Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
September 06, 2007 (CUOPM)
A new medical school is to throw its doors open in St. Kitts and Nevis in January next year.
An agreement to charter and establish the University of Medicine and Health Sciences of St. Kitts has been signed between St. Kitts and Nevis‘ Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and Dr. Robert Ross of the United States to accommodate a maximum of 1200 students.
Witnessing the signing were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Hon. Sam Condor and Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon. Dennis Merchant.
The University of Medicine and Health Sciences of St. Kitts will be engaged in the business of providing medical education for qualified students from around the world, providing medical related services, and in general providing educational programmes and courses.
Government grants the University, subject to accreditation by the Accreditation Board, the charter for a school of medicine with the right to confer the degree of Doctor of Medicine and other appropriate degrees, including without limitation, post-graduate degrees to holders of the Doctor of Medicine degree.“The Government also grants the University the right to establish a pre-medical division with the right to confer appropriate degrees, including without limitation, the degree of physicians assistant, and to engage in all necessary and appropriate activities that are direct or incidental to the operation of a school of medicine and or such other schools, provided that the holding of the Charter shall be subject to the University continuing to be accredited by the Accreditation Board,” said the agreement.
The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis grants the University of Medicine and Health Sciences of St. Kitts the authority to confer on graduates who have successfully completed the University’s prescribed course of matriculation, the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
The University and the degrees that the University confers will be recognized and accepted by the Government, provided that the curriculum conforms to the standards of the Accreditation Board. Recipients of Doctor of Medicine degrees shall be eligible for licensure in respect to the practice of medicine in the St. Kitts and Nevis.
Under the agreement, the Joseph N. France General Hospital and other public health care facilities will be available to the University for the training of physicians for an annual fee.
The University shall continuously provide to citizens of the Federation as recommended by the Government two (2) scholarships tenable at the University. The scholarships shall cover only the cost of tuition, books and equipment.