Medical Schools in the Caribbean option
Medical Schools in the Caribbean option
While Med schools and now a vet school have thrived in the Caribbean. We look at them both.
There are few medical schools in the UK and competition with A levels is tough. Usually straight As are required including Chemistry and Maths. Here at the Exam Blog we have written a short piece on what is on offer in the Caribbean medical school and the option of studying medicine outside of the UK. The Exam House help many candidates sit A levels outside of the mainstream schooling.
Studying medicine in the Caribbean is an informed choice for individuals coming out of secondary school in the UK and abroad, who aspire to become doctors and practice in the US, Canada or the UK.
The conventional route to practice medicine in the US is to complete a four-year Bachelors’ degree. Preferably in Biology. Then write an admission test – MCAT, followed by applying to the different medical schools in the US, which are again four years long.
Caribbean medical schools are also four years long. They serve the alternative where students can enroll after a Bachelor’s degree or after completing their secondary school exams. Typically being A levels or equivalent.
The latter, however, means they will enroll in a one-year “pre-medical program”, after which they can go on to studying four-year medicine at the same university, saving three years overall.
Not all Caribbean medical schools are alike, however. One of the most important factors, when deciding which school to apply to is to ensure it is accredited by “The Caribbean Accreditation Authority” (CAAM-HP).
Among the popular destinations for Caribbean medical schools include: St. George’s University School of Medical, Ross University School of Medicine, and Saba University School of Medicine.
The first two years of medicine are generally called the “pre-clinical” years. This is when students rigorously study through traditional lectures and laboratory sessions.
The last two years are called the “clinical” years, which is hospital and clinic-based training, augmented by other teaching methods. Good Caribbean schools have affiliations with US and UK hospitals. While also allowing their students to conduct their clinical rotations in the US.
This is crucial as these hospitals will provide students’ recommendation letters and support for the next phase of their careers while working and specializing in the US – i.e. residency matching.
Every country has it's own exams and qualifications that students must pass, regardless of the location of their "pre-clinical" being local or abroad. The key is to do "clinical rotations" (last 2 years of medical studies) in the specific country of your choice, where you'd like to practice ideally. This is only possible if the medical school of your choosing has an affiliated hospital in that country. Many Caribbean schools have US/Canadian affiliated hospitals, because it's a popular destination for a lot of US/Canadian students who want to go back to the country of their origin. Affiliations with UK hospital is also on the rise. Below is a list of medical schools that have UK affiliated hospitals. I've linked a list of hospitals for each school that I could find. Hope this helps.
Note: the top medical school in the Caribbeans - St. George's University School of Medicine - now has a complete MD program in the UK partnered with the Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK.
St. George's University School of Medicine (Accredited by CAAM-HP)
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (Accredited by CAAM-HP)
https://www.aucmed.edu/academics/hospital-teaching-sites
American University of Antigua College of Medicine (Accredited by CAAM-HP)
https://www.auamed.org/academics/clinical-sciences/hospital-affiliations/