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Getting into a medical school to start studying the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program is a dream for most students. However, due to high competition in the field and the limited availability of seats, many find it difficult to secure a place at medical school.
Ensuring that you fulfill all the admission requirements set out by a medical school is the most important step in securing admission to an MD program. Although the criteria may vary at each school, some standard requirements are followed by each medical school.
Your knowledge of basic science, English proficiency, and scores in the MCAT examination are a few common admission requirements for the MD program in Caribbean medical schools. Let’s look at each of them in detail.
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Prerequisite coursework
Most medical schools in the Caribbean acknowledge the academic differences of students from different parts of the world. To make the MD program accessible to all, medical schools accept students from various educational backgrounds. However, to ensure that you follow the basic science curriculum taught in the initial semesters, medical schools require you to complete certain prerequisite coursework.
The courses included in the list of prerequisites are general biology or zoology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and English. All these courses must be attended for at least one academic year and both the chemistry courses must have laboratory sessions too.
English proficiency
English is part of the recommended prerequisite coursework for medical schools. Additionally, non-natives of the language who seek admission to the MD program must provide a certificate of English language proficiency such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS.
The medium of instruction in medical schools is English. As students from a wide range of countries come to the Caribbean for medical studies, English proficiency certificates are essential to ensure that students follow the curriculum and can communicate freely in classrooms and with their peers.
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
MCAT is an examination that tests your understanding and knowledge of basic science subjects, comprehension, and critical reasoning. MCAT is not mandatory for all students but is recommended as part of the admission process. However, students who are U.S. citizens must attend the MCAT examination.
Most medical colleges have made the MCAT mandatory for students whose required coursework is outdated (more than five years old) and whose grades are lower than a ‘C’.
Undergraduate degree
Caribbean medical schools welcome students who have graduate, advanced, or doctoral degrees in various subject areas. It is not mandatory that you should be a graduate in basic sciences. You can be a degree holder in arts, humanities, business, psychology, or any other field of your choice. The only thing that matters is your GPA in the undergraduate program and that you complete the prescribed basic science coursework.
If you believe you have the talent and confidence to become a doctor, apply for an MD program in the Caribbean with all the necessary documents.
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