For applicants who want to practice medicine in the United States, approved accredited International Medical Schools in the Caribbean offer a good choice. Approved and accredited Medical Schools in the Caribbean follow a curriculum that mirrors most United States Medical Schools and their graduates have a long history of obtaining residency in U.S. teaching hospitals. But applicants should be aware that there are also a number of International Medical Schools in the Caribbean region that do not have the necessary approvals and whose graduates have little or no chance of obtaining a residency position and little or no chance of obtaining medical licensure.
How to Tell the Good from the Bad
Number and Kinds of Approvals
The best measure to distinguish between the good and the bad is to review the kinds and number of approvals that an International Medical School have obtained. While graduates of most approved schools can eventually practice in all states, the two states that “approve” International Medical Schools after a site visit by medical experts are California and New York[DPB1] . California and New York have approximately 30% of all residency positions in the United States. Graduates from schools that do not have approval from California[DPB2] and NY have no chance of obtaining residencies in these states.
American University of Antigua (AUA) has been approved by both California and New York. In addition, AUA is licensed to conduct clinical clerkships in Florida.
Eligibility for U.S. DOE Title IV loans.
In order for International Medical School students to receive Title IV loans, the country in which the school is located must have obtained a state approval and the United States DOE must find that the accrediting body that approves the school has standards comparable to the standards used to evaluate U.S. Medical Schools.
AUA is accredited without conditions by the Caribbean Authority for Accreditation in Medicine and other Healthcare Professions (CAAM-HP) and has met United States DOE requirements. Its students are eligible to receive Unites States Government Loans.
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
All states require that applicants for residency and licensure must obtain certification from the ECFMG. As of 2024, the ECFMG will only grant certification to graudtaes of International Medical Schools which are approved by an accrediting body recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education.
AUA is accredited by CAAM-HP which is recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education and its graduates are and continue to be eligible for ECFMG certification.
Living Conditions of the country in which the International Medical School is located.
While most likely the least important consideration for attending an International Medical School, applicants should remember that they will be spending 2 years of their lives in the county in which the medical school is located.
AUA is located in the country of Antigua and Barbuda, which in addition to having 366 beaches, has modern housing, major supermarkets, restaurants, movie theaters and various sporting and entertainment events with quality internet connections.
Based on all of the above criteria, we believe AUA is the best choice for applicants who wish to practice medicine in the United States.
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