Pictured at the signing of the new partnership agreement is L-R: AUC Executive Dean, Dr. Heidi Chumley; Adtalem Global Education’s Group President for Medical and Healthcare Education, Kathy Boden Holland; Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the UCLan Board, David Taylor; Liz Bromley, UCLan’s Deputy Vice Chancellor & Joint Institutional Lead
As many countries face a severe current and future doctor shortage, the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) announced a new program aimed at helping to address this global workforce issue. The universities are partnering to offer a new blended program, to enable students from the U.K. and across the world to study towards their accredited medical qualification, the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree - the postgraduate degree of physicians in the U.S.
The program offers students a postgraduate diploma in International Medical Sciences (PGIMS) from UCLan, followed by their MD with AUC. Students will then be eligible to do clinical rotations at AUC’s clinical sites, which include hospitals in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. This program, which starts in September 2019, is aimed at preparing students for the U.S. Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE).
“The doctor shortage is an urgent global workforce problem, affecting not just the U.S. and Canada, but so many countries around the world. AUC is proud to have such a dedicated partner in UCLan for this historic program focused on bringing more doctors to countries and communities in need,” said AUC Executive Dean Dr. Heidi Chumley. “The opportunity to train in multiple countries, including the U.S. and U.K., also provides a unique opportunity for aspiring physicians to develop a global perspective.”
David Taylor, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the UCLan Board, said: “We are delighted to take our partnership with AUC to the next level through the signing of this landmark agreement. We have come a long way, following the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma, when our universities collaborated to build a temporary AUC medical school in Preston in just nine days.”
“Together we have shown that where there is real determination, great things can happen. That same commitment, energy and dedication has now led to this fresh era in our relationship where the successful completion of our new postgraduate diploma enables graduate students to receive an American-style medical education before progressing to the clinical years of the AUC medical program.”
The UCLan Pro-Chancellor added: “The course is completely independent of our own MBBS program and we are recruiting an entirely new team dedicated to teaching the syllabus while working very closely with colleagues at AUC in Sint Maarten.”
