Studying medicine at AUA is truly unique and offers advantages unlike any other medical school in the Caribbean:
AUA is the only hospital-integrated program in the Caribbean with a curriculum that is comparable to the medical education paradigm in U.S. medical schools. Beginning with their first semester, students are introduced to the clinical setting. AUA students begin their clinical experience during their Basic Sciences semesters by accompanying doctors on rounds at the local hospital either in Antigua or in Manipal, which has just been ranked the NUMBER ONE private medical school (number two out of all universities) in India, whom we have a twinning program with.
AUA offers multiple locations where a student can take their first Clinical Medicine semester when they return to the U.S. No other medical school offers such an opportunity. Graduates of the Basic Science program move on to attend the 16-week Family Practice I / Internal Medicine I semester conducted in one of five different U.S. locations; New York, NY, Miami, FL, Atlanta, GA, Brooklyn, NY or Pontiac, MI. Upon completion, students are ready to sit for the USMLE™ Step 1.The Clinical Clerkship segment consists of 6- and 12-week core and 4-week elective rotations at various AUA-affiliated approved teaching hospitals in the U.S., which is required for licensure in all states.
AUA is one of the few schools licensed by the state of New York. There are only a few states in the U.S. that require approval for international medical schools. Although less than 5 years old, the AUA program is proud to be one of a few that has been approved by the State of New York, allowing our students the option to complete their clinical training and residencies at NY State-approved hospitals, which is extremely important because 1/3 of residencies and teaching hospitals are in NY state, and you can not secure a residency spot in the state of New York without NYS approval.
AUA is committed to ensuring that our faculty to student ratio remains high. It is our president’s pledge that all classes are kept to a level of no more than 120 students per classroom. This will optimize the students’ learning experience. AUA also has the most modern of educational equipment found in its classrooms, labs and library facilities. The university’s dedication to provide a high quality medical education is also evident by its construction of our new $60 million, 17-acre campus, which is currently underway.
AUA is one of the few schools that offer both a four-year and a six-year medical program that leads to becoming a licensed physician in the United States and Canada. AUA offers two distinct programs for students interested in attaining a medical degree: the four-year MD degree program and the six-year AS/MD degree program.
As part of our mission, AUA does its utmost to prepare students to become licensed U.S. physicians. Shelf Exams are used as final exams for the Basic Sciences courses, ensuring that the students meet U.S. medical education requirements. AUA prepares its students to achieve passing scores on the U.S. Medical Licensing Examinations™ (USMLE) and provides clinical clerkship opportunities in some of the best teaching hospitals in the U.S.
As part of our mission in preparing students to become successful U.S. physicians, AUA graduates have been highly successful in securing U.S. residencies through the National Residency Match Program. In 2007 and 2008 virtually all AUA U.S. eligible graduates have obtained residencies, generally their first or second choice, with the exception of 3 students in 2008 who are obtaining their residency through the scramble. We will continue to report as we are notified of additional placements. The NRMP Main Match is set up to provide impartial matching for applicants' preferences for residency positions with program directors' preferences for applicants. According to the NRMP website, “Each year approximately 16,000 U.S. allopathic medical school seniors and 15,000 graduates of osteopathic, Canadian or foreign medical schools compete for approximately 24,000 residency positions.” This year, Of the 15,242 U.S. graduates, 14,359 won residency positions; 94%. More than one-fifth of the positions available through the match this year were in internal medicine.
AUA is a recipient of U.S. Congressional approval. The Honorable Donald M. Payne of the 10th District of New Jersey visited Antigua in 2006 in support of expanding educational opportunities for students who dream of becoming physicians He commended AUA on its immense impact on the surrounding communities, and praised the school’s commitment to a high standard of learning and achievement. Congressman Payne applauded AUA President and Founder Neal Simon, Esq., for establishing a quality medical education program with a focus on accommodating the need for diversity in medical education.
Under the offices of the Mayo Clinic Medical Transport’s Gold Cross Training Center, AUA has been named as an international training site by the American Heart Association (AHA). AUA is the first medical school in the Caribbean to have a formal program accredited by the American Heart Association. Under the supervision of certified instructors from the Mayo Clinic, students, faculty, health care providers and even lay persons take part in the week-long exercise and earn their certificates. The completion of the BLS certification is required for AUA students who are being certified in Basic Life Support (BLS), as it is a requirement for first semester students. Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) must be completed by fourth year students according to the AHA guidelines.