Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The truth about Caribbean medical schools

Jessica K. Willett, MD
Education
May 15, 2019
1K Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

I graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada and now work as an emergency medicine physician at a trauma center in Northern California. To some, that may seem like an extreme jump or a rare success story. The stigma of a Caribbean medical school education is built on rumors — and they’ve run their course. Let’s address some.

1. Students only go to Caribbean medical schools if they aren’t good enough for U.S. schools.

The medical school admissions process is a difficult one to navigate, and many applicants come out looking at second, third, or fourth options. Historically, Caribbean schools were seen as a last resort — a final chance to open the door into medicine.

But this wasn’t my experience. St. George’s University was my first-choice medical school — in fact, it was my only choice. I fell in love with the opportunities that SGU provided to help me build my career serving international and limited-resource populations. I suspected that SGU held unique options that would help me to mold my career down the road, and I wasn’t wrong.

I now work on the board of advisors for Flying Doctors of America, a medical organization that provides medical relief to populations in need around the globe. I have built a hybrid career based around my full-time emergency department work. Part of the reason this has been so successful is because I wasn’t limited by what other people told me my medical career should look like. I was the first in my family to enter medicine, and growing alongside equally unique individuals at SGU only strengthened my belief that I could create a career I envisioned for myself.

2. Your only hope of matching for residency, if you match at all, is in primary care.

Regardless of the institution name on your medical school diploma, the Match can be difficult. While the number of residency spots has been increasing, so has the number of applicants.

But an application that has impact is more than just the name of a school — it’s a reflection of the future physician. For many residency programs, a solid application extends far beyond the first page of your CV. Many of my former SGU classmates are a testament to that, having celebrated successes in specialties such as PM&R, cardiothoracic surgery, neurology, general surgery, and dermatology. I believe that the limit is where you place it, and many of my former classmates didn’t let the perceptions of others define their limits. I would encourage prospective students to do the same.

3. People will look at you differently for the rest of your career.

A Caribbean medical school education is not a scarlet letter. Some may still look at it with judgment, but ultimately, it’s about being able to demonstrate knowledge and competency. Many Caribbean medical students rotate among students from some of the most well-respected schools in the U.S., and in my experience, their clinical knowledge and skills are easily comparable.

If you love what you do, if you are good at what you do, and if you work hard and care about your patients, you will be able to stand up and say that you are a proud graduate of your alma mater — wherever that may be.

4. You have to face extra hurdles to get licensed.

There are hurdles to licensure regardless of where you obtain your medical education. ECFMG certification is required of all foreign medical school graduates, which is extra paperwork compared to U.S. graduates. California also has its own requirement, the PTAL, but this is not limited to foreign grads.

Paperwork is not a hurdle, it is a part of medicine, whether we like it or not. Licensure in itself is a stressful process, but once it is completed, it’s worth every step.

5. You’ll be buried in debt for the rest of your life.

Medical school is expensive. There is no question about that. There are some schools that are moving toward unburdening students from tuition, but that process is slow and limited so far to a handful of schools in the U.S. Ultimately, medical education is an investment and there are few things in life better to invest in than yourself. Perhaps tuition is higher at a Caribbean medical school, but if it’s ultimately the best fit, it’s a worthwhile investment.

For those considering a Caribbean medical school, it’s worth reaching out to someone who has been through the process. There are plenty of us who have walked in your shoes before you and can help guide you. It might not be a great fit for everybody. But, it was for me. And it might be for you, too.

Jessica K. Willett is an emergency physician and can be reached on Twitter @jkwillettmd.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Sexually discriminatory language used against our trainees: There is no grey area

May 15, 2019 Kevin 11
…
Next

Second victim syndrome: a doctor's hidden struggle

May 15, 2019 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Emergency Medicine, Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Sexually discriminatory language used against our trainees: There is no grey area
Next Post >
Second victim syndrome: a doctor's hidden struggle

More by Jessica K. Willett, MD

  • Fight depression during residency by fostering connections

    Jessica K. Willett, MD

Related Posts

  • Addressing the “ugly truth” about Caribbean medical schools: Why they’re not all the same

    Stacy Meyer
  • End medical school grades

    Adam Lieber
  • What kind of extracurricular activities do medical schools look for?

    Yosepha Greenfield
  • How can you determine a Caribbean medical school’s quality?

    Jerry Wargo
  • Medical schools need to cut their cutthroat culture

    Glen Jacobs, DeD
  • Formalized mentorship as a requirement for medical schools

    Micaela Stevenson

More in Education

  • The secret to success in medical school: self-awareness and courage

    Kaelor Gordon
  • Is mandating pre-medical training widening disparities in the U.S. physician workforce?

    Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD
  • Equalizing the future of medical residencies: standardizing work hours and wages

    Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD
  • From studying to baby kicks: Navigating motherhood in medical school

    Natalie Eichner-Seitz
  • The power of advocacy: a medical student’s journey to helping an uninsured immigrant

    Fabiola Plaza
  • From AI to love: the key to a better future in medical education

    Stevan Walkowski, DO
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 5 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Abortion Is Not Murder in the Eyes of the Law
  • Introducing Allergenic Foods Early Tied to a Reduction in Later Allergies
  • Isotretinoin REMS Still Needed, But Its Burden Could Be Reduced, FDA Staff Says
  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • High Out-of-Pocket Costs Tied to Less Follow-Up After Initial Mammography

Meeting Coverage

  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions
  • Orismilast Clears Skin in Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis
  • New Combinations Promising in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma
  • No Survival Benefit With CRT Versus Chemo for Locally Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

The truth about Caribbean medical schools
5 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...