According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), the median cost of attending a medical school in 2020 in a developed country was approximately $255,517 to $337,584. Many potential medical aspirants dream of acquiring an MD degree from a top-tier college based in the U.S. or Canada, but due to high competition and stringent medical school requirements, many are turned away.
For students who want to save on their fees and still receive high quality education, Caribbean medical schools with high acceptance rates and holistic admission requirements are an ideal destination for pursuing higher education in medicine. The price of attending medical school can be steep, so students often graduate from medical school in debt. If you are passionate about becoming a doctor and interested in earning a degree from a Caribbean medical school, then understanding the Caribbean medical school cost should be your first step in formulating a strategy to graduate without overwhelming debt.
Factors that affect the cost of medical school
Generally, the cost of studying an MD program at a public medical school is less than at a private one. The cost of living in the area you choose for your medical education will affect your housing, utility prices, food, and transportation expenses. Therefore, the low cost of living in the Caribbean often attracts students from different countries who dream of earning a well-credentialed and recognized MD degree.
Cost of attending a Caribbean medical school
The cost of attending a Caribbean medical school will vary dependent on the school you choose. Furthermore, the tuition and fees are different for students admitted on or before the September semester and those admitted on or before the May semester. There can be a difference of approximately $2000 in tuition between matriculants of September semester and matriculants of the May semester.
To give prospective Caribbean medical students an idea of how much it can cost, we’ve prepared a table that contains the financial information of the MD program from a recognized island medical school.
| Basic science tuition fees (per semester) | $16,302 |
| Clinical medicine tuition fees (per semester) | $21,856 |
| Administrative fees (Semesters 1 to 5) | $5,220 |
| Administrative fees (Semesters 6 to 10) | $3,594 |
| Student health insurance (per semester) | $653 |
| Graduation fees | $500 |
| Part-time tuition per credit hour | $742 |
| Malpractice insurance (Semesters 6 to 10) | $260 |
These are the tuition and fees of the MD program of a Caribbean medical school. Students will also be required to pay other miscellaneous refundable and non-refundable fees at the time of admission and during the program. Now that you know the cost of studying medicine in Caribbean medical schools, learning how to get into a Caribbean medical school in 2022 should be your next step.
Top-tier Caribbean medical schools are becoming a very attractive alternative to the U.S. and Canadian medical schools, as they enable students to complete their residency in the teaching hospitals based in the U.S. and Canada. Getting into the right medical school in the Caribbean can set you up for a career as a doctor. With small class sizes, a high USMLE pass rate, and a high residency match rate, Caribbean medical schools have a lot to offer to students pursuing an MD program.
