American University of the Caribbean’s medical school curriculum consists of 9 1/2 semesters: 5 semesters of Basic Medical Sciences taught at the St. Maarten campus, and 4.5 semesters of Clinical Medical Sciences taught at affiliated hospitals in the U.S., U.K., and Ireland. Rolling admission begins January, May, and September with semester terms of approximately 16 weeks in duration.

Basic Medical Sciences

The first five semesters at AUC involve concentrated study of Basic Medical Sciences. Anatomy, Histology and Molecular/Cell Biology are the focus during the first semester. The following semesters explore a logical sequence of science coursework including advanced courses in Molecular/Cell Biology, Physiology, Pathology and Behavioral Sciences. AUC’s enhanced curriculum introduces students to clinical medicine (ICM) as early as the second semester with an increasing emphasis on ICM in the fifth semester. This allows students to experience the clinical application to the Basic Medical Sciences well before they advance to the clinical aspect of the program.

After completing Basic Medical Sciences, students are required to take the USMLE Step 1. Upon successfully passing the exam, students proceed to Clinical Medical Sciences in which clinical rotations are focused.

Clinical Medical Sciences

During semesters 6-9.5, students experience clerkships focused on Clinical Medical Sciences for 72 weeks. Clerkships consist of Clinical Core Rotations and Clinical Elective Rotations at approximately 30 clinical sites. Sites in the U.S. offer residency programs approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or are affiliated with a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME).

After completing core clerkship rotations students are eligible to take the USMLE Step 2. Upon successfully passing the exam, students proceed to a residency program. Most students take Step 2 before graduation in order that they are ECFMG certified and then apply for a residency.

AUC reserves the right to change the curriculum at any time, without prior notice. AUC may schedule classes or examinations on any day of the week.