<p>my sister is currently in med. school at American University of the Caribbean (AUC) in St. Maarten. (Also a great island - imagine studying for med. school in 80 degree weather!) If you don't get into US med. schools, this is a great option. She will finish her Basic Sciences this December and then be done in St. Maarten. Then she does all of her clinicals in the U.S. before taking Step 1 of the USMLE's before applying for residencies in the US.</p>
<p>How expensive is it and how hard is it to get residencies in the US?</p>
<p>Check out their website <a href="http://www.aucmed.edu%5B/url%5D">www.aucmed.edu</a> I think additional cost may be that you have to pay for housing. my sister lived in the dorm 1st and 2nd semester but now has an apartment across the street from the school - brand new by the way. you stay down there for 5 semesters of basic sciences - tuition is like 9-10K per semester; then you have 4.5 semesters of clinicals in the US and you still pay tuition. unless you get into a state school in the US, you are looking at some pretty hefty tuitions stateside also. in terms of getting residencies, you take the exact same licensing exam as US medical students, the USMLE step 1 after you complete basic sciences - i think the kaplan review for it is a 5th semester course in the basic sciences. my sister has been taking the shelf exams which all US students take and has been competitive with US students - doing better in some classes. in any case, how you do on that exam determines how competitive you are for a residency. in any case, i know of one guy who graduated AUC recently who scored in the 90+percentile of all med students including US. I think he would be quite competitive!!! AUC students do generally well. I met a doctor from CT there who went to AUC years ago when it was in Montserrat before the volcano leveled the med. school He has been practicing in CT for years. It is wise to remember that 1/4 of all US doctors graduated from foreign medical schools. Secondly, there are more open residencies in the US than there are grads to fill them, so getting a residency is not an issue. Obviously, the more competitive residencies - surgery, neurosurgery, etc. belong to the cream of the crop regardless of where they come from. Students at St. Georges Univ. in Grenada may be slightly more prestigious, but the cost is volumes more!!! CNN just did a special on AUC in St. Maarten - i think it will be on in May - i personally think it is by far the best med. school in the Caribbean and the safest and the most american standard of living possible. I did a lot of research for my sister. let me know if you have any questions. For many kids, it is the only alternative and believe me , there are many takers!!</p>