and its graduates get automatic licensure in the UK. It is not a school for those who "couldn't cut the mustard". Its entrance requirements are stiff and its medical course is intense and somewhat regimental.

 

[dimsum]

While the word Jamaica, invokes the image of beautiful beaches, british manners, and optimistic smiles, to most people, that same word, Jamaice, invokes a totally different image...atleast for me. It invokes the image of a country ravaged by the kingston drug wars, the hard working and simple people and most impressively, the intellect of the majority of the students and the faculty of UWI. I take my hat off to the many faculty members who return to this little country to give back to their community.

I frequently visit your mona campus, and i think it's one of the most academic group of people I've ever met. I have several friends who graduated from uwi, who went on to hopkins and mayo, and have done very well in life.
UWI is the Jewel of The West Indies. I hope you folks continue its tradition of educational elitism.
one correction to the note by carib sea dog... I am not a graduate of your school. I just have been there so much that i know a lot about it.

 

[CaribSeaDog]

I should have been more accurate. I am a graduate of UWI's medical school. Yes, Kingston does have its problems but so do many cities in the US and in other parts of the world. I am proud of my alma mater!

 

[dimsum]

I didnt mean to denigrate kingston with the "drug wars" comment. That was meant in sympathy..
You should be proud to be a graduate of this school. Its a great place.

 

[naturalmd7]

Anyone went to the University of the West Indies? Would you have to do a residency program in the US after the 5 years in Jamaica?

 

[ebaydove]

Residency is something you do, after medical school. It trains you in one specific area. In medical school, you get a general overview of medicine. In residency you work to become a specialist in one area. You absolutely would have to do residency in an area, to be licensed in the US or Canada. It doesnt matter whether you attended a 5 yr, 6 yr, 7 yr or 8 year med school, you will need to do a residency.
In most other countries, you are able to practice immediately after earning your degree. Not so in the USA or Canada