The common misconception, is that "most" IMG's assume that NY and FL approvals, are dealing with Licensure. So I thought it was necessary to make a sticky bringing this common misconception to light, where other current/prospective students are able to identify the KEY difference between the California and NY/FL approval Lists. As an example......The Florida Approval List is not even managed by the Medical Board, and is instead managed by the Department of Education
California and Indiana are the only States that have a "specific" approval/disapproval List, where the California Medical Board visits each campus, gathers info, performs their own research, and then based on the data collected, disapprove or approve that Medical School. This is why it is so important and why even some countries look up to this standard. Other State Medical Boards do not have these resources, and therefor choose to adopt the Cali List.
Nearly all of the rest of the states DO NOT have an approval/disapproval list. Instead they require a set standard of requirements. In particular, they require that your Caribbean School be IMED Listed. After that, they look at where you did your rotations, how many times you had to take the Step etc, etc. But the key is that having your Carib School IMED listed, fulfills your requirement in nearly all of the states (As long as you fulfill their other requirements, and are NOT Cali Disapproved).
The New York and Florida Approval List has NOTHING to do with Licensure. Instead these lists deal strictly, and ONLY with Clinical Rotations. If your Carib School is NY or FL Approved, then you have the possibility to do as many weeks of Clinical Rotations that you want in FL or NY. If your school is not NY or FL approved, than the amount of clinicals you can do in NY or FL is limited (as shown below).
With New York Approval = A student from your school can do an unlimited amount of clinical rotations in the state of NY
Without New York Approval = A student from your school can only do a MAXIMUM of 12 weeks of clinical rotations in the state of NY
With or Without New York Approval = You ARE ELIGBLE for a Permanent Licensure, due to your school being IMED listed
With Florida Approval = A student from your school can do an unlimited amount of clinical rotations in the state of FL
Without Florida Approval = A student from your school can NOT DO ANY amount of clinical rotations in the state of FL
With or Without Florida Approval = You ARE ELIGIBLE for Permanent Licensure, due to your school being IMED listed
SMU Is terrible. There are many better options such as UMHS or AUA...or schools not approved/disapproved. Being disapproved puts you at the bottom of the barrel.
ST MATTHEWS BEING DISAPPROVED IS VERY HARD ON AN ALREADY TOUGH SITUATION. THEY ARE DISAPPROVED AND THERE ARE 15+ STATES THAT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO PRACTICE EVER AND 5+ STATES THAT WILL LET YOU AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS!