Forum: St. Georges Medical School Forum Location: Grenada Basic Science Tuition & Admin Fees: Terms 1, 2, 4 = $19,550 (per term, each term) Term 3, 5 = $7,193 (per term, each term) Term 6 = $14,384 Clinical Science Tuition & Admin Fees: Terms 7 through 11 = $19,733 (per term, each term) Year Founded: 1977 USA Clinical Rotations: Yes Time required for MD: 157 weeks Album: Saint Georges Album Website: SGU Medical School Email: Email SGU Medical School Survey: St Georges Medical School review

A Brief History of Grenada by The World Factbook 2008

Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. Read More

St George's University School of Medicine, SGU, is located on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean. St. George University School of Medicine is one of the oldest and best recognized Caribbean Medical Schools.

St. Georges University launched a $25m building project that would ultimately create the impressive new True Blue campus. The last decade alone has seen the construction of over 40 new buildings, including a state-of-the-art library, anatomy labs, dormitories, a student center, lecture halls, a research institute and administrative centers, making the new True Blue campus an international symbol of architectural and academic excellence.

The quality of our student body is evidenced by their continual success on standardized exams. Saint Georges Medical School has a five year average pass rate of 90% for first-time USMLE Step I examinees, far exceeding the 62% average pass rate of all non-US medical schools during the same period.

At St. George’s University Medical School we have prepared more than 5,000 medical students for careers in medicine. Certified through the ECFMG, our graduates are eligible for ACGME approved residency programs and participation in the NBME’s Residency. St. George's Medical School alumni are representative of the excellence of our student body, going on to clinical opportunities and medical careers in the U.S., the U.K. 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. Over 5,000 graduates are practicing medicine in over 35 countries… and counting.

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, and research degrees in epidemiology and public health issues. Most of these degrees can be done in conjunction with the MD degree.

St. Georges Medical School's 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.

SGU Medical School is dedicated to student support services and career guidance that extends beyond graduation day. We welcome you to explore the opportunities awaiting you at Saint Georges University School of Medicine.

Saint 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.

Medical students matriculate in the School of Medicine twice per year, in August and January. After completing their basic science years in Grenada, they spend one semester on the campus of the Kingstown Medical College, an affiliate in St. Vincent where pathophysiology, pharmacology and advanced clinical skills are closely integrated in intensive preparation for the clinical portion of the medical program.

The last two years of their four-year medical program are conducted in over 50 affiliated clinical centers and hospitals across the United States, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean. The hospitals, where most of the clinical training for interns, resident, and medical students occur, include The Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Manhattan Psychiatric Center, Mt. Vernon Hospital, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital South Shore Division, Maryland General Hospital, Spring Grove Hospital Center, Atlantic City Medical Center, JFK Medical Center, and 15 other hospitals. In the United Kingdom, the affiliates include The Great Western Hospital, Princess Royal Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and 16 other hospitals. The Caribbean teaching hospitals include The Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and Grenada General Hospital.

As a result of the University’s innovative curriculum, strict focus on teaching, close professorial support and broad range of student services, the dedicated students and graduates of St. George’s have developed a reputation for scholastic and professional excellence at every level. One key measurement of success has been the University’s performance on the U.S. licensing examinations (USMLEs), which has been consistent throughout. Today’s graduates typically score on parity with U.S. students on the USMLE Step 1 Exam scores, occasionally even surpassing them as happened in 2000.

Additionally, of the U.S.-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 U.S. medical establishment. Indeed, the quality of St. George’s University students has led Professor J.G. Nicholls from the InternationalSchool 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.

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 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 or DVM.

• In August of 1999, the School of Veterinary Medicine was launched, utilizing from the beginning all the successful and innovative academic stratagems and models that were used in the SOM.

• An aggressive 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 have a wide array. We teach students how to learn and we teach teachers how to teach.

• A very selective admissions 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. In the SVM, there are 2-3 applicants per seat.

SUCCESS

• The SOM has a 27 year history of successful performance outcomes. The students do well in the United States Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the graduates do well at achieving their desired postgraduate training. In fact, fully 25% of our graduates go on to become Chief Residents in their last year of residency training programs.

• The SVM has a shorter history of standardized examinations and graduate performance, but in just a few years, our students are in some cases outperforming their US counterparts on examinations like the North American Licensing Examination ( NAVLE ).