Selecting the right medical school starts with choosing your preferred career destination. Where do you want to become a practicing doctor? You should select a medical school that will best enable you to practice in your preferred country.
To become a doctor in the United States (US), you must consider important criteria, including completing a US residency (postgraduate training), access to clinical rotations, and accreditation.
To practice medicine in the US, you must earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) and complete a postgraduate residency, in addition to other requirements. Residency is where students are immersed in fast-paced, hands-on training, working with actual patients under the supervision and guidance of a licensed doctor. The training offers specialized experience in your intended area of practice, with increased responsibility as you advance through the program.
The residency program process involves applications, personal statements, and interviews, and acceptance is not guaranteed. St. George’s University (SGU) provides training and tools needed to help medical students reach their goals. No other medical school in the world provides more new doctors to the US healthcare system, with 940+ US residencies in 20241 and an 88% US residency placement rate for international graduates over the last five years.2
1Data as of October 2024.
2Average of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 residency placement rates. Residency placement rate is defined as the total number of international students/graduates (non-US or Canadian) who obtained a US residency divided by the total number of international students/graduates who applied to a US residency program in a given year as of October 2024.
Access to clinical rotations in the US will support your application for US residency. Hospital-based clinical rotations are where you gain first-hand experience working with patients. When choosing a medical school, you need to consider what clinical rotations will be available to you and how they affect your ability to practice medicine in the US. Clinical rotations in your intended country of practice are crucial to prepare you for residency in that country. Students at SGU can complete clinical and ambulatory training in 75+ leading hospitals and health systems in the US and the UK.3
If you are a graduate of a foreign medical school, in order to be eligible to participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), you must ensure the medical school is accredited, and that the school’s accreditor is recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education, known as WFME. Accreditation is a process by which a medical school undergoes extensive external evaluations by experts to ensure high educational standards are achieved. SGU School of Medicine has been continuously accredited for decades. The school is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council, known as GMDC. The GMDC is recognized by WFME and the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). GMDC’s accreditation enables eligible SGU School of Medicine students to take the United States Medical Licensing exams, participate in the NRMP, and pursue licensure in the US.
The USMLE is a 3-step examination. Doctors with an MD degree are required to pass these exams to practice medicine in the US. It’s important to look at a school’s published pass rates for the USMLE as this is a strong indicator of the quality of the curriculum and support being offered by a medical school. International SGU students had a 90% Residency placement rate for 2024 international graduates who applied for US residencies..4
4Residency placement rate is defined as the total number of international students/graduates (non-US or Canadian) who obtained a US residency divided by the total number of international students/graduates who applied to a US residency in the 2023-2024 academic year. Data as of October 2024.
Steps to Becoming a Doctor in the US
Choosing the Right Medical School to Become a Doctor in the US
“Pursuing a medical residency in the United States has always been a dream for me. When I discovered SGU, I found an abundance of opportunities that allowed me to accomplish this goal. As a non-US citizen, the challenge of securing residency in the US can be daunting, but SGU offers a track to achieve it. With its high match rates at US residencies and extensive hospital affiliations, SGU provided me with a convenient route to residency. The chance to engage in global education by rotating at hospitals both in the UK and the US was invaluable, enriching my cultural awareness and ultimately shaping me into a more proficient physician.”
Varshitha Tumkur Panduranga
SGU’24
India
Now that you understand the steps to becoming a doctor in the US, here’s how SGU can help you succeed:
1As the medical school graduating the largest number of students per year, SGU places the largest number of graduates into residency programs each year, based on internal SGU graduate/expected graduate and residency placement data as of October 2024.
2Data as of October 2024.
3Based on the number of students who have completed the Doctor of Medicine program from 1981-2024.
4Average of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 residency placement rates. Residency placement rate is defined as the total number of international students/graduates (non-US or Canadian) who obtained a US residency divided by the total number of international students/graduates who applied to a US residency program in a given year as of October 2024.
5Total results from the five calendar years 2019-2023. First-time pass rate is defined as the number of international (non-US citizen/permanent resident or Canadian) students passing USMLE Step 1 on their first attempt divided by the total number of international students taking USMLE Step 1 for the first time within the given time range. In order to be certified to take USMLE Step 1, students are required to pass all basic sciences courses.
Entry points are available for students with various levels of education, including the Four-Year MD Program and the Five-, Six-, and Seven-Year Tracks.
Please note, as an international student:
An English exam is required for any prospective student whose country is not considered English-speaking as per UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) guidance.1
However, an exception may be granted to students with an undergraduate degree from any English-speaking country—a waiver must be requested from SGU in this instance.
Grenada, West Indies
Our 42-acre Grenada campus is purpose-built for a safe, comfortable learning environment. Student wellness is at the heart of our campus with a brand new 8,400-square-foot fitness center, a 24-hour medical clinic, and round-the-clock private security.
Newcastle, UK
The partnership between SGU and Northumbria University (NU) offers a Four-Year MD Program with the option to complete one year at NU. The partnership also offers Five- and Six-Year MD Tracks. The program and tracks start in Newcastle, UK, allowing you to complete the first part of your education at NU with an MD degree awarded by SGU.
1At least two letters of recommendation are required, one from a teacher or professor.
2An English exam is required for any prospective students whose country is not considered English-speaking as per UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) guidance.
3Scholarship eligibility is reviewed after the admissions decision and is not guaranteed.
“I feel my training at SGU is on par with other students and physicians that I have come into contact with. If anything, my training at SGU put me at a slight advantage when it came to infectious disease—which, being from Ghana, is very handy. I would highly recommend SGU without hesitation. It allowed me to realize my dreams. It’s added to my growth as a person and as a physician, and I would not have it any other way if I could rewrite my life story.”
Gifty-Maria Ntim, MD, MPH, SGU’07
Ghana
“SGU was a great choice because of all the support available to international students. There are several resources to help with the transition to medical school, clinical years, and even residency. As an African student, I can also say that there is opportunity to build community with other African students—which has been a very joyful part of my time at SGU.”
Geraldine Nabeta, MD, SGU’23
Uganda
“It was clear very early on that SGU was the perfect fit. I went there and knew six or seven people from Kenya, but then got to meet people from different parts of the world. It was beautiful to learn about their experiences and the different paths they were on. It was a strange sense of almost feeling like I was home. I made a lot of close friends, and I even met my wife. For those reasons and more, SGU has a special place in my heart. I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”
Lewis Musoke, MD, SGU’16
Kenya
“SGU taught me accountability, responsibility, and to be able to work hard to achieve my goal.”
Orapeleng Phuswane-Katse, MD, SGU’11
Botswana
“SGU gave me a lifetime opportunity to become a medical doctor. I am very grateful for my education and for the chance to give to my country.”
Tendani Gaolathe, MD, SGU’96
Botswana
“I honestly have to thank SGU to the fullest extent for preparing me so well for my future in medicine. I honed my skills of teaching and guidance, hard work, dedication, and leadership at SGU. The years in Grenada, along with my rotations in New York, prepared me extremely well for day 1 of residency, where I did not feel any different in terms of overall standard and knowledge from any other American medical school grad. I am extremely grateful to SGU.”
Shivantha Amarnath, MD, SGU’17
Sri Lanka
“I think my education at SGU gave me a great advantage throughout the application process. All SGU courses are taught in English and are based on the USMLE syllabus. This helped me get good grades. Moreover, the clinical rotations in years 3 and 4 are also carried out in the United States. This gave me ample opportunity to learn from many doctors in the US and at the same time, for me to demonstrate my ability in the process of working with them. In the end, I got a lot of good references.”
Kansho Abiko, MD, SGU’20
Japan
“SGU isn’t just any Caribbean school. We had a rigorous lecture program, excellent faculty, and used the same textbooks and board review books as US medical students. And then my two years of clinical prepared me well for residency and beyond.”
Kenneth Yeung, MD, SGU’02
Hong Kong
“For me, SGU provided a comprehensive medical education that prepared me to be successful in the US healthcare system. Additionally, I found SGU to have a diverse student body, fostering a multicultural learning environment. Because clinical rotations as an SGU student are in the US, I was provided hands-on experience and exposure to the American healthcare system, making my transition to residency, and practicing medicine in the US smoother.”
Julia Hweyryoung Cho, MD, SGU’22
South Korea
“The experience at SGU was everything that I expected and much more. There truly is this culture of pride within the University. Everyone wants the students to succeed, and everything possible will be done to help them become a successful physician. That’s why I am where I am today.”
Teimour Nasirov, MD, SGU’00
Azerbaijan
“The St. George’s experience provided me with the family of extremely diverse, open-minded, and highly driven physicians. Taking in account that most of us were away from our families, we have become each other’s family. Today, I am proud to say that my SGU family consists of amazing, well-trained physicians all around the US, and many of them having leading positions in major universities or healthcare organizations.”
Svjetlana Lozo, MD, SGU’08
Bosnia
“The experience of working and studying in other countries and health systems was invaluable. SGU was an important and solid stepping stone for me. It was an incredible mix of a studious and serious academic environment alongside Caribbean sunsets, wonderful food, and beautiful scenery. I took great pleasure in learning from the SGU professors, who had so much knowledge to share. It was a stimulating educational experience.”
Joseph El-Khoury, MD, SGU’02
Lebanon
