I got the same laughter, people scoffing at my decision ( back in the early 90's when it was a bigger risk than now even )
So today what are the people doing that told me I was crazy??
Hairdresser
Working at a Hotel desk
Pointy headed academic goon still teaching college bio
One guy that told me he would never lower himself to go be a foreign graduate, now sells insurance. WHOOPEEEEE!!!!

When I got to school, I was very happy to see that a lot of my fellow classmates were DOCTOR'S KIDS
That was all the endorsement that I needed. 8)


as a Caribbean graduate, you will always run the risk of running into somebody that will prejudge you but in my entire career this has happened only a few times. If you are a good doctor, people take a different perspective. they see you as even better because you got where you are despite your school of choice. In fact, when I was at a fellowship interview at University of Michigan, one of the interviewers kept looking at my stats ( none of whicn contain college stats) and asking, why I wasn't admitted to a US school. He was befuddled. I took it as a complement.
...and later turned down their offer for a spot

also, when you are out of school and doing residency, fellowship, practice etc, you earn respect as everybody else does. You cannot rest on your laurels.
Day one of resuidency it's all about "OK, how good are you. show what you can do, etc."

You earn respect from the attendings, nurses, and patients, none of whom really know or care where you trained. I would say 99% of the residents I trained during my fellowship didn't know I was a Caribbean grad. I just doesn't come up in routine conversation ( just like I had no idea where my residents went to medical school )

I have always been straightforward is saying that I was a lousy college student. I partied. I traveled. I worked a lot of jobs. I didn't deserve a spot in A US school. BUT I go on to say, that I worked hard in med school, beat most people on my USMLE's, and did well in residency and fellowship, etc, and that is ultimately what matters.

I would certainly rather be a US graduate, BUT I would rather be where I am now (which is a practicing MD---licensed fully and with all the priviliges in my state as a Harvard Grad ) than a chirporactor, or a hairdresser or some doctor wanna-be that never went off-shore.

if this is your only option ( there are places besides the caribbean too Australia, Israel, Ireland, Puerto Rico ETC .....check them out ) then go for it.

I have found that success is the best revenge against "nay-sayers"

now I get no grief from healthcare professionals. Funny , the same old standards still apply as they did when I was applying. Probably the only people that would accuse me of notbeing a real doc are the hairdressers, and used car salesmen.....but what the Hell do they know? ( then these same people go on to show me the cyst on their wrist and want free medical advice ) HA!