Read about SGU’s re-accreditation and approvals in a letter from the Dean of the School of Medicine. | Learn More
Accreditation and Approvals
Accreditation is a process by which a medical school undergoes extensive external evaluations by experts to ensure high educational standards are achieved. National and regional bodies which accredit schools are themselves evaluated by international federations, and by US based commissions.
School of Medicine Accreditation
Our accreditor, the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC) is recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) and the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA).
The WFME’s recognition of GMDC also ensures that SGUSOM students will continue to have access to:
- USMLE Step exams
- US clinical rotations
- Eligibility for US residency placement
- The physician licensing process in the US and many other countries.
GMDC also meets the high standards of the US Department of Education (US DOE) and assures SGU SOM students access to US DOE loans for US citizens.
“Accreditation Basics” for Students
Considering an International Medical School
- International medical schools have accreditation to ensure high-quality academic standards and outcomes
- The school itself must be accredited, and the accreditor may also be recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), the leading global authority responsible for reviewing medical accreditors
- In addition to ensuring educational outcomes, there are multiple reasons why accreditation and recognition matters:
- Access to clinical rotations
- Access to taking USMLE Step exams
- Participation in the US National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
- Pursuit of US licensure
- Access for US citizens to US Department of Education student loans
St. George’s University Accreditation Status
- SGU is accredited by the GMDC, with recent re-accreditation for the maximum term of ten years through 2030
- GMDC, in turn, is recognized by WFME; WFME recognizes a group of medical accreditors around the world following a rigorous review, including GMDC
- GMDC was granted WFME recognition for the maximum term of ten years through 2032
- GMDC is also recognized by the US Department of Education’s NCFMEA
- NCFMEA has recognized GMDC as having standards comparable to US medical accreditation standards, enabling access to US DOE loans for US citizens
- Most recently, in January 2023, SGU was re-approved by the New York State DOE, with the maximum approval of seven years through 2029, allowing students access to clinical training in NY
- SGU has offered clinical training opportunities in NY for the past forty years.
- SGU also has approvals and recognitions from the other US state bodies that are required to allow for clinical training
Accreditation and Approvals
Accreditation is a process by which a medical school undergoes extensive external evaluations by experts to ensure high educational standards are achieved. National and regional bodies which accredit schools are themselves evaluated by international federations, and by US based commissions.
School of Medicine Accreditation
St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC). GMDC has been recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) and the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), a panel of experts organized by the U.S. Department of Education, which determined that GMDC uses standards that are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States.
Based on its accreditation from GMDC, the SGUSOM can:
- Participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
- Participate in the U.S. Department of Education Federal Direct Loan Program and eligible SGUSOM students can receive such federal loans.
- Have access to the USMLE
- Apply for licensure to practice medicine in the United States.
“Accreditation Basics” for Students
Considering an International Medical School
- International medical schools have accreditation to ensure high-quality academic standards and outcomes
- The school itself must be accredited, and the accreditor may also be recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), the leading global authority responsible for reviewing medical accreditors
- In addition to ensuring educational outcomes, there are multiple reasons why accreditation and recognition matters:
- Access to clinical rotations
- Access to taking USMLE Step exams
- Participation in the US National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
- Pursuit of US licensure
- Access for US citizens to US Department of Education student loans
St. George’s University Accreditation Status
- SGU is accredited by the GMDC, with recent re-accreditation for the maximum term of ten years through 2030
- GMDC, in turn, is recognized by WFME; WFME recognizes a group of medical accreditors around the world following a rigorous review, including GMDC
- GMDC was granted WFME recognition for the maximum term of ten years through 2032
- GMDC is also recognized by the US Department of Education’s NCFMEA
- NCFMEA has recognized GMDC as having standards comparable to US medical accreditation standards, enabling access to US DOE loans for US citizens
- Most recently, in January 2023, SGU was re-approved by the New York State DOE, with the maximum approval of seven years through 2029, allowing students access to clinical training in NY
- SGU has offered clinical training opportunities in NY for the past forty years.
- SGU also has approvals and recognitions from the other US state bodies that are required to allow for clinical training
School of Veterinary Medicine Accreditation
St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine (SGUSVM) is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE). In addition, the School of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in the United Kingdom, which allows graduates to practice in the UK without further examination. SGUSVM is one of a few universities in the world to be accredited by both the AVMA COE and the RCVS.
The SGUSVM Small Animal Clinic is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). This clinic is one of only two animal clinics outside the US and Canada to gain AAHA accreditation. SGUSVM participates in the U.S. Department of Education Federal Direct Loan Program and eligible students can receive federal student loans for their studies at the School of Veterinary Medicine.
School of Arts and Sciences
The Government of Grenada has recognized St. George’s University School of Arts and Sciences since 1996. The School of Arts and Sciences is authorized by the Government of Grenada to confer bachelors, masters, and PhD degrees upon those candidates who successfully complete its academic requirements.
School of Graduate Studies Accreditation
St. George’s University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The MPH program is one of only a few CEPH-accredited programs located outside the United States.
St. George’s University School of Medicine graduates have also gained registration with medical licensing authorities in the following countries:
Approvals
Some US states or countries require additional approvals for recognition.
New York State Education Department
Approved by the New York State Education Department for long-term clinical clerkships in New York through 2029, subject to standard reporting requirements.
New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners
Approved by the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners to conduct clinical clerkship programs at SGU-affiliated New Jersey teaching hospitals and was designated as an alternatively accredited medical school by the Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey (AGMEC) within the New Jersey Commission of Higher Education as a result of legislation passed in 2003.
Georgia Composite Medical Board
Approved by the Georgia Composite Medical Board for clinical clerkships.
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California has included St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) on its list of recognized medical schools.
Florida Commission on Independent Education
Licensed by the Florida Commission on Independent Education.
International Approvals
SGU School of Medicine has been reviewed and approved by the following bodies internationally:
- The Bahamas Medical Council
- The Bermuda Medical Council
- The Sri Lankan Medical Council
- The Thailand Medical Council
- The Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago
Frequently Asked Questions About Accreditation
Is St. George’s University School of Medicine accredited?
St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC). GMDC has been recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) and the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), a panel of experts organized by the U.S. Department of Education, which determined that GMDC uses standards that are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States. Based on its accreditation from GMDC, the SGUSOM can participate in the U.S. Department of Education Federal Direct Loan Program and eligible SGUSOM students can receive such federal loans. The WFME’s recognition of GMDC also ensures that SGUSOM students will continue to have access to the USMLE, participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), and apply for licensure to practice medicine in the United States.
Can eligible graduates of St. George’s University School of Medicine practice in the US?
Yes, St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) graduates who meet requirements applicable to international medical graduates as established by the medical licensing authority in each U.S. state are eligible to apply for licensure to practice medicine in all 50 U.S. states. All School of Medicine students have access to SGUSOM advisors to help them navigate their pathway to licensure. SGUSOM is certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), fulfilling a requirement of all state licensing authorities. Additionally, SGUSOM graduates are eligible to apply for licensure in Canada and beyond. In fact, SGU has more than 22K School of Medicine graduates in the U.S. and around the world.
Can eligible students enrolled in St. George’s University School of Medicine sit for the USMLE?
Yes, students of St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) who fulfill their academic requirements are eligible to sit for the United States Medical License Examinations (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2. SGUSOM’s inclusion in the World Directory of Medicine, as an institution that meets Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirements, provides our students with access to the USMLE.
Can St. George’s University School of Medicine students receive federal loans under the U.S. Federal Direct Loan Program?
Yes, eligible students at St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) can receive Federal Direct Student Loans. The SGUSOM is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC), which is recognized as a comparable accrediting agency by the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), satisfying a prerequisite for SGUSOM to participate in this federal student loan program.
Did SGU lose its accreditation?
No, St. George’s University School of Medicine did not lose its accreditation.
The Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC) accredits St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM). St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC). GMDC has been recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) and the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) and is determined to use standards that are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States.
In January 2021, the School of Medicine voluntarily withdrew its additional accreditation by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). Accreditation by a single NCFMEA-recognized accreditor is the only form of accreditation needed for SGUSOM to have access to U.S. Federal Direct Student Loans. Our accreditation by GMDC, the chosen accreditor of the country of Grenada, meets that requirement. We were previously also accredited by CAAM-HP, but that is no longer needed for access to U.S. Federal Direct Student Loans or the other benefits identified above. CAAM-HP is also scheduled to face a renewal process of its WFME recognition in May of 2023.
Do medical schools require multiple accreditations?
No, schools of medicine are not required to maintain accreditation from multiple agencies.
SGU’s Accreditor (GMDC) Recognized By The World Federation Of Medical Education (WFME)
What is WFME?
World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization which aims to enhance the quality of medical education worldwide.
What is the WFME Recognition Programme?
The WFME Recognition Programme evaluates accrediting agencies against internationally accepted criteria for accreditation. Recognition status is the quality measure which confers the understanding that the quality of medical education in accredited schools is to an appropriate and rigorous standard.
Is St. George’s University School of Medicine’s accreditor (GMDC) recognized by WFME?
Yes. The Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC)—the accrediting body of St. George’s University School of Medicine—was recently recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) with recognition for the full 10 years through September 2032. The National Commission on Federal Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), a panel of experts organized by the US Department of Education, recently determined that the GMDC uses standards that are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States.
The WFME recognition of GMDC satisfies the 2024 requirement of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
What does WFME recognition of the GMDC mean?
WFME’s recognition ensures that St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) students will continue to have access to the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), the ability to participate in the National Residency Matching Program, and to apply for licensure to practice medicine in the United States.
Why is WFME approval important?
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), the authorized credential evaluation and guidance agency for non-U.S. physicians and graduates of non-US medical schools who seek to practice in the United States or apply for a US medical residency program, announced that effective in 2024, physicians applying for ECFMG certification to participate in the NRMP will be required to graduate from a medical school that has been appropriately accredited.
To satisfy this requirement, the physician’s medical school must be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by WFME. The WFME Recognition Programme is the only program accepted by ECFMG at the current time for the recognition of medical school accrediting agencies. WFME recognition of the GMDC is evidence of the strength of our accreditation and the foundation upon which you are building your career.
What is the ECFMG’s 2024 Medical School Accreditation Requirement?
Established in 2010 by the ECFMG, this requirement was created to “stimulate international accreditation efforts and enhance the quality of medical education worldwide.” Its goal is to:
- encourage the development and implementation of standards for evaluating undergraduate medical education
- provide greater assurance to both medical students and the public that they will be appropriately trained
Can SGUSOM students take the USMLE step exams and participate in the United States Residency Match Program?
Yes. SGUSOM is an accredited and recognized medical school providing students with the ability to take the USMLE, participate in the National Residency Matching Program, and apply for licensure to practice medicine in the United States.