St. George’s University based in Grenada Island (Caribbean) and set up in 1976 is a big name in medical education in the United States—as well as Grenada, Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago, and other countries around the world. Like in the past 40 years, in 2018, SGU students and graduates obtained a record number of residency placements. As a reputed medical school, the international students on the campus have been increasing for several years now.
Calum Macpherson, PhD, Vice Provost for International Program Development of the university was in New Delhi recently in connection with promoting SGU in India, Curriculum Magazine interaction with him, some excerpts
Please tell us, which SGU programs are popular among international students? And why?
SGU offers medical and veterinary medical degrees in the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and independent and dual graduate degrees in the sciences, public health, and business. Following are the most popular courses at St. George’s University
4Year MDProgram
The MD program is divided into nine Colleges – and has added more than 16,000 physicians to the global workforce.
Admitted students are assigned to an individual college. Each college has its own director and associate director, as well as dedicated personnel for student support, including academic advisors, faculty, learning strategists, advisors, and other support staff.
The colleges are a learning community, with each College having a dedicated master schedule of classes, and all small group work will be centered around the Colleges. The mission of the system is to create a tight knit, close, and yet diverse collegiate environment in which students are comprehensively supported to develop and demonstrate the skills, knowledge, compassion, tolerance, commitment, and personal integrity required to be a practicing physician. College and intercollegiate social events and competitions also take place throughout the year.
4-Year DVM Program
St. George’s University’s four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program offers students a unique, innovative, international approach to veterinary medicine.
With an emphasis in clinical instruction and case-based teaching, SGU’s DVM degree program combines three years of lecture and hands-on laboratory sessions in Grenada with one year of clinical training at one of our 29 affiliated universities and clinics in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and Grenada.
Mentioned below are the specialized courses
5 Year Medicine Program: http://www.sgu.edu/academic-programs/school-of-medicine/md/5-year-md-program/
5 Year Veterinary Medicine Program: http://www.sgu.edu/academic-programs/school-of-veterinary-medicine/dvm/5-year-dvm-program/
How many Indian students are currently studying at SGU? And tell us about how Indian students have done so far?
2-3% of the student population at St. George’s University are from India.
Mobility in medical education and recognition is a big issue as some countries don’t allow professionals practice or jobs unless respective national accrediting body recognizes it like we have in India, so tell us how a student from SGU has an advantage?
St. George’s University School of Medicine isn’t just a top Caribbean medical university: we have developed long-standing relationships with many hospitals and clinical center partners in the US, UK, and Canada. These trusted connections allow our students to gain a breadth of knowledge with different patient populations in a variety of environments and gain valuable international experience. A student who makes full use of all of the clinical opportunities at SGU will graduate having experienced medicine as it is practiced and taught in Grenada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Most of the SGU Graduates obtain US Post Graduate Residency Positions with programs across the US. This year so far, 901 students and graduates from St. George’s University School of Medicine matched with residency programs across the United States. This number is likely to go up in the next few weeks as SGU grads get residencies post-Match and outside of the Match.
86% of eligible SGU graduates obtained a PGY1 residency position, compared to 84% at this time last year. By the summer of 2017, 93% of SGU’s eligible US 2017 graduates had obtained a PGY1 position.
St. George’s University has trained more than 15,000 doctors who have practiced in over 50 countries and in all 50 US states. Since 1999, we have trained nearly 1,000 veterinarians in our now AVMA-accredited Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program who have practiced in 29 countries.
Coming to your India plans, can you tell us if you have such a plan and what kind of incentives in terms of scholarships etc available?
St. George’s University seeks intelligent, dedicated, passionate students who will succeed in their professional objectives and become successful practitioners who add value to their communities and to global health as a whole. To that end, the scholarship program at SGU is robust, offering partial scholarships to students in need and to those who have demonstrated academic excellence. For Non-US students SGU offers:
International Peace Bursary
Partial bursary awards to non-US citizen/permanent residents who demonstrate financial need and can fund the balance of their education beyond the bursary award. The International Peace Bursary program is committed to promoting a student body made up of diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds that will contribute to a worldwide medical community. Partial tuition bursary awards are granted to international students who exhibit academic excellence, demonstrate financial need, and will return to their home countries as physicians dedicated to the enhancement of medical care systems. These awards are grants-in-aid and do not have to be repaid.
Keith B. Taylor Bursary
Partial bursary awards to non-US citizen/permanent residents entering the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program (KBTGSP), the Keith B. Taylor Bursary program is committed to promoting a student body made up of diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds specifically within the KBTGSP, which will contribute to a worldwide medical community. Partial-tuition bursary are awarded to international students who exhibit academic excellence, demonstrate financial need, and will return to their home countries as physicians dedicated to the enhancement of medical care systems. These awards are grants-in-aid and do not have to be repaid.
You can also let us know about the student assistance services and your admission process?
Adjusting to life as a medical student is difficult, but a supportive learning environment will go a long way toward keeping the students healthy, happy, and on track. We at St. George’s University (SGU) provide top-notch support services that do just that.
Language services are provided for international students: At SGU, we provide a welcoming environment that attracts students from all around the globe. But there can be some challenges when emerging into a program delivered in a different language. We at SGU provide a variety of language programs designed to help the candidates succeed in their education and career.
The Medical English Bridge Program is one of the newest offerings for students on the path to becoming a doctor. It’s primarily a task-based curriculum, which means everything the student is doing, is preparing them for the study of medicine and having a career in medicine.
Students’ mental health needs are addressed: The Psychological Services Center (PSC) promotes student health and well-being through a wide range of services. Whether the students are attending a counselling session, participating in a training session, or seeking other assistance, they can rest assured these services are confidential.
For details related to the admission you can follow the link\
Give us a feel of the environment at your university in terms of diversity, internationalism, opportunities and living/job environment?
St. George’s University is not only a center for global education but also where students from all corners of the world, from all walks of life, come together for a common cause – to make an impact on the community. The University offers an array of enriching extracurricular activities that strengthen the bond between students, by which life changing experiences occur.
Tracing back the history of SGU, it is really overwhelming to see students from more than 140 countries, creating a campus that provides an international education even outside the classroom. Their cultural immersion begins during Orientation Week with the popular Bazaar, which allows students to sample food available at local restaurants, and to watch Grenadian cultural performances, helping them find their own comfort zone.
In addition, the students can find out about and meet representatives of SGU in more than 50 student organizations, which capture all aspects of student life: cultural, religious, social, academic, professional, and community service.
