Earning an MD from a Caribbean medical school offers several benefits to future physicians, and St. George’s University alum
Joshua Ramjist, MD ’11, is sharing his advice for those weighing the pros and cons of attending an institution outside of the United States. “My advice? Go for it, but do your research first,” according to an editorial written by the pediatric surgery fellow in the Spring issue of the American Medical Student Association’s The New Physician. Titled, “A Global Education Helped Me Become a Better Doctor It Can Do the Same for You,” Dr. Ramjist shared his positive experience as a student at St. George’s University and why he chose to attend a Caribbean medical school.
Among the reasons he is glad he went to SGU, in his words:
- A truly international education: A diverse array of classmates led to learning about different cultures and their healthcare systems.
- Global clinical experience: Dr. Ramjist spent his first year of medical school in Newcastle, UK thanks to a partnership between SGU and Northumbria University (he spent his second year in Grenada); he traveled to Thailand to participate in a two-week long selective; and completed rotations and ultimately matching in Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.
- The ability to practice anywhere in the world: SGU gave him the tools needed to pass licensing exams not just in the US but in other countries.
“Many medical school hopefuls may not consider Caribbean medical schools. But that can be a mistake. Caribbean schools can offer a truly global education, and open up a path to practicing medicine in the United States or Canada.”
Dr. Ramjist added that prospective students need to do their research before committing to a school, looking at things like residency placement and licensing exam pass rates; how well a school supports students in their journey both academically and non-academically; scholarship/financial aid opportunities; and accreditation, among other aspects. All that said, today, Dr. Ramjist, MD, MSc, MBA, FRCS(C) practices in the division of general and thoracic surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario. In 2019, he was named as the Maimonides Medical Center Department of Surgery’s Chief Resident of the Decade.
“My international education has allowed me to better care for patients of different backgrounds and identities. I can relate to their experiences when I’m at their bedside. And I see them not just for the disease they have but as a whole person, culture and all,” he said. “For these reasons, I’d encourage any student considering a Caribbean medical school to take the leap.”
