Saba University School of Medicine
Encyclopedia
Saba University School of Medicine is a for-profit
medical school
located in The Bottom
, Saba, in the Caribbean
. Saba confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine
(MD) degree. Saba University is owned by R3 Education, Inc.
. Saba University was approved by the Federal Government of the Netherlands Antilles in 1988 and an official charter was granted in 1989.
Saba's graduates practice primarily in the United States and Canada with over 1300 graduates. Over 120 students were placed in Canadian and American residencies in 2009 alone. Saba's USMLE Step 1
pass rate was 95% in 2002 and 94% in 2003. The USMLE Step 2 pass rate was 93% and 90% in those years respectively. Class sizes are 80-100 students per matriculating class. Students complete the first 20 months of basic science medical education on the island and return to the US and Canada to complete clinical rotations at hospitals contracted by the school.
Semester I
Semester II
Semester III
Semester IV
Semester V
Semester VI - X
Saba is accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine
(ACCM), an independent organization based in Ireland that accredits medical schools on behalf of several governments, including the governments of Saba and the Netherlands Antilles.
As of June 2009, Saba has received a positive initial review (with the exception of an "Unsatisfactory" in the "Academic orientation" category) by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie (NVAO
), which is responsible for assessing academic quality in the Netherlands, Flanders, and Dutch Caribbean colonies.
The US Department of Education's National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation
(NCFMEA) reviewed the ACCM and determined that the standards used to accredit SABA were comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States.
Saba has been approved by some U.S.
states which have a separate review process for the purposes of licensing or providing clinical rotations, specifically:
For-Profit School
For-profit education refers to educational institutions operated by private, profit-seeking businesses....
medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
located in The Bottom
The Bottom
The Bottom is the capital and largest town of the island of Saba, the Caribbean Netherlands, and is the first stop on the way from Saba's Port in Fort Bay towards the rest of the island...
, Saba, in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. Saba confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(MD) degree. Saba University is owned by R3 Education, Inc.
History
Saba University School of Medicine began in 1986 as a combined project between the island government of Saba and a group of medical educators from the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Saba University was approved by the Federal Government of the Netherlands Antilles in 1988 and an official charter was granted in 1989.
Saba's graduates practice primarily in the United States and Canada with over 1300 graduates. Over 120 students were placed in Canadian and American residencies in 2009 alone. Saba's USMLE Step 1
USMLE Step 1
The USMLE Step 1 is the first part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. It assesses whether medical school students or graduates can apply important concepts of the sciences fundamental to the practice of medicine. US medical students typically take Step 1 at the end of the second...
pass rate was 95% in 2002 and 94% in 2003. The USMLE Step 2 pass rate was 93% and 90% in those years respectively. Class sizes are 80-100 students per matriculating class. Students complete the first 20 months of basic science medical education on the island and return to the US and Canada to complete clinical rotations at hospitals contracted by the school.
Curriculum
The first five Basic Science semesters follow a similar outline as those seen in American medical schools. They consist of the lab work and course material necessary to gain a basic understanding of the medical sciences prior to entering clinical rotations.Semester I
- Gross Anatomy/Embryology
- Histology
- Evidence Based Medicine
Semester II
- Biochemistry
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
- Physiology
Semester III
- Behavioral Sciences
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Neuroscience
Semester IV
- Pharmacology
- Systemic Pathology I
- Physical Diagnosis
Semester V
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine
- Systemic Pathology II
- USMLE Step 1 Preparation
Semester VI - X
- 42 weeks of required core rotations in Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics and Gynecology.
- 30 weeks of elective clinical rotations that the student may select based upon their projected medical specialty.
Accreditation and Licensure
Saba University School of Medicine is accredited by the governments of Saba and the Netherlands Antilles.Saba is accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine
Accreditation commission of colleges of medicine
The Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine is an international review and accreditation service for medical schools.The National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation , part of the United States Department of Education, has listed ACCM as "found to use standards to...
(ACCM), an independent organization based in Ireland that accredits medical schools on behalf of several governments, including the governments of Saba and the Netherlands Antilles.
As of June 2009, Saba has received a positive initial review (with the exception of an "Unsatisfactory" in the "Academic orientation" category) by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie (NVAO
NVAO
NVAO is the educational accreditation organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. It was established by international treaty and for the purpose of ensuring the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders by accrediting study programmes.-Mission:The organisation's mission is to...
), which is responsible for assessing academic quality in the Netherlands, Flanders, and Dutch Caribbean colonies.
The US Department of Education's National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation
National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation
The National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation is a committee within the US Department of Education. It is responsible for assessing the accreditation standards of non-US medical schools and determining if those standards are "comparable" with US standards. The Committee does...
(NCFMEA) reviewed the ACCM and determined that the standards used to accredit SABA were comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States.
Saba has been approved by some U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
states which have a separate review process for the purposes of licensing or providing clinical rotations, specifically:
- Saba is approved by the Medical Board of CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. However, this recognition applies only to coursework begun on or after January 1, 2002. - Saba is approved by the New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
State Board of Education for the purpose of students participating in clinical rotations in that state. - Saba is approved by the FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Department of Education's Commission for the purpose of students participating in clinical rotations in that state. - Saba is approved by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts (KSBHA) for coursework that began on or after January 1, 2002.
Tuition and Fees
Base tuition for Saba University School of Medicine in 2011 is as follows:- Semesters 1-5: $10,150
- Semesters 6-10: $10,950
Student Life
Several student organizations exist at Saba. These include, but are not limited to:- American Medical Student AssociationAmerican Medical Student AssociationThe American Medical Student Association , founded in 1950 and based in Washington, D.C., is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. AMSA is a student-governed, national organization...