Many students in the world choose foreign or Caribbean medical schools to continue their higher education. They prefer a place that is not only recognized and culturally diverse but also where they get an open chance for admission.
These schools do not assess students based on grades or numbers but overall considers students’ life experiences, personality, maturity, voluntary experiences, and intelligence.
However, it is crucial to see whether the foreign medical schools you choose are accredited and meet the structural standards of medical education in a region such as the Caribbean.
In this blog post, we are going to focus primarily on:
- TIER-SYSTEM OF CARIBBEAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS
- WHICH CARIBBEAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED?
We are going a bit deeper to look at what each tier can be lucrative for medical students around the Caribbean. There are three tiers of Caribbean medical schools, the top, middle, and bottom tiers for the students.
Top-tier Caribbean medical schools:
These schools are widely recognized and approved by agencies like the Florida Department of Education, New York State Education and accreditations from the California board, and the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) or Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP).
These are the top-level medical schools in the Caribbean and are approved to participate in the US Loan Program. Graduates from these universities complete their residency in high-standard schools in their home countries.
Middle-tier Caribbean medical schools:
It may hold ACCM/CAAMP-HP accreditation but may not have other state approvals.
Bottom-tier Caribbean medical schools
These schools have no accreditation at all, which should be considered by future students planning to study there.
Hence, when deciding to apply to a foreign medical school, especially in the Caribbean, you must look into the accreditation status of that school. It will help explain the quality of education and the institute’s legitimacy.
Students wonder whether they can practice in their home countries through clinical rotations or residency after receiving a graduate degree from a Caribbean medical school.
If you are a student who falls in that category, it is necessary to check whether that school has accreditation from the following institutions.
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CAAM-HP
CAAM-HP was established in 2003 and it prescribes standards of quality education, accrediting various medical education programs in the region.
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ACCM
ACCM helps governments ensure that students they accredit meet the education standards in their home countries. US Department of Education has vouched for the standards of CAAMP-HP and ACCM which makes it comparable to accreditation bodies of medical schools in the US.
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WFME
World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) was established in 1972 and targets to enhance the quality of medical education in the world. They work with doctors, universities, and educators through their six regional associations.
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OTHER STATE APPROVALS
If you want to work in the US, you need to have approval from various state boards in a Caribbean medical school. Some of those include the Medical Board of California, the New York State Department, and the Florida Department of Education.
WHICH CARIBBEAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED?
Many Caribbean medical schools are accredited such as the American University School of Medicine Aruba (AUSOMA) is fully licensed by the Ministry of Education in Aruba with CAAMP-HP accreditation in progress.
The graduates are eligible for licensure in most countries around the world. Ross University School of Medicine, The University of the West Indies School of Medicine, and the University of Guyana School of Medicine also have CAAM-HP accreditations in the Caribbean.
Accreditation itself is just a stamp and approval of studying from a specific place and meeting all the standards of education and practice. However, the quality of education a medical student receives and applies in their practice would make the accreditation worthwhile in the long run.
Thousands of students apply to foreign medical schools to attain exceptional university experiences with a high standard of education. But if the school is not recognized in the home country and not accredited for what it offers, all the effort put into application and study would go in vain.
Over To You
Therefore, it is crucial to do research before applying to foreign medical schools. The acceptance rate and cultural diversity are not good enough reasons when the education quality and institute legitimacy is at stake. When choosing a Caribbean medical school must prefer the former that is accredited and promising.