Non-MCAT Med Schools in the Caribbean

[studentdoctobe]

Can anyone please help me identify which of the Caribbean Med Schools that have optional MCAT for admission.

There is so much information out there to sift through, wondering if anyone had a list already, thanks.

[drforlife]

saba , aua , mua ( both ) , st eustatia, ..... cmu, xavier, smu, all saints , ihsu, st james, all in netherland antiles.. well. all besides ross sgu, auc

[ol' man]

Actually, SMU now requires the MCAT ...

[jameslynton]

AUA and Saba also require MCAT. It would be correct to think - if they don't require the MCAT. Don't go there.

[studentdoctobe]

AUA and Saba also require MCAT. It would be correct to think - if they don't require the MCAT. Don't go there.
Can I ask why? given that it IS actually one of the MAIN reasons people in the US apply to Caribbean schools.

[ol' man]

Actually the main reason people in the US apply to Caribbean schools (unless they are too immature to know better) is because they were not good enough for US schools. Anyone who uses 1/2 of their brain will exhaust all possibilities in the US before embarking on a destination that is filled with potential "land mines" (i.e. Liscensing problems, problems getting a competetive residency, moving to a foreign country and adjusting to their laws, etc.)

But as jamesnylon says, if they dont require the MCAT, look at the other ones first. If you don't get in those, re-think your decision.

[cudasrul]

Lets say that there are 7500 people that didnt make the 175 spots at the average us med school each year. Sure. many apply at 2 to 10+ schools so cumulative app stats may be slightly inflated.... but I find it hard to think that there are only 175 worthy applicants. Some of these go to sgu. I am glad to have the chance to.

[jameslynton]

SGU -requires the MCAT and a fairly good GPA. They have as of four months ago a 1:10 rejection. They are just like the lessor US medical schools now. If you get in SGU - your will be accepted in 50 states and get a bit of hassle about going to an island school. Same applies to Ross & AUC grads. Saba has some issues with over confident folks who tend to be a bit cocky - I like their older students vs the young Canadians they are so fond of. AUA MUA-Nevis and St Matts do a pretty good job if you work hard there. As for the rest well Spartan has been around and has some good grads. So do some other schools coming along. You have to look at the risks. No grads - what are the residencies. Get the picture? Are you a risk taker or a stud muffin?

Think!

[ol' man]

Think!

Best advice you will get on here!!!

[Queensstudent]

saba and mua don't require the MCAT and they are decent schools, especially with residency match. But I advise taking the MCAT - good prep (especially verbal) for the USMLEs

[shayloure]

AUA and Saba also require MCAT. It would be correct to think - if they don't require the MCAT. Don't go there.


Actually, AUA doesn't require the MCAT yet, but the guy who interviewed me said they will be requiring it in the near future. How near that is, I don't know.

[rehanyazdani]

Can I ask why? given that it IS actually one of the MAIN reasons people in the US apply to Caribbean schools.

That's definitely not a main reason. It's mainly because people can't get into US or Canadian schools.

[studentdoctobe]

It's not possible to speak for everyone.

Some people consider caribbean schools because of the lower tuition, lesser requirements, they may accept MCAT, but not be stringent on the score, same difference.

I have a friend who chose caribbean school for the single reason that their tuition was much lower, he will be starting residency soon.

Anyone who uses 1/4 of their brain would understand that people are different. No need to be closed minded.

Fact is with all those landmines, people are still graduating from various schools and moving ahead.


Actually the main reason people in the US apply to Caribbean schools (unless they are too immature to know better) is because they were not good enough for US schools. Anyone who uses 1/2 of their brain will exhaust all possibilities in the US before embarking on a destination that is filled with potential "land mines" (i.e. Liscensing problems, problems getting a competetive residency, moving to a foreign country and adjusting to their laws, etc.)

But as jamesnylon says, if they dont require the MCAT, look at the other ones first. If you don't get in those, re-think your decision.

[Prophet_x]

That's definitely not a main reason. It's mainly because people can't get into US or Canadian schools.

I'm from Canada, and it is near impossible to get into Canadian schools. I have friends with high gpa's, high mcat scores and good extra-curricular and still get turned down. So what chance do other people have? The standards are so high that they force individuals with good marks and credentials to go elsewhere. The standards to get accepted seem to be increasing and yet they complain that there is a shortage of doctors...go figure

[Compassion MD]

Can anyone please help me identify which of the Caribbean Med Schools that have optional MCAT for admission.

There is so much information out there to sift through, wondering if anyone had a list already, thanks.


Here are the list of schools that doesn't require MCAT and I think are among the top...

SABA [need extremelly (~3.5) high gpa to get in and other activity]
MUA-N [need relatively high gpa to get in and other activities]
Sint Eustatius [need good gpa to get in and other activities]
AUA [need good gpa to get in and other activities]

[AUCMD2006]

It's not possible to speak for everyone.

Some people consider caribbean schools because of the lower tuition, lesser requirements, they may accept MCAT, but not be stringent on the score, same difference.

I have a friend who chose caribbean school for the single reason that their tuition was much lower, he will be starting residency soon.

Anyone who uses 1/4 of their brain would understand that people are different. No need to be closed minded.

Fact is with all those landmines, people are still graduating from various schools and moving ahead.

your friend is full of crap. tuition maybe lower but that is overshadowed by travel expenses, moving to the island, higher rents on most islands, price gouging of students for everything and anything while on the island, moving back home, moving more than once for clinical rotations, having to interview at more residencies than a US grad (over all we have to go on more interviews at the better places like university affiliates and bigger community hospitals) not to mention all of the extra fees we all pay for the usmle exams through the ecfmg that our US counterparts don't pay

your friend went to the carib because they couldn't get in anywahere else like most of us and if they 'really' did it to avoid high tuition then they are twice at fault for not reseraching the other extra costs of attending school overseas. ask them next time how much med school cost them including loans, savings, money from parents etc. and i doubt it will be much different than a state school

other reasons friends go to the carib for med school:

-they want to travel
-want to live outside the US
-want to experience other cultures
-want to learn a new language
-know a residency program director so it doesn't matter where they go
-they only want primary care
-don't want to take the mcat (cop out since there is no avoidng another standardized test in your way to becomeing a doc...usmle)

all these equal the same crap excuse...there are way more qualified applicants than spots at US and canadian schools so many people with great stats end up in the carib..nothing to be ashamed of..now if US/canddian schools had a 99% admission policy like most carib schools that woudl be different