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Accreditation

Accreditations are critical

It’s important to choose a medical school with the right accreditations in order to ensure that your education will fully prepare you to become a practicing physician in your desired geographic destination. UMHS has earned extensive accreditations and approvals, allowing our graduates the opportunity to attain residency and licensure across the US and Canada.

umhs neuro anatomy lab

Qualified to practice in the  US and Canada

Our students are qualified to sit for US and Canadian medical licensing exams, and gain residency and licensure throughout both countries. UMHS has ACCM accreditation, NCFMEA recognition, and multiple State Approvals.

Accreditation overview

Auditorium

St. Kitts accreditation

Our five-year accreditation from the St. Kitts and Nevis Accreditation Board allows UMHS to be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. As a result, students at UMHS are eligible for the United States Medical Licensing Examinations, ECFMG Certification, residencies, and licensure.

UMHS OAMSA 2023

ACCM accreditation & NCFMEA recognition

Our accreditation by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) is recognized by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). The Committee is authorized to evaluate the standards of accreditation applied to foreign medical schools and to determine the comparability of those standards to standards applied to medical schools in the United States.

anatomy lab

U.S. state approvals

UMHS is approved in Florida, Georgia and California. In addition, we have submitted our application to New York and are currently awaiting a site visit. Only a handful of states have an approval process for foreign medical schools.

Accreditations and approvals

In addition to having been granted a five-year accreditation in 2017 and 2022 from the Accreditation Board of St. Kitts and Nevis, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) also has an accreditation from the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) an internationally recognized accrediting body that follows the Liaison Committee of Medical Education's (LCME) Standards for Accreditation. The LCME is empowered by the US Department of Education as the accreditor of US and Canadian medical schools.

ACCM is approved by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). The NCFMEA is empowered by the US Department of Education to review written and applied accreditation standards for medical schools outside of North America. ACCM is approved by NCFMEA and is recognized as having standards comparable to those utilized in the US.

If a student has submitted a complaint to UMHS through the Student Portal Complaint Box which indicates that UMHS has been non-compliant with ACCM accreditation standards and does not feel that UMHS fairly resolved the problem, he/she may contact ACCM at office@accredmed.org or on their website https://accredmed.org/contact).

Complaints must be submitted in writing, giving as much detail as possible of the matter in question. ACCM will not intervene in internal matters such as admissions, appointments, promotions, or dismissals. Anonymous complaints will not be considered.

The identity of a complainant is kept confidential insofar as possible, although there may be circumstances in which confidentiality cannot be maintained. In this case, the complainant will be asked to sign an authorization to release any relevant documentation or information as required. For more details on ACCM's procedure for handling complaints about educational program quality, please write to the ACCM Secretariat.

ACCM Secretariat
131 Belmont
Southern Cross Road
Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Cellphone: +353-87-238 8502
Email: office@accredmed.org
Website: www.accredmed.org

UMHS understands the importance of having its programs accredited so that our students may be eligible to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) and apply for certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). This certification is required for international and Caribbean medical school graduates to obtain residencies and licensing to practice medicine in the United States.

St Kitts accreditation

An important first step for ECFMG is to be accredited in the country in which the school is located. UMHS was granted full Five-year accreditation by the St. Christopher and Nevis Accreditation Board, an arm of the Ministry of Education.

World Federation of Medical Education’s World Directory

The next step is for the school to be listed in the World Directory of the World Federation of Medical Education. UMHS received this listing in June 2008.

As a result of the World Directory listing and our accreditation, students at UMHS are eligible to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examinations. Graduates who have successfully passed Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS (the CS was discontinued in January 2021 – For 2021 and 2022 graduates, students must go through ECFMG Pathways 3 or 6 – TBD for 2023 and after) of the USMLE are eligible for ECFMG certification. USMLE Step 3 is taken after graduations.

Effective in 2024, physicians applying for ECFMG Certification will be required to graduate from a medical school that has been appropriately accredited. A process for recognizing the agencies that accredit medical schools has been developed and is now available. This process will allow medical schools accredited by recognized agencies, and their graduates, to meet ECFMG’s accreditation requirement.  UMHS is accredited by ACCM, which is approved by ECFMG as a recognized accreditor. As a result, we satisfy this new standard, and our graduates will continue to be eligible for ECFMG certification.

USMLE Step 1, and Step 2 CK and CS

Graduates, who have successfully completed the UMHS program and have passed Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS (the CS was discontinued in January 2021 – For 2021 and 2022 graduates, students must go through ECFMG Pathways 3 or 6 – TBD for 2023 and after) of the USMLE, are eligible to apply for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) certification which is required to obtain a residency in the United States. We highly recommend that students visit the ECFMG website for further information about certification.

USMLE Step 3

Step 3 of the USMLE is taken after graduation. To be eligible for licensure graduates must have successfully passed all three steps of the USMLE and satisfied the specific state requirements. Since licensure requirements vary by state, we urge all students to contact their licensure board, or boards, for further details.

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Caribbean medical school accreditation

In August 2007, the WHO and the University of Copenhagen signed an agreement, which gave the University responsibility for the development and administration of new global directories for the academic health professions with the assistance of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), which has a long-standing collaboration with WHO. WHO will continue its involvement together with other partners.  The University of Medicine and Health Sciences listing can be found under the country of St. Kitts/Nevis. 

UMHS graduation
Lincoln Center, NYC

State approvals 

In addition to accreditation, there are a small number of States that have provisions for approving foreign medical schools.  Gaining state approvals enhances the reputation of the university, provides further opportunities to expand the clinical program, substantially increases residency opportunities, which positively impacts both our students and graduates. UMHS currently has approval in the state of Georgia, California, and Florida. We have submitted our application for NY State approval and are currently in queue for a site visit.

UMHS - St. Kitts 7

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Equipped with the latest technology, we’re one of the most modern campuses in the Caribbean, comparable in every way to leading U.S. medical schools.

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UMHS ICM Session November 2023

Students during ICM Session, St. Kitts, 2023

Georgia

In 2014, UMHS received provisional approval from the State Board of Georgia.  In 2015 the Board granted full approval to UMHS.  We are the first foreign medical school to be approved by the State of Georgia under their new standards. In order to qualify for an approval, the University had to provide a significant amount of documentation including both a database of outcome information as well as a self-study. The review was very rigorous and demanding. In 2014 the University received a conditional approval after receiving a positive response from a site visit to the University. A subsequent follow up site visit occurred in January 2015 resulting in a full approval of the University. 

 This approval allows our University to continue to conduct clinical programs in Georgia. Consequently, our students will be eligible for unlimited clinical rotations, residency selection, and licensure in the State of Georgia. 

 

Student Faculty hiking trip 2023

UMHS student & faculty hiking trip, St. Kitts, 2023

Florida

In 2019, UMHS received full approval from the Commission of Independent Education.  As a result, UMHS is now eligible to conduct unlimited clinical programs in the State of Florida.  At present we are affiliated with two Florida teaching hospitals and hope to add more in the near future. 

UMHS is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission for Independent Education, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, toll-free telephone number (888) 224-6684. 

Statement of Legal Control: University of Medicine and Health Sciences Limited Corporation is registered with the Florida Department of State as a foreign profit corporation doing business as University of Medicine and Health Sciences. 

 

umhs med olympics

UMHS med olympics

California

UMHS is recognized in the State of California.

In January 2020, The Medical Board of California  determined  foreign medical school must meet any of the following requirements to be recognized: 

(1) The foreign medical school has been evaluated by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or one of the ECFMG-authorized foreign medical school accreditation agencies and deemed to meet the minimum requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements of medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. 

(2) The foreign medical school is listed on the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) World Directory of Medical Schools joint directory or the World Directory of Medical Schools. 

UMHS satisfied these requirements and is recognized in California as of  January 2020.   We are fully accredited by ACCM which is an ECFMG authorized foreign medical school accreditation agency.  ACCM is also recognized by the US Department of Education through NCFMEA.   UMHS is also listed with WFME and the World Directory.  As a result, we are in full compliance with both items 1 and 2. 

As a result, all current and future UMHS students will qualify for clinical rotations, residencies, and licensure in California.  Our goal will be to make California a regional clinical center with multiple affiliations offering a full complement of core and elective rotations. In the past, UMHS graduates had to complete 10 years of practice outside of California to qualify for licensure. That regulation was repealed in January 2020.    As a result, our understanding is that there will no longer be a waiting period imposed for licensure. 

 

Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®)

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) assesses the readiness of international medical graduates to enter residency or fellowship programs in the United States that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

To become ECFMG certified, UMHS students and graduates, like all international medical school students and graduates, must register with ECFMG to take the USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3. Graduates must also provide their international medical school transcripts. ECFMG verifies that the international medical school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools

Effective in 2024, physicians applying for ECFMG Certification will be required to graduate from a medical school that has been appropriately accredited. A process for recognizing the agencies that accredit medical schools has been developed and is now available. This process will allow medical schools accredited by recognized agencies, and their graduates, to meet ECFMG’s accreditation requirement. UMHS is accredited by ACCM, which is approved by ECFMG as a recognized accreditor. As a result, we satisfy this new standard and our graduates will continue to be eligible for ECFMG certification.

Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER)

Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) is a non-profit foundation committed to improving world health through education. FAIMER was established in 2000 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®). In partnership with ECFMG, FAIMER promotes excellence in international health professions education through programmatic and research activities.

The World Directory of Medical Schools

The World Directory of Medical Schools is produced by the World Federation of Medical Education and is a free web-based resource for accurate and up-to-date information about international medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate government agency in the countries in which they are located. The agency responsible for this recognition in most countries is the Ministry of Health. FAIMER is not an accrediting agency. A medical school is listed in the World Directory represents a confirmation from the Ministry of Health or other appropriate agency that the Ministry or agency has recognized that school.