Do Your Medical School Research
As you may have learned by now, researching medical schools—Caribbean medical schools or otherwise—isn’t as easy as just making a few web searches and calling it a day. There are lots of facts, statistics, and terms that you’ll want to review in order to understand and help to guide your son or daughter to where they will ultimately obtain their medical education.
Two Locations, Same Education
As a student at AUC, you will begin your journey to become a physician on one of our technologically advanced campuses in either St. Maarten or Preston, United Kingdom. Both locations provide collegial academic environments that emphasize collaboration, wellness, and community.
St. Maarten Traditional Pathway
Our campus in Cupecoy, St. Maarten—where most students in the four-year MD program complete their first two years of academic study—provides medical students with a modern learning environment equipped with powerful technological and academic resources.
A UK Pathway to an MD Degree
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) has partnered with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to offer two distinct points of entry to enable non-US citizen students to earn an AUC medical degree, with at least part of their education in the United Kingdom (UK).
AUC FAQs
Below are frequently asked questions from parents interested in learning more about AUC. They cover topics like accreditation, physician licensure in the United States, what types of students we're ultimately looking for, and campus safety.
AUC is accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM). You might hear that AUC is not an accredited med school in the United States—but being a foreign operating school, AUC is not eligible to seek accreditation from traditional US accreditors. In addition, the fact is that the US Department of Education has not appointed a US accreditor to foreign schools. Instead, the Department of Education has appointed the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) as a special review board that focuses on monitoring and evaluating foreign medical education accreditors on their standards. The NCFMEA’s review of ACCM’s standards confirms their recognition with the US Department of Education and has determined that they are comparable to those used to accredit medical schools in the US. This is an important distinction for AUC, for two reasons:
- It attests to the quality of education AUC provides.
- It qualifies eligible AUC students to participate in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Only a few Caribbean med schools currently have this distinction.
Most recently, the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) has been granted continued accreditation by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) for a renewed period of six years through 2027. The notification follows the most recent ACCM inspection site visit in November 2021.
AUC graduates can become licensed in all 50 states and in Canada.
This is a very important consideration to consider when helping your son or daughter select a medical school. Admissions requirements and standards vary from one medical school to the next, and among the Caribbean medical schools, there are important differences.
For example, not all Caribbean medical schools require applicants to take the MCAT, and some that don’t figure the MCAT score into their evaluation of a candidate. This approach might be enticing for students looking for an easier entry into medical school, but at AUC our hope is that students want to come into an environment where they will be held to high standards and be highly motivated to succeed.
At AUC, we have rigorous standards when considering applicants. Yes, we look at the whole person–we want to know about one’s life experience, maturity, and commitment–but we also look closely at how a candidate performed academically as an undergraduate and their MCAT score.
Our admissions committee is very serious about not only selecting students who have immense potential to succeed and become great doctors, but also about creating a learning environment at AUC populated by bright, talented, and driven students.
You may have heard that medical school can be an extremely competitive place to be, depending on where you ultimately go. And for many schools, that could be correct. But that’s not what AUC is all about, and that isn’t the sort of philosophy we instill in our students. We don’t compete—we collaborate.
Our alumni say it best though:
"At AUC, you’ll find people who are rooting for each other. If someone in your group of friends did well on an exam, you’d be happy for them, and at the same time, they’d be willing to lend a hand if you were struggling. It’s so important to have these kinds of people around you.”
-Yanet Camarena, MD '21
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
"You hear about medical school being overly competitive, but I had the complete opposite experience at AUC. All the students came together to help each other succeed. I think that’s very important, especially in the field of medicine."
-Carol Monis, MD '20
Riverside Community Hospital
Students learn the basic sciences (termed Medical Sciences in AUC’s curriculum) in St. Maarten—the on-island portion of medical training lasts for roughly half of your son or daughter’s AUC education (80 weeks (about 1 and a half years), less than two years). Dedicated faculty—many of whom were recruited from United States institutions—teach a US-modeled basic sciences curriculum to AUC students in highly advanced lecture halls and facilities in our high-tech, high-touch campus environment.
When your son or daughter successfully completes AUC’s Medical Sciences curriculum in St. Maarten, he/she would then proceed to clinical rotations at affiliated hospitals in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom. Learn more about our Clinical Sciences curriculum here or read about our clinical affiliates here.
Completed in 1998, AUC’s Medical Sciences campus provides a unique setting for teaching and learning. From the moment they step foot on our campus, students can experience the powerful academic and technological resources in place to help them make the most of their medical school experience. In recent years, we’ve implemented innovative teaching programs, modern laboratories, supplemental electronic curriculum delivery, and other technological advances geared toward enhancing your son or daughter’s AUC experience even more.
We want you son or daughter to feel at home in St. Maarten. We offer on-campus housing, a fitness center, cafeteria and chef, ample study spaces and 24/7 on-campus security.
In Preston, founded in 1828 as the Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge, is now is one of the UK’s largest universities with a staff and student community approaching 38,000 and an employment-focused course portfolio containing over 350 undergraduate programs and nearly 250 postgraduate courses. The University has an established research reputation with world-leading or internationally excellent work taking place within the areas of Business, Health, Humanities and Science. As a truly global institution, UCLan’s student body includes 120 nationalities and its partnership network extends to 125 countries.
The UCLan Preston Campus is right at the heart of the city, just minutes away from its vibrant shopping centre, attractions and nightlife. It’s home to a thriving international community of over 38,000 students and staff. Everything you need on campus is within easy reach - from the Library (open 24/7 during term time) to lecture theatres, cafes and Students’ Union. And all University accommodation is located within a short walk of the campus - so you’ll never have to worry about being late for lectures.
AUC's main campus is located on the island of St. Maarten. St. Maarten is a well-known tourist destination. AUC School of Medicine is located less than 10 minutes away from the “Princes Juliana International Airport” and within proximity of over many of the large resorts on the Island. It is also located in one of the more affluent districts on the Island. With daily flights to the US and other parts of the world. Located about 150 miles from Puerto Rico, St. Maarten is about 37 square miles and is shared by the governments of France and the Netherlands Antilles (AUC is on the Dutch side). English is spoken everywhere, the US dollar is the accepted currency, and the island itself is dotted with beaches, winding roads, and districts. Our campus location enables AUC medical school students and their families to access diving, sailing and sports activities, movie theaters and golf courses, and countless local markets and duty-free shopping.
UCLAN Location
Situated in the heart of the North West of England the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is located in the city of Preston a vibrant, cultural and friendly city, located a short distance from the coastline, the Lake District, and the larger cities of Manchester and Liverpool, both of which have international airports.
AUC offers more than a dozen clubs and organizations that your son or daughter can join, including the American Medical Student Association, honors societies, and a number of cultural clubs.
The Safety & Security Department at AUC provides outreach and education on crimes affecting campus community members and works proactively to reduce or prevent incidents on campus. Offered services include facility security, escort services, a security shuttle service from 7 am to 3 am, emergency safety information, and parking and vehicle registration.