St. Matthew's University (SMU) is a private

medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...

located on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands in the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

. SMU has a School of Medicine and a School of Veterinary Medicine, which confer Doctor of Medicine ( MD) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine ( DVM) degrees, respectively. St. Matthew's University is owned by R3 Education, Inc., which is part of Global University Systems, which also owns Saba University School of Medicine and Medical University of the Americas.

Curriculum

The SMU MD program encompasses 10 total semesters, divided evenly between Basic Science and Clinical Medicine. Students in the Basic Science program spend two years on the island of Grand Cayman, learning in classroom and lab-based settings. Students in the Clinical Medicine portion undertake clinical rotations at associated teaching hospitals, clinics and medical centers in the U.S. (including ACGME-approved locations), and at select elect rotation sites in Canada. The DVM program also features 10 semesters, with students spending seven semesters in veterinary Basic Science on SMU's island campus, and three semesters in veterinary Clinical Medicine. DVM students have the option to undertake rotations at an affiliated veterinary college in the U.S. or Canada, where they work alongside fourth-year veterinary students.

Accreditation and recognition

School of Medicine

The St. Matthew's University School of Medicine (SMUSOM) is accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM), which is recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME). Its standards have been deemed comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). SMUSOM is one of the few international medical schools with approvals in the key U.S. states of New York and Florida. These states mandate regular institutional reviews and approvals prior to granting access to clerkship and licensing opportunities in their respective states, and other states rely on these approvals for the purposes of licensure. As of January 2020, SMUSOM is recognized by the State of California. Therefore, students enrolled since 1997 qualify for clinical rotations, residencies, and licensure in California. SMUSOM MD program participants from the U.S. and Canada are eligible to participate in relevant government student loan programs. SMUSOM is approved for U.S. Federal Loans.

School of Veterinary Medicine

St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine (SMUSVM) is listed with the

American Veterinary Medical Association The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is an American not-for-profit association founded in 1863 that represents more than 105,000 veterinarians. The AVMA provides information resources, continuing education opportunities, publicat ...

(AVMA) and is a Member Institution of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).

Licensure restrictions

In the United States, the medical board of

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

restricts St. Matthew's University MD program graduates from obtaining licensure. In the United Kingdom, the

General Medical Council The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of physician, medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. Its chief responsibility is to "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the pu ...

has listed St. Matthew's University as an institution whose graduates from the Belize campus (closed in 2002) are ineligible for licensure. Graduates from the current Cayman Islands campus are eligible for licensure.

References

External links

St. Matthew's University Grand Cayman Island
Official University Web Site {{Coord, 19, 20, 23, N, 81, 22, 44, W, display=title For-profit universities and colleges in North America Medical schools in the Cayman Islands Health in the Cayman Islands Educational institutions established in 1997 1997 establishments in Belize 2002 establishments in the Cayman Islands Universities in the Cayman Islands Buildings and structures in George Town, Cayman Islands