Why Go To A Caribbean Medical School

Do you want to go to a medical school but unsure of which school you should pick? It obviously depends on which school you’re able to get into, but if the thought of joining a Caribbean medical school ever crossed your mind, you will know more about whether to pursue that idea or not in this post.

I have listed some reasons why you must join a Caribbean medical school. I have kept in mind all the pros and cons while writing this article, so stop worrying about it being an entirely biased piece.

Why go to a Caribbean medical school?

1. Beautiful location to spend two years of your study life: Medical school is hectic and every day you’ll be totally drained of energy, and it takes a lot to gain the willpower to keep going for almost two years. Imagine if you get a chance to just drop your books in your room and watch a breathtaking sunset every day! Even if your school is a bit away from the beach, you’ll be able to have those refreshing weekend getaways which might not be possible in many medical schools in the U.S.

2. A different learning altogether: If you pick a Caribbean medical school, you’ll not only learn about your course but also learn to live in an entirely different place with different kind of people. It’s a great thing to be out of your comfort zone by putting yourself in an entirely different country. You’ll learn things you have never imagined, and you will grow up to be a very strong individual.

3. It’s a second chance: What if you do not get a spot in a U.S. medical education school and at the same time, you cannot wait for another year? A Caribbean medical school offers a second chance to people who go through this situation. Instead of waiting for a year and hoping to get into a US clinical rotations next year, you can utilize your time better by joining a Caribbean medical school. If you don’t get into a U.S. one in the summer, you can go for the other one in fall.

4. Less competition: You’ll face much lesser competition while trying to get into Caribbean medical schools. It’s because not many people consider studying abroad for medical studies. Moreover, the ratio of applicants to seats available in U.S. medical schools is very disproportionate. You just have a better chance at getting into a Caribbean medical school.

5. Educational advantages: Most of the teachers in Carribean medical schools are paid as compared to the ones in U.S. medical school who are required to work on their research as well. It means your teachers will be able to prepare better lectures for you, and the quality of teaching is much better in a Carribean medical school.

Make sure you pick a genuinely accredited school to take all these advantages without exposing yourself to a significant disadvantage. Do check out Atlantic School of Medicine in case you need a reference.

How to raise the standard of your medical education?

How can you be an above average medical student? There are so many people who begin medical education each year. The competition is increasing, and it’s getting tougher to be at the top. In fact, it’s tough to get into a U.S. medical school. The acceptance rate is very low. Then the hectic course just burns you out. How can you ensure that you give your best performance during your entire medical education career and also stay fresh and welcoming for new opportunities?

1. Consider medical education or pre-med studies abroad

Both of the options are very beneficial. If you’re a pre-med student, you can go for one semester abroad. It’ll give you much better perspective on healthcare, a better resume and exceptional experience that’s unmatchable. Your MCAT scores aren’t the only thing that can get you into a good medical school. Having a good resume and a streak to become an excellent physician is what will get you to places.

If you’re looking for a diverse perspective on medicine and health care, you can do your medical studies abroad. Caribbean medical schools, schools in Philippines and Ukraine are top three places to pursue medical education abroad.

2. Avoid burnout

During your pre-med years or medical studies years, you’re bound to experience a burn out at least once. The hectic course and endless objectives will make you want to give up. Add to it the fact that all the non-med friends you had in high school will be posting cool pictures about their artistic courses, and there you will find yourself buried in books and sneaking time to go through your Facebook timeline! It gets frustrating and will affect your academic performance. Avoid such a situation. Give yourself enough time to enjoy. Have a weekend getaway or pursue a hobby. It’ll boost your overall performance.

3. Work on your resume

You need to add as much experience as you can in your resume. During your medical education, you should try to expose yourself to diverse cultural environments and social services. It’ll not only give you a better understanding of healthcare but also help you understand people better. Studying in a foreign country or a Caribbean school like AUSOM is another excellent way to achieve this objective but if you don’t want that, look for whatever options those are available to gain extra experience and run for those opportunities. Get more information about US clinical rotations here.

4. Focus on experience

During your medical education, always give more preference to practical experience than theory subjects. Those are important, but you will develop real skills only through practical experiments and work.

These are four ways you can improve the level of your medical education. Note that all of these are not at all dependent on which college you choose, but on what choice you make beyond that one choice.

How to perform well during US clinical rotations?

If you want to make the most out of the US clinical rotations, here are some tips for you.

1. Get used to taking orders: You may know much more than the resident, but you will always report to him/her, and you must show respect to the person in-charge. By maintaining a healthy relationship with your resident, you can learn a lot about how actual hospitals work. You will also be able to spend a good time during the rotations.

2. Act professionally: Maybe you’re interacting with the patient, nurse or the resident doctor, you must always show them respect and act in a responsible and professional manner. You’re undergoing training to be a doctor, and you must act like one.

3. Avoid issues with nurses and patients: Two of the major issues students have during their US clinical rotations are with nurses and patients. As new students, they do not have enough patience to deal with patients, resulting in arguments. One must avoid arguing with patients as much as possible. You will be dealing with such patients your entire life, and you need to deal with them in an amicable manner. Similarly, arguing or being on bad terms with nurses isn’t a good thing. In fact, it will give you a tough time during your stay at the health center. Avoid it.

4. Always alert the resident about significant findings: While checking the patients, you may make a crucial observation, and it’s your responsibility to report it to the resident right away. You should also ensure that you accurately record such observations. All of this will not only help you perform better but also help you be a better doctor.

5. Don’t act on your own: You’re going through the US clinical rotations, and you must understand that. You’re not in a position to prescribe anything or perform any procedure without authorization. Unauthorized methods may land you in deep trouble. As a fresher, it may skip your mind but now that you’ve got a particular warning, remember it!

6. Be punctual and active: Instead of shirking the work, you should always look for more responsibilities. The whole point of US clinical rotations are to build a doctor from a medical student, and it wouldn’t happen if you don’t take the initiative. Go ahead and get some more work. Spend some more sleepless nights at the hospital, even when your shift is over. It will all benefit you and make you a better doctor with more experience than your counterparts.

That’s how you can perform well during US clinical rotations. It also depends on where you’re doing it. Every college has partnerships with different health centers. Colleges like AUSOM give you full information on where you will do your US clinical rotations. Check it out.

Article Source : shorttext.com/81a9f4c1

Top Interview Tips If You Want To Study Medicine

If you want to study medicine and get into a top medical school, you will need to go through an interview, the format of which will depend on the school you pick. But, there are some things common to such interviews. It’s what they expect from you as a to-be medical student and doctor. Thinking along those lines, I have prepared the list of interview tips for those who want to study medicine.

Top interview tips
1. General knowledge on health: You should begin preparing for the interview by getting well versed with the process of getting into medical school, education criteria in a medical school as well as general topics related to health. You must read a daily newspaper to stay informed about recent developments in the healthcare industry. At the same time, understand that you’re not expected to know everything about medicine. So, don’t worry about that.

2. Practice answering under pressure: Medicine is a profession that puts a lot of pressure on you. You have lives to save and often, it’s under circumstances when you’ve to push yourself to try your best no matter what the chances of success are. Most of the times, you will work late nights or answer emergency calls. The profession puts a lot of stress on you. As a doctor, you will need to practice patience and deal with such pressure. In your interview, you get tested for the same skill. They will try to intimidate you with questions just to see if you’re fit to study medicine or not.

3. Focus on non-academic attributes: Apart from knowing about general healthcare, you also require social awareness. Medicine is closely related to it, and in your interview, they may check how inclined you’re at serving the society. It’s a known fact that the inspiration of making your living as a doctor doesn’t come from the material pursuits but rather originates from the sense of responsibility for the people.

4. Learn to think quickly: In your interview, you may be asked several scenario-based questions based on the time you study medicine and practice it. During such questions, your opinion matters as it will give the interviewer an idea of whether you've what it takes to be a good doctor or not. It sounds unfair at that point, but that’s how it’s done.

5. Rehearse the reasons: The question that matters the most in your interview is why you want to study medicine. Think of a real answer for this question. It should be more along the lines of giving back to the society, having a sense of social responsibility and satisfaction of helping out people and challenging yourself every day. I just gave you an idea on how the answer can be, but the ultimate answer has to be framed by you.

Good luck for your interview. You have chosen a great field. Now, go and excel at it. I hope you’ve also applied to Caribbean medical schools to study medicine. They’re a great alternative to U.S. medical schools and still offer you almost same prospects. Check out AUSOM for details.

How To Get A Residency In U.S. After Attending A Caribbean Medical School

We all know that the competition for getting an admission in a medical school in the United States is very strong. Many of the deserving students sometimes fail to get into their favorite school because of various reasons, and hence, consider opting for a Caribbean medical school.

The fact is, many of the bright medical aspirants from the States are considering medical schools in the Caribbean. The primary objective should be to find the right medical school for yourself. For that, you must properly evaluate all the Caribbean medical schools, their graduates' success, the place where they are, etc. and then make your choice. This would also help you in securing a residency in the United States, once you complete your graduation.

This post is to help you know the basics of getting a residency in the United States so that you could plan everything in advance and secure the best residency.

In recent years, the Caribbean medical school graduates have seen tremendous success in securing residencies in the U.S., even in the most competitive specialties. The very basis to obtain the best residency of your choice is to

• Attend a well-established medical school
• Perform well in the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), both steps 1&2
• Get strong recommendation letters.

Students must plan strategically, their clinical clerkship in the US during the early school years, and before applying for the residency match. They should ideally arrange rotations in those settings where they want to match. Many students from the Caribbean medical school, with high academic and clinical performance, have managed to obtain competitive residency positions in the U.S. However, the majority of the students opt for less competitive specialties, like family practice, internal medicine, etc.

After completing residency, students along with their domestic colleagues, obtain a board certification. Then, they must meet specific requirements before applying for state licensure. Remember that the quality of your residency training would carry more weight than the school you attended. So, make sure that you acquire the best possible residency or even fellowship. Some Caribbean medical school graduates, being international students, might face bias when competing for the most competitive positions, but, if their residency training results are great, no one can stop them from achieving their goals.

So, till now you must have realized that it all comes down to which Caribbean medical school you choose. As we said, evaluate the schools first, go for a well-established medical school, and give your best.

AUSOM is among the best Caribbean Medical school which provide best all-round development of the students and also has its alumni at very high positions in the medical field.

Article Source from: http://www.sooperarticles.com/education-articles/international-studies-articles/how-get-residency-u-s-after-attending-caribbean-medical-school-1532265.html

What are the benefits of US clinical rotations?

US clinical rotations are obviously mandatory part of your journey in the medical school. You are required to go through the core and elective rotations to complete your course. But is that it? Is that the only purpose of doing US clinical rotations? 
The clinical rotations in the U.S. make you eligible to practice in the country as a physician even if you have studied from a foreign medical school. Apart from that, you gain following benefits.

1. Learn real life experience
Medicine is a field where you learn through real life experience. Each patient is different and to be able to deal with the problems faced by them; you need real-life experience. For two years, you study the basics in the classroom, and you will learn the actual skills only when you deal with patients.

2. Make your career choice
Apart from the mandatory core rotations, you will also have several elective subjects. By working on these US clinical rotations, you will learn the ins and outs of the particular topic which are crucial to helping you gain a better understanding of the medical fields. It’ll help you make an informed decision regarding your future career choices.

3. Learn teamwork: It’s crucial to be a team player when you’re in the medicine field. Let’s just accept that teamwork doesn’t come naturally to everyone. There are all kinds of weird people you will need to work with, and you must learn how to do that. US clinical rotations are the perfect way to learn it. Get more information here about Medical education.

4. Learn to deal with patients: In your career, you will mainly deal with patients. And by patients, I mean all kinds of patients – some good and some that test your patience every single second. You need to learn to get over such issues and be focused on your work. 

You must be wondering how you can ensure that you learn all this. The best way to do that is to pay attention and indulge yourself in work actively. Be on time and try to spend as much time as you can on the job. It might seem like you have no personal life for a few weeks but it will be the best thing you will do for yourself as a person pursuing a career in medicine.

You must also act professionally. The resident may give you work that you think you shouldn’t be doing, but it will all be a part of your learning. Consider it that way and you will be able to go through it much smoothly and also learn through the process. Your mindset should be to learn as much as you can. 
That’s how you can make use of all the benefits of US clinical rotations. Ensure that you do the rotations with a reputed medical center. The information about that is mostly available on the Caribbean medical school websites. Check out AUSOM to know more about their US clinical rotations process and details.

4 Reasons To Study Medicine

If we do a survey on what’s the most frequently asked question from teenagers all around the world, it will be about their career plans. When the high school is about to end, suddenly everyone seems to be interested in what you’re going to do next. But really! What exactly do you plan to do? And don’t think you have plenty of time to decide. It may sound absurd but the earlier you choose, the better it is.

In case, you ever thought about studying medicine, here are a few reasons why you definitely should.

1. Help people

I want, to begin with, the only reason that drives the people in the healthcare profession. It is a tough job, and no one will be able to do it if it was just about making money or having a good ‘life.’ You should study medicine to serve the society, to save the people who are in need from deadly diseases and to maintain a healthy world. It can’t be done by one person, but the contribution a single individual can make to the field of medicine is enormous. You need to be passionate enough about it.

2. Have a sense of satisfaction while doing your job

When you save lives of people, you get an innate satisfaction of being a good person doing his best to serve the society. You’re kind to people even when you’re just doing your job. That’s the beauty of being in the healthcare profession. You serve the society and do good to people by just doing your job. How many other professions let you do that?

3. Have a good life

Let’s talk about money. No matter how pure you’re from your heart and how careless you’re about money, you’ll need it to survive. Medicine is a profession that assures you get paid well to have a good life. It’s not something a business man would earn, but you will earn enough to have a good life if you study medicine. Of course, it also differs with your position. A doctor apparently makes more money than a nurse, but that depends on your capabilities. You can always earn enough to make ends meet.

4. Stay driven by passion

Ask the old ‘well-settled’ people. A lot of them began working on their passions and in the end, it just went away. They’re just doing their job now. There’s no passion and no unmatchably amazing feeling of doing what you love. But it’s truly not so with the people in the healthcare profession. There are so many events you will face in your day-to-day career that will reignite the passion which may get faded over a period. For more information click here Caribbean medical school.

When you study medicine, you put yourself on an entirely different, spiritually fulfilling and professionally sound path. Go on and do it. Just be prepared for the tough and thrilling life ahead. Get more information about studying medicine at AUSOM.

5 essential traits you need to study medicine

Medical education isn’t an easy career choice. It takes a lot to be able to study medicine and excel at it. As a student who is wondering whether you should pursue the medical education, you feel uninformed. What kind of person should you be to be a good doctor?

Don’t get carried away with the thought that you won’t be able to do it. You’ll develop most of the skills you need as a doctor during your medical education. But if you still want to know what traits make a good medical student or a physician, then here’s a list.

1. Ability to work hard & stay consistent: Medicine is a tough subject. You’ll have a lot of material to learn and practice, and it’s going to be tough. You will have to spend a lot of time studying, understanding concepts and even when you finish your medical school; you will have to continue studying to update your knowledge. It’s like a life full of learning new things. Only a hard working individual will be able to keep up with it for forever.

2. Team work: As a doctor, you cannot operate alone. You must not. There’s a lot to learn, and you can’t possibly be adept at everything. There’ll be people who will assist you and to be able to work in harmony; you should develop team work skills. You should be comfortable with your team and also have excellent leadership skills to keep the team intact and working to their full potential.

3. Empathy and patience: You will meet all sort of patients during your medical education. Some will be nice, and some will test your patience every minute. While you study medicine, you must work on the ability to empathize and practice patience during such times. Such a skill will help you be calm while a patient’s relative shouts at you or whatever situation you may face.

4. Adaptability: When you study medicine, it’s a trait that will be tested the most. During your clinical rotations, you will be put in different environments to learn various aspects of medicine. You will have no choice but to adapt. Instead of wishing to get out of that place as soon as possible, you must make yourself like it and understand it. Only then can you focus on studying.

5. Right Attitude: Your attitude towards your work and patients will be critical. Before that, your attitude towards your education will be paramount. Don’t study things to pass exams. Rather study to understand the subjects and information. It’ll help you become a better doctor. Once you’re a doctor, a good attitude will help you deal better with the patients and your colleagues. For more information click here US clinical rotations.

These are the five most important traits you need to study medicine. You can develop them if you don’t have them already by choosing a good school like AUSOM that focuses on overall development of a student as a medical practitioner.

Tips For Students Aiming For Medical Education in the US

It’s a post specifically for international students who are hoping to pursue their medical education in the U.S. It’s highly unlikely that an international student gets an admission in a U.S. medical school. The competition is so much that even U.S. residents try for years to get into a medical school. Then it’s about the finances. As an international student, you can’t have the federal grant for a scholarship to your rescue. You’ll have to arrange for a lot of money and it’s not easy.

But if you still want to do it, here are some tips to make the process easier for you.

1. Plan in advance: Begin early by sorting out the list of medical schools you want. Make a list of their requirements, especially the fee of the course. A lot of universities require you to pay the full course fee and put it into an escrow account in advance. Even if that’s not the case, you’ll need to show your finances to get a visa. Therefore, begin by making a plan to arrange all that money on time.

2. Consider studying for an undergraduate course in U.S.: Your chances of pursuing your medical education in the United States improve if you have a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or one year worth of coursework. You should consider doing an undergraduate degree in the United States before you apply to medical schools. If you’ve already finished your bachelor degree in some other country, consider spending a year doing U.S. coursework.

3. Go for M.D. or Ph.D.: The competition is lesser in these fields, and you’re more likely to get admission as an international student. So, why not!

4. Consider a Carribean medical school: Caribbean medical schools like AUSOM provide a brilliant alternative to people who want to be able to practice in the U.S. after completing their medical education. These schools are often affiliated with U.S. medical centers and allow you to do your rotations in the U.S. After passing the medical qualification exam USMLE; you can practice in the United States. It’s easier to get into these schools as they offer less competition and are more flexible in accepting international students. They are also more affordable but at the same time, they provide the same standard of medical education as a U.S. institution. Remember that only the affiliated schools offer such advantages.

If the Carribean medical school isn’t affiliated, it cannot fulfill your dream of practicing in the United States.

Do you think you can make a better decision with all these tips? Remember that it’s a lot of hard work for a lot of years and you must take every step after thorough research. Start working!

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Why did I choose To Pursue Medical Education?

Choosing the career field is tough mostly because you know you will have to stick to it for nearly your entire life. Of course, you can change it if you desire but the whole process is tough and few people do it. Don’t forget the time you waste while changing your career field. I knew all of it, and I also knew I couldn’t afford to change it just like that. I had to stick with whatever I chose and make a good life out of it.

In the end, I chose medical education. I knew it was tough to get in. The competition is fierce whether you consider India or any other country that offers good medical education. I knew I would not only have to pass several exams but also ace in those competitive exams.

I also knew the kind of life you can expect when you study medicine. You will need to be hyperactive for your entire life and consume new information like you consume Oxygen. I knew the kind of professional difficulties I will have to face during my study as well as during my work life.

And more than all of that, I knew I would be in massive debt once I finish my medical education. I will have the burden of paying off a big loan. But still, I chose it. Why?

The first issue was the competition. It is not easy to get into a medical school, but it’s not impossible either. I could either try getting in an Indian medical school or try an easier but the equally promising way and get into a Caribbean medical school. I chose the Caribbean medical school because I had longed for settling into the United States after my education ended. Caribbean medical schools take you by your school scores rather than by the overly competitive exams.

Next was the industry specific skills. I have always been a learner so accepting the fact that I will have to be a learner for my entire life was good to me. I have also been a hard working kid during my life until then. What I required were team skills and patience. Here’s the best part about it – when you go to a medical school, you’re not only taught about medicine but also about such skills that are crucial for a good career. There are clinical rotations that begin by the end of the second year through which you can learn practical experience you require to be a doctor.

It wasn’t tough to get the loan issue sorted as one, the school I chose was relatively cheaper than other schools I needed to get in for the kind of education I wanted. And then, if I do practice in U.S., paying off a debt in Indian Rupees is incredibly comfortable.

So, that’s why I chose to pursue medical education while overcoming all the major issues I or anyone like me faces while making such a choice. You should check out what an excellent life you can have and how you can have it on AUSOM website. They make a doctor out of a student. Be one!

Study Medicine In U.S. As An International Student

Medical education is an excellent choice. You will not only serve the society and save lives of thousands of people but also promise yourself a high-standard life. But the path to such a career is quite tough. It begins with your decision to study medicine. The earlier you decide it, the better it is.

Let’s say you are an Indian student who wants to study in a U.S. medical school. Here are some things you must know.

1. Application process

As an international student, you must possess an undergraduate degree. The subjects you study for the degree must be according to what several medical schools require. Different schools may have a different list. It’s essential that you go through what schools you may want to consider and study accordingly during your undergraduate years.

Next, you’ll need a brilliant MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) score. You’ll need to take this exam if you wish to study medicine abroad. Once you have good scores in your undergraduate degree and MCAT exam, you can start applying to U.S. medical schools.

Remember that under all circumstances; you will be at a disadvantage as an international student during the application process. All the publicly funded medical institutions in U.S. have to give preference to residents due to government policies, and all the private schools are extremely costly. Caribbean medical schools are a good choice to evade both of these disadvantages and ultimately practice in the U.S. as a doctor.

2. What to expect

If you wish to study medicine, you need to be prepared for a hectic life for at least 7-10 years. It’ll take four years to finish the course and then there’s a 3-7 year residency program after which you’ll be able to practice medicine independently.

Note that you’ll need to pass the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) after you finish your degree. In fact, the exam happens in 3 phases, and it begins with your degree only. For example, you can take the first one after finishing the second year of your course.

If you study medicine in the Caribbean medical school, then also you will need to pass the same exams to have the same status as a doctor in the United States. During your education, you’ll also go through clinical rotations. These are usually at the medical centers affiliated with the colleges. Caribbean schools like AUSOM allow you to do the rotations in the U.S. based medical centers. Click here for more information US clinical rotations.

3. Should you study medicine?

Before you begin your medical education, you must give a good thought on whether you want that kind of life or not. As a doctor, your life will be hectic. Your career will take off much later than your friends, and it will take years for you to have an extremely successful life. Be prepared for it.

Medical Education In India, Britain & U.S. Explained

Hasn’t it always baffled you why Gregory House in the House is M.D. but what you have been hearing from your parents about being a doctor is the term MBBS? The fact is in India; we mostly follow British terms which are very different from the ones used in the United States.

If you’re thinking about the option for medical education in India or the United States, here’s a post to clear out your confusion about different terms.

Let’s begin with the United States.

In the United States, you get an M.D. degree after graduation. The people who get this level often state their names as “Gregory House, M.D.” or just “Dr. Gregory House”. There’s another degree in U.S. that people opt for instead of M.D. degree and it is Doctor of Osteopathy. The individuals who hold this degree name themselves as “Peter Brown, D.O.” You know I am just using examples for the names and too many references from the American television series House. Right?

Apart from this, it’s compulsory for any person who goes through proper medical education and gets a degree to sit for the licensing exam. You can practice medicine in the United States only if you have cleared that exam.

The P.Hd. is a doctorate and it’s mostly an academic degree. You do not indulge yourself in patient care or general practice if you hold this degree. It’s more about researching. Let me clear it with an example. Psychiatrists hold an M.D. degree, and therefore they treat patients and prescribe them medicines. Clinical psychologists hold a P.Hd. Degree so even when they deal with patients, they cannot legally prescribe medicines to the patients.

In the United States, students must complete an undergraduate course with particular science subjects (the list is often available with individual medical schools) and then apply for the graduate school which will be their M.D. course of four years. There are dual M.D./P.Hd. Programs and it takes around 7-10 years to complete this kind of medical education.

Whereas in Britain, medical school is 4-5 years long for a degree like MBBS, MBChB, MBBch, etc. You need an undergraduate degree to be able to take these courses for medical education.

You’ll note that both the systems are slightly different than medical education system in India. In India, you finish +1 and +2 in science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Then you go for a five-year MBBS course.

If you wish to study medicine in the United States instead of India, it’ll be tough to get into a U.S. medical school and manage your finances. It’s a good idea to consider Carribean medical school like AUSOM that follow the same education standard as a U.S. medical school and give you an opportunity to do your clinical rotation in the U.S. It enables you to be eligible for practicing in the U.S. once you get the necessary license.

How to stand out during your clinical rotations in the US?

Like hundreds of other students studying medicine, you will go through clinical rotations in the US. But not all of them realize the opportunity they get during this time. They think it’s just another part of their course that they need to go through. It’s a mistake. Clinical rotations in the US help you gain the edge that’s going to give a boost to your career. You can be a better physician and be much more successful than anyone else doing the same thing as you. It can be done by making yourself stand out during the clinical rotations. Here’s how you can do that.

1. Volunteer to do more: Clinical rotations in the US happen like you’re working on a job. You will be assigned duties, and you will be expected to perform them correctly. But, simultaneously, you will have a lot of opportunities for extra work which most of the students will pass. Who wants to do extra work especially when there are no added benefits for it? The added benefits come in the form of learning and personal development. Take them!

2. Stop complaining: During the rotations, you might feel like you’re being treated as if you’re the lowest in the line, and that’s what you’re. You are learning, and you must be humble about it. Sometimes, the resident may ask you to do small tasks that you think you shouldn’t be doing. Just do them.

3. Take time to study patients’ medical history: You’ll have a lot of time to explore a patient’s history and interact with them. You wouldn’t see your resident do the same, but that’s an opportunity to study more about patients, diseases and have more experience with patient interaction.

4. Spend more time at work: Working as if you’re at a job means you will have an assigned time when you can leave, but that doesn’t mean you should. Stay back to learn more because this can help you grow as a physician.

5. Be professional: Think about how you’re going to conduct yourself at work/study. Working with patients, working with other students, working with the resident and other employees at the medical center is crucial to develop you as a team player. Remember that medicine is an industry that is built upon teamwork. Either it should come naturally to you or you should learn it during this time of your US clinical rotations.

6. Be respectful: Sick people get depressed, and the condition of their loved ones is even worse. So, they may shout at you or get angry. The same can happen with your colleague who is totally burnt out and he may lose control. Work on your ability to deal with such situations calmly and still be respectful. Start doing these things from the day 1 of your clinical rotations in the US and you will find yourself better off than others studying with you.

In case, you’re still researching about medical schools; AUSOM is a great Caribbean medical school to consider. Check it out!

General information about US clinical rotations

Just when you start getting comfortable at the medical school, and you start picking up the lifestyle of doing extremely hard work for endless hours, things change. For two years of your medical school, you study hard. You attend lectures and finish tough assignments. You’re pretty much studying all the time. It’s tough, but it’s worth it. Because from the third year, you get to do what you signed up for – treat patients. From the third year, clinical rotations begin, and if you're studying in a reputed medical school, you get US clinical rotations. You're placed in a medical center in U.S. that's associated with your school.

When do US clinical rotations start and where are they held?
It differs with various medical schools but mostly they start in the third year. You will have to go through these rotations in the US medical centers associated with your medical school. These medical centers are in U.S. irrespective of the location of your medical school. For example, clinical rotations for Caribbean medical school like AUSOM happen in the U.S. It totally depends on which medical school you go to and which medical centers they’re associated with. The information is available on the website of the medical schools.

What are the choices of subjects you have?
Generally, in the third year, you’ll have to go through clinical rotations in subjects like obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, family medicine, surgery, gynecology, and internal medicine. In the fourth year, you may study subjects like neurology, radiology, anaesthesiology and emergency medicine rotation. Please note that this is not an exact list as the topics vary with the medical school you’re studying in. But above-mentioned are the most common subjects. Click here to get information about Medical education.

Length and classification
Each clinical rotation may last from 6-12 weeks. It varies according to the course subject and affiliated medical center. Rotations can be core or elective. You do not have any choice to for core rotations. They’re mandatory. For elective, you can be flexible and choose the subjects you like the most. 

Schedule and other details
The time frame for the US clinical rotations depends on the policies of your medical school. It also varies with the number of students in the class. Most likely, you will have a few of your classmates working at the same center as you. 
You will have a good contact with physicians during the US clinical rotations, but most of your education will be taken care of by the residents. You will have to follow the schedule that the resident develops for you and stay on duty until the resident gives you the dismissal for the day. Rotations are mostly treated as an unpaid job. 

That’s the general information about US clinical rotations. In case, you want to know more about it; you should check the website of your medical school.