Nucleus Prep
BlogSchool choice and reapplying

Should I consider Caribbean medical schools?

Only as a genuine last resort, and only after real, specific research into the individual school. The top-tier Caribbean schools do place graduates into US residency positions, but attrition rates run high, and overall match rates trail meaningfully behind both US MD and DO seniors.

Most of us would recommend reapplying to US MD and DO schools first — including DO programs, which many applicants skip prematurely — before seriously considering a Caribbean option. If you do go that route, choose a well-established school specifically and look up its current, published attrition and match data rather than relying on the school's own marketing materials.

Stats: 2025–2026 AAMC/AACOM cycle data. Always verify school-specific numbers in the MSAR. Nucleus Prep doesn’t guarantee scores or acceptances.

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