St. George's University School of Medicine

St. George's University School of Medicine, SGUSOM, is located on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean. St. Georges University’s $250 million technologically enhanced True Blue campus houses over 60 new buildings, including a state-of-the-art library, anatomy labs, dormitories, a student center, lecture halls, a research institute, and administrative centers. The True Blue campus is an international symbol of architectural and academic excellence.

A recent study released in the journal, Academic Medicine, ranked St. George’s University School of Medicine in first place for the highest first time pass rate on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2/CK for all countries with medical schools in the Caribbean over the past 15 years. The study ranked SGUSOM number one in the Step 1 (testing basic sciences knowledge) with an 84.4% pass rate for first time takers, well above the closest country with private medical schools. If St. George’s University is removed from the study, the average pass rate for all other countries during this 15-year period was 49.9%.

St. George’s University School of Medicine has prepared more than 8,000 medical students for careers in medicine in every state in the US and around the world. Close to 7,000 SGU students and graduates have come from the top 100 US schools (as listed in the US News and World Report) with over 500 students hailing from Ivy League schools. Certified through the ECFMG, our graduates are eligible for ACGME approved residency programs and participation in the NBME’s Residency. St. George's University School of Medicine alumni are representative of the excellence of our student body, going on to clinical opportunities and medical careers in the US, the UK, and around the world.

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program in St. George’s University School of Medicine was the first of its kind. It remains the leader in student performance, student support service, professorial development, excellent facilities, and most importantly, in the performance of the graduates and the excellent reputation of the program in medicine. The School of Medicine began with a four year, discipline-based Doctor of Medicine (MD) program and expanded to include a three-year premedical program to accommodate students from systems of education around the world.

The majority of MD students enter with a baccalaureate degree, required premedical sciences, and scores from the Medical Sciences Admission Test, (MCAT) directly into the medical sciences program. These students generally complete the requirements for the MD degree after four calendar years of successful academic progress.

Students from other systems of education generally enter one of the premedical sciences program years, depending upon their academic qualifications. Some premedical students who do not hold a first degree and wish to obtain a bachelor degree may be eligible to do so. Evaluation of prior educational background will determine eligibility and appropriate placement within the BS/MD program.

The School of Medicine has developed a number of graduate programs in various fields, including microbiology, public health, research degrees, and business administration. Most of these degrees can be done in conjunction with the MD degree.

St. George’s University School of Medicine faculty, alumni and student body developed our schools in the Caribbean into prestigious world-class international learning institutions. We actively explore and initiate academic partnerships and dual degree programs that enhance the educational and professional opportunities for all of our medical students. St. George’s University is dedicated to student support services and career guidance that extend beyond graduation day. We welcome you to explore the opportunities awaiting you at St. George’s University School of Medicine.

International Medical Education

St. George's University School of Medicine currently has seven basic science departments: Anatomical Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Biochemistry, Pathology/Microbiology, Pathophysiology, Physiology and Neuroscience, and Clinical Skills; five separate clinical departments focused on Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics and an alliance with the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), an independent research institute located on the Grenada True Blue campus.

With its dedication to a universal model of education, St. George’s University School of Medicine offers a comprehensive program of study to accommodate the academic backgrounds and professional aspirations of students from all over the world. St. George’s University is a truly unique melting pot of diversity and cultures with students and faculty from over 140 countries. Organizations and activities are designed for cross-cultural understanding and friendship. There are over 1100 faculty members – with over 270 campus-based in the basic sciences part of the curriculum. These professors are distinguished, experienced, skilled, and at St. George’s University to teach medical students.

Students wishing to achieve the Doctor of Medicine degree may enter the premedical program during one of three premedical years, or directly into the four-year Doctor of Medicine degree program, which is when most students from North America begin. Students who begin their studies in the premedical program must meet the program’s academic standards to be promoted into the first year of the four-year medical program.

Students in the four-year Doctor of Medicine degree program will spend the first two years on the True Blue campus in Grenada studying the Basic Medical Sciences. In the final two years, students complete their clinical training in one of the 60 affiliated centers in the United States or the United Kingdom.

The School of Medicine offers an option for medical students to complete the first year of the Basic Medical Sciences on the campus of Northumbria University in the United Kingdom as part of the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program. The School of Applied Sciences at Northumbria University awards a Diploma of Higher Education in Biomedical Sciences upon successful completion of the first year. Students continue the second year of the medical program in Grenada and complete clinical training in one of our affiliated centers in the United States or the United Kingdom.

Additionally, of the US-eligible who apply for residency positions, 99 percent are regularly accepted. These scores have served to attract more students, as well as grab the attention of the US medical establishment. Indeed, the quality of St. George’s University students has led Professor J.G. Nicholls from the International School for Advanced Studies in Switzerland to say, “I have not found students of medicine with this high degree of openness, enthusiasm and high critical ability at Oxford, Yale, Harvard, Stanford or Basel.”

A central part of the St. George’s University experience is the commitment to student support services and individual academic development. The Dean of Students and the Department of Educational Services (DES) augment the close relationship between professor and student. Centered in the School of Medicine, the DES is open to all students and provides a variety of academic support services, including seminars in study skills, time management, test taking, tutorials, and the Specialized English Language Programs (SELP) geared toward the study of medicine. DES works closely with the Dean of Students to ensure that each student succeeds.

St. George's University Fact Sheet

THE BEGINNING

• In the early 1970’s, Charles R. Modica had an idea...to educate US medical students close to home, providing them with an excellent education and the skills and knowledge to return home to practice medicine. The first of its kind. Three other founders backed this idea: Louis Modica, Patrick Adams, Edward McGowan and helped to bring it to fruition.
• Chartered 1976 by an Act of Parliament of the Government of Grenada
• Charter Class of MD’s graduates in May of 1981, beginning a 24 year history of achievement in postgraduate training, private practice and academic medicine.

THE DEVELOPMENT

• The mid-nineties saw an explosion of expansion and growth for the University.
  
• The School of Medicine set a goal of a truly international student body, recruiting students from around the world to take advantage of the SOM’s international faculty and clinical program.
• A premedical sciences program, begun to accommodate students from around the world, quickly developed into a full undergraduate degree program, providing much needed tertiary education in Grenada and the region. The School of Arts and Sciences was launched.
  
• The University provided a start to the Windward Island Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), an autonomous, non-profit foundation located on the True Blue campus, which conducts investigative studies in conjunction with regional governments and international institutions.
  
• A Graduate Studies Program was aided by WINDREF activities which allow students to obtain dual degrees while studying for the MD.
• An aggressive $250 building campaign began in 1993. Since that time, we have built over 50 buildings on 42 acres: A purpose-built, wi-fi, modern and beautiful campus. A perfect academic environment.

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

• The faculty is highly qualified and completely committed to teaching. Many have been with SGU for a long time. In the SOM, those of professorial rank have an average tenure at SGU of over 12 years, manifesting a deep commitment to the SGU community.
• Student Support Services are deeply ingrained into the ethos of the SGU community. We teach students how to learn and we teach teachers how to teach.
• A very selective admission process which includes a personal interview yields a qualified group of students of high academic achievement with a healthy diversity of non-academic endeavors. The students are dedicated, motivated, and intelligent. In the SOM, there are often 5-6 applicants for each seat.

SUCCESS

• The SOM has a 33 year history of medical performance outcomes. The students do well in the United States Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the graduates do well at achieving their desired postgraduate training.

Mission

The School bases its Doctor of Medicine program upon the philosophy that the education of physicians requires a total commitment on the part of the administration, the faculty, and the students.

The primary function of the School of Medicine is twofold:

1. To provide a medical curriculum designed to prepare highly competent students with:

1. The intellectual and technical expertise necessary for the practice of medicine in the public and private sectors.
2. The skills essential for expanding upon and improving existing health care delivery systems.
3. The desire to pursue a lifetime of growth within the medical profession to better serve both the public and the profession, and to promote the highest ideals of the medical profession.

2. To improve the health care standards and delivery systems in Grenada, the greater Caribbean, and other developing nations through educational and service programs, including the Grenadian Scholarship Program.

The curriculum is not merely a collection of courses; it is a series of integrated educational experiences that facilitate growth toward a specified goal. These experiences develop the students’ capacity for self-directed and self-motivated learning that will continue throughout a lifetime as a practicing physician.

Goals

The goals of the curriculum at St. George’s University School of Medicine are:

1. To provide all students with the information core essential to all practicing physicians.
2. To provide all students with the knowledge and experience necessary to advance both scientifically and humanistically in the care and treatment of sick persons.
3. To emphasize the mastery of basic competencies necessary for postgraduate training.
4. To encourage students to assume responsibility for their own continuing education, thus diminishing dependency on the teacher as the sole source of information and forming the basis for the self-motivated study necessary for practicing physicians’ lifelong expansion of knowledge.
5. To encourage students to develop a logical approach to the analysis and management of clinical problems.
6. To expose students to medicine as practiced throughout the world and to provide them with the experience necessary for the practice of medicine in developing countries.
7. To create awareness of the preventive aspects of medicine, the importance of health education in the community, and the role of physicians as health educators.

School of Medicine Programs

Doctor of Medicine

With its dedication to a universal model of education, the School of Medicine at St. George’s University offers a comprehensive program of study to accommodate the academic backgrounds and professional aspirations of students from all over the world.

Students wishing to achieve the Doctor of Medicine degree may enter the premedical program during one of three premedical years, or directly into the four-year Doctor of Medicine degree program, which is when most students from North America begin. Students who begin their studies in the premedical program must meet the program’s academic standards to be promoted into the first year of the four-year medical program.

Students in the four-year Doctor of Medicine degree program will spend the first two years on the True Blue campus in Grenada studying the Basic Medical Sciences. In the final two years, students complete their clinical training in one of the affiliated centers in the United States or the United Kingdom.

The School of Medicine offers an option for medical students to complete the first year of the Basic Medical Sciences on the campus of Northumbria University in the United Kingdom as part of the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program. A Diploma of Higher Education in Biomedical Sciences is awarded by the School of Applied Sciences at Northumbria University upon successful completion of the first year. Students continue the second year of the medical program in Grenada and complete clinical training in one of our affiliated centers in the United States or the United Kingdom.

Graduate Degrees

The School of Medicine at SGU offers master’s degree programs in public health, microbiology, and clinical anatomy and education.

MPH and MSPH
The Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine was established in the School of Medicine of St. George’s University in the Fall of 1998 and started offering classes in the Spring of 1999. At that time it was designated as the Department of Public Health and Allied Health Sciences and the intention was that it would have within its purview, in addition to graduate public health programs, fledgling undergraduate programs in areas such as medical technology, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Physician’s Assistant.

MSc
Both stand alone MSc and dual MD\MSc degree programs are available at St George’s University. All MSc options require 34 credits of graduate work comprising 19 credits of 900 and 15 credits of 800 level courses. A total of 12 credits of research are required with the outcome being the production of a thesis.

Med/Vet Summer Academy

The Med/Vet Summer Academy offers an opportunity of a lifetime for students interested in the fields of medicine or veterinary medicine. For over 6 years, this exceptional program has balanced a challenging academic program rooted in SGU's 30 year history with extracurricular activities selected to highlight the culture and innate beauty of Grenada.

Each 10-day premedical and preveterinary course combines didactic lectures, small-group problem solving sessions, practical lab work in state-of-the art facilities, as well as hands-on training through simulated and real-life situations. The students' experience is further enhanced through several adventurous and educational off-campus excursions including snorkeling, dolphin watching, hiking and island touring.

Qualifying participants will receive college credit through the School of Arts and Sciences from participation in lectures and clinical practicals.

The Med/Vet Summer Academy has both a premedicine and a preveterinary medicine component. There are two separate sessions, one for high school age students (ages 15-17) and one for college students. (ages 18+)

Plan your summer around one of these educational and cultural experiences by sending in your application while spots are still available!

College: Monday, June 7th to Wednesday, June 16th. 2010

High School: Monday, June 21st to Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

(Students are advised to arrive the day before scheduled start date and depart the day after. Housing will be provided.)

Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Program

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program will provide the education necessary to meet the increasing demand for quality healthcare professionals in all aspects of today’s society. Direct entry into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program opens the door to administrative possibilities in the medical field, preparing nurses for a professional role away from the bedside. The curriculum consists of 135 credit hours including 79 from an Associate Degree in Nursing.

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) program will be offered in two phases. In the first phase students will obtain the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which will be completed in two and a half years. The ADN program is comprised of three major divisions: general education courses, supporting courses and professional nursing courses. Each division contributes to the development and advancement of the professional nurse as a competent, skilled practitioner. The program integrates nursing theory, practice and science with a broad liberal arts education. The nursing courses progress from simple to complex theory and then to clinical skills, and are based on nursing practice and caring for the individual, the family and the community. The ADN Program provides the basis for future study leading to a bachelor’s degree. Successful graduates are eligible to apply for licensure as Registered Nurses.

The second phase is the ADN/RN to BSN program, which will be completed in two years. In this phase, students will continue to evolve and learn disciplines that employ critical thinking to integrate increasingly complex knowledge, skills and technologies, and client care activities into evidence-based nursing practice. Graduates will receive the Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing.

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing program aims to deliver pertinent knowledge and practical skills to students, leading to nurses with the following competencies: clinical proficiency, use of research, critical thinking skills, professional behavior, communication and commitment to continuing education. The BSN program will provide nurses with the knowledge and capabilities to pass regional and international exams, opening up both the world of medicine and the world at large.

Research at SGU / WINDREF

SGU programs are enhanced by the presence of the independent research institute, the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation, located on the True Blue campus. More…

Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program

The exciting Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program (KBTGSP) marries the excellence of the St. George’s University School of Medicine MD program with the bonus of a one-year experience of medical education on the Northumbria University (NU) campus in Newcastle, United Kingdom. The first year spent in Newcastle is the same excellent program offered in Grenada and, in addition, students will have the experience of being immersed in UK urban culture for a year. Everything except the location is essentially the same: the curriculum, academic calendar, services, fees and access to campus student life facilities (gyms, dining halls, libraries, playing fields, etc.).

This program follows the same successful curriculum as we have offered for 30 years in Grenada. In order to maintain our status with licensing boards around the world, the chairs of each department and the course directors oversee both the Grenada and UK programs. This assures that we offer the same excellent program in both locations. We use a combination of current SGU faculty, visiting professors and new-hire professors to deliver the program. The textbooks, exams and academic schedule are all the same as offered in the program in Grenada.

This unique partnership gives students the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom, Grenada and the United States. The program broadens participants’ understanding of the differing cultures of the three host countries, while giving them insight into cross-cultural medical practices.

Student Financial Services

Approximately 80% of the students in the School of Medicine use financial aid to pay for part or all of their educational expenses. Student Financial Services administers the financial aid available to St. George’s University students; assists in financial planning, budgeting and completion of the application process; and counsels students regarding management of their debt.

The University grants partial scholarships to some entering students who demonstrate financial need and/or academic excellence. Those students who feel they meet the criteria for one or more programs are encouraged to apply. Although an application may be reviewed for several programs, a recipient generally will receive only one type of scholarship.

The majority of financial aid is received in the form of loans which are repaid after the student finishes his or her studies.

Financial aid counselors can be reached Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM EST

Loan Programs

St. George’s University’s comprehensive outreach to governments and private lending institutions combined with the University’s own financial resources, have created a unique offering of loans and other financing options for our students worldwide.

• For United States Citizens or Permanent Residents studying in Grenada
• For United States Citizens or Permanent Residents studying in the UK
• Canadian / International Citizenship
• University-Sponsored Loan Programs: International Peace Loans

Scholarships

St. George’s University offers a wide variety of institutional scholarships designed to recognize academic excellence and provide access to the best and brightest students regardless of circumstance. In addition to University-Sponsored Scholarships, we have worked to procure unique scholarship opportunities for our students.

A small number of partial tuition scholarships and loans are granted to members of each entering class. Awards for the full cost of attendance are not offered. In order for a student to plan in advance for the financial obligations associated with attending St. George’s University, most applications and awards are made prior to their matriculation in the School.

All awards must be used to defray the cost of tuition and are credited directly to the student’s account each term by Student Financial Services. Awards are made for the length of the student’s entire curriculum and prorated on the term/academic year schedule. The award letter will outline the distribution of the award.

Financial Aid Services, in accordance with guidelines set by the school’s Financial Aid Committee, makes the selection of award recipients. Award determinations are based on academic excellence, the degree of the family’s financial need and the availability of funds from SGU, as well as each scholarship’s specified criteria.

A student’s ability to finance his/her education beyond the extent of the financial aid award is also an important selection criterion. Applicants should be aware that the funding is limited, and the quality of the applicants is generally very competitive. Unfortunately, awards cannot be made to every deserving student.

Applications will be accepted from either applicants or accepted students. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis up until the first day of classes. Applicants will receive either an award letter or a letter of declination from Student Financial Services in a timely manner.

Would you like to inquiry? Email SGU now