Many believe the only path to becoming a doctor in Canada starts at home—but that’s not the only way.
For driven, passionate students, studying medicine abroad can be a powerful step toward a rewarding medical career in Canada. With the right school and support, international education and Canadian practice can go hand in hand.
Those who attend the St. George’s University School of Medicine, for example, must meet the same qualifications as any other medical student. Many SGU graduates have gone on to practice medicine in Canada, navigating the unique requirements for international medical graduates (IMGs).
Pathways to practice medicine in Canada for SGU international medical graduates
You may wonder what it’s like to return home after studying abroad for medical school. To give you a better understanding of the journey, we spoke with several SGU alumni who chose to return to Canada after completing their education.
Canadian SGU grads share their experiences
Practicing close to home
Alicia Persaud, MD ’20, MPH ’20, has always dreamed of being able to practice medicine near loved ones and family in Ontario.
As a dual degree graduate of SGU’s School of Medicine and School of Graduate Studies, Dr. Persaud was able to secure and complete a family medicine residency at Queen’s University in Ontario. She is now an attending physician in family medicine.
“SGU gave me the opportunity to learn medicine and excel. I learned how to overcome challenges and obstacles, become resilient and resourceful. These are skills I apply daily as a physician,” Dr. Persaud says.
One of the biggest influences in choosing SGU was her uncle, an SGU alum from the 1980s who now runs a thriving medical practice in the United States. Additionally, SGU offered her a generous scholarship, which made the decision even more appealing. She was also eager for the opportunity to live abroad and gain independence.
“Among the Caribbean schools I was interested in, SGU had the best reputation and could offer the most,” Dr. Persaud said. “It didn’t hurt that it’s located on a beautiful island with lovely people!”
A perfect fit
For Daniel Devlin, MD ’19, a former Canadian national handball player and longtime nurse, SGU offered the ideal path to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a physician in Canada.
His path began when he enrolled in the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four- and Five-Year Program, where students spend the first year of Basic Sciences in the United Kingdom. He called the program “a perfect fit.”
He was particularly drawn to the program’s smaller class sizes, early clinical exposure, the chance to experience a different healthcare system, and residency match rates.
“After doing my research and checking out their information sessions, SGU was just the right call,” Dr. Devlin says.
Dr. Devlin secured a family medicine residency at the Kelowna General Hospital, in rural British Columbia. One of the most important steps to practice medicine in Canada is completing the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) exams and the CaRMS match. Today, he is a board-certified family medicine practitioner in British Columbia. Dr. Devlin reflects on SGU as the springboard to his medical career.
“As an international grad, I get asked all the time, ‘would I do it again’?” says Dr. Devlin. “And my answer would be ‘yes’ because my goal was to come back and be a physician in Canada, and SGU helped me to do that. It was my pathway to getting to where I wanted to be.”
Focusing on family
For those who want a high degree of personal interaction with patients and a variety of work, family medicine is a perfect match. This was the case for Leanne Baumgartner, MD ’15, an SGU alumna and family medicine practitioner in Alberta, Canada.
“I wanted to go into a field that included all topics in medicine and allows you to sit down with patients to talk about their life, their health, and their plans,” Dr. Baumgartner says. “Family medicine is by far the best place to do that.”
Dr. Baumgartner graduated from the University of Alberta in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in molecular genetics. During that time, she worked as a unit clerk at Alberta Health Services. A colleague there whose son attended SGU encouraged her to apply. Dr. Baumgartner visited with University representatives at an information session in Edmonton and, with strong marks and extensive work experience to her credit, she was offered a scholarship.
After enrolling in January 2011, she delved into her studies and made valuable connections.
“All the students are taking the same type of journey and we all wanted to help each other out,” she says. “I met the smartest people I’ll ever meet in Grenada, and I believe that the experience with them and on the island taught me more than I ever would have learned in Alberta.”
Following her studies at SGU, Dr. Baumgartner spent her third year in clinical rotations between two institutions in Newark, NJ, and her fourth between Newark, Chicago, Vancouver, and Edmonton. Through it all, she credits SGU for providing a solid foundation.
“Being an SGU student, you learn a lot about medicine but also a lot about life,” she reflects. “You learn about more than just the basic sciences. It’s a life-altering experience.”
Worth the leap
For Joshua Ramjist, MD ’11, MBA ’16, earning his doctorate degree from SGU was more than a pathway to practicing medicine—it was a global experience that shaped the doctor he is today.
In an editorial for The New Physician, Dr. Ramjist encouraged prospective medical students to consider Caribbean schools, noting that SGU provided him with a diverse, international education and the clinical foundation to succeed anywhere in the world.
His medical training took him from the UK and Grenada to Thailand and ultimately to Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, where he later became Chief Resident of the Decade. Today, he is a staff surgeon in the division of general and thoracic surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario.
Dr. Ramjist believes the global exposure and multicultural learning environment prepared him to care more holistically for patients of all backgrounds.
His advice to future students? “Go for it but do your research.”
He emphasized the importance of evaluating each school’s residency match rates, licensing exam success, student support, and accreditation.
“Caribbean medical schools can open doors—not just to the US or Canada, but to becoming a better, more empathetic doctor,” he says.
Follow your dream
If your goal is to practice medicine in Canada, SGU offers pathways and support to help you succeed as an international medical graduate.
Aspiring medical students now have a unique opportunity to begin their journey earlier through a new partnership between St. George’s University and the University of Waterloo, launching in September 2026.
This innovative program offers guaranteed 5-Year and 6-Year MD tracks, allowing students to transition seamlessly from high school or early undergraduate studies into medical training. This initiative provides a flexible, student-focused path to a medical career with support every step of the way.
Learn more about our collaboration with the University of Waterloo.
This article was updated from December 2021 with the most recent facts and figures available.
