*The 3-year first-time residency attainment rate is the weighted average of the 2023-24, through 2025-26 academic years. For each year, the rate is the percent of students attaining a residency out of all graduates or expected graduates in the year who were active applicants in the NRMP match in that year or who attained a residency outside the NRMP match in that year. For 2025-26, the first-time residency attainment rate is over 98%.
AUC is an ACCM Accredited Caribbean Medical School
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 Educational 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 Educational 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.
AUC's Accreditation Standards Are Comparable to U.S. Medical School Requirements
AUC & Financial Aid Qualification:
U.S. 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.
AUC & UK Medical Residency:
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.