American University of Antigua

American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Established 2002
Type Private, for-profit
President Neal S. Simon, J.D.
Students 1000 (Fall 2011)
Location St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
Website www.auamed.org

The American University of Antigua College of Medicine (also referred to as the American University of Antigua or simply AUA) is a for-profit private medical institution of higher education located near the capital city of St. John's in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.[1] The sole program at AUA is the College of Medicine.

History

AUA was founded by Neal S. Simon,[2] a lawyer and former president of Ross University, with its first class instruction beginning in 2002.[3] In 2009, it was purchased by Manipal Group, one of the top 10 medical colleges in India.[4][5] The same year, AUA opened the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. It accepted its first students into the program in January 2010 with all students transferred to the St. George's University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011 after the program's closure.[6] The school suspended its nursing program in August 2011, ending its admissions for new nursing students.[7] Nursing students who finished the current program were allowed licensure in the state of New York by the New York State Education Department.[8]

Accreditation history

The American University of Antigua operates under the laws of Antigua and Barbuda pursuant to its Charter which was issued by the Government in 2001 and revalidated in 2002. The School of Medicine is listed in the FAIMER International Medical Education Directory and the AVICENNA Directory for medicine.[9] AUA students are recognized by the Department of Education, as well as medical boards, for clinical training, residency, and licensure in New York and California.[10] State medical board recognition from these 2 states entitles graduates to practice medicine and apply for residency in all 50 states, thus making AUA one of only 5 Caribbean medical schools that currently have such recognition. As of October 23, 2014, AUA is recognized by the Florida Department of Education and students can now complete clinical clerkships throughout the entire state.

AUA is provisionally accredited by the Caribbean Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP).[11] AUA is one of the select international medical schools whose students are eligible for over 12 weeks of clerkships in New York, and whose graduates are eligible for the 20% of residency training positions located there.

Campus

In January 2010, AUA opened its doors to a new 17-acre (69,000 m2) campus. The $60 million facility houses over 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2) of classrooms, a multi-story library, study rooms, and student government, and administrative and faculty offices. AUA announced plans for an $18 million expansion of the new campus in August 2011.[10] This was after the school received accreditation from the state of California, making the school one of only 5 in the Caribbean to have such accreditation.[10]

Affiliations

In October 2013, the American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine, entered into an affiliation agreement with the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. The Florida based University is a U.S. medical school accredited by Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Students that participate in affiliated clinical sites will receive official transcripts, as well as a certificate demonstrating full recognition of clinical completion from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami.[12]

American University of Antigua (AUA) works with Manipal Education America to help students further develop their applications into medical school through Bridget to MD (BTMD). BTMD has introductory courses in smaller classrooms to help students improve their knowledge. Student who qualify are accepted into AUA.

Educational programs

College of Medicine

The sole program at AUA is the College of Medicine. The College of Medicine confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. The MD program is a 10 semester course of study. The curriculum has two components: Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences. Semesters 1-4 are basic sciences semesters that are completed at the university's Antigua campus over the first 2 years. Clinical Sciences start during semester 5, where students begin USMLE preparation, followed by 6-weeks of pre-clinical training in various affiliate hospitals within the United States. After successfully completing Step 1 of the USMLE, students begin Semesters 6-10 of clinical rotations at AUA-affiliated hospitals within the United States. Study abroad opportunities are offered in Canada and India as well. Major affiliate hospitals are located all over the United States with a majority of teaching hospitals directly affiliated with AUA located in New York, Florida, California, Georgia, Ohio, Louisiana, Michigan, and Maryland. Electives are offered in many other states as well.[13]

Starting in Fall of 2011, AUA began operating on a two-semester-a-year schedule for its Basic Sciences to be consistent with the majority of US medical school curriculums; becoming one of only 2 Caribbean medical schools that follow a full 2-year basic science curriculum (with the other school being St. George's University). This was opposed to a shorter trimester based curriculum that nearly all other caribbean medical schools follow. Each semester is approximately 5 months long, with 4–5 weeks of break time allotted between basic science semesters. Additionally, the first 12 weeks of the 5th semester is conducted on the Antigua campus prior to the completion of Basic Science (for a total of approximately 24 months spent in Antigua, not including mid-semester breaks). This portion of the 5th semester comprises an integrated basic science review course and other pre-clinical preparation prior to 6 weeks of clinical exposure in the United States.

Unlike many older Caribbean medical schools, AUA does not consider an applicant's MCAT score in admissions, and has only recently required that applicants submit an MCAT score.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Provisional Accreditation, American University of Antigua College of Medicine". CAAM-HP. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Payne, Donald M. (25 May 2006). "Commending American University of Antigua For Its Leadership And Innovative Ideas". Congressional Record, V. 152,PT.7. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Health in Antigua and Barbud: Schools of Medicine in Antigua and Barbuda, American University of Antigua College of Medicine. General Books LLC. 2010. ISBN 9781158693146.
  4. ↑ Jacobs, Sarah (5 December 2008). "Manipal Education buys out Antigua University". Economic Times India. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Puni, Deepshikha (8 August 2011). "The worldly wise; International campuses have made Manipal University a global education brand". India Today. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  6. ↑ Malone, Tameika (20 December 2011). "Students to transfer after AUA's vet school closes". Antigua Observer. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  7. ↑ Butler, Rory (10 August 2011). "AUA says loss of nursing schools affects Antigua". Antigua Observer. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "AUA nursing school meets New York Education Dept standards". Antigua Observer. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "American University of Antigua College of Medicine". Faimer. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Butler, Rory (9 August 2011). "AUA to expand after approval from California". Antigua Observer. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  11. ↑ "Programmes Assessed by the CAAM-HP". Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "American University of Antigua Signs Landmark Clinical Clerkship Agreement with Florida International University". Houston Chronicle via wn.com. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Affiliated Teaching Hospitals". American University of Antigua College of Medicine. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  14. ↑ "Admissions Requirements for AUA". AUA. American University of Antigua. Retrieved 27 March 2015.

External links

Coordinates: 17°09′32″N 61°47′50″W / 17.158803°N 61.797355°W