Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM) is a private for-profit offshore medical school that had two basic science campuses: one in the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla, and the other in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. They were considered one school with two campuses. Saint James confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. In 2024, Saint James School of Medicine decided to consolidate at its St. Vincent location and closed its Anguilla location.

History Saint James School of Medicine was originally established in Bonaire in 1999 and began instruction in 2000. Kallol Guha is the founder and president. He holds academic degrees from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Kuopio in Finland, and began his career in Caribbean medical education during in the early 1980s.

In 2006, the people of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba agreed to dissolve the Netherlands Antilles. Upon the imminent dissolution of the country, the ministers of health of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles requested the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) to assess the quality of all medical schools in the Netherlands Antilles. The medical school on the island of Saba was the only one to hold NVAO accreditation. The rest of the schools decided to relocate their campuses. In 2010, Saint James opened a campus in Anguilla.

In 2014, the School opened its St. Vincent and the Grenadines campus, and began merging the Bonaire campus into the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines campus on the main island of Saint Vincent. At the end of the Fall 2015 semester, Saint James moved its Bonaire operation, students, and faculty to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines campus. They also transferred their IMED listing.

In 2022, the FTC determined that "the school misrepresented its U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 pass rate in sales calls, presentations, and marketing materials. One brochure claimed a 96.77% first-time USMLE Step 1 pass ratebut the school's actual pass rate is around 35%, according to the FTC" (Case No. 1:22-cv-1919). For comparison, 98% of US and Canadian medical students passed the USMLE Step 1 on their first attempt. The FTC determined that the average match rate for Saint James medical students is 63%, lower than the 83% that Saint James School of Medicine claims. "Saint James School of Medicineand its Illinois-based operatorswill have to pay $1.2 million toward refunds and debt cancellation for students harmed by its deceptive marketing, according to an FTC press release." The school denied these allegations in their statement, saying that they settled to avoid lengthy and expensive legal proceeding with the FTC.

A new campus in Golden Vale, Saint Vincent opened on October 17, 2024, as Phase 1 of a larger construction project. The opening was attended by the Honourable Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. The new 5,500 sq. ft. facility, along with a 4,000 sq. ft. outdoor amphitheater, marks Phase 1 of a larger 40,000+ sq. ft. campus, which is expected to be completed in 2026.

MD Program Curriculum The MD program at Saint James School of Medicine is a 10-semester course of study, with three semesters per calendar year, each lasting four months. Semesters 1-5 are basic sciences completed at the campus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Starting in September 2024, all basic science coursework will be conducted on the school's campus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. After completion, students are expected to complete the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1, for which the school offers a pass guarantee.

The Clinical Science portion consists of semesters 6-10 that involve 80 weeks of clinical study that are completed at affiliated hospitals and clinical facilities in the United States.

Accreditation The Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine granted Saint James School of Medicine full accreditation for three years in 2019. Later, in 2022, Saint James received a further three-year full accreditation until December 31, 2025. In May 2025, ACCM announced that the school has renewed its accreditation for another three years. The new approval is scheduled to expire in December 2028.

Saint James School of Medicine's campus(es) is/are listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDMS).WDMS Saint James School of Medicine St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Retrieved on October 29, 2016WDMS Saint James School of Medicine Anguilla. October 29, 2016 Graduates of Saint James are eligible for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and ECFMG Certification, as well as the Canadian Medical Licensing Exams (Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination).ECFMG Requirements for Certification. Retrieved on October on 29, 2016

The school participated in the accreditation process of the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP) from February 2007 until July 2024, when it voluntarily withdrew as part of a broader strategic initiative to align with other recognized accrediting organizations.

The St. Vincent campus is also recognized by the National Accreditation Board (NAB) of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Financial aid Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM) has entered into an arrangement with Delta Financial Solutions, Inc. (Delta) to provide qualified students with a private student loan program. Saint James School of Medicine is not eligible for United States federal loans.

Student life Students can join clubs, including an AMSA chapter, a Phi Chi chapter, and others. The student body also volunteers to operate health screenings for the local community.

Notable alumni include Kelley Hurley, a four-time Olympic fencer and 2012 Olympic team bronze medalist, as well as Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft.

See also List of medical schools in the Caribbean

References

External links

Saint James School of Medicine Student Government Association of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Assessed Programmes