| Ross University | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1978 |
| Type | Private |
| President | Thomas C. Shepherd, D.H.A., F.A.C.H.E. |
| Location | Dominica Bahamas Miami St. Kitts |
| Website | www.rossu.edu |
Ross University, founded in 1978, is a for-profit college offering degrees in Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The School of Medicine is located in Dominica, with clinical education centers in Miami, Florida, Saginaw, Michigan and Freeport, Bahamas.[1] The School of Veterinary Medicine is located in St. Kitts.[2]. Ross University is owned by DeVry, Inc., which acquired the school in 2003 from Leeds Equity Partners, a private equity firm, for $310 million.[3][4] The administrative offices are located in North Brunswick, New Jersey, United States. Students of Ross University are almost all citizens or permanent residents of the United States, who are eligible for financial assistance under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.[3] Ross' curricula follow the models used in U.S. medical and veterinary schools.
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The university's medical school, the Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), was founded in 1978 by Robert Ross.[5][6] It is located in Portsmouth on the Caribbean island of Dominica. The university confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine degree.
The first four semesters comprise the Basic Sciences portion of the curriculum and are taught in Dominica over a 16-month period. The fifth semester is termed Advanced Introduction to Clinical Medicine (AICM) and is offered in Miami, Florida and Saginaw, Michigan as well as in Dominica. The sixth through tenth semesters, which cover the clinical sciences, students move on to study at the University's affiliated hospitals in the United States.[7] The university requires 90 weeks of clinical rotations consisting of the 12 weeks of AICM, 48 weeks of core rotations (12 weeks of Surgery; 12 weeks of Internal Medicine; 6 weeks each of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology) and 30 weeks of elective rotations.
Ross University has a 93% first-time pass rate on the United States Medical Licensing Examination[2].[8] Ross alumni are eligible to and practice in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Canada.[9] While the majority of Ross graduates enter residencies in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and General surgery, some graduates obtain positions in historically competitive residency programs including Orthopedic Surgery, Neurosurgery, and Radiology.[10] However, only about 80% of Ross graduates obtain residencies through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). The vast majority of others obtain positions with programs directly. [11]
The School of Medicine is accredited by the Dominica Medical Board. The U.S. Department of Education has found the accreditation standards used by the Dominica Medical Board to be comparable to those used by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to evaluate accredited U.S. medical schools.[12] Four states in the United States (California,[13] Florida,[14] New Jersey,[15] New York[16]) have a formal process to evaluate, accredit, and approve an international medical school's academic program for the purpose of either licensing its graduates and/or clinical and residency training in those states. Ross University is one of only a few international medical schools that has received state approvals from all four. Additionally, Ross' medical program is one of only six that was both assessed and accredited by Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions.[3][17]
As of June 2010, over 7,500 doctors had graduated from the school of medicine. Daniel Taramasco, M.D. represented the 7,500th graduate at the June 4, 2010 commencement ceremony at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
The mean age upon matriculation is 25 years old and 43% of the student body is female.[18] Underrepresented minorities make up 19% of the total student body.[19] More than 90% of the students are from the United States, 5% are from Canada, and the remaining 5% from various nations.[20]
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) is located on the island of St. Kitts. As of 2009, the school had graduated more than 2,200 veterinarians.[21] More than 95 percent of its students are American or Canadian citizens. The school received AVMA accreditation in March 2011.
The Pre-clinical curriculum is covered over seven semesters in St. Kitts; however, students spend their final three semesters of clinical education at one of 22 AVMA-accredited veterinary schools in the United States.[22] The Pre-clinical program includes a series of "introduction to clinics" courses that provide small-group instruction and hands-on animal experience through community practice, ambulatory practice, or working with University-owned-and-maintained herds of cattle, horses, donkeys, and sheep.[21]
Ross University students must pass the same licensing exams as graduates of United States schools. Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine’s program has been recognized by the following:
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine graduates are eligible for licensure in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.[21]
Tuition for Ross University School of Medicine in 2010 was $15,600 per semester for the basic sciences portion of the curriculum and $17,125 per semester for the clinical sciences portion, not including books, transportation, and living expenses. [25] Tuition for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010 was $15,000 per semester for the basic sciences portion of the curriculum and $18,850 per semester for the clinical sciences portion, not including books, transportation, and living expenses. [26]