Caribbean medical degrees open doors to American medical careers. Thousands of physicians practicing across the United States today earned their credentials at Caribbean institutions, particularly those located in countries offering citizenship by investment.
The pathway is rigorous but proven. Foreign medical graduates must obtain Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification, pass all three steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), complete an accredited US residency program, and secure state licensure.
Caribbean Medical Degree Delivers Results
Medical schools in Caribbean citizenship by investment jurisdictions post remarkable success placing graduates into competitive US residencies. St. George’s University in Grenada achieved a 95% US residency placement rate for American students over the last five years. More than 1,015 graduates secured first-year positions in 2025 alone.
Schools across the region show similarly strong numbers. The Medical University of the Americas in St. Kitts holds a 94% three-year residency placement rate. The University of Medicine and Health Sciences achieved 92% first-time match success in 2024 across 27 US states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. American University of Antigua reports placing 98% of graduates into competitive residencies.
These institutions have collectively facilitated thousands of residency placements throughout nearly every American state.
The Broader Medical Landscape
Caribbean-educated physicians make up roughly 3% of all US doctors, totaling more than 20,000 practitioners. These graduates show higher primary care commitment than their US-trained counterparts. Some 56.7% practice in family medicine, internal medicine, or pediatrics compared to just 32.9% of US medical school graduates.
Primary care represents precisely where America needs physicians most. Caribbean medical graduates fill critical workforce gaps, particularly in under served communities that struggle to attract doctors.
The growth trend is accelerating. From 2010 to 2022, licensed Caribbean medical school graduates in the United States increased 115%. US citizens now represent 67% of this cohort, up from 48% in 2010.
Beyond Physicians
Nurses trained in Caribbean institutions can practice in America after satisfying credential evaluation through agencies like CGFNS, passing the NCLEX-RN licensure examination, and obtaining appropriate work authorization. State boards govern specific requirements, but the pathway remains accessible.
Foreign-educated pharmacists follow a parallel process. The Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Committee (FPGEC) evaluates credentials before candidates take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and state-specific jurisprudence exams. Both professions require candidates to secure immigration status permitting US employment, typically through H-1B specialty worker visas or employment-based permanent residency categories.
No automatic work rights exist based solely on foreign degrees. The pathways are well-established and legally sound.
Immigration Requirements Apply Universally
Every foreign-trained medical professional must satisfy dual requirements. Professional credentialing specific to their occupation, and immigration authorization permitting US employment.
J-1 exchange visas sponsored by ECFMG facilitate most physician residencies. H-1B and employment-based immigrant visas serve nurses, pharmacists, and practicing physicians. The system demands persistence and qualification, not connections. Medical professionals who meet standards earn the same opportunities regardless of where they trained.
Success Through Preparation
Top Caribbean medical schools maintain USMLE pass rates rivaling American institutions. Saba University achieved 98% first-time pass rates on Step 1 and 99% on Step 2 CK in 2024. The Medical University of the Americas posted 85% first-time Step 1 success over two years.
These scores matter during residency matching. Program directors filter applications by board scores before considering other credentials, making strong USMLE performance essential for international medical graduates seeking competitive specialties.
Caribbean graduates increasingly match into diverse fields beyond primary care. The 2025 match saw international medical graduates secure positions in emergency medicine, pediatrics, pathology, and neurology. Internal medicine placed 43% of first-year positions with IMGs.
The Track Record
St. George’s University graduates alone have secured more US residency positions than any other medical school globally for 11 consecutive years. More than 8,500 American University of the Caribbean alumni practice medicine today. Saba University’s 3,500-plus graduates work throughout North America.
Caribbean medical education produces competent, successful physicians. Residency program directors judge candidates on merit, board scores, clinical performance, and professionalism. Not on the prestige of their alma mater.
American hospitals face physician shortages, not surpluses. Qualified doctors find employment based on abilities and credentials. This creates opportunities for well-prepared Caribbean medical graduates willing to work hard and excel on licensing examinations.
A Foundation for Generational Success
Your children’s futures need not be constrained by geography or circumstance. Citizenship by investment in Caribbean nations offering accredited medical education creates pathways to American medical careers that have proven successful for thousands of families.
These aren’t theoretical possibilities. They’re documented outcomes. Schools in Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda have established multi-decade track records placing graduates into US residencies. They’ve created physicians who serve communities across America.
Securing second citizenship for your family means more than travel convenience or tax planning. It means giving your children access to educational institutions with verified success rates. Schools that have sent generations of graduates into American hospitals, clinics, and medical practices.
Look at the numbers. 95% placement rates, 98% match success, thousands of practicing physicians. These represent real families who invested in citizenship that opened doors their children walked through into medical careers.
You’re not gambling on your children’s futures. You’re providing them proven pathways. Caribbean citizenship by investment offers something rare, a documented route from medical school to American residency to licensed practice. Backed by decades of data and thousands of success stories.
Their potential deserves every advantage you can provide. Second citizenship in nations offering world-class medical education with American residency track records isn’t just an investment. It’s a legacy.
Contact NTL Trust to learn more.
