Why do people go to Carribean schools?

[VeganSoprano]

A big reason is that Caribbean schools are not AMA/AVMA accredited. Becoming licensed in the U.S. is an expensive hassle, and there is a stigma attached to attending a non-accredited school that takes less qualified applicants. It will make a doctor out of you if you are determined enough, but for many people it's worth it to gain acceptance to an accredited school.


Re: "But one good one is that even Caribbean schools have pre-requisites", many people who enter postbac programs come from non-science fields and are using the postbac program to fulfill these requirements. Personally, my undergrad GPA was fine but I didn't take any serious math or science classes, so I'm making those up in a postbac.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[liverotcod]

Could you elaborate a little more on "Lotsa reasons" ? I'm wondering because I finished 90 hrs and applied to a Carrribbean Med school just to see if I would get in with a 3.0 GPA and no MCAT... and I got in. But now I wonder if it would've been better for me to just stay in Virginia and try there??

VeganSoprano's reason is probably the best, but I'll toss out a few more:
1) don't want to move family to semi-squalid "tropical paradise"
2) hurricanes
3) considering competitive residencies; Caribbean makes that hard (though not impossible)
4) I know I can do better - Caribbean schools are OK, but really last resort

Virginia has four great med schools - reasonably priced and not too hard to get in to as an in-stater. I don't know your whole situation, but it's hard to imagine opting for Caribbean schools over EVMS, VCU, UVa or VCOM, given the choice.