A Brief History of Netherland Antilles by The World Factbook 2005

Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France). Read More

The University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine represents a dynamic collaboration between a growing cadre of veteran medical educators richly experienced in mentoring U.S. and international medical students throughout all phases of education and clinical training. We share the precept that the time has come for the world medical community to broaden its viewpoint beyond state and national borders to embrace a more inclusive, global perspective on teaching and healthcare delivery.

Our deans and faculty are drawn from leadership positions in the U.S. and world medical academic mainstreams. We are extraordinarily sensitive to the unique needs, prerogatives and challenges of international medical students. We have years of experience overseeing international students' seamless transition into mainstream clinical training, research and practice opportunities.

The tangible rewards are great. The intangible rewards are priceless. A medical degree confers a measure of pride, respect and flexibility unprecedented in other professions.

The successful practice of medicine today is a team effort hence the culture of medical education should foster a spirit of collaboration rather than rivalry. We encourage constructive group process and supportive student to student and student to faculty relations at all times - both in and outside the classroom.

Medical students who lead balanced lives are more likely to be successful students and future physicians than those who put their lives on hold for four years. We welcome applications from students with families, as well as from friends and colleagues who wish to matriculate at Sint Eustatius at the same time and pursue their pre-clinical and clinical training together.

Classes at the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine are taught in English. Our fully air-conditioned classrooms are supplied with a variety of audio-visual equipment including televisions, LCD projector, VCR, computer, flex camera, and overhead projectors. Medical students complete laboratory requirements in smaller groups in a separate facility. The medical campus also includes a computerized testing center, where students gain experience completing electronic USMLE-style exams throughout their Basic Sciences training.

The Basic Sciences program takes place during 15-week terms on the island of Sint Eustatius. Summer and winter breaks are short by U.S. standards, permitting three academic terms each calendar year. Students can therefore complete their Basic Science studies in 20 months, reducing their total time away from home. The Basic Sciences curriculum consists of training in multiple disciplines taught in a 5-term format. Courses are typically taught in double 45-minute blocks, three to five times per week. Training in some disciplines spans two terms. For students needing extra preparation for the Basic Sciences program, the University offers an extended program involving an extra 4-month term of pre-basic sciences coursework (e.g., medical physics, chemistry in medicine). To optimize learning, the courses in the extra term are taught in an integrated, clinically-relevant fashion.

In the Clinical Education program at Sint Eustatius, medical students complete 72 weeks of clinical rotations at hospitals in the U.S. (or the U.K., at the student’s preference). The University has over 60 high-quality clinical sites in dozens of U.S. states, Canada and the U.K. Students seeking transfer directly into the Clinical Education program must pass the USMLE Step I prior to starting clinical rotations. The Dean of Admissions, in consultation with the Deans of Basic Sciences and Clinical Education, will determine the suitability of an applicant’s pre-clinical preparation for the Clinical Education program. The Clinical Medicine segment is a stimulating and enriching feature of medical training at the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine that requires both resolve and perseverance. The Clinical Education staff will work personally with students to ensure they fully benefit from clinical rotations and attain rewarding residency positions. Students eligible for clinical rotations have clinical sites available to them in over 60 hospitals across nearly 30 states (e.g., CO, CT, GA, IL, LA, MD, NC, DC). Many of our clerkships have ACGME (“Green Book”) listed or affiliated programs on site. Students who have earned their M.D. degree and certification through the ECFMG have had great success in gaining entrance into a residency training program. The clinical curriculum, which follows the Basic Sciences program, consists of 48 weeks of core clinical rotations and 24 weeks of elective clinical rotations. Students practice clinical skills through patient contact, which is supervised by a physician-preceptor in patient care settings. Students thereby enhance their proficiency in taking medical histories and conducting physical diagnostic examinations and develop their patient/relationship skills in training to become competent physicians.

There are few more valuable professional commodities than a medical degree. The tangible rewards are great. The intangible rewards are priceless. A medical degree confers a measure of pride, respect, and flexibility unprecedented in other professions. As befits the pursuit of any treasure, the attainment of a medical degree is an arduous undertaking, which requires intelligence, emotional robustness, devotion, tenacious effort, and a substantial financial investment.

Despite the sacrifices called for, tens of thousands of students from every walk of life dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to preparing themselves for the rigors of medical education, with precious little guarantee that they will be offered any opportunity to prove their mettle in a U.S. medical school.

The new millennium has seen an unprecedented surge in interest in medicine as a career choice. And yet in the United States and other developed countries, medical education opportunities have been dwindling. We feel that this paradox is fundamentally improper. With Baby Boomers passing the half-century mark, the need for qualified physicians to serve the healthcare needs of aging populations is becoming even more acute. The number of medically underserved and un-served communities within US borders alone is a national disgrace. Consequently, the U.S. healthcare industry has increased its historical reliance on international medical graduates to staff vital positions in hospitals, clinics, and physician practices.

The staggering number of underserved and unserved populations in many other parts of the world is unacceptable to physicians of conscience. The current shibboleth that "there are already too many physicians" is clearly an economic statement, not a demographic one. Other popular myths include the quaint notions that only students who excel at the hard sciences or at objective testing measures can become successful physicians, or that there exists a standardized, "one size fits all" premedical preparation route for aspirants to the medical profession.

At the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine we view it a privilege to serve ones fellow men and women as physicians. However, we regard education as a right that should not be restricted to a privileged few. We believe that diversity and inclusiveness are healthy attributes of a robust physician fraternity, not diluting ones. We do, however, feel equally strongly that certain core character, intellectual and philosophical traits are vital to successful aspirants to careers in medicine, and especially to those seeking degrees at the University of Sint Eustatius. These include but are not limited to: intellectual astuteness and flexibility; emotional maturity; compassion for all living things, great and small; tolerance of diversity in all realms; breadth of interests and spirit; passion for the pursuit of truth; dedication to the ethic of serving, rather than being served; demonstrated accomplishment in some area of significant challenge; competence in oral and written communication skills; perseverance; humility and a sense of humor.

If the foregoing profile describes you, we would be delighted to hear from you - you would probably make a fine physician.