Opinion?

[Dr E]

Considering the success of medical schools like Ross, St. Georges, and AUC, what do you guys think members of the american medical colleges are thinking about these schools. Do they respect them or do they even acknowlege there existance. It is my opinion that due to their track record they should at least be considered as worthy competitors to some US schools.

[wolfvgang22]

Think about it from a business perspective. What would you do to a competitor if you had a monopoly on the U.S. market, and some little upstart company from overseas started cutting into your profits?
The AAMC, AMA, AMSA have all made how they feel about IMGs and their schools quite clear if you do a little reading of their regular publications. They spend millions on lobbyists. Why do you suppose only 3 offshore schools have stafford loans? Why are there extra requirements put on IMGs by state boards in order to qualify for licensure? Must be to protect the public....yeah, that's it...riigght.

[Cubanito76]

FYI:

Many Caribbean schools offer US Stafford loans not just the "Big 3". i don't have an actal list, but I believe most Caribbean med schools listed on this forum offer US Stafford loans

DR E:

I think offshore schools are acknowledged & somewhat respected by US schools, but I'm sure they aren't considered worthy competitors either. I believe the answer probably lies in between the two extremes you just mentioned.

[wolfvgang22]

FYI:

Many Caribbean schools offer US Stafford loans not just the "Big 3". i don't have an actal list, but I believe most Caribbean med schools listed on this forum offer US Stafford loans

DR E:

I think offshore schoolsare acknowledged & somewhat respected by US schools, but I'm sure they aren't considered worthy competitors either. I believe the answer probably lies in between the two extremes you just mentioned.

Really? Now that's news to me. Name some. I'll get the popcorn.

If you don't think that the AAMC and LCME see the carribean off-shore schools that cater to American and Canadian students as competition, explain these remarks from the AAMC:

While there are no
data on the number in clinical clerkships in the United States, about 2,400 United States FMGs applied
each of the last two years for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification; thus, there may be as many as 5,000 students from foreign schools in clerkships each year.
Such clerkship arrangements are negotiated entirely between the administrative authorities of an
individual hospital or clinical site in the U.S. and the offshore school and typically include payment to
the clinical site on a capitation basis. Anecdotally, a few such arrangements are beginning to compete
with LCME-accredited programs in the U.S for clinical training sites.

The AAMC is not necessarily your friend as an IMG.

Further, if you are an FMG attending an offshore school with the hopes of obtaining a residency in the U.S., the AAMC is actually making it harder for you, encouraging all programs to require a J-1 visa instead of an H-1. The motive in preventing immigration of doctors to the U.S. in this heavy handed, paternalistic manner is to "reduce the brain drain" on foreign countries. It is better for potential MD immigrants to stay poor and have less opportunity for themselves and their families, the AAMC has decided.

But before I demonize the U.S. medical establishment too much, it should be noted that they do acquiesce the possible need to keep the level of IMGs in residency positions at or above current levels, because member U.S. medical schools either can't keep up with the physician shortage, or have no plans to increase enrollment. So they don't want us if they have to compete with us, but they need us nonetheless.