Attending Caribbean Medical Schools: Experiences at St. George’s University and Ross University

At St. George’s University (SGU), students from around the world are in the process of making their dreams of becoming a doctor come true. Located in Grenada, West Indies, SGU is a private international university that offers motivated students the opportunity to graduate with a medical degree. Each year, successful applicants enroll in SGU’s four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) program with the goal of returning to North America to practice.

The Student Experience in Grenada

Here’s a look at what the student experience is like at SGU, through the eyes of three Canadians with passion and drive. Katlyn Elliott, a second-year SGU medical student, says that she loves how the campus size is small, so that she always sees someone she knows when walking around. “That makes it feel like a community,” she says. Now in her fifth term at SGU, Katlyn, a self-proclaimed morning person, starts her day at 5:45am. She packs a lunch and heads to campus to study at Modica Hall. Unless she has a morning lab, she attends lectures in Patrick Adams Hall from 1pm to 3pm.

While the workload is demanding, Katlyn says she’s had experiences going to SGU that she wouldn’t have had at another medical school. “I climbed three waterfalls, I got certified to be a scuba diver, and I climbed the Welcome Rock,” she says. “You have to take a break,” Katlyn says of the leisure activities in Grenada. “It’s definitely a marathon, these two years, and that is what de-stresses me.”

Academic Support and Residency Success

SGU also offers a wide range of extracurricular activities for students. Because of its large Canadian population, SGU’s Canadian Student Association (CanSA) is one of the most active groups on campus. Furthermore, SGU graduates are often matched in the positions of their choice, including highly competitive residencies like surgery, radiology, orthopedics and emergency medicine. In fact, 91 per cent of eligible Canadian SGU students who applied for a residency position in Canada or the U.S. were successful in 2018.

Students also seek the support of SGU’s Office of Career Guidance and Student Development (OCGSD), which helps Canadian students match with hospitals back in Canada. Counsellors advise students on preparing for licensing exams, provide information on provincial eligibility requirements and help them develop their interview skills.

Ross University School of Medicine: An Alternative Route

If you’re thinking about attending a Caribbean medical school, Ross University School of Medicine stands out among the rest for graduating well-trained physicians who place into U.S. residencies and continue on to successful careers in medicine. Generally considered one of the best medical schools in the Caribbean, Ross Medical School appeals to many students with low stats who couldn’t get accepted to U.S. med schools but who are still determined to practice medicine. Ross University School of Medicine has been educating doctors for over 40 years and boasts an alumni network of more than 14,000 physicians.

Accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Health Professions (CAAM-HP), Ross Medical School teaches the same curriculum taught in U.S. medical schools. Students actually complete their clinical rotations in the U.S. at one of Ross Medical School’s affiliated hospitals, and its graduates can qualify for licensure in all fifty states after completing their residencies.

Key Statistics and Data

The following table presents key data points regarding these institutions and general medical school metrics: