Licensure Requirements

Licensure is also a very important aspect to consider when choosing the Caribbean medical school. Graduates of many Caribbean schools are not allowed to obtain licensure in every state. Large states like California, Texas, Florida and New York generally do not permit residency and/or licensure from the Caribbean medical schools UNLESS the school is specifically approved and recognized by those states and has met all of their specific requirements. Some smaller states that decided to follow the recognition lists of the previously mentioned bigger states. Therefore, states like Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico, Tennessee, tempt to follow the list of approved or even list of disapproved schools from California. Even graduates of the schools who are recognized by DOE, but do not have the approval of these specific states are generally not allowed to apply for license there directly upon completion of residency. Several states have reciprocity with each another; therefore, if you have been licensed in one state for some time, you may be allowed to apply for license in another state using this rule, despite the fact that you could not obtain the license there initially.

Tip #34: Understanding where, as a graduate of the medical school you selected, you will be able to obtain license and practice is extremely important.

As an IMG you may be required to move to different states for residency and licensure. If you are set on staying in one state you have to make sure your school’s graduates are eligible for licensure in that state. Contact the state’s medical board and verify that your school is on their list of approved schools. You could also ask the school to put you in touch with someone who has obtained the license in a specific state to make sure they did not have any issued doing so.