I am considering going to medical school but there are so many options and routes to take. what is the best way to go? And what about medical school in the carribean's? Any ideas please?

I am doing med school in Mexico which has a lot of very good schools but you need to be fluent in spanish to go. South America also has a ton of great schools.

I've heard bad reviews about Caribbean med schools. The teaching level is poor. However, I've only met 1 Caribbean doctor, a guy from Dominican Republic that was a resident in opthalmology. He must have been an insanely good student to be able to pass the mexican residency exam (which is insane hard to do) and for one of the most competitive residencies there is.

Are all the medical schools in Europe accredited under WHO recognized in Canada?
If so, what are the exams that I have to take when I come back to Canada?
Pecs University allows you to pursue your studies in a way that prepares you for the USMLE. Is it recommended for somebody who is going back to Canada to take the USMLE also?

Is there any a specific medical school in Europe that you would recommend?(english based)

Carribean medical school or European medical School(US accredited)??

The accreditation authority is the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and it only accredits medical schools in the US, Canada and US territories. No European medical school is required to be US accredited and as long as a foreign medical school is listed in the Internationale Medical Education Directory (i.e., recognized by the World Health Organization) a graduate of that school is eligible to take the US Medical Licensing Exam.

Most certainly, Caribbean medical schools are not accredited by any agency recognized by the US Department of Education and if they continue to follow their usual practices, never will be. Many of the Caribbean medical schools advertised that they are accredited. In 2004, several of the older schools got together and formed an accrediting authority for the Caribbean. They did this to exclude their competition, as the Caribbean is known to be a haven for diploma mills and substandard schools.

Canada has its own medical licensing exam that is similar to the USMLE. Theirs is called the MCEE (Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination). Just like the US and the USMLE, anybody wishing to become licensed in Canada, whether trained in Canada or elsewhere, must pass this examination.

There are many exceptional medical schools in Europe that have English programs. It requires a bit of leg work to explore them all, but they are identified in the International Medical Education Directory: http://imed.ecfmg.org/

I have a close friend who was educated in Poland at what is now called the Medical University of Lodz. He raves about their program. Obviously, any medical school in the UK would provide an excellent education.

But one thing to bear in mind is this–all countries, with the exception of the US, educate physicians with the intent they will practice in that country. For decades, US students who didn’t get accepted into US schools went to Europe and then returned to the US. This didn’t please these foreign medical schools, so now the acceptance of foreign students is greatly restricted. Not impossible, but certainly more difficult. If you decide to go this route, attempting to get accepted via the mail isn’t a smart move. You should visit the school, introduce yourself and hand deliver your application. That will go a long way toward you getting in.

I know that there isn't really any differences between DOs and MDs since they are basically equivalent degrees, with DO having to do extra training in muskoskeletal system. Plus DO(~3.5GPA) schools are almost as hard as MD(~3.6GPA) schools to get into nowdays. (also keeping in mind that ~25% of MDs graduated from foreign countries like Ireland, Carribean, where it is extremely easy to get into when comparing to US/Canada)

I'm an MD, and no, there is almost* no negativity directed toward the DO's or their degrees. We don't consider their training in manipulation to be valuable, but neither do they, judging by the fact that of the 200 or so I've known in my 23 years, only one actually did any. Most become family practice doctors, and they are indistinguishable from MD's doing the same. Their specialists train in our programs, and do fine there and after.

*There's a little bit of snobbery occasionally about DO's between MD's (seldom directly to them), but it is just prejudice, and done in the same upset way that somebody might criticise a foreign doctor or a woman doctor because they are a bigot and a little PO'ed at the time. It's just like if you're black or Jewish, you're going to eventually encounter a little bigotry, and DO's get a tiny bit of that.

I know that there isn't really any differences between DOs and MDs since they are basically equivalent degrees, with DO having to do extra training in muskoskeletal system. Plus DO(~3.5GPA) schools are almost as hard as MD(~3.6GPA) schools to get into nowdays. (also keeping in mind that ~25% of MDs graduated from foreign countries like Ireland, Carribean, where it is extremely easy to get into when comparing to US/Canada)

Any criticism stems from ignorance as to what a DO is, some people think it is a chiropractor. Most people don't even realize they are seeing a doctor with the DO degree as opposed to an MD. I go to a DO school and we are actively recruited by MD residencies.
We have MDs who are preceptors for our rotations, and others who come in and teach lectures, and there are DOs who do the same for MD schools. If anyone gives you crap about going to a DO program because you couldn't get in, just give them that same arguement you put up there, it'll shut them up. That and tell them you chose it.

I am 24, applying to medical school in the Carribean this year. I am discouraged to go because the pass rate for the boards are low and the school isnt reputable. medicine is still my passion though. Right now im taking a class and studying for my entrance exam for medical school. I'm living with my parents and only interact with my family, and maybe a friend on occassion. I feel like I'm at the point in life where everything is unpredictable that I worry constantly that I won't end up anywhere in life. also my boyfriend and I broke up a couple of months ago. Im in love and feel like he is the one but the problem is that he has ADD/Depression which is extremely difficult to deal with, esp if and when I have kids. I think all of these things combined just make me feel unlucky and almosttired of life. Nothing is really going my way. I know nothing comes easy in life and everybody has their own problems. I just feel down. Any words of encouragement would be helpful and appreicated.

You sound depressed to me. Talk to your family Dr. and let him/her know how you are feeling and what is going on with you. You sound like there is a lot going on in your life right now that you may just need to talk through with someone you trust. As for school, I would keep at it if medicine is truly where you want to be. I would think about other options though as you want to get your degree from a reputable school so you can build your practice without that hanging over you too. Cheer up! Life is unpredictable. The nice thing is, all you have to do is get through this part and things will change. Things will get better for you. No one said it would be easy.

I went to College at a good University in the US, without getting my degree I went to Medical School in the Carribean (after finishing my Prerequisites they accepted me). 1 year into Med School I realized this wasnt for me, so now I am finished with med school. I am interested into going into Pharmaceutical Sales. I am wondering if I really do need a college degree to become a Pharm Rep? I have read about obtaining a Certification for becoming a Pharm Rep (CNPR), would this be enough to become a Pharm Rep without having my degree?

The demand for the job is such that you'll probably need your degree. I've been doing this for 14 years and I've never known anyone without a degree. Doesn't matter what the degree is in – just having it is important. The main reason is that the competition will all have one – and sometimes more than one. So, you'd be hard pressed to be considered over them. Sorry…