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Can Caribbean Med Schools Ever Be Worth?


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Okay I am wondering if it is ever worth going to the Caribbean? I believe I am able to get into school in Canada, and if not then the States as a DO for sure, but I am curious, is it ever worth it to go to the Caribbean? Like for example, if I wanted to become a family doctor would it be suitable as opposed to going there and then hoping to obtain a specialty. I am asking this because I love the Caribbean and although I want to live in Canada when I am older, I believe that I would love living in the Caribbean part-time for school. Please give me advice on this, especially if you go to a Caribbean school such as SGU. 

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The thing with the Caribbean is that it is very risky. There is a large number of graduates from Caribbean schools that don't get a residency in Canada or US after graduating and have to keep applying. This is while shouldering a huge debt from medical school and being restricted to very few uncompetitive specialties (FM, path, lab medicine, etc.)

The question is why would you want to take the risk of going to the Caribbean if you can get into a school in Canada which is A) much cheaper, B ) practically guarantees you a residency if you want to do FM and put in a minimal amount of effort (and will have way more options in terms of residency location, and also not have to worry about any ROS agreement), C) gives you a chance to match into any specialty you want if you decide you don't want to FM, D) enables you to get a LOC to pay for school at prime -0.25 without any co-signer, E) don't have to worry about grades or USMLE scores during school and can likely spend at least 1 summer having fun if not 2.

Even if you go DO in the States you will have a really good chance at matching FM in US if you want, as well as a number of other specialties (IM, psych, etc.) I believe some people have even matched rads, and anesthesiology, recently. So if you get high board scores and are motivated, you have way more options for yourself in the US than any Caribbean grad would.

So I guess the real question is that is the opportunity to live in the Caribbean (keep in mind what you see at a resort when you go on vacation is different from actually living there for an extended time period, these aren't exactly 1st world countries) important enough to you that you would be willing to accept all of the above disadvantages? For 99% of people that answer is no, even if they have to take multiple attempts to get into Canada/US, but only you can decide for yourself.

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8 hours ago, initrams said:

Okay I am wondering if it is ever worth going to the Caribbean? I believe I am able to get into school in Canada, and if not then the States as a DO for sure, but I am curious, is it ever worth it to go to the Caribbean? Like for example, if I wanted to become a family doctor would it be suitable as opposed to going there and then hoping to obtain a specialty. I am asking this because I love the Caribbean and although I want to live in Canada when I am older, I believe that I would love living in the Caribbean part-time for school. Please give me advice on this, especially if you go to a Caribbean school such as SGU. 

In order to match, you aren't going to have time to enjoy the Caribbean very much. In addition, i've heard at least a few years ago internet was very slow, there were electricity outages commonly, the facilities were poor. In my opinion its not a good option. If you are going there with a determination to match, then you might do well, if you are at all thinking of enjoying the outdoors, forget it. 

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