Thinking of Medical school in the Caribbean? Think again says NY.

Originally, I was going to post a series of interesting news about medical students in Canada. Indeed, during my search I came across at least a couple of  things I wanted to discuss with you. That was until I came across a really relevant article in the NY Times. As I have written previously about the Caribbean schools - even that little guide stirred some debate in the comments. It seems everything is changing these days - MCAT requirements and autobiographical sketches being dropped in favor of other methods of selection (more on that in a later article), MCAT itself being in the process of being changed, MMI's replacing the traditional interviews, emphasis in medical schools switching from specialist medicine to general practice... Well, now the New York state schools are getting on board of the anti-Caribbean train (somehow, I am not surprised). Read the article and let me know what you think in the comments section:

  1. Do you think Caribbean graduates are less competent? If so, why?
  2. Should the Caribbean continue to supply U.S. with doctors? If not, where would you realistically get the difference?
  Medical Schools in Region Fight Caribbean Flow

For a generation, medical schools in the Caribbean have attracted thousands of American students to their tiny island havens by promising that during their third and fourth years, the students would get crucial training in United States hospitals, especially in New York State. [more after the jump]

Poll: How far are you really willing to move for medschool




3 things every medical school is looking for in an applicant

When you apply to medical school, the majority of you will consider it a success if you get admitted regardless of where you will have to spend the next four years. Sure, a small proportion will actually have to (ehm-ehm) make a choice, an even smaller group will be so set on a specific school that they will actually refuse an acceptance from anywhere else, a minute bunch will not even apply country-wide. For the rest of us, admissions will indeed be a victory, because any Canadian university grants the same MD degree that will allow you to work anywhere in North America and then some.

Keeping that in mind, you have to understand that admissions committees, aka the people that will ruin your life, aka the people that will make you wet your pants from joy are considering many more candidates than they can accept. Obvious? Great!