What states do not allow caribbean graduates to practice medicine?

[WestcoastMedicine]

I applied to Osteopathic schools in the US and st george. I have a 3.4 overall and a 3.4 science gpa, 26P on my MCAT and significant healthcare experience. I have only been granted to DO interviews so far as well as an interview at SGU. I heard that caribbean graduates are not allowed to practice in all 50 states. Does anyone know which states do not allow them to practice or have a link that might answer my question?

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[Leukocyte]

I applied to Osteopathic schools in the US and st george. I have a 3.4 overall and a 3.4 science gpa, 26P on my MCAT and significant healthcare experience. I have only been granted to DO interviews so far as well as an interview at SGU. I heard that caribbean graduates are not allowed to practice in all 50 states. Does anyone know which states do not allow them to practice or have a link that might answer my question?

Each state has its own rules regarding the licensure of IMGs in general. There are no rules that govern the licensing of Caribbean graduates specificaly. No state will explicitly say "NO CARIBBEAN GRADS PLEASE". However, some states maintain a list of medical schools that they consider "acceptable" or "not acceptable" for licensure. Indiana and California are good examples:

http://www.medbd.ca.gov/Approved_Schools.htm

http://www.state.in.us/hpb/boards/mlbi/instinfo.html

However, Texas is one of the States that is considered "anti-Caribbean", and does not discriminate between the different Carib. schools. Texas does not consider any of the off-shore Caribbean schools that cater to US students as good enough to be "susbtantialy equivalent" to US medical schools. Texas maintains a list of "substantialy equivalent" schools for the purpose of licensure. This is the link to this list:

http://www.tsbme.state.tx.us/professionals/docinfo/STDNHPSE.rtf

The good news however is that Ross is currently fighting this issue. Once Ross gets "accepted", hopefuly St. George, AUC, and other legit. Caribs. will follow in Ross's foot steps and also be accepted.

Other States have some specific requirements from IMG applicants. Graduating from St. George, Ross, or any given school is simply not enough. Some require that you do EVERY SINGLE rotation at a site that is ACGME accredited in THAT SPECIFIC ROTATION. Meaning, doing a Neurology rotation under Internal Medicine accreditation might not satisfy the state's requirement. Other States require that you do ALL your rotations at sites that are affiliated with your school.

So YOU have to do your homework before you go Carib. Do not take what your school says about licensure as bible, and do not rely on second hand information. Call the State in which you are interested in practicing YOURSELF.

Good Luck.

 

[Lotsof77]

Texas is the "die hard". However, do not be mistaken that Caribbean grads are only licensable in few states. Take Saba for example, though one of the smaller legit. schools, they already have graduates practicing in 43 States (+ CA was just approved for Saba, but no graduates practicing there as yet, New York is also already approved for Saba. So yeah, besides Texas, everything else is "doable". Just make sure you do everything your State of interest requires you to do while in school, such as attending ACGME-accredited core rotations, etc. It's never too late to plan ahead. Good luck!

 

[trapper john]

Just for everybody's info, Texas waives the "all greenbook" rule IF you are board certified. Your school must also be approved in California, so at this point that means SGU, Ross, Saba, and AUC.

 

[Skip Intro]

Once Ross gets "accepted"...

Trying to stay neutral myself here (i.e., neither optimistic nor pessimistic), I'd admonish everyone to be cautiously realistic here and not see Ross' success in making a case for themselves (and their graduates) as a forgone conclusion and inevitablity as this goes in front of the Texas medical license board.

In other words, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

-Skip

 

[erichaj]

All 50 states.

 

[rokshana]

All 50 states.

Are you trying to say that all 50 states do allow Caribbean grads to practice or that they do not? And if they don't, what do you think the thousands of Caribbean are doing righ now?

 

[Lotsof77]

Uh, I'm sure those thousands of grads paid hundreds of thousands just so they could go on a 2-year extended vacation on some rock and are probably driving around in taxis by now. I'm no expert by any chance, but I believe him when he says 50 states. There are Caribbean grads already licensed in them. But that don't mean u can practice in any State unless u planned ahead while in school and met their requirements.

 

[skypilot]

I took a look at the California "approved" list posted above and was surprised to find so many foreign schools including the following:

Afghanistan
University of Kabul Faculty of Medicine
State Medical Institute of Nangarhar Faculty of Medicine

Albania
University of Tirana Faculty of Medicine

Zambia
University of Zambia School of Medicine