Saba University School of Medicine: A Comprehensive Overview
Saba University School of Medicine (SUSOM) is a private medical school located on the island of Saba, a special municipality of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. For more than 30 years, SUSOM has offered extensive medical education and hands-on training in the Caribbean.
Accreditation and Recognition
Saba University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO), the accrediting body for the Netherlands and Flanders. The United States Department of Education, via the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), has determined that the accreditation standards used by the NVAO to accredit SUSOM’s medical program are comparable to those used by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for medical programs in the United States and Canada. SUSOM is the only medical school in the Caribbean to meet the rigorous standards of European accreditation. Additionally, Saba University is approved by New York and Florida and recognized by California. These accreditations, approvals and recognitions enable our graduates to be licensed to practice medicine throughout the United States and Canada. Recognition is necessary for licensure in California. Necessary for licensure in Florida; other states follow Florida’s decision for the purposes of licensure. In addition to clerkship opportunities, New York approval provides access to residencies and licensure in the state. Saba University's students also have access to US Title IV loans to pay for their education, as well as Federal Student Aid programs.
Curriculum Overview
The MD program at SUSOM spans ten semesters, encompassing focused academic and clinical studies in both Basic Science and Clinical Medicine. At SUSOM, as at most medical schools, the MD program lasts for four years. The SUSOM MD program features three start dates every year, in January, May and September.
Basic Sciences
The Basic Science curriculum is delivered over the first half of our MD program. These semesters consist of lab work and course material, following a progression beginning with foundational concepts in biomedical sciences and leading to organ-systems focused courses that relate each foundational discipline to human function and disease. Applications of basic science to clinical medicine are highlighted throughout the five semesters. Students analyze a current and complex medical care question, develop a hypothesis, analyze the literature, and write a paper that is evaluated by a faculty committee. This is part of research module.
Clinical Medicine
The Clinical Medicine component of the SUSOM MD program occurs during semesters 6-10. The Clinical Medicine curriculum comprises an 8-week research module and 72 weeks of clinical rotations. During rotations, MD program students work in concert with licensed medical doctors and hospital staff, conducting hands-on examinations, treatments and general care. Students who successfully complete the Clinical Medicine program are awarded their medical degree and are ready for residency.
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Faculty and Student Support
The faculty and administration at Saba University School of Medicine bring extensive experience and insight to the challenge of medical education. The faculty at SABA University School of Medicine all have an advanced medical and/or doctoral degree and they enjoy playing a key role in Saba graduates’ success in securing residencies. All SUSOM professors possess advanced doctoral and medical degrees (e.g. SUSOM’s faculty are full-time and are dedicated to teaching. Dedicated Full-time FacultyOur faculty represent a variety of medical specialties and are committed to student success. The university offers a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio, meaning more focused attention from professors and an overall personalised teaching experience.
SUSOM is committed to supporting prospective students throughout the application process. Each student is given individual attention and guidance throughout their application process. "The support you feel at Saba is tremendous. "Saba is a welcoming place. The professors are always available and your peers can help you too.
Admissions
Applicants from the US or Canada are expected to have a minimum of three years of undergraduate studies or the equivalent of 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours, including pre-medical requirements, from an accredited college or university. A baccalaureate degree is recommended but not required. citizens or permanent residents) or Canada are expected to have a minimum of three years of undergraduate studies, or the equivalent of 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours, including pre-medical requirements from an accredited college or university. The following courses are considered standard pre-medical requirements for admission. Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis. A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine must have abilities and skills in the five broad areas of observation; communication; motor function; intellectual-conceptual; and behavioral and social skills.
Student Life
The university’ s state-of-the-art campus is located on Saba, a small, quiet, and extremely safe Caribbean Island with something for everyone to enjoy. Saba University School of Medicine has several student run organizations and intramural sports including basketball, soccer and hockey.
USMLE Performance and Residency Placement
Preparation leads to success and SUSOM’s USMLE first-time pass rate results are the proof. Between 2015 and 2019, the first time USMLE step 1 pass rate averaged 99% - a consistently strong performance and from 2013 to 2018 94% of eligible Saba graduates attained a residency. Between 2015 and 2019, Saba University students achieved a first-time pass rate on the USMLE Step 1 exam of 99%, a testament to the excellent quality of education we provide. To best prepare our students for the USMLE Step exams, we provide a test center that mirrors the test conditions and environment students will experience during USMLE testing. At SUSOM, our students have achieved a strong residency placement rate over the past four years. MD program students start residency after they have successfully graduated.
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Mission and Affordability
Saba University School of Medicine (Saba) was founded in 1992 with the goal of providing an excellent medical education and expansive career opportunities for dedicated students, while maintaining an affordable tuition that enables them to practice as physicians with far less debt than other similarly credentialed schools. At SUSOM, we are committed to ensuring that everyone who is passionate about medicine can enter an MD program and pursue a career as a practicing physician. That’s we offer affordable tuition and fees, and financial support via grants and scholarships. Students attending Saba University School of Medicine can take advantage of a range of public and private options to help finance their medical education.
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