A majority of Caribbean medical schools are thoroughly modern, as are the islands on which they are located.Therefore instead of indulging in more expensive everyday essentials, it is suggested that you bring the necessary itemsto form your hometown.In this blog, we have included a list of things you should pack to streamline preparations for going away to preparations for going away to Caribbean medical school.
- Over-the-counter medications (quantity of liquids/gels up to 3.4 ounces) and miscellaneous items;
- Digestive meds (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol, etc.), antiseptics for infections (Bactine, Neosporin) or even Aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen;
- Toothpaste;
- Sunburn creams, sunscreen and gels;
- Cold and sinus meds
- Hydrocortisone cream or insect repellant
- Ace bandages and band-aids;
- Non-prescription contraceptives and women’s products;
- Shaving cream and razors;
- Shampoo and hair conditioner;
- Contact lenses and supplies such as eyeglass wipes or cleaners;
- Vitamins.
Let’s talk about some of the school supplies
- Sturdy backpack;
- Pens, paper, notebooks, highlighters, coloured pens 2-inch binders, index cards and pencils;
- Earplugs for sleeping and studying;
- If your laptop or smartphone doesn’t have a day planner, consider bringing in case you lose your phone or your laptop crashes;
- Personal calculators with square root function (inexpensive);
- Adequate clothing for several months;
- Remember to pack light clothing (shorts,summer shirts, jeans, bathing suits) if you are coming from cold climates;
- Flip-flops, sandals and sneakers;
- Umbrellaand light raincoat or poncho;
- Sweater or sweatshirt when seated at air-conditioned lecture halls;
- A sundress/light dress or jacket/tie for academic ceremonies;
- During visits to the District Health Office in the outskirts, you may need to dress up in formal wear when undertaking clinical skills classes;
- Besides regular casual summer clothing you may also require formal dress during some special events, whereas male candidates may be required to carry with themat least a long-sleeved dress shirt, suit coat and tie;
- A laundry bag and hangers (you may preferto use a duffel bag for both laundryand luggage);
- For Kindle and Nook, mini-mag type Small flashlights that are battery-run book lights,these can also come handy for the occasional power outages;
- You must bringa charger for both your flashlight and/other electronic equipmentand rechargeable batteries;
- Surge protector and power strip;
- USB chargers, extra cell phoneand iPod;
- A few pairof sunglasses.
- Bowl, silverware, large drinking cup and mug;
- Sheets, blanketand pillow;
- A wind-up or battery-operated travel clockor plug-in clock radios made for living in theCaribbean islands (before bringing plug-in electronics you may reach out to the medical school to collect information on the electrical frequency and voltage on the island)
- Sewing kit, including needle, scissors, button,thread, pins (packed in the check-in luggage)
- Water filter, jug and a few replacement filters;
We have tried to cover almost all the items that you should plan on packing from home to save money, rather than buying on-island. To know more about the items that every medical student will need besides a student visa, immunizations and textbooks, reach out to us on our website.
