Prospective students must meet the minimum requirements for admissions to the University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS).  Applicants are expected to have completed a minimum of three years of study (90 semester credits) at an accredited college or university. However, it is highly recommended that applicants earn a Bachelor’s Degree prior to matriculating at UMHS.

The Admissions Committee gives serious consideration to all candidates demonstrating the potential to meet the rigorous academic requirements of a highly structured curriculum.

Enrollment Periods

Students are accepted to UMHS in three enrollment periods:  January, May, and September.

Admissions Criteria

At UMHS the total student is evaluated.  Many variables are considered including but not limited to:

Academic Performance

We are not looking for a specific cumulative grade point average which is listed at the end of your transcript. Rather, we are seeking to determine whether or not you have the intellectual capability to perform in a challenging medical school curriculum. The Office of Admissions will compute as many as four or five separate GPAs in order to determine if you meet our criteria. We are more interested in the pattern of your academic development than whether or not you have had difficulties some years past. This is a much more intense and involved calculation than the one used by most medical schools.

Test Taking Ability

We are interested in seeing all of your standardized tests including SATs, ACTs, MCATs, GREs or any and all tests that will assist us in evaluating your application. Students who have previously taken USMLE Step I should provide their scores, whether passing or not, so that we may assess your needs relative to placement in our curriculum.

Motivation

Perhaps one of the most important qualities of an applicant is a level of personal motivation for success. We seek students who have demonstrated the ability to adapt, to study hard, to integrate various modes of instruction and retain the useful knowledge required for promotion. Your personal statement, letters of recommendation and personal interview will be important components of your application. 

Educational Requirements

Applicants must have successfully completed the following pre-requisites:

*Applicants may substitute one semester of Biochemistry for Organic II if this is the prescribed pre-medical chemistry sequence at your college or university. 

Applicants should have a broad background in the humanities and have completed at least 12–16 credit hours in either the humanities and/or the social or behavioral sciences.
It is recommended that additional sciences courses such as Genetics, Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry be taken.

It is also highly recommended that applicants have experiences in clinical settings, research, public health, or community outreach activities.

Advanced placement courses may meet only one semester of the chemistry and/or one semester of the physics requirements. Advanced placement will not satisfy the English, Biology, or non-science requirements. 

Canadian Students

Canadian applicants should follow the admissions process as described for U.S. students.

International Students

NACES EVALUATION:  All required premedical courses must ordinarily be taken at an accredited United States or Canadian college or university; courses taken at international colleges must be evaluated by a NACES approved credit evaluation agency to determine if the courses are comparable and equivalent to courses taken in the United States or Canada. All required documents, if originally in a foreign language, must be accompanied by a notarized English translation.

TOEFL EXAMINATION:  International students, whose principal language is not English, must submit scores from the English proficiency examination, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum scores accepted are 600 on the paper test version or 250 on the computer based version.

Application Procedure

The application must be fully completed in order for an applicant to be scheduled for a personal interview.  

Personal Essay

The personal essay is an important aspect of the application.  Applicants should be sure all directions are followed completely.

Application Fee

Applicants must submit a $75.00 application fee.  This may be done via credit card or by check sent via U.S. Mail.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants who have completed their pre-medical coursework as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student, at a college or university where there is a Pre- Professional Advisory Committee, are required to submit a letter of recommendation from that Committee. Students who do not submit a letter should explain, in writing, why they have opted not to do so.

Applicants who have attended a school at which there is no Pre-Professional Advisory Committee must have at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members at that school. One of these letters should be from a faculty member in the department of the applicants major, and the other from a science faculty member. If the major subject is science, the second letter should be from a member of a science department other than the person writing the letter.

Applicants are encouraged to submit one or two additional letters of recommendation from individuals with whom they have worked closely. These can be from faculty, employers, research mentors or volunteer directors.

Letters of recommendation for an applicant applying to UMHS should be sent directly to:

University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts
North American Administrative Office
Office of Admissions
460 West 34th St.
New York, NY 10001

Official Transcripts

Applicants should request official transcripts from all universities or colleges previously attended.  Unofficial transcripts provided by the applicant will be accepted only for the purposes of an initial evaluation. 

No application is considered to be complete until official transcripts have been sent directly from the applicant's previously attended universities or colleges.

Standardized Test Scores

UMHS in interested in seeing all standardized test score reports (if taken), including MCATs SATs, ACTs, GREs, or any and all tests that will assist UMHS in evaluating a prospective student's application.  The test scores, whether passing or not, assist the University in evaluating the applicant's need relative to placement in the UMHS curriculum.

The Medical College Aptitude Test (MCAT) is not required by UMHS. However, any applicant who took the test one or more times must submit all the results with their application.

Inquires concerning the MCAT including applications, test dates, and location for the MCAT should be directed to:

Medical College Admissions Test Registration
The American College Testing Program
P.O. Box 414
Iowa City, IA 52243
Phone: 319-337-1276

Preliminary Evaluation

After you have submitted a completed application, the Faculty Admissions Committee will conduct a preliminary evaluation of your credentials. If it is determined that you meet our minimum qualifications, you will be invited to be interviewed.

Personal Interview

Qualified applicants will be invited to one of four regional offices for a personal interview. Students will be given an opportunity to discuss their academic record and provide any other background information that will help the admissions committee assess the student’s maturity, aptitude, and motivation.

Interviews will be scheduled only after the student’s application is complete and the following documents are on file: Application, personal essay, official transcripts from all colleges attended, application fee, MCAT (if taken), and letters of recommendation.

Applicants to UMHS should be highly motivated, dedicated, and determined to become a physician. The commitment to serve others and the desire to become caring physicians are the common bonds of our diverse student body.

Application Decision

Applicants can anticipate admissions decisions being made usually within two weeks after the personal interview is conducted.  Applicants will be notified in writing of the decision reached by UMHS Admissions Committee.

There are three decision options:

1. Acceptance:  The applicant has been accepted to attend UMHS in the next semester.
   
2. Acceptance/Wait List:  The applicant has been accepted to attend UMHS; however, the next semester is currently full.  The applicant is placed on a wait list for the next available semester and may attend the earlier semester if a vacancy occurs.  
   
3. Denial:  The applicant has not met the minimum entrance qualifications as determined by the UMHS Admissions Committee.  An applicant may appeal this decision, in writing, and must supply additional supporting documentation for review by the Admissions Committee.

Accepted Students

Upon acceptance to UMHS, students are assigned to a post acceptance director for assistance and instruction on all aspects of the enrollment process.  Students will receive a Welcome Packet that contains all instructions to complete the enrollment process.