Forum: Main International Medical School Forum Location: Saint Kitts and Nevis Year Founded: 2002 Clinicals in USA: Yes Time required for MD: 4 Years Basic Science Tuition: $5,700 per semester Clinical Tuition: $6,000 per semester Email: Email BIUSOM Survey: BIUSOM Review

A Brief History of Saint Kitts and Nevis by The World Factbook 2008

Carib Indians occupied the islands for hundreds of years before the British began settlement in 1623. The islands became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to try and separate from Saint Kitts. Read More.

About Us

Burnett International University was founded by the Moise Family in 2002. The Reverend Burnet Moise and Dr. Carline St Louis-Moise, both of whom were educated in the United States, first founded a medical university under the name of Millennium International University of the Americas. They expressed their desire to establish it in Haiti in answer to the need for training Doctors in Haiti in the English language, and the non-existence of a school of that type. With the appointment of a local Board of Directors in September 2003, the University opened its doors in temporary facilities. On January 26, 2004, the University began instruction at JBE Complex in Tabarre, Haiti

In April 2004, by action of the Board of Directors in conjunction with a group of doctors living in the USA, the University name was changed to Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Since that time, Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences has been providing knowledge and training in the art of Medicine and Nursing Care.

Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences offers a unique opportunity to students who wish to pursue a M.D. degree. The curriculum of Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is consistent with that offered in the United States. It is designed to prepare the students for successful completion of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). This University runs a four-year graduate medical program for now, with the objective of providing training in other fields such as Dentistry, Nursing, Mental Health, Pharmacy, Optometry and Veterinary Schools. The Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is proud to provide first-rate education. It hopes to become one of the largest private research universities in the Caribbean.

In view of the political instability in Haiti, BIU has decided to transfer its campus to St Kitts and Nevis.

As of October 22, 2007, the university has been recognized by the Board of Accreditation of St Kitts and Nevis. Accreditation Letter and approvals are available at the University campus for inspection during the regular administration office hours.

Goal & Mission

The goal of Burnett International University (BIU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences is to provide the very best quality of Medical education to students from around the world. The University is dedicated to provide undergraduate, graduate and continued medical education with the goal of teaching each student the skills, knowledge and aptitudes to become competent and compassionate physicians who will be well-equipped to face the many challenges that medicine will bring to them in the 21st century. BIU aims to provide a balanced medical education that embraces both family care and specialized medicine. These goals are continually evaluated in terms of the University nurturing education, research and health care delivery.

The mission of the Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is to provide the best medical training for the advancement of the medical and health sciences to students all over the world by the year 2020.

To achieve this mission, BIU operates with the following objectives:

• To present a complete and up-to-date curriculum, whose scope, presentation, and implementation will focus on the achievement of academic excellence;
• To train physicians who will be sensitive to our health and social issues. To provide students with the necessary background for the healing and prevention of diseases that affect our communities;
• To challenge its students to attain academic excellencies and appreciate the moral-ethical aspects of medicine;
• To foster the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for continued, self-directed learning and for the critical evaluation of new scientific information as it might relate to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease;
• To promote a concern for interpersonal respect and professionalism.
• To offer graduates an enriched environment that will encourage them to pursue their career goals.

Accreditation

Burnett International University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (BIU) has been formally re-accredited by the Government of St Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis on January 19, 2009. The issuance of the Charter and accreditation gives to BIU the right to confer the degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Dental Medicine to its successfully graduates.

The University is now listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED) of Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER).

This process allows students and graduate Physicians of BIU to take the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) and apply for certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). This certification is required for international medical school graduates to obtain residencies and licensing to practice medicine in the United States.

To be eligible to receive the certification from ECFMG, graduates must successfully pass the following standardized examinations: Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Clinical Skill (CS) of the USMLE, and satisfied the specific State requirements. Step 3 of the USMLE is taken after graduation. Since licensure rules and regulation or requirements vary by state, we encourage all of our students/graduates to contact their licensure board(s) of intended medical practice for further details.

In 1992, The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) established a single standardized examination for medical licensure: the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The USMLE provides a common evaluation system for assessing competency of applicants for medical licensure, regardless of country of origin, of medical school attended, or United States citizenship. The USMLE has replaced the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) previously used by individual states, the National Board Examiners (NBME), and the Foreign Medical Graduate Examinations (FMGE).

Students from the BIU wishing to undertake residency or graduate training in the United Kingdom are also eligible to sit for the Professional Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB). This examination is similar in content to the USMLE examinations series, however, includes essay format questions and oral examinations by members of the Medical Council. Student who are interested in pursuing their career in medicine within the United Kingdom are encouraged to review the General Medical Council World Wide Web site for detailed information.

Programs

Pre-Medical
Burnett International University encourages students from diversified backgrounds to imply for the MD degree. Students without backgrounds in sciences are required to take one and a half academic year Pre-Medical courses designed to introduce them to the fundamentals of the Medical Sciences. The content of the program focuses primarily on: English Composition I and II, English Literature and Speech Communication, Terminology Medical / Language of Medicine and Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology I and II, General Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, Introduction to Biochemistry, and Introduction to Cell Biology, Introduction to Embryology, Introduction to Sociology and Introduction to Psychology.

This one and a half academic year program has been specifically designed for students in the Caribbean and/or International students who need to meet the educational requirement to enroll to the four-year Medical program.

Students can enroll to the Pre-Medical Program at any one of the academic semester: January, May or September.

Basic sciences
The basic sciences program at the Burnett International University School Medicine and Health Sciences is designed to fulfill our mission of providing the very best quality of Medical education to students from around the world. The Basic Sciences Curriculum consists of five semesters didactic portion, which includes laboratory and pre-clinical education. The main and unique objective of the five academic semesters are to provide the student with fundamental knowledge in Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, Physiology, Microbiology, Behaviors Sciences, Neuroanatomy, Biochemistry, Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Pathology and Pharmacology. It is also designed to prepare all our students for the real world of medicine. The basic science curriculum described below is offered at Basseterre, St Kitts Campus and should be completed in 20 months. Each credit is equivalent to 15 lecture hours or 30-45 hours laboratory work or clinical practice.

Clinical Rotations
In order to enter the clinical rotation of the M.D. program in an affiliated teaching hospitals in the United States or abroad, students must successful complete the Basic Sciences Program and pass USMLE Step I.  Students will spend 78 weeks rotating through departmental practical sessions and medical sub-specialties. During the clinical program, students are expected to acquire skills and learn how to apply their background preparation to solving complex clinical problems. The teaching process is aimed at developing clinical judgment, critical sense, sustained hard working ability, skills in establishing rapport with patients and co-workers.  BIU school of Medicine developed and integrated a four-month elective clinical rotation at a rural setting where many people have a little access to health care. During this time students will learn how to treat various diseases.

ELECTIVE CLINICAL ROTATIONS CAN BE CHOSEN FROM THIS LIST:

• 616- Infectious Disease
• 617- Cardiology
• 618- Nephrology
• 619- Neonatology
• 620- Emergency
• 621- Endocrinology
• 622- Ear, Nose and Throat
• 723- Anesthesiology
• 724- Dermatology
• 725- Gastroenterology
• 726- Geriatrics
• 727- Hematology and Oncology
• 728- Neurosurgery
• 729- Radiology
• 730- Orthopedics
• 731- Reumatology
• 732- Urology
• 733- Opthalmology

CORE CLINICAL ROTATION TRAINING SITES: Core Rotations and subinternships are taken only at University's clinical centers or affiliated teaching hospitals with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved residency training programs (or their British equivalents) in the subjects to be studied. Program quality and uniformity are maintained by regular visits to affiliated hospitals.

Financial Info

Burnett International University (BIU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences offers a variety of financial aid to qualified and deserving students who might be unable to receive financial assistance for their educational expenses. Financial Aid is any grant, loan and scholarship offered to assist students in obtaining financial assistance. At BIU Student Awards are usually provided by corporations, churches, private donors and /or the university itself to needy or academically talented student, which do not have to be repaid.

Loans
BIU does not offer loans yet, it is already contacted different financial institutions for the loans.

Scholarships
BIU provides academic scholarships to various students on the basis of academic achievements or high scholastic potential.

Grants
A limited number of Academic Assistance Grants are based on financial need and are awarded in recognition of potential for successful academic achievement.

BIU Scholarships and Grants are applied toward tuition only. Students will not be permitted to receive more than one. In the event a student is eligible for more than one BIU scholarship or grant, the one with the highest value will be awarded.

Students interested in applying for financial assistance are strongly encouraged to contact the Bursar Office to obtain the necessary forms.

Admission Requirements For Medicine

Admission to BIU is based on a number of factors. The Committee on Admissions looks at an applicant’s background for special aptitudes, academic record; the applicant’s potential to meet the rigorous academic requirements of a highly structured curriculum, not one of which is the sole determinant in deciding eligibility. Preference will be given to applicants who:

1. Are generally expected to have earned a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an American, Canadian, or an other internationally accredited colleges or universities;
2. have completed a minimum of three years in an accredited college or university (90 semester hours of credit);
3. have the higher cumulative grade point Average (GPA)
4. The following college-level courses, with a grade 2.5 or better on a four-point scale, must normally be included in the premedical studies:
   
   

   Inorganic or General Chemistry (with labs)	8 semester hours
   Organic Chemistry (with labs)	8 semester hours
   General Biology or Zoology (with labs)	8 semester hours
   Physics (with labs)	8 semester hours
   College-level Mathematics (preferably to include Calculus or Statistics)
   Required not recommended	3 semester hours
   English coursework sufficient to demonstrate verbal and written proficiency	6 semester hours

   
   The following courses summarized above are the minimum academic requirements necessary for consideration by the Committee on Admissions. It is also strongly recommended that students take additional courses in social sciences, liberal arts, literature and the humanities.
   
   The BIU accepts applicants who are not premedical majors, i.e, applicants from many other fields of study are given equal consideration as science-oriented students, provided they are academically well prepared to pursue the curriculum.
   
   Candidates who have completed their undergraduate studies at any accredited college or university in countries having an educational system different from that of the United States will be evaluated on their merits but will be expected to have completed a pre-medical curriculum comparable to that described above.

All required documents:

1. should be submitted in the language the country, and should be accompanied by a notarized English translation;
2. should also be evaluated by an approved international credential evaluation service.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REGUIREMENTS: Burnett International University courses are taught in the English language. Therefore, it is important that Candidates be prepared academically to continue the curriculum and also have ability and skill to communicate well. So, applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Or Candidates who have not taken a sufficient amount of their academic coursework in English from an English language college or university must take the (TOEFL), and must provide the official record of the scores for the Test English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum acceptable score is 550 on the paper-based test or 213 on the computer-based test. The University will provide English language training for students who have insufficient English languages skills. Students may need to attend additional semesters at BIU.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT): The Burnett International University School Medicine and Health Sciences does not require the MCAT scores for admission, but the accepted applicants are advised to take the exam, and have the result of the test forwarded to the Committee on Admissions before registering for classes.

Inquires concerning the MCAT should be directed to:
Medical College Admission Test program office
P.O. Box 4056
Iowa City, Iowa 52243
Telephone: (319) 337-1357

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