Over the past 42 years, St. George’s University Grenada has certified over 16,000 graduates who have practiced medicine in every state of America and Canada plus 50 countries around the world
Established in 1976 in Grenada (West Indies), St. George’s University (SGU) is a private, internationally reputed institution of medical education offering degree programmes in allopathy and veterinary medicine, public health, health sciences, and nursing. This Caribbean medical school is accredited and approved by the medical education regulatory authorities of several countries, including the Medical Council of India (MCI). SGU’s School of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council of Education, and Master of Public Health degree programme by the Council of Education for Public Health in the US — one of the few non-US based institutions to receive this coveted accreditation. The university’s clinical training programme is delivered through 70-plus affiliated teaching hospitals and licensees in the US, UK, Canada, and Grenada.
Although geographically this medical varsity is set in a remote island nation, over the past 42 years SGU has certified 16,000 graduates who have practiced medicine in every state of America and Canada plus 50 countries around the world. Surprisingly, SGU enjoys the distinction of being the premier offshore supplier of medical practitioners to the US. In the US, SGU graduates are obliged to clear the USMLE (US Medical Licensing Examination) before being alllowed to practice medicine. However, St. George’s University claims 97 percent of its graduates who write USMLE qualify to practise medicine in the US. In India they are required to pass an examination administered by MCI.
Initially promoted by “a handful of dreamers” (Charles and Louis Modica, Edward McGowan and Patrick F. Adams), the St. George’s University School of Medicine was chartered by Grenada’s parliament in 1976. In 1991, the university launched a $250-million expansion programme under which it diversified its range of study programmes through the establishment of a school of arts and sciences in 1996 and sciences and public sciences in 1999.
Currently, St. George’s University hosts 7,400 students from 140 countries including 100 from India, mentored by 2,300 highly-qualified faculty including distinguished visiting academics from Cambridge, Harvard, Georgetown and Emory universities. Its four academic schools offer 52 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. “Because of the acute shortage of medical colleges relative to its population, many talented Indian students can’t avail medical education. St. George’s University offers a high-quality affordable alternative. Its rigorous and globally recognised medical degree programmes prepare students for careers in medicine anywhere in the world,” says Salil Gupta, the Delhi-based South Asia recruitment manager of SGU.
Grenada. An independent nation within the British Commonwealth, Grenada (pop. 100,000) is a small island of 133 sq. km located in the Carribean Sea. A former constituency of the West Indies, it has rich English and French speaking traditions. St. George, Grenada’s admin capital, is a busy port city with a picturesque horseshoe-shaped harbour and yacht lagoon. While tourism is the major industry, Grenada is also one of the world’s largest exporters of spices such as nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. A rich topography — mountains, rainforests, mangroves, dwarf forests and sea — makes the island a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The island enjoys a tropical climate with ambient temperatures ranging from 24ºC to 30ºC through the year.
Campus facilities. Sited in St. George against the breathtaking lapis blue waters of the Caribbean, SGU’s True Blue Campus sprawls over 100 acres offering cutting-edge infrastructure including labs, library and research institutes. The state-of-the-art $250-million campus, distinguished by its pastel-tinted buildings, is equipped to weather Category 5 hurricanes and hosts banks, grocery stores, restaurants, and a water desalination plant.
In this island nation, water sports such as swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking and windsurfing are popular student activities. The campus also offers a multi-purpose gym and fitness centre with weight-training and cardio equipment and practice rooms for aerobics, kickboxing, dance, martial arts, and yoga. Facilities for soccer, basketball, volleyball, flag football, frisbee, cricket, field hockey, and softball are also available to students. Moreover, the university’s 65 student organisations stage a wide range of social and cultural events through the year.
Admission. The minimum eligibility criterion for admission into SGU’s five-year MD programme, equivalent to the MBBS degree in India, is successful completion of Plus Two with a minimum 80 percent average. In addition, students need to submit proof of English language proficiency — minimum IELTS score of 7.0, TOEFL 600 or 250 online. The admission application form should be submitted online — no application fee for Indian nationals — with two letters of recommendation and official score transcripts from secondary school (https://www.sgu.edu/next-steps/apply-now/) or mailed to Office of Admission, St. George’s University c/o University Support Services, LLC The North American Correspondent 3500 Sunrise Highway, Building 300 Great River, NY 11739 USA. Indian students can also apply directly to the India office (admissionindia@sgu.edu/ SGupta10@sgu.edu).
Shortlisted students need to also clear an interview (over Skype or in person). The deadline for receipt of admission applications is June 15 for the term beginning August, and November 15 of the preceding year for the January term.
Students enrolled in the five-year MD programme have multiple study options — three years in Grenada, two years in the US/UK or first two years in the UK, one year in Grenada, last two years in the US/UK or first year in UK/India (M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore), two years in Grenada and last two years in the UK/US.
For further information contact +1 (631) 665-8500 ext. 1380, email: sguenrolment@sgu.edu; website: www.sgu.edu. India office: Ph: 18005729921, WhatsApp +918130387800, www.sgu.edu/India.
Accommodation. SGU offers contemporary residential accommodation in one/two bedroom suites with common kitchen/living areas. All halls of residence are centrally air conditioned and offer laundry facilities and fully-furnished bedrooms.
Degree programmes. St. George’s University offers 52 study programmes through its four academic schools.
SCHOLASTIC OPTIONS AT SGU
St. George’s University’s four schools offer a wide range of undergrad and research programmes. They include:
School of Medicine. Doctor of medicine (MD), 4/5/6/7-year MD programme, summer leadership programme
School of Veterinary Medicine. Doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM), 4/5/6/7 DVM programme, Island veterinary scholars programme
School of Graduate Studies. MBA — health, international business; Master of education; Master of health; Master of science; Master of arts in clinical-community psychology
School of arts and sciences. Accounting and finance, biology, psychology, international business, IT, management, nursing, sociology
Tuition fees (five years): US $315,000
Living expenses (per year): US $15,000 NB $= Rs.72