What is the best medical school to attend in the CArribeans?

[elsko]

Hello everyone,

I live in NY and planning to apply to few schools on the Carribeans. What would you say the best school would be in terms of getting into US residencies, passing USMLE, professors, teaching methods and a quality of life and education for the right price.
Also, what is the average age of a student in the school you are attending graduated from, or teach at? I am changing my career and am early30s.
Thank you for your responses,
Elena

[wolfvgang22]

Saba admin told me that the average age at Saba is 27, older than the average U.S. medical school age, which is around 24. Makes sense, as the caribbean is our second chance at a medical education.

IMHO, the best caribbean schools are St. Georges, AUC, Ross, Saba, and St. Matts. These schools are all NY approved. If you choose a school out of that group you'll be ok, because they have good track records of producing residents, high USMLE step 1 scores, and have clinical rotations in the U.S. as well as in the UK.

Obviously, I chose Saba because I feel it is the best value for my money. The tuition is much lower than SGU, AUC, and Ross, (the "big 3") even when you take the fact that Saba doesn't offer stafford loans, it's still less expensive.
A big deal to me is that the school and island atmosphere is friendly and not cut-throat. Saba does not "weed out" students. I don't need extra obstacles that a large, competitive student body often engenders.
Saba's tuition is much lower, while Saba stays very competitive in USMLE scores and residencies achieved by students. All Saba students can do U.S. clinical rotations, they seem to think it's odd if you ask for overseas rotations. The drawback to Saba is a small, quiet island, with little in the way of entertainment or shopping. Saba does not yet have CA approval that the "big 3" have, though the approval process is underway. Saba will likely gain CA approval by next year.

All the schools have plusses and minuses, and your mileage may vary.
Good luck in finding the right school for you!
-W

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[ISMILE]

The tuition is much lower than SGU, AUC, and Ross, (the "big 3")

Confirmed. But if you want to talk about the "big 5", they are the "big 3" + Saba + SMU (in no particular order).

[sprvs]

Saba is now approved for California.

[stephew]

The tuition is much lower than SGU, AUC, and Ross, (the "big 3")

Confirmed. But if you want to talk about the "big 5", they are the "big 3" + Saba + SMU (in no particular order).

1) auc has rotations in ireland
2)this whole big 3/5/10 whathaveyou is a horribly lazy thing- it doesnt tell you what you need to learn about the schools

To all prospectives:
1)check usmle pass rates
2)pcheck percent who make it to the board WITH their class (ie dont fail, decel or dropout)
3)can you get licensed in the state you want to practice in from that school? Are you sure?
4)do people get the sorts of residencies you might like from that school?
5)in context of this consider cost, lifestyle etc. If you want ortho in texas you might want to pay more if the best school for that is more expensive. FP in an easy state? Then maybe youre more interested in what the island is like and the cost. Make an informed decision and to those who know, please offer said information, not top 10 lists to people. its what youd have wanted as a prospective.
steph

[wolfvgang22]

The tuition is much lower than SGU, AUC, and Ross, (the "big 3")

Confirmed. But if you want to talk about the "big 5", they are the "big 3" + Saba + SMU (in no particular order).

1) auc has rotations in ireland
2)this whole big 3/5/10 whathaveyou is a horribly lazy thing- it doesnt tell you what you need to learn about the schools

To all prospectives:
1)check usmle pass rates
2)pcheck percent who make it to the board WITH their class (ie dont fail, decel or dropout)
3)can you get licensed in the state you want to practice in from that school? Are you sure?
4)do people get the sorts of residencies you might like from that school?
5)in context of this consider cost, lifestyle etc. If you want ortho in texas you might want to pay more if the best school for that is more expensive. FP in an easy state? Then maybe youre more interested in what the island is like and the cost. Make an informed decision and to those who know, please offer said information, not top 10 lists to people. its what youd have wanted as a prospective.
steph

I agree with you for the most part, Steph, except my perspective is a bit different. It was helpful to me in the beginning when others helped steer me away from the myriad money pits overseas, like Kigezi, and recommended I spend my finite time and effort on looking at the more established institutions. I ended up eschewing schools like Kigezi because of:

• 1. You telling me what to look for (ie; high USMLE pass rates), and
  2. Other folks telling me what particular schools might have those things, so I could spend my research time more productively.

Maybe I was lazy for not investigating Grace more closely, but I don't think I missed much by avoiding that school altogether.
Anyways, I'm not trying to change anybody's mind, I'm just givin' my point of view....adding a litttle variety to the discussion in my own annoying way. 8)

[straba]

Just out of curiosity, how come I dont see much about UWI on this website? Can you not get liscensed in the U.S. with a degree from this school?

[ed gee]

Of course UWI grads can be licensed in the US.
I have had two UWI grads rotate with me and they were stellar.

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