The Caribbean region offers not only high-quality recreation and entertainment, but also excellent medical education. Lower costs of living and lower fees combined with experienced and qualified teachers for medical course in caribbean based in the region very attractive for students who want to pursue a career in medicine.
Since the competition for admission to medical schools in United States is extremely high, many applicants consider attending medical schools in Caribbean. In fact, many bright and talented applicants are now opting to obtain their medical education in Caribbean.
Students who graduated from Caribbean medical schools are playing an increasingly important role in the US health care system by supplying residency programs with qualified applicants and helping to meet a well-documented physician shortage, particularly in primary care medicine.
MBBS in Caribbean can present many challenges for those who have never lived outside India. For many students, it will be their first time away from India for a prolonged period of time. Many of the luxuries found in most of the cities in India are rarely seen on the islands. On the other hand, many students form strong relationships with classmates and also enjoy learning about the history and culture of the local population.
In comparison to many other Western economies, mbbs in Central America (comprising of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama), is still a largely impoverished region. With recent civil wars, continuing political instabilities, crippling foreign debt and much lower standards of education, conservation, social and medical care than many developed economies, much of the wealth relies on either profit from tourism or the migration of multi-nationals to cheaper Central America medical colleges locations.
Most of the medical schools in Central American countries are located in urban areas and focus on tertiary care training rather than on community health or primary care, which are better suited for rural practice. However, many countries require young physicians to do community service in rural communities to address healthcare provider shortages.
Core clinical rotations and third and fourth year curriculum in Caribbean schools resemble those of mbbs in caribbean for indian students and in other countries. Caribbean schools that offer clinical training have strict guidelines about the location and quality of students’ clinical training. All core rotations and sub-internships must be completed in hospitals with which the Caribbean medical school has an active, written affiliation agreement and which have appropriate clinical faculty members. In addition, it is preferable that hospitals have approved residency training programs (or their British equivalents) in the specialties through which students rotate. Students also take both parts of USMLE Step 2 (clinical knowledge and clinical skills) after the third year.
Hospitals in which electives are taken should also have approved postgraduate programs in those specialties. For example, it is best to do an anesthesia elective at a hospital that has an anesthesiology residency. Regardless of school affiliation, however, individual hospitals still reserve the right to screen individual students for elective clerkship acceptance. Some individual hospitals and departments do not accept international rotating students, which can limit the away electives in which students can participate. From a competitive perspective, it is always preferable to participate in clinical rotations located in hospitals that not only have ACGME accredited residency programs but are academic teaching hospitals rather than community hospitals.
Following are some of the major facts about the medical education in Caribbean islands
The Windsor University School of Medicine in St. Kitts is proudly affiliated with leading hospitals throughout North America. As a leading institution in medical education, our faculty is committed to helping students build a strong foundation for future success in their medical careers. For more information or to begin the enrollment process, call us today.
| Clinical Affiliate Sites | Address |
|---|---|
| Jackson Park Hospital | 7531 Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60649 https://www.jacksonparkhospital.org/ |
| Memorial Herman Memorial City Medical Center | 921 Gessner Rd, Houston, TX 77024 https://www.memorialhermann.org/locations/memorial-city/ |
| Norwegian American Hospital | 1044 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 https://www.nahospital.org/ |
| MayPen Hospital | 1 Muirhead Avenue May Pen P.O Denbigh Clarendon, Jamaica |
| Joshep N France Hospital | St. Kitts, West Indies |
| Georgia Regional Hospital, Atlanta, GA | 3073 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034 https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/georgia-regional-hospital-atlanta |
| Griffin Memorial Hospital, Norman, OK | 900 E Main St, Norman, OK 73071 https://ok.gov/odmhsas/Additional_Information/Griffin_Memorial_Psychiatry_Residency_Program/ |
| Access Community Health Network | 3800 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60624 https://www.accesscommunityhealth.net/ |
| Holy Cross Hospital | 2701 W 68th St, Chicago, IL 60629 https://www.sinai.org/content/holy-cross-hospital |
| Westlake Hospital | 1225 W Lake St, Melrose Park, IL 60160 https://www.westlakehosp.com/ |
| Genesys Regional Medical Center, MI | 1 Genesys Pkwy, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 https://www.genesys.org/GRMCWeb.nsf/0/F69FD9852F9D03E5852571A400507A3A |
There are many Regions in the Carribbean Islands to study, however, the following Visa Application Rules are applicable all Visas.
Your application form must be completed in full and signed, and must at least be accompanied by:
The embassy or consulate in your region will be able to tell you about the requirements and conditions that apply to your intended destination/destinations and purpose/purposes of travel, and about the documents you will need for the visa in question. This information is also available on the embassy or consulate’s website.
Education is the main catalyst in deciding the career of a student. Judging by the very low percentage of students being successful in gaining a seat for their MBBS education in their city of preference or even the country in spite of their capability and aptitude for the profession, a lot of students move to a paramedical course or end up wasting years trying to repeat the various entrance exams. There are opportunities outside India which help create doctors on the basis of their aptitude for the subject rather than the ‘result of a one day competitive exam’ pattern.
