Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ

Accreditations and Approvals

In addition to having been granted a five-year accreditation in 2017 and 2023 from the Accreditation Board of St. Kitts and Nevis, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences (Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ) also has an accreditation from the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) an internationally recognized accrediting body that follows the Liaison Committee of Medical Education's (LCME) Standards for Accreditation. The LCME is empowered by the US Department of Education as the accreditor of US and Canadian medical schools.

ACCM is approved by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). The NCFMEA is empowered by the US Department of Education to review written and applied accreditation standards for medical schools outside of North America. ACCM is approved by NCFMEA and is recognized as having standards comparable to those utilized in the US.

If a student has submitted a complaint to Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà through the Student Portal Complaint Box which indicates that Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà has been non-compliant with ACCM accreditation standards and does not feel that Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà fairly resolved the problem, he/she may contact ACCM at office@accredmed.org or on their website ).

Complaints must be submitted in writing, giving as much detail as possible of the matter in question. ACCM will not intervene in internal matters such as admissions, appointments, promotions, or dismissals. Anonymous complaints will not be considered.

The identity of a complainant is kept confidential insofar as possible, although there may be circumstances in which confidentiality cannot be maintained. In this case, the complainant will be asked to sign an authorization to release any relevant documentation or information as required. For more details on ACCM's procedure for handling complaints about educational program quality, please write to the ACCM Secretariat.

ACCM Secretariat
131 Belmont
Southern Cross Road
Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Cellphone: +353-87-238 8502
Email: office@accredmed.org
Website:

Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà understands the importance of having its programs accredited so that our students may be eligible to sit for the and apply for certification from the . This certification is required for international and Caribbean medical school graduates to obtain residencies and licensing to practice medicine in the United States.

St. Kitts Accreditation

An important first step for ECFMG is to be accredited in the country in which the school is located. Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà was granted full accreditations by the St. Christopher and Nevis Accreditation Board, an arm of the Ministry of Education, in 2012, 2017 and 2023.  The accreditation process is lengthy and requires the university to provide a detailed self-study that covers virtually every aspect of the university.  Upon review of the self-study and supporting documents the St. Kitts Accreditation Board schedules a site visit to meet with Senior Administration, Faculty, Students, Department Chairs, Clinical Department, and other administrative departments.  At the exit interview the site team commented on how impressed they were with our dedication to students.  In fact, their final report approved Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà for another 5 years and confirmed we met all of their standards which in our view is a testimonial to quality of our academic program.  

World Federation of Medical Education’s World Directory

The next step is for the school to be listed in the World Directory of the World Federation of Medical Education. Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà received this listing in June 2008.

As a result of the World Directory listing and our accreditation, students at Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà are eligible to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examinations. Graduates who have successfully passed Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS prior to January 2021 are eligible for ECFMG certification.  The CS was discontinued in 2021 and ECFMG created Pathways 3 and 6 as an alternative to CS.   After 2021 students must pass USMLE Step 1 and 2 CK and satisfy one of the pathways to be eligible for ECFMG certification. USMLE Step 3 is taken after graduation.

Effective in 2024, physicians applying for ECFMG Certification will be required to graduate from a medical school that has been appropriately accredited. A process for recognizing the agencies that accredit medical schools has been developed and is now available. This process will allow medical schools accredited by recognized agencies, and their graduates, to meet ECFMG’s accreditation requirement.  Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà is accredited by ACCM, which is approved by ECFMG as a recognized accreditor. As a result, we satisfy this new standard, and our graduates will continue to be eligible for ECFMG certification.

USMLE Step 1, and Step 2 CK and CS

Graduates, who have successfully completed the Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà program and have passed Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS.  Please note that the CS was discontinued in January 2021.  As a result, those who graduate after 2021 must go through ECFMG Pathways 3 or 6 as an alternative to CS.   Once students have successfully passed Step 1 and Step 2 CK and completed either the pathways or CS, they are now eligible to apply for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) Certification which is required to obtain a residency in the United States. We highly recommend that students visit the ECFMG website for further information about certification.

USMLE Step 3

Step 3 of the USMLE is taken after graduation. To be eligible for licensure graduates must have successfully passed all three steps of the USMLE and satisfied the specific state requirements. Since licensure requirements vary by state, we urge all students to contact their licensure board, or boards, for further details.

State Approvals 

In addition to accreditation, there are a small number of States that have provisions for approving foreign medical schools. Gaining state approvals enhances the reputation of the university, provides further opportunities to expand the clinical program, substantially increases residency opportunities, which positively impacts both our students and graduates. Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà currently has approval in the state of Georgia, California, and Florida. We have submitted our application for NY State approval and are currently in queue for a site visit.