Attending medical school is a big decision and a huge investment of time, money, and energy. On top of challenging entrance exams and top grades, medical students must be prepared to spend thousands of hours on their future studies, including classroom work, clinical rotations, licensing exams, and residency. Some people attend med school in a fun location like the Caribbean to keep costs lower and live in a more relaxed community amid the stress of medical studies. Some of the top medical schools in the Caribbean include:
- St. George's University in Grenada
- University of Medicine and Health Sciences in St. Kitts
- Ross University School of Medicine in Barbados
- American University of Antigua College of Medicine in Antigua, St. John's, and Barbuda
- American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten
- Saba University School of Medicine in Saba
Even though medical school in the Caribbean sounds fun, it's still academically, intellectually, and physically grueling. So, it's important to understand the requirements you'll need to meet and the possible pitfalls you might encounter during medical school in the Caribbean. If you encounter problems with academic probation, licensing requirements, or accusations of academic dishonesty, attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the experienced Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can help. Call them at 888-535-3686 to schedule your consultation.
Accreditation of Medical Schools in the Caribbean
In the United States, most medical schools are accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). These schools must meet minimum standards for didactic and clinical education put in place by the AAMC. Many clinical rotations and residency programs will only accept students from AAMC-accredited schools. However, the AAMC doesn't typically accredit schools in the Caribbean. Instead, Caribbean medical schools are typically accredited by the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). Accreditation by the NCFMEA typically gives Caribbean medical students access to clinical rotations, the U.S. National Residency Matching Program, and the ability to pursue a U.S. medical license.
Despite accreditation by the NCFMEA, some Caribbean med students have encountered logistical problems when attempting to take the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) in their second and fourth years of medical school or enter the residency matching program. If you encounter questions about your qualifications to take the USMLE or enter the matching program because you attend a Caribbean medical school, it's time to contact attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the experienced Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm. They can help.
Caribbean Medical School Requirements
Before applying to medical school, you must meet certain academic requirements, including a bachelor's degree and a minimum number of credits in biology, chemistry, and other sciences. These courses will also help you prepare for the Medication College Admission Test (MCAT).
The MCAT is a five-hour entrance exam for medical school covering your knowledge in biology, chemistry, physical science, critical thinking, and verbal skills. The MCAT is a major part of your admission to medical school. Once you're in medical school, you'll complete at least four years of study and medical training.
- Classroom Work The first two years of medical school will focus on classroom education and laboratory studies. You will take Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) in your second year. The first two years of medical school are intended to prepare you for this pass/fail exam. If you attended a Caribbean med school accredited by the NCFMEA, you should be eligible to take Step 1 of the USMLE.
- Clinical Work Your third and fourth years of medical school will focus on clinical work, where you get hands-on medical training in a clinical setting. You will work under licensed physicians in clinics and hospitals. In your fourth year, you will take Step 2 of the USMLE. If you attended a Caribbean med school accredited by the NCFMEA, you should be eligible to take Step 2 of the USMLE. You may also be eligible to complete clinical rotations in part in locations in the U.S. Many Caribbean med schools have agreements with hospitals and clinical facilities in the U.S. for their eligible students. For example, at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in St. Kitts, students complete clinical work from semesters five through ten, transitioning from classroom studies in St. Kitts to clinical programs in the U.S. and Canada. Students spend their fifth semester at the UMHS campus in Portland, Maine, completing 78 weeks of clinical rotations at Canadian and U.S. teaching hospitals.
- Residency After finishing medical school in the Caribbean, you will complete a residency from years three to seven, depending on your specialty. During your first year of residency, you'll take the final portion of the USMLE. After your first year of residency and the USMLE, you can narrow your field of specialization and complete residency in these specialty areas. If you attend a Caribbean medical school accredited by the NCFMEA, you should be eligible to participate in the U.S. National Residency Matching Program, which matches medical students with residency programs throughout the U.S.
Medical Licensing in the U.S.
One of the issues that should be forefront of your mind while attending med school in the Caribbean is the issue of residency and licensing in the U.S. The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMH), which provides credentials for foreign medical school graduates, requires that any physician applying for accreditation graduate from an accredited medical school document their exam scores and academic histories. If you encounter difficulty with this process, you may be able to appeal a decision of the ECMFG and appear before the Medical Education Credentials Committee represented by counsel.
The ECFMH can be an obstacle if it flags “irregular activity” by an applicant, including:
- Submitting a falsified or altered document,
- Failing to comply with ECFMH or USMLE procedures and policies,
- Submitting false information on applications, submissions, or other materials to ECFMH,
- Taking an exam when you aren't eligible to do so, or
- Submission of any falsified ECFMH document to another entity or person.
These categories are very broad and could include an allegation that you lied about your pre-med school clinical hours on your med school application or that you took a USMLE exam when you didn't know you weren't eligible.
Potential Challenges in Caribbean Medical Schools
You can face other challenges in a Caribbean medical school that med school students face across the U.S. and internationally, including academic probation, allegations of academic dishonesty, ethical violations, or falsifying records or clinical hours.
- Academic Struggles Medical school is challenging for everyone academically. If you don't keep your grades up, you could face academic probation for one to two semesters. If your grades don't improve, you could face suspension or expulsion. If you've gotten to this point, attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm may be able to help you.
- Academic Dishonesty If you face allegations of cheating, plagiarism, or other academic misconduct, it could seriously affect your future career. Your Caribbean medical school will have an honor code and a student code of conduct. While finding these codes of conduct online can be challenging, you will receive a student handbook and code of conduct as part of your registration. If you are accused of academic misconduct, it's important that you review your med school's code of conduct and any communication you receive from the school explaining your rights, disciplinary and hearing procedures, possible penalties, and appeal rights.
- Ethical Issues Many medical schools, including those in the Caribbean, follow the American Medical Student Association's (AMSA) Code of Ethics and include this code in their Student Handbooks. Under ASMA's Code of Ethics, students can face formal or informal disciplinary action if they violate their medical school's Student Code of Conduct or Honor Code. At St. George's University in Grenada, students must adhere to the school's honor code, where students agree to:
- Maintain high standards of honor and academic integrity,
- Refrain from violating the school's code of conduct, including cheating, plagiarizing, lying, or stealing,
- Take responsibility for reporting violations that they witness, and
- Follow university safety and security rules.
Students at Caribbean medical schools must also follow a medical code of ethics. For example, at St. James School of Medicine in Anguilla, the code of ethics that all faculty and students must follow includes:
- Professional responsibilities such as maintaining the best interests of the patient in all situations, obtaining consent, not abusing drugs or alcohol, and not engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with patients;
- Respect for persons, including treating patients, colleagues, and others with respect, treating patients with kindness and honesty, and respecting the privacy and modesty of patients;
- Respect for patient confidentiality, including not discussing patients in public where you can be overheard and not sharing medical or personal details of a patient's history or medical treatment;
- Honesty and integrity, including misleading others, cheating, and academic dishonesty;
- Awareness of professional limitations, knowing when to ask for professional help, when to supervise others, and avoiding unsupervised involvement with areas where you aren't adequately trained;
- Department as a professional, including identifying yourself, refraining from criticizing the decisions of other physicians to patients, and not writing offensive or judgmental comments in patients' charts;
- Avoiding conflicts of interest, including not accepting rewards for patient referrals;
- Responsibility for peer behavior, including reporting inappropriate behavior;
- Respect for personal ethics, including not being required to participate in procedures that you believe are unethical or detrimental to patients;
- Respect for property and laws; and
- Integrity in research and teaching.
Accusations of violating this code of ethics can result in disciplinary action in medical school.
- Falsifying Records Many medical schools rely on students to record their hours for the 78 to 80 weeks of clinical rotations that students must complete during years three and four in medical school. Inflating or falsifying these hours are often violations of many Caribbean medical school student codes of conduct, considered both ethical violations and academic dishonesty. If your school finds allegations of falsifying clinical hours to have merit, you could face having to repeat clinical hours, years of medical school, suspension, or expulsion from medical school.
Health Challenges While in Caribbean Medical Schools
Just the nature of medical school and being a doctor is stressful, no matter where you live. Physicians and medical students face life-and-death situations regularly and have high clinical and academic standards. As a result, many med students may struggle with mental health, anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, and drug use. While many Caribbean medical students feel that admitting they struggle with mental health or addiction issues will harm their future careers, failing to report them can also endanger their careers. That's why you must reach out to attorney-advisory Joseph D. Lento and the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm if you're facing a situation in medical school that can lead to academic or disciplinary action.
Hire an Experienced Attorney-Advisor
If you're facing challenges in meeting medical school requirements, have been denied the opportunity to sit for any portion of the USMLE, or face allegations of academic or other misconduct, the situation can be serious. You could face obstacles to your path through medical school and endanger your ability to become a practicing physician in the U.S. But you don't have to do this alone. Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can help. They've been helping medical students in the Caribbean and the U.S. for years. Find out how they can help you. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or contact them online today to schedule your consultation.
