If you considering applying to medical school, chances are you’re been exploring your options for several locations. Should you apply to only medical schools in the United States? Or should you broaden your search to include Caribbean medical schools?

6 factors to consider when choosing a Caribbean and US medical school.

Factor #1. Evaluation of Medical School Application

Medical schools in both the Caribbean and the United States require the same pre-requisite classes, and all candidates must fill out an application. Largely due to the high number of applicants, medical schools admissions requirements in the US typically rely heavily on GPA and MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) scores. In contrast, most Caribbean medical schools take a more comprehensive approach, taking a student’s entire background into account during the application and acceptance process.

In addition to academic achievements and scores, Caribbean medical schools often have a move holistic application evaluation process and will additional things like volunteer and job experience, extracurricular activities, life experiences, and exposure to the medical profession, Medical schools like St. George’s University understand relying too heavily only on MCAT numbers could result in discounting students who would be great physicians.

Factor #2. Admission Dates

Most Caribbean medical schools have rolling admissions. That means they accept students two to three times a year, usually in August and January. In contrast, medical schools in the United States only begin programs in the fall. If your application to a US medical school is not accepted the first time, you will have to wait an entire year before reapplying.

Factor #3. The In-Person Interview

It’s exciting to hear back from a medical school that they have reviewed your application and are inviting you for an interview! If it’s a medical school in the US, being able to get to an in-person interview is likely easier than traveling to an interview in the Caribbean. The best Caribbean medical schools offer virtual tours, and accepted students can attend social events in the U.S. and join specific Facebook groups. Some schools may reimburse students for airfare and lodging under specific terms and conditions..

Factor #4. Getting Accepted

A student could have strong potential as a future physician but not meet the requirements for a medical school in the US or in the Caribbean. US med school admissions do not have a safety net for catching these students and helping them capitalize on their potential.

Some Caribbean med schools will admit students with a needing additional academic improvement or those who may have been out of school for a while. They then provide them the support through special Pathway programs geared toward helping them assimilate to medical school and its unique rigors.

Factor #5. Residency and Practice Location

You’re doing your clinical rotation in the United States or the UK- only the basic sciences are in Caribbean.

Regardless of where you want to secure a residency, the most important factors in matching for a residency are your United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 scores, letters of recommendation, and performance evaluations.

You may be concerned that attending a Caribbean med school might prevent you from matching for a residency or even being able to practice in the United States. While Caribbean medical school graduates practice all over the world, the vast majority are practicing in the United States. At SGU School of Medicine, students have had a 95% US residency placement rate for graduates over the last five years.¹

Beginning in 2023, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates will only offer the necessary certification to practice in the United States to students graduating from a medical school whose accreditor is World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) approved. If you’re applying to Caribbean medical schools, you’ll want to make sure their accreditor has the proper WFME approval.

Factor #6. Cultural Experience

Attending medical school is definitely an experience in and of itself. While a US med school can often afford the opportunity to live in a different part of the country, attending a Caribbean med school offers a unique foreign cultural opportunity This is something you can never get if you do your training and practice in the United States. If a culturally enriching experience is important to you, it will be well worth your while to consider a medical school in the Caribbean.

Beginning the Application Process

The journey to becoming a physician requires hard work that starts with the MD program application process. Now that you know more about different aspects of US and Caribbean medical school, you will want to start thinking about the application process.

For additional information and guidance on medical school applications, we have advice and insights in the following articles:

• When Do Medical School Applications Open?
• 7 Questions About Medical School Applications
• How Many Medical Schools Should I Apply To?
• Planning Your Medical School Application Timeline: The Pre-Med Student’s Guide

*This article was originally published in July 2020. It has since been updated to include content relative to 2024.

¹Average of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 residency placement rates. Residency placement rate is defined as the total number of students/graduates who obtained a US residency divided by the total number of students/graduates who applied to a US residency program in a given year as of September 2023.