The American University of Integrative Sciences (AUIS), is a
private for-profit offshore medical school An offshore medical school is a medical school that caters "primarily to foreign ( American and Canadian citizens) students, wishing to practice medicine in the US and Canada" according to the World Bank, compared to local schools that focus on the ...
with a single campus located in Barbados. Founded in 1999, it was formerly known as the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine (USESOM). For a period, the school was based in
Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the nort ...
, where it was taken over by IEMR LLC, a US-based company. Since October 2017, AUIS has operated in Barbados, and it is currently a candidate for accreditation by the
(CAAM-HP).
History
The school was founded in 1999 as the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine, by a group of educators and administrators including Dr. David Gill, former president of
St. Christopher's College of Medicine.
With the island of
Sint Eustatius becoming part of the
Caribbean Netherlands
)
, image_map = BES islands location map.svg
, map_caption = Location of the Caribbean Netherlands (green and circled). From left to right: Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius
, elevation_max_m = 887
, elevation_max_footnotes =
, demographic ...
in 2010, the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine was required to seek accreditation from the
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders ( nl, Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie; NVAO) is the independent educational accreditation organisation for higher education institutions in the Netherlands and Flanders. It w ...
(NVAO).
In November 2008, the university's
doctor of medicine (M.D.) program was assessed with unsatisfactory results.
In 2011, the school was given a two-year extension, but failed to attain NVAO accreditation by the deadline of September 2013.
As a result, the University of Sint Eustatius was not allowed to continue operating in the Caribbean Netherlands.
At the time, the school was run by Michael Knopf and his daughter, Irene Weinstein.
In September 2013, the school relocated operations to Cole Bay on the Caribbean island of
Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the nort ...
, and eventually went bankrupt, with a debt of $700,000.
By September 2014, it was owned and operated by IEMR, LLC, led by CEO Milo Pinckney, and changed its name to the American University of Integrative Sciences, Sint Maarten School of Medicine (AUIS).
According to an AUIS press release, Pinckney appointed Renu Agnihotri, M.D., a former professor of molecular medicine, as president of AUIS.
A journal article in ''
BMC Medical Education
BioMed Central (BMC) is a United Kingdom-based, for-profit scientific open access publisher that produces over 250 scientific journals. All its journals are published online only. BioMed Central describes itself as the first and largest open a ...
'' noted that AUIS St. Maarten School of Medicine marketed itself on its website as providing an alternative for pre-med students who might otherwise "miss out" on their dream of becoming a physician, due to the competitiveness of American and Canadian medical schools.
In March 2017, the AUIS went public with its dispute with Education Minister
Silveria Jacobs
Silveria Elfrieda Jacobs (born 31 July 1968) is a Sint Maarten politician and the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten .
Early life and education
Silveria Elfrieda Jacobs was born on 31 July 1968 on Aruba to Nadia Willemsberg. As a child, Jacobs a ...
, accusing her of "stonewalling" and refusing to meet with Pinckney to resolve their differences.
According to Agnihotri, the Sint Maarten Ministry of Education had refused to simply change the name on its charter agreement from USESOM to AUIS; instead, it sent AUIS a new charter agreement with different conditions.
Agnihotri also criticized Jacobs for discrediting AUIS by stating that it was unaccredited,
since the school was in the process of seeking accreditation with the ACCM (
Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine The Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) is an international medical review and accreditation agency service for medical schools.
The National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), part of the Unit ...
).
Pinckney told the ''Today'' newspaper that he believed a competitor,
American University of the Caribbean
The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) is a private for-profit medical school. Its main basic science campus is located in Sint Maarten, and administrative offices are located in Miramar, Florida, in the United ...
, had influenced the government to create "obstacles" making it difficult for AUIS to do business in St. Maarten.
By October 2017, the American University of Integrative Sciences had relocated to
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate) ...
.
Accreditation
As of February 2021, the American University of Integrative Sciences is an applicant for "Candidacy status " as a preliminary step for accreditation by the CAAM-HP (
), pending a full site visit.
Curriculum
Premedical program
AUIS, as of October 2018, has a Bachelors Of Medical Sciences program (BMsc) which will enable students to complete their first 90 prerequisite credit hours with the university before moving into their Basic Sciences program. This degree is awarded upon successful completion of 142 course credits. As of now, there are 5 students in the program.
Doctor of Medicine program
The MD program at AUIS is divided into eleven total semesters, consisting of three semesters per year. Semesters 1-4(16 months) are
basic sciences
Basic research, also called pure research or fundamental research, is a type of scientific research with the aim of improving scientific theories for better understanding and prediction of natural or other phenomena. In contrast, applied resear ...
semesters that are completed at the university's Barbados campus and semester 5 is a professor led USMLE Step 1 review course (fundamental of clinical medicine) that is completed at the university campus in Atlanta, Georgia. Our curriculum incorporates (Introduction to Clinical Medicine coursework) throughout all 5 semestersAnd must pass The NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination( CBSE) Within allotted time and if not successful must keep retaking to ensure quality USMLE Step 1 Pass rate and then register and take the USMLE Step 1 within 2 semesters after completion of basic sciences and CBSE, failure to do so results in retaking the exam and academic probation or administrative withdrawal, No student can begin or access clinical clerkships until both CBSE And USMLE Step 1 are successfully passed with results in excessive time off from the program and can negatively impact ECFMG Certification for the student, once exams are cleared and adequate documentation status of B1 visa for international and Canadian students as every student is solely responsible for their documentation status, AUIS is not responsible for access for a visa any student unable to get a documentation status will not be able to access clerkships therefore cannot complete the MD Program . And deposits and financial obligation met. Students Then Proceed to the remaining six semesters (24 months) are clinical rotations, composed of core and elective rotations that primarily take place in hospitals in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
hen must pass the USMLE Step 2 CK And NBME Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination( CCSE) And The NBME Clinical Science Subject Examinations with allotted time can proceed to gain MD and graduate out of the MD Program.].
AUIS focuses on a curriculum which includes traditional Western Medicine.
Residency placements and training appointments
Graduates from the American University of Integrated Sciences have successfully secured residency placements in the United States as well as Canada.
Graduates from 2014- 2020 matched into Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and other specialties.
See also
*
Offshore medical school An offshore medical school is a medical school that caters "primarily to foreign ( American and Canadian citizens) students, wishing to practice medicine in the US and Canada" according to the World Bank, compared to local schools that focus on the ...
*
International medical graduate An international medical graduate (IMG), earlier known as a foreign medical graduate (FMG), is a physician who has graduated from a medical school outside of the country where he or she intends to practice. The term non-local medical graduate may be ...
*
List of medical schools in the Caribbean
This is a list of medical schools in the Caribbean. Schools are listed in alphabetical order by country or territory, then by name. The list includes medical schools recognized by their local governments that award the Doctor of Medicine (MD) and/ ...
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
Education in Sint Eustatius
Medical schools in the Caribbean
Universities and colleges in Sint Maarten
Schools of medicine in Sint Maarten
Educational institutions established in 1999
1999 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Medical schools in Barbados