In India, after 10+2 students have to appear for entrance test like PMT, CBSE or AFMC etc to get admission into about five-year graduate programme of MBBS. After a valid MBBS degree, you can practice medicine independently or either pursue a post graduate degree of MD or MS.
US follow a different curriculum for obtaining a medical degree and license to practice. Unlike India, they have a Pre-Med (four years of Undergraduate programme), MD programme (Four years) and USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, 2 & 3) after completing all; a student is conferred with a license to practice medicine in the US.
Admission requirements to MD programme include an undergraduate degree or four years of study, preferably from a US accredited institution.
Thus for an international student it is mandatory, to put at least four years of study after 10+2, to appear for MD programme in the US. A Pre-Med programme does not entitle you to become a doctor or guarantee admission to medical school. It just gives a bachelor’s degree in health sciences but it is a prerequisite for MD programme. The standards to be accepted into an MD programme in the US are very high. T he admission to US medical schools in MD is extremely competitive and you need to score very well in GPA and undergraduate programme. So, again it’s a tough proposition.
According to Specialised Professional Study by education USA, typically less than 3% of international applicants are accepted in medical school. In one recent year only 155 of the 16,221 students who entered medical school were foreign nationals, and most of them were individuals who had completed their undergraduate education in the US.
But there is still another easier way to achieve a recognized medical degree from US without being bothered about clearing entrance tests at every level.
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY (AIM-U) is an institutional partner of Washington Medical Science institute and Government of Saint Lucia. AIM-U’s US Campus /Clinical Admin is centrally located at the Washington Adventist University and Hospital Campus, Takoma Park, Maryland, USA.
AIMU offers prerequisites and support programs at the above mentioned campus. AIM-U is one of the new generation medical schools, which offers residency focused on USMLE centred programs and a 4 Year accelerated MD program with high standards. This MD program is fully accredited and widely recognized in the USA
AIMU’s pre-medicals and clinical rotations are offered in both the campuses. Clinical Rotations are also offered though AIMU’s affiliate hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, London, Ireland and in India for Electives.
They have Partnerships and affiliations with various renowned institutions and organizations such as:
- Washington Adventist University, USA
- The Ministry of Health – Government of Saint Lucia
They are also widely listed and recognized by many organizations including:
- ECFMG (listed with FAIMER’s IMED)
- World Health Organization
- Medical Council of India
- Medical Council of Canada
After their basic science semesters at the St. Lucian Campus, students spend the remaining semesters in affiliate teaching hospitals located mainly in the US.
Likewise at this Caribbean university, students can enjoy excellent education with higher acceptance rates and a reasonable tuition. The medical school features a program based on the US model and offers education using the latest technology and teaching methods. A major part of their curriculum includes extensive preparation for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
They also offer many opportunities for students to learn through experiences close to the actual practice. As early as their first semester, students will begin interacting with patients through supervised activities at local hospitals.
Upon completion of post-graduate residency training, graduates become eligible for a license in many countries including the United States and Canada.
St Lucia is in the Eastern Caribbean region; one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, comprising a chain of tropical islands running between North and South America and east of Central America.