AUC School of Medicine Accreditation

AUC is ACCM Accredited

American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM, accredmed.org/), which is the accreditor used by the country of St. Maarten.

The United States Department of Education, via the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), reviews the standards that countries use to accredit medical schools. The NCFMEA has determined that the ACCM’s accreditation standards are comparable to those set by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which accredits medical education programs in the United States. AUC’s Accreditor’s Standards are comparable to US Medical School requirements.

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a process that evaluates and officially recognizes an institution or program as meeting or exceeding established standards. Once achieved, accreditation is not permanent—it is renewed every several years to ensure that the quality of the educational program is maintained. For a deeper dive into this topic, check out our detailed blog post on the Caribbean medical school accreditation process.

Why does accreditation matter?

Accreditations is important because it demonstrates quality, ensures graduates are qualified, prepares students for residency and practice, and allows graduates to meet licensure requirements. Accreditation also signifies that the school has undergone a rigorous evaluation by an independent body and meets establish educational standards. Accreditation provides access to US federal financial aid.

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U.S. Federal Financial Aid Programs

Because of approval from the NCFMEA, AUC students may qualify for and access the U.S. Federal Financial Aid program.

AUC is approved for participation in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans). Students who wish to participate are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).

FAFSA® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Education.

International Medical School Listing

AUC is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools published online by the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education Research (FAIMER) and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

Because of AUC’s Accreditation by the ACCM, AUC students are eligible to take all of the United States Medical License Examinations (USMLE) by registering with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and are eligible to apply for licensure in all states in the United States.

UK General Medical Council

Graduates of AUC’s accredited medical school are automatically eligible to apply to take the PLAB (Professional and Assessment Board) test and apply for GMC registration without requiring an individual assessment+. This automatic institutional recognition allows AUC graduates to be eligible to pursue a residency position in the U.K. and to apply for U.K. licensure.

+ Effective for students who started in September 1, 2019 or later. Students who started AUC prior to September 1, 2019 can apply to take the PLAB test and apply for GMC registration once the GMC has completed an individual assessment.

State Approvals and Licensures

American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine graduates are eligible for licensure in all 50 US states. AUC is proud to be one of the few Caribbean medical schools that can make that claim.

New York, California, and Florida require institutional review and state approval, or licensure, prior to the conduct of clinical clerkships. Approval by the Medical Board of California is also necessary for physician licensure in that state. Many other states defer to California’s approval for the purpose of licensure.

California

The Medical Board of California has recognized that the resident course of instruction leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree awarded by AUC, in St. Maarten, is equivalent to that required by Section 2089 and 2089.5 of the California Business and Professions Code. The medical education program is equivalent to that of a Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredited school. This approves AUC to conduct clinical clerkships in California and enables AUC’s graduates to apply for licensure in that state.

Florida

Under the provision of Chapter 1005, Florida Statutes and Chapter 6E of the Florida Administrative Code, the Commission for Independent Education of the Florida Department of Education licenses, AUC is approved to offer clerkship instruction in Florida. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL, 32399-0400, toll-free 888-224-6684.

New York

The New York State Education Department has approved AUC’s medical education to place students in clinical clerkships, provided that those clerkships are in hospitals affiliated with AUC.

Texas

Recognition by the Texas Medical Board facilitates an AUC graduate’s application for physician licensure. The Texas Medical Board has determined that graduates of AUC have demonstrated Substantial Equivalence of Their Education.