Thread: England or Caribbean?

Hi,

I am a Canadian student. I want people's opinion whether they think it is a better option to study in England or in the Caribbean? Which path is better if I want to come back to US/Canada??

Please help.

Thank you soo much!

Hi,

I am a Canadian student. I want people's opinion whether they think it is a better option to study in England or in the Caribbean? Which path is better if I want to come back to US/Canada??

Which path better prepares you to write and pass the USMLE's? Anyone know the rates of passing??

Please help.

Thank you soo much!

Hi,

I am a Canadian student. I want people's opinion whether they think it is a better option to study in England or in the Caribbean? Which path is better if I want to come back to US/Canada??

Which path better prepares you to write and pass the USMLE's? Anyone know the rates of passing??

Please help.

Thank you soo much!

Umm, if you can get into an English school (that's not St. Chris), I think England would be a lot safer than most Caribbean schools.

I think you're going to have trouble getting any good replies to this. you need to go and do some searches in appropriate forums for information about England and Caribbean schools.

It also varies greatly depending upon the particular schools you're looking at.

and the best path to practice in USA is not necessarily the best path to practice in Canada. Which of these is most important for you? and how important is it to you for you to practice in Canada? and where do you want to do residence?

many caribbean schools offer clinical rotations in US hospitals - which is undoubtedly a leg up when applying to US resident spots.

that being said - the ability to go to a very well established England school would make a great impression in applications you make anywhere - and it is rumored that canadian resident spots favor people that attend UK/Irish/australian schools - although I myself am skeptical about this - and there's really no way to prove this.

beyond what I just said in the couple paragraphs above - there's not much more of a reply I can give you. Your question is pretty vague as to your exact situation - and what you're looking for.

Cheers,

Silenthunder

St. Chris is not an English school and I don't think it will ever be one, especially with a Senegalese charter. A lot of people have been fooled by it.

On a separate but related note, I know a guy who transfered from IUHS into St. Chris after passing his USMLE Step 1 and you should have seen how he bragged about transfering into an English school. Obviously he ignored the charter issues. Denial is a powerful thing in our ego's.

Originally Posted by medgirl7

Hi,

I am a Canadian student. I want people's opinion whether they think it is a better option to study in England or in the Caribbean? Which path is better if I want to come back to US/Canada??

Which path better prepares you to write and pass the USMLE's? Anyone know the rates of passing??

Please help.

Thank you soo much!

In answer to the question in bold, U.K. schools do not prepare you for USMLE. At least not specifically in the way that American and Caribbean schools do: it's not their job to prep for a foreign exam. They have their own style and content. It is an excellent medical education and in that way will help towards USMLE; but you will have to put in some extra time yourself studying for it.
As for pass rates, you might get some figures for the Caribbean but there won't be any available for U.K. schools - too few people taking USMLE from each school and little interest in collecting the data.

It will be very hard for you to get accepted in uk med school, plus with uk be prepared to pay over $30k each year in tuition alone. Living cost will depend on where u live and how u live.

However the quality of education is world recognized. You might not study for usmle per se, but after graduating you should not have much trouble passing usmle.

With Caribbean schools, u get to finish the course quicker, remember in uk, the shortest course is 5 year. You have to have a very high pass rate or a phd to get accepted in graduate programs in uk. Even then the competition is something like 20 odd applicants per seat.

Apply to uk and carib, get accepted and it will be an easier decision to make.

Best of luck.

Originally Posted by Beebopash

It will be very hard for you to get accepted in uk med school, plus with uk be prepared to pay over $30k each year in tuition alone. Living cost will depend on where u live and how u live.

However the quality of education is world recognized. You might not study for usmle per se, but after graduating you should not have much trouble passing usmle.

With Caribbean schools, u get to finish the course quicker, remember in uk, the shortest course is 5 year. You have to have a very high pass rate or a phd to get accepted in graduate programs in uk. Even then the competition is something like 20 odd applicants per seat.

Apply to uk and carib, get accepted and it will be an easier decision to make.

Best of luck.

The new graduate entry courses are 4-year.
Most people will not pass USMLE with a competitive score unless they put in some extra work for it. Coming from a U.K. course they will need to devote even more time beyond and above their finals. Quite apart from question style, drug naming and treatment protocols there are differences in what topics are covered. So if maximising the coaching for USMLE aspect of your education is uppermost on your wish list you should consider the Caribbean.
For some idea of how easy/difficult the transition from U.K. to Nth. America might be I suggest you have a look at the SDN U.K. and Ireland forum -
UK & Ireland - Student Doctor Network Forums

For reasons unknown they have a thriving community of American medics studying in the U.K., but mostly in Ireland (Irish courses are pretty close in style and content to the U.K.'s). You will find people there who have been through this.

UK hands down!!!!! Carribean should be your LAST choice.