If you are considering applying to medical school in a foreign country or if you are a graduate of a foreign medical school the following information is relevant to your career. Before embarking on this journey, discuss your options with a pre-medical advisor to ensure that the foreign medical education you receive will coincide with your future goals. 

Requirements: If you are interested in practicing in the United States after graduating from a foreign program the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates requires students to pass the USMLE, Clinical Skills Assessment Test and the TOEFL exam. The ECFMG will grant a certificate upon completion of these tests and the requirements of the medical school. 

Standards: It is important to thoroughly research the foreign medical schools to find a quality school. It is reasonable to expect that the level of education at a foreign country be similar to the education of a U.S. medical school in terms of faculty qualifications, hospital rotations, and requirements. The foreign medical school should not allow students to be present for only a few weeks during the academic year, many correspondence courses for basic science classes, or unqualified faculty. Speak with current students at each school and make a few trips to your medical school of choice. The investment of time into evaluating foreign medical schools now will enable you to be competitive as a resident later. 

Residency: There are more positions available in general medicine, pediatrics and psychiatry than other specialties. Sub-specialty training is very competitive. Hundreds of students are vying for a handful of positions.  

State licensure: Each state has specific requirements for foreign graduates. State licensure requirements are important to consider so proper papers are completed.

Questions for Foreign Schools:

1. What language is spoken in your country?
2. Is the MCAT required for entrance?
3. Are research opportunities available? Which textbooks do you use? 
4. Do you have a list of the USMLE scores for last year's graduating class?
5. Do students matriculate into highly competitive residency programs?
6. What is the attrition rate? If I have difficulty maintaining my academic record, is there help available?
7. Which U.S. residency programs do your students matriculate into?
8. What are all the affiliated hospitals used for training?  Are all hospitals approved by the Accreditation Commission on Graduate Medical Education?
9. What are the credentials of the faculty? (Ph.D's or part-time faculty)?

Listing of Foreign Medical Schools:

Caribbean

American University of the Caribbean (AUC)
International University of the Health Sciences (IUS)
Medical University of the Americas (MUA)
Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM)
Saba University School of Medicine (SUSM)
University of Sint Eustatius (USE)
Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine (SHSU)
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (SJBS)
St. George's University School of Medicine (SGU)
St. James School of Medicine (SJS)
St. Matthew's University School of Medicine (SMU)
Windsor University School of Medicine (WUS)

India

Al-Ameen Medical College (AAM)
All-Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AII)
Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC)
Government Medical College and Hospital- Chandigarh (GVM)
Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SJPG)
Sardar Patel Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences (SPI)
Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute (SRM)
St. John's Medical College Hospital (SJM)

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