Requirements for medical school at St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada

medical Program Admission

Requirements

Selection Factors

Admission Process

Application

Application Deadlines

Advanced Standing

Requirements

For North American Applicants
1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is required. Candidates accepted during the final year of undergraduate study are accepted with the assumption that their undergraduate degree will be completed before matriculation into the School of Medicine; candidates’ acceptance will be withdrawn if the degree is not obtained.

2. The following specific undergraduate coursework (or its equivalent) is required as part of the premedical program requirements for admission: one year General Biology or Zoology with lab; one year Inorganic Chemistry (General or Physical) with lab; one year Organic Chemistry with lab; one semester Physics with lab; one semester Math (Calculus, Computer Science, or Statistics); and one semester of English. The Committee on Admission recommends courses in Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Physiology as preparation for medical school, and in today’s increasingly technical environment, a basic knowledge in the use of a computer is imperative.

3. Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). All North American applicants must submit MCAT scores. (The University’s MCAT code is 21303.) Inquiries concerning application, test dates, and locations should be directed to:

Medical College Admission Test Registration
The American College Testing Program
PO Box 414
Iowa City, IA 52243
Phone: 1 (319) 337-1276
Website: www.aamc.org/students/mcat

For British Applicants
1. A bachelor’s degree with a strong science background is necessary.

2. Applicants with passes at the Advanced Level of the General Certificate of Education will be assessed individually and will be considered for entry into Year 3 of the premedical program.

3. If English is not the principal language, the applicant must have achieved a minimum score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or a 7.0 overall score on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). (The University’s TOEFL code is 2864.)

For Applicants from Other Systems of Education
1. Successful completion of secondary school (12 years post-kindergarten, comprising four years post-primary/elementary that is in itself at least eight years long), preferably in a science curriculum or track.

2. A bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent), which includes a science background and the study of English.

Admission to the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program
Students should apply to St. George’s University School of Medicine for the Doctor of Medicine degree, noting that they wish to be considered for the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program.

Prospective students must also include an additional 500-word essay, which demonstrates a commitment to dedicating at least a part of their professional lives to practicing medicine in developing countries.

All Applicants

Applicants are advised that the Committee on Admission requires an academic indicator (completed coursework or exam score) within the three years prior to making application. North American applicants are advised that MCAT scores may be used as a recent academic indicator. An applicant who thinks that special circumstances will qualify him/her for a waiver must submit a written request for such a waiver to the Committee on Admission.

Selection Factors
The Committee on Admission takes seriously its charge of choosing future physicians who will contribute positively to the world’s community of healthcare practitioners. The selection of students is made after careful consideration of many aspects: academic ability, emotional and professional maturity, academic achievement, community service, indicators of responsibility and motivation, Medical College Admission Test scores when applicable, health professions experience, and letters of recommendation regarding the applicant’s personal qualities, character, motivation, and academic abilities. Candidates for admission will be invited for an interview.

The medical school faculty specified the following non-academic and academic standards which applicants/medical students are expected to meet to participate in the medical education program and the subsequent practice of medicine.

Observation Skills
The applicant/medical student must be able to participate actively in all demonstrations and laboratory exercises in the basic medical sciences and to assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned to him or her for examination, diagnosis and treatment.
Communication Skills
The applicant/medical student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, assess non-verbal communications, and be able to effectively and efficiently transmit information to patients, fellow students, faculty, staff and all members of the health care team. Communication skills include speaking, reading and writing, as well as the observation skills described above.
Motor Skills
The applicant/medical student must have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers, be able to perform basic laboratory tests, possess all skills necessary to carry out diagnostic procedures and be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients.
Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities
The applicant/medical student must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the applicant/medical student must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures. The applicant / medical student must have the capacity to perform these problem-solving skills in a timely fashion.
Behavioral and Social Attributes
The applicant/medical student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and others. An applicant/medical student must also be able to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environment, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, commitment and motivation are personal qualities which each applicant/medical student should possess.

Admission Process

The Office of Admission will acknowledge receipt of the candidate’s application within two weeks of its arrival. A candidate is informed of any more required supporting documents missing at that time. A candidate will receive notice when the application file is complete. Within a month after receipt of the complete application and supporting documentation, the application will be reviewed to determine whether an interview will be granted.

The SGU Office of Admission encourages candidates who have been approved for an interview to request interviews in Grenada and will schedule one upon the applicant’s request. The University recognizes that financial considerations may prevent many candidates who reside at great distances from Grenada from choosing this option. Interviews, therefore, may be conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, the Caribbean or other locations that best serve the diverse applicant pool.

Candidates are advised that being granted an interview is no guarantee of acceptance; the interview itself plays a significant part in the decision by the Committee on Admission.

A student’s acceptance into the School of Medicine is granted upon the presumption by the Committee on Admission that: (1) All courses currently being taken by the applicant will be completed prior to registration.(2) All statements made by the applicant during the admission process, whether oral, written, or in submission of academic documentation, are true and correct. If it is subsequently discovered that false or inaccurate information was submitted, the University may nullify a candidate’s acceptance or, if the student is registered, dismiss the student.

The Health Care form must be completed before registration. Within three weeks of acceptance notification, a student must submit a signed Acknowledgment of Admission along with a non-refundable tuition deposit in order to reserve a seat in the class.

Application

For your convenience, you can download an application now. SGU Applications are available as PDF documents - please print it out and complete it manually. You may also contact us directly and we will send you out a hard copy for your use.

Application Deadlines

Admission Deadlines for August and January Matriculation
The School of Medicine begins first-term classes in mid-August and again in mid-January. The Committee on Admission utilizes a rolling admission policy in the School of Medicine; therefore applications are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis. The final deadline for receipt of applications and all supporting documentation is June 15th of the current year for the August class and November 15th of the preceding year for the January class.
Prospective candidates should note that entering classes are highly competitive and applications completed early have the advantage of being reviewed at the beginning of the admission's process.

The time necessary to secure official transcripts, standardized test scores and letters of recommendation should be taken into consideration. The Committee on Admission reserves the right to defer an application to the following semester if there are no available seats.

Advanced Standing Applications

Applications for advanced standing are considered rarely and only for the beginning of the second year. The Committee on Admission does not seek or encourage transfer applications. A candidate seeking advanced standing should write to the Chairman of the Committee on Admission to determine whether an application will be considered. The letter should include the citizenship of the candidate, the prior medical school with years attended, a brief summary of academic achievement and the reason for leaving. Should the Committee on Admission consider the application, the candidate will be notified of the procedures for applications.