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.

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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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.

Top reasons to choose to study medicine

Are you wondering whether you should study medicine or not? Here’re a few reasons why you should!

1. Good locations to spend your school life
All leading medical schools in the United States are set in very nice areas, and if you go to a Caribbean medical school, you’ll spend a few years of your life at one of the most scenic places ever. So, if you would like some weekend getaways after hectic weekdays, medical schools like AUSOM (mostly Caribbean) are the right choice.

2. Enough money to make
People don’t go into medicine to make money, but then the truth is you do make a good sum of money. The period of investment is undoubtedly high. It takes the time to do the specialization and get a high-paying job but once you reach that point, you will have more money than you can spend (it might also be partly because you will have very less time for yourself).

3. Choice of career
When you study medicine, you need not feel stuck with a career choice. There are plenty of specialized career options, and you can also opt to work in completely different setups like a hospital, public health care or a medical institute. Do you know there are over 60 areas in which you can specialize after you finish your initial medical education? It will, in fact, get tough for you to pick a specialty from so many available options. Get more information here about Caribbean medical school.

4. A good balance between theory and practice
When you study medicine, you get a complete experience of education. There’s enough amount of theory to mug up, and there’s a lot of practical hands-on experience to help you in real-life medical emergencies. It’s also a course that will help you develop yourself personally and professionally. You’ll turn out as a better person who is more sympathetic and understanding towards human issues.

5. Helps you interact with new people every day
If you’re a people’s person, it’s the best profession for you. You meet new people daily. You help them during their most painful situations and build strength in them. That’s a very stimulating experience and cannot be enjoyed by many people. In fact, the kind of experience you get from a medical career is unmatchable. Get more information here about US clinical rotations.

6. Earn respect
Human beings crave for respect. Why do we even bother to spend so many efforts on making enough money, getting a degree and having a good standard of living? It’s all indirectly related to demanding respect from your fellow individuals. If you study medicine, the amount of respect you’ll gain will be immense. After all, you’re devoting your entire life to save lives. It’s amazing.
That’s why you should study medicine. Got enough reasons or need some more?

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.

Five reasons you should apply to a Caribbean Medical School

Are you unsure about whether you should apply to a Caribbean Medical School or not? If you pick the right Caribbean Medical School, you’ll find yourself at the same level as any pass-out from a U.S. medical school is. Obviously, you'll be much better off than any other average medical student in India.

So, let’s keep these things in mind and see why you should apply to a Caribbean medical school.

1. Evaluation system

Consider this as a boon rather than a bane. Most of the medical education don’t ask for any minimum test score, they don’t even ask for an MCAT score from U.S. residents. They evaluate the students on the basis of a minimum criteria and their general inclination towards medical studies.

2. Higher acceptance rate

Almost 60% of the applicants are rejected every year and a rejection means you’ll have to wait for a complete year to apply again. Whether you get into it this second time or not is another story. Due to a large number of applicants, it’s nearly impossible to get into a top medical school in India.

Imagine how much a year will cost you in your medical career which already takes longer to build than any other profession! Now, evaluate whether a Caribbean Medical School will be a good idea or not.

3. Better curriculum

Caribbean Medical Schools have a better level of education than many of the Indian medical schools. The faculties are more dedicated towards the welfare of the students and are more concerned about your overall development as a physician than just making you cram the facts, as is a known fact in India. Read more about US clinical rotations.

4. Practice in U.S.A

Many of the Caribbean medical schools are affiliated with U.S. government to not only provide you clinical rotations in the country but also make your eligible to practice in the United States as a physician. If you have dreams of settling in the United States after finishing your medical studies, you can go to a Caribbean medical school.

5. Diversified environment

A Caribbean medical school mostly accepts students from different countries and hence, you’ll be able to meet people from various regions and nationalities. Your comfort level will be much higher as all of you will be able to connect better. You wouldn’t feel too weird as everyone will be able to resonate your feelings and understand you better.

As an Indian who wants to study medicine but wants a better level of education, teaching and a good chance of settling in a first-world country, a Carribean medical school is the best option.

Know more about studying medicine in a Caribbean medical school at the AUSOM website.

Questions to ask while choosing a Caribbean medical school

Choosing a Caribbean medical school for your study of medicine can be a good idea, but only if you choose the school wisely. There are over 60 Caribbean medical schools at present and asking the right set of questions is the only way to pick a genuinely good medical school.

Here’re a few questions to ask.

History

1. When was it established?
2. What percentage of students is from U.S.?
3. Who runs the school?
4. What are the credentials of the academic faculty?
5. What leadership changes have happened in past few years or are expected in near future?

Accreditation

1. Does the Caribbean medical school hold an accreditation?
2. By who is it accredited?
3. Is it accredited by states of California, Florida, New York & New Jersey?
4. Is it listed in FAIMAR’s International Medical Education Directory (IMED)?

Admission

1. Are interviews required? If yes, who conducts those interviews?
2. Are MCATs needed for admission?
3. What’s the minimum GPA or MCAT score needed for admission?
4. Does the school have more than one matriculating class annually? Usually, a Caribbean medical school has one to three first year classes that begin at different times of the year.
5. How many students are there in each class?
6. What percentages of students graduate every year?
7. What percentage of students is matched into the respective residencies in the U.S. in the last year?

         Read more about US clinical rotations.

Finances

1. Do the students of the school depend on outside loans?
2. Are the loans backed by the U.S. government?
3. Does the Caribbean medical school offer financial guidance to the students?
4. Where do students live? What types of housing facilities are available?

Clinical Studies

1. Where do the students do the clinical training?
2. Can students choose where to do the clinical rotations?
3. Are the clinical rotations accredited by ACGME?
4. Can students do elective rotations? If yes, how many?
5. Can students do elective rotations in non-affiliated hospitals?

Professional Guidance

1. Does the Caribbean medical school offer professional guidance for the match process?
2. Does the school assign an advisor to each student?
3. What percentages of fourth-year students get matched into their categorical residencies?
4. What percentages of students do not get matched?

Alumni

1. Where are the alumni of the Caribbean medical school in question practicing? At what geographical location are they most located at?
2. What type of practice are most of the alumni involved in?
3. Can the school provide you contact information for the alumni? Are you allowed to contact them for advice?

Above are the major questions you need to consider while looking to study medicine. These questions will help explain a lot of your doubts and give you a clear understanding of what to expect.

Atlantic University School of Medicine is one of the emerging and most student-friendly Caribbean medical schools. Do check their website for more details.