It is generally easier to gain acceptance into a Caribbean than a U.S. medical school. This is not to say that Caribbean medical schools are not selective; you still need to have a stellar resume, i.e., high GPA, competitive MCAT score as well as volunteer/shadowing experience. The average GPA for U.S. medical schools acceptance is around a 3.5, while the average MCAT score is about 32. The GPA and MCAT requirements for Caribbean medical schools are a bit lower. For Ross School of Medicine (Dominica, West Indies) for example, the average GPA is around 3.1, with an MCAT score of 22.
Be careful when applying to Caribbean schools because not all are accredited, meaning that your M.D. degree will not be recognized in the United States. Ross School of Medicine, Saba School of Medicine (Saba) and St. Georges University (Grenada) are the most recognized and highly accredited Caribbean medical schools.
When attending a medical school in the United States, you never have to worry about being placed into clinical rotations after your first two years because this usually occurs at your medical school or nearby hospitals. However, Caribbean Medical Schools only have arrangements with a select few hospitals in the United States. In other words, your options for clinical rotations may be limited compared with those of students who attend U.S. medical schools.
Traditionally, the cost of medical education in the Caribbean is less than that in the United States. The average cost of tuition for a private U.S. medical school is around $40,000 a year. The average annual tuition cost of a public U.S. medical school is $21,000. Caribbean medical schools' tuition fees lie in between, costing anywhere from $22,000 to $30,000 per year. (All figures are as of 2011.)