Gone are the days when offshore medical schools in the Caribbean were considered nothing more than degree mills, churning out unqualified doctors for any student willing to pay their fees. Today, graduates of Caribbean institutions are practicing all over the United States and Canada. There is not much difference between them and American graduates, they’re all called “doctors.” Here is a look at five of the best schools in the Caribbean for students to consider if they want to practice in the United States.

American University of Antigua: Located in St. John’s in Antigua and Barbuda, AUA is the youngest school on this list, but quickly rising. Also boasting a Veterinary school, AUA was founded in 2004 by Neil Simon. Consistently upgrading its facilities, AUA claims the most modern of all Caribbean institutions. AUA markets itself around a US based curriculum so that its graduates can eventually practice in the US and Canada. This institution has been approved for clinical training, residency, and licensure by New York for years, and received similar approval by California in the summer of 2011. This recent approval opened up opportunities for AUA students all over the United States as many states use the California approval system as their own.

American University of the Caribbean: Located in Sint Maarten (on the southern half of Saint Martin Island), AUC boasts full accreditation by the Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine. AUC has also been approved by the states of California, New York, Florida, and Texas. Like AUA, it operates on a US based curriculum for the purposes of preparing its students to practice in North America. AUC also has a unique program that allows certain graduates to practice in the UK without prejudice.

Ross University: Offering medical and veterinary degrees, Ross is located primarily in Dominica and the Bahamas. Also with a US based curriculum, Ross students begin in Dominica and transfer to affiliated hospitals for rotations during the latter half of their education. Ross has been in existence for more than three decades. Ross claims a very impressive 93% pass rate on the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Exam) and its students are eligible to practice in all fifty states of the US. In its thirty-three years, Ross has produced almost ten thousand doctors and veterinarians.

Saba University: Located in The Bottom, Saba, Saba University just celebrated its twenty-fifth year of bestowing the Doctor of Medicine degree. Saba typically has class sizes between 80-100 students, and places over 100 students into North American residencies every year. Saba also has some the lowest tuition rates for approved medical schools within the region.

St. George’s University School of Medicine: St. George’s is located in Grenada, West Indies and offers a diverse set of schools with degrees in medical science, veterinary science, health science, nursing, et al. This university was established over thirty-five years ago and has been recognized by the states of New York, California, and Florida. Impressively, its veterinary school is also fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

AUA Website – Medical Schools in the Caribbean
Information on AUC – AUCmed.edu
Ross U story from Reuters

AUA Website – http://www.auamed.org/medical-schools-in-the-caribbean
Information on AUC – http://www.aucmed.edu
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/23/idUS182561+23-Jun-2011+BW20110623 – Ross U story

Author Bio: AUA Website – Medical Schools in the Caribbean
Information on AUC – AUCmed.edu
Ross U story from Reuters

Category: Medical Business
Keywords: Medical school, study abroad, Caribbean islands