University of the West Indies

[64microbus]

I just read on another thread that this university is approved in California (Pat Park). I've been following these forums for several months now and this is the first I've heard of this university. I wouldn't go to a med school if I couldn't get licensed in California. This gives me another option so I'm very much interested in learning more about this school. What does the ValueMD community know about this institution?

[ML]

Originally Posted by 64microbus

I just read on another thread that this university is approved in California (Pat Park). I've been following these forums for several months now and this is the first I've heard of this university. I wouldn't go to a med school if I couldn't get licensed in California. This gives me another option so I'm very much interested in learning more about this school. What does the ValueMD community know about this institution?

Hi,
From what I heard from others, this school is aimed at preparing doctors for practising in West Indies (Caribbean Islands) where as the big three are aimed at preparing Docs for USA. It is hard to get into this school. Since the big three are approved for California, u best bet is to try for them if you can't get into any US schools.

Cheers...
ML

[neilc]

the website is www.uwi.edu

as i understand it, the school is really designed to train docs that are from and plan to stay in the caribbean countries. it is well regarded, and not designed to profit off of those of us that didn't get into stateside schools.

[NaturalMD7]

Is it hard for graduates from the Big Three to work in the caribbean? (Just in case I wanted to be there.)

[fannate]

UWI is a very prestigious university... Here are some snippets from Student Doctor forum by some folk who obviously know a bit about UWI



UWI is an excellent school, clearly the best in the Caribbean, with a system of training equivalent to any UK school. its definitely not the place for rejects


UWI, but from what I hear it is a top medical school in the caribbean. It is different from the other ones that cater to american and canadian students. UWI is a true caribbean university.
UWI is a VERY competitive school to get into (from what I know from the medical school)... only 1 in 10 applicants with GOOD grades actually make it in there 1st atempt (I am talking As in the British A LEVEL here!). The demand is there but not the space for placement, so I could just imagine the difficulty for a non-Caribbean citizen in getting in.

But either way, a MBBS from UWI is quit an accomplishment unlike an MD from a cookie cutter school that attracts "regects."
UWI is a very respected university. It should never be compared to any offshore med school. Period.

The UWI faculty despise the "caribbean" description and prefer to be referred to, as "west indian", because of the stigma associated w/ caribbean med schools.
I have visited the UWI Mona ( a kingston suburb), and the hospitals several times, and would compare them, academically to its research affiliates Harvard and Oxford. The graduates breeze through the usmles in general. and get top notch residencies, in top locations, even in comparison to US graduates. Yes, there are a few schools that seem to get better billing than the mediocre us schools. There are a bunch of these grads at the Mayo, Cleveland, Harvard, and even a couple at Hopkins, but the vast majority are at the Univ of Miami's Jacson memorial hospital.

The UWI It is very very difficult to get in. They have 2 seats for Foreigners each year.
That wasnt a typo, they have 2 seats per year for foreign students, and these seats are filled by some brilliant kids. the faculty are all educated either in UWI, or some of the *** *** ******s in the world.
With all due respect to the offshore schools, we should be careful in comparing carib schools to this school. It is affiliated with top US med hospitals such as the Mayo and harvard.
It's sister school in Trinidad is supposed to be just as good,
As a graduate of that Prestigious West Indian Institution...you are spot on, DimSum. UWI began as a college of the University of London, its medical degree is highly respected and its graduates get automatic licensure in the UK. It is not a school for those who "couldn't cut the mustard". Its entrance requirements are stiff and its medical course is intense and somewhat regimental
the intellect of the majority of the students and the faculty of UWI. I take my hat off to the many faculty members who return to this little country to give back to their community.

I frequently visit the mona campus, and i think it's one of the most academic group of people I've ever met. I have several friends who graduated from uwi, who went on to hopkins and mayo, and have done very well in life.

UWI is the Jewel of The West Indies. I hope you folks continue its tradition of educational elitism.

go to http://www.uwimona.edu.jm/
The distinguished looking man at the top of the page is none other than Sir George A O Alleyne (*****) a Barbados Scholar, a UWI grad, an ex Proffessor of Medicine at UWI, and recently head of PAHO!

[pdawgcentral]

I was just curious as to if this also applies to the St. Augustine Campus. Because I'm looking into going into a pre-med program and I know they have one there. If anyone could help me out, I'd appreciate it a lot.

pdawgcentral

[fannate]

you can go to either mona or st augustine and do your clinicals at barbados if you like

but you must come from one of the contributing countries