While all pre-medical undergraduates hope to graduate from medical school one day, most understand that this path will be difficult and recognize that the number of medical school applicants far exceed the number of medical school seats. According to the 2001 statistics put forth by the American Association for Medical Colleges, only approximately 46% of the close to 35,000 applicants were admitted to US medical schools, leaving a large number of qualified applicants rejected [1]. For the applicant who is denied admission, the options become somewhat limited. The applicant can pursue an alternate degree in a related area of interest, enter the working world, apply to medical school again the following year, or seek a medical education outside the United States.
The latter option has proven to have both its strengths and weaknesses. Many medical schools that exist in Europe, Asia, and South America are known for producing well-trained physicians. These medical schools, however, usually offer six-year programs and teach courses in a foreign language. Medical schools of the Caribbean, on the other hand, were created for the sole purpose of filling the gap left by the US medical education system. The course of study, from admission to graduation, mirrors US medical education in terms of content, length, and requirements.
There are three main medical schools in the Caribbean are collectively known as 'The Big Three:' St. George (SGU) in Grenada, American University of the Caribbean (AUC) in St. Martin, and Ross University in the Dominican Republic. 'The Big Three' boast of the strongest records in academic merit among Caribbean medical schools with several decades of operating experience and having graduated more than 10,000 doctors practicing in the United States. Tuition varies among these institutions, ranging from AUC's tuition fee of $8,000 per semester for the basis sciences to SGU's tuition fee of $25,000 per semester for the clinical sciences [2, 3, 4, 5].
These accredited medical schools of the Caribbean emulate the medical schools of the US in several important ways-through hiring staff trained in the US as either MDs or PhDs in their relative field of study, utilizing identical textbooks that the US medical schools use and teaching all courses in English. The length of courses is dictated by licensing boards that impose requirements on the length of time a student must spend in a classroom setting, and most schools offer a four-year program comprised of the basic and clinical sciences [2, 3, 4, 5]. Therefore, alternate medical schools of the Caribbean claiming an internet- or distance-based learning curriculum will most likely fail to have students become licensed physicians. The requirements for acceptance into most Caribbean medical schools were also adopted from the conventional medical schools of the US; these include one year of Biology with lab, one year each of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry with labs, one year of Physics with lab, one year (sometimes semester) of English, and one year (sometimes semester) of upper level Mathematics [2, 3, 4, 5]. In addition to the basic requirements, most medical schools of the Caribbean require that the applicant submit MCAT scores and that the applicant had exposure to diverse humanities courses, volunteer experience, and work experience in health care.
Each university also offers numerous academic and social activities for its students. Students attending SGU can choose to participate in over 25 dean-supported student organizations promoting religious, cultural, professional, political, athletic, social, and academic interests. Since the completion of its facilities expansion project, SGU has added 500,000 square feet of academic, administrative and residential support space to its campus [3]. AUC is located in Netherland Antilles, a popular tourist destination, complete with casinos, restaurants, and several US franchises. AUC and Ross University offer similar academic organizations for students in comparison to SGU, and both are located directly on the beach providing access to aquatic recreation and sports [4, 5]. In addition, all of 'The Big Three' campuses offer their students membership into the American Medical Students Association, so that they can enjoy the same benefits as their student counterparts in the US [3,4,5].
One of the most consoling aspects of a prospective education abroad is the number of residency positions unoccupied by US doctors each year. According to the American Medical Association, there are approximately 22,000 residency slots open annually for a graduating class of 16,000 US medical students [6]. This tells of a 6,000 posting deficit that must be filled by foreign trained physicians each and every year. As a small representative sample in the various specialties, 25.3% of family practice, 18.8% of surgery, 15.1% of OB/GYN residents are foreign doctors [6].
The Caribbean may boast of plenty of sun, surf, and island activities, but their medical schools also possess relatively strong records of academic excellence and provide a niche for those determined individuals seeking a medical degree. Foreign medical education may introduce a larger financial burden to the US student, but after graduating with a medical degree, most can be sure they will find US residency appointments. Ross University notes that as much as 96% of their graduates return to the US to enter a residency program [5]. Thus, while some may believe that the beach may not be conducive to extensive and rigorous studying and training in medicine, Caribbean medical school graduates would probably claim to represent some of the world's most dedicated doctors, maintaining focused concentration in the midst of distraction in order to achieve a much coveted goal-their medical degree and a chance to help sick patients.
Ricardo is a graduate of UIC and is currently pursuing a career in medicine. He aspires to enter the field of obstetrics/gynecology and to specialize in in-uterus fetal surgery in order to correct congenital birth defects such as Spina Bifida.
