Clinical Medicine

Third Year Core Rotations cover five specialties:

Internal Medicine – 12 Weeks

Students learn to conduct a thorough diagnostic work-up, including the history and physical examination of the patient, and design treatment plans. Students gain sensitivity to dual diagnosing and differential diagnosing. Students participate in grand rounds, work individually with patients, and participate in the treatment plan. Additionally, seminars on selected topics by residents or preceptors are incorporated.

Surgery – 12 Weeks

Students follow patients from surgical assessment, through preparation for surgery, the surgical process in the operating room, the intensive or immediate care of the patient in the recovery period, and follow-up care. Students engage in intensive pre-surgical preparation on each case, including the study of case histories, prior physical examinations and prior treatment, and diagnoses. Follow-up on post-surgical cases extends to learning about the support of family and friends, community resources, and the discharge process.

Pediatrics – 6 Weeks

Students learn to develop rapport with young patients and diagnose, develop and carry out a treatment plan for infants, children and adolescents. Students gain a greater sensitivity to the interdependence between the patient and the parent and learn how to interact with each to promote treatment and recovery.

Obstetrics/Gynecology – 6 Weeks

Students are presented with all phases of patient care related to fertility concerns, pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum care. Students participate in family planning counseling, and learn to detect, diagnose and devise a treatment plan for gynecologic diseases. Normal and pathologic cases are observed, including normal and Cesarean deliveries.

Psychiatry – 6 Weeks

Students learn to diagnose mental disorders. Emphasis is placed on taking a psychiatric history and mental status, as well as making differential diagnoses. Students are introduced to a variety of therapies for treatment of psychiatric disorders.

During the fourth year, the student chooses Electives.

These clerkship rotations include most specialties, including specialties from the core rotations. Students take electives in blocks, typically of four or six weeks each, for a total of 30 weeks of electives. A primary care elective is required.

» Allergy and Immunology
» Anesthesiology
» Cardiology
» Oncology
» Critical Care
» Dermatology
» Pathology
» Endocrinology
» Preventive Medicine
» Emergency Medicine
» Pulmonary Disease
» Family Practice
» Radiology
» Gastroenterology
» Rheumatology
» Gerontology
» Ophthalmology
» Neurology
» Nephrology
» Urology
» Hematology
» Infectious Disease
» Community Health Care

A Primary Care Elective is required.

Location of Affiliated Hospitals.

St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine has affiliation agreements for core clerkships with more than twenty-five teaching hospitals in both the United States and United Kingdom. In the United States, core rotations may be completed in the following states: Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Virginia.

The following is a partial list of major affiliated hospitals where our students regularly complete core clinical rotations:

AdventHealth Orlando Hospital	Orlando, FL
Ascension St. Agnes Hospital	Baltimore, MD
Community Health of South Florida (CHI)	Miami, FL
Miami Rescue Mission (MRM)	Miami, FL
Mt. Sinai Hospital	Chicago, IL
Northcoast Behavioral Health	Northfield, OH
Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute	Falls Church, VA
One Brooklyn Health (OBH)	Brooklyn, NY
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center	Bennington, VT
St. Johns Episcopal Hospital	Queens, NY
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center	Brooklyn, NY

In addition to the above hospitals, St. Matthew’s students have taken elective rotations at many other top hospitals in Canada, the United States, and United Kingdom, including the following:

Case Western Reserve	Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Clinic	Westin, FL
Cook County Hospital	Chicago, IL
Cumberland Regional Health Care	Nova Scotia, Canada
Duke University School of Medicine	Durham, NC
Emory Crawford Long Hospital	Atlanta, GA
Everett Chalmers Hospital	New Brunswick, Canada
Harvard Medical College	Boston, MA
Howard University Hospital	Washington DC, VA
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine	Baltimore, MD
Lincoln Family Practice Program	Lincoln, NE
Louis A. Weiss Memorial	Chicago, IL
Memorial Medical Center	Las Cruces, NM
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	New York, NY
Mercy Hospital	Chicago, IL
Mercy Hospital	Des Moines, IA
Methodist/Childrens Hospital	Omaha, NE
Methodist Hospital Medical Center	Omaha, NE
Morehouse School of Medicine	Atlanta, GA
Mount Sinai School of Medicine	New York, NY
Northeast London Mental Health Trust	London, UK
Orlando Regional Medical Center	Orlando, FL
Presbyterian/St. Luke	Denver, CO
Prince George’s Hosp. Ctr.	Cheverly, MD
Queen Elizabeth Hospital	Alberta, Canada
Rush Medical Center	Chicago, IL
Sacred Heart Women’s Hospital	Spokane, WA
St. Michael’s Hospital	Ontario, Canada
University of Alabama School of Medicine	Birmingham, AL
University of Tennessee	Knoxville, TN
Vanderbilt Univ. Medical Center	Nashville, TN
Wayne State University School of Medicine	Detroit, MI
Weill Cornell Medical College	New York, NY
Yale University School of Medicine	New Haven, CT

1. Saving Lives with Innovative Radiotherapy Technologies by John Greskovich, MD
2. Emerging Strategies in Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Treatment by Thomas Samuel, MD
3. Prognostic and Diagnostic Markers of the Breast Carcinoma by Peela Jagannadha Rao, MD
4. Interventional Radiology Procedures Update by Rodolfo J. Blandon, MD
5. Surgical Advances in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders by Badih Adada MD
6. Integrative Medicine, the Way Forward by Zahida Anwar, MD
7. Innovations in Solid Organ Transplant by Cedric Sheffield, MD
8. Mechanical Circulatory Support: Present-tense and Future Promise by Cedric Sheffield, MD
9. Student Athlete Cardiac Assessment for the PCP by Melissa Mascaro, MD
10. Concussion Update: Where are We Headed? by Melissa Mascaro, MD
11. Interventional Cardiology: An Update on Some of the Newer Innovations by Dr. Howard S. Bush,MD
12. Breast Cancer Review and Current Surgical Recommendations by Dr. Margaret Gilot, MD
13. Colon Cancer: Preventable. Beatable by Dr. Darley Solomon, MD
14. Patient Experience: It is Not About Satisfaction by James Merlino, MD
15. Creating a Culture of Patient Centered Care by Robert Stall
16. Cultural Transformation – The Power of Everyone by Rebecca Caputo, RN and Dawn Semple
17. Empathy Video – Patients: Afraid and Vulnerable by Antonio Briceno, MD

1. Current Status of the Treatment of Aortic Valve Disease by John V. Conte, MD
2. Management of the Axilla in Breast Cancer by Lisa Kay Jacobs, MD
3. Cholesterol Management by Erin D. Michos, MD
4. Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Therapy for Prostate Cancer by Christian P. Pavlovich, MD
5. Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Therapy for Breast Cancer by Saraswati Sukumar, PhD
6. Early Breast Cancer: A Practical Approach by Roisin Connolly, MD

1. Current Concepts on Stroke Diagnosis, Management and Treatment by Allan Herskowitz, MD
2. Population Health: Confronting the Challenges of the Health Care Paradigm in Developing
3. Countries by Galed Hakim, MD
4. Latest Advancements in Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery by Mark Dylewski, MD
5. Skin Cancer by Adriane Vega Pompa, MD
6. Preventing Chronic Diseases By Ana M. Viamonte Ros, MD

1. The Role of Coronary Calcium Score and CT Angiography in the Assessment of Risk of CVD by C. Pena, M.D. (Baptist Health International)
2. Advances in Heart Failure Therapy by V. Navas, MD (Cleveland Clinic)
3. Guilty by Association: The Case for Peripheral Artery Disease (P A D.) by M. Chauhan, MD
4. (Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital)
5. Vitamin D Deficiency & Cardiovascular Risks by E. Donnelly Michos, MD (Johns Hopkins)
6. Innovation in Action: How Advances in Medical Technology are Helping Real-World Patients by M. Kosiborod, MD and K. Huber, MD (Heart Health Centre Cayman and St. Luke’s)
7. Integrating Cardiology Imaging and Advanced Blood Testing To Prevent Cardiac Disease by A. Agatston, MD (Baptist Health International)
8. Interventional Cardiology: A look at Some Exciting New Innovations by H. Bush, MD (Cleveland Clinic)
9. Unique Aspects of Women’s Cardiac Health by T. Stevens, MD (St. Luke’s)
10. Advances in Cardiovascular Medicine by M. Chacko, MD (Johns Hopkins)
11. Head Surgery: A Journey Back to the Future by M. Kosiborod, MD and M. BORKON, MD (Cayman and St. Luke’s)
12. Interpretation of the New ACC/AHA Guidelines on the Prediction of ASCVD Risk and Management by E. Donnelly Michos, MD (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
13. Cancer Related Heart Disease/Heart Disease Secondary to Cancer Treatments by M. J. Villar, DO (Baptist Health International)
14. Advanced Heart Failure Management by Dr. A. Boyle, MD (Cleveland Clinic)
15. Keeping the Rhythm by B. M. Ramza, MD, PhD (St. Luke’s Mid America Health Institute)
16. Safe to Play by Dr. M. Kosiborod, MD (Heart Health Centre)
17. Important Interventions in Cardiology – Acute in the Cath Lab, Chronic in the Office by L. A. Simkins, MD (Tenet Healthcare)
18. Coronary Stenting: Have We Reached the Max? by J. M. Purow, FACC (Holy Cross Hospital)
19. New Technologies to Advance Cardiac and Vascular Care by B. T. Katzen, FACR, FACC, FISR (Baptist Health International)
20. Aortic Stenosis and Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement by M. Chacko (Johns Hopkins)
21. From Total Mess to Total Success: The Challenge of Treating Chronically Occluded Coronary
22. Arteries by Dr. D. Safley (St. Luke’s M.A.H.I. & Heart Health Centre)
23. Evolution of Congestive Heart Failure by Cedric Sheffield, MD
24. New Specialty: Cardiac Oncology by Jorge Arturo Flores, MD, FACC
25. Current Status of the Treatment of Aortic Valve Disease by John V. Conte, MD
26. Treating Stroke: On the Cutting Edge by Yvonne Turner Johnson, MD
27. Women’s Heart Health: The Many Shades of Gray by Tracy L. Stevens, MD
28. Mending Broken Hearts: Success Stories from the Cayman Islands by Robert Piotrowski, MD, F.A.C.C
29. The ASD and Hearts Requiring Extra-corporeal Support, Friend or Foe? by Kak-Chen Chan, MD

1. Cancer Immune Therapy: Update on Checkpoint Inhibitors by Dr. Vineetha Binoy (Health City, Cayman Islands)
2. The Latest Information in Diagnosing and Treating Skin Cancer & Oral and Throat Cancers by Alison Duncan MBBS, MSc, CCT (Derm), FRCP and Alastair Gliksman, MbBCh, FCS
3. The HPV Head and Neck Cancer Epidemic – What You Need To Know by Christine Gourin, MD (Johns Hopkins)
4. Screening for Lung Cancer: Are We There Yet? by Dr. Rabhi Bechara, MD, FCCP (Cancer Treatment Centers of America)
5. The Genetics of Cancer by Dr. Vineetha Binoy , MBBS, MD, DM (Health City, Cayman Islands)
6. Ovarian Cancer Update by Dr. Troy Gatcliffe, MD, FACOG, FACS (Baptist Health International)
7. Targeted Therapy & Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer by Dr. Luis Raez, MD (Memorial Global Health)
8. Contemporary Management of Genitourinary Malignancies by Dr. Chad Ritch, MD, MBA (University of Miami)
9. Breast Cancer Diagnostics and Treatment in Cayman by Dr. Tanya Ebanks, MD, FMH (Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital)
10. The Sentinel Lymph Node and Endometrial Cancer by Dr. Moises Lichtenger, MD (Holy Cross Hospital)
11. Trends in Surgical Oncology and Management of Gl Malignancies with Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery by Dr. Adrian Legaspi, MD, FACS (Tenet)
12. Contemporary Concepts of Salivary Gland Tumors by Dr. Shawn, MD (Baptist Health)
13. Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancers: Current State of the Art by Dr Nagy Elsayyad, MD (Miami Health System)
14. The HPV Connection by Dr. Darley Solomon, MD (Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital)
15. Pediatric Brain Cancer: The ABC’s of Diagnosing CNS Tumors by Dr. James Akiiiwunmi . MBBS, FRCS (Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital)
16. Screening Diagnosis & Treatment of Colon Cancers: The Importance of Early Detection by Dr. Vikesh Singh, MD (Johns Hopkins)
17. Prostate and Kidney Cancer: Modern Day Management in the 21st Century by Dr. David Taub, MD (Holy Cross Hospital)
18. Diagnosis and Treatment of Early Gastric Cancer by Dr. Hayder Al-Azaawi , MD (Tenet)

1. Clinical Reproach with Patient With Obesity by Lisa DeRosimo MD
2. Nutritional and Behavioral Approach to the Obese Patient by Natalie Romero- Castro, MS, RD, LDN
3. The Role and Myth of Exercise in the Assessment and Treatment of Weight Loss by Peter Katzmarzyk PhD
4. Medical Consequences of Obesity-Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes by Laurence Spading, MD
5. Obesity, Dyslipidemia, and CVD Risk by Laurence Sperling, MD
6. Adiposity Versus Adiposepathy by Michael Ozner, MD
7. BMI Versus Waist Circumference: What Is Our Target? — A Panel Discussion Moderated by Michael Ozner, M.D.
8. Dietary Approaches to the Treatment of Obesity by Teresa Ochoa R.D.
9. Low Fat Versus Low Carb Diets by Arthur Agatston, MD
10. Medical Treatment of Obesity by Donna Ryan, MD
11. Current Status of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery by Anthony Gonzalez, MD
12. New Developments and Devices in the Surgical Treatment of Obesity by Natan Zundel, MD
13. What BMI Should Be the Target of Aggressive Nutritional, Medical, and Surgical Treatment of Obesity? – A Panel Discussion Moderated by Anthony Gonzalez, MD
14. The Economic Consequences of Obesity by Khurram Nasir, MD
15. Mobile Health Applications in the Treatment of Obesity by Theodore Feldman, MD
16. Incorporating Obesity Management into Clinical Practice and Population Management by Thinh Tran, MD and Lisa DeRosana, MD

1. Opening Remarks and History of Palliative Care in Cayman by Dr. Virginia Hobday, MD — Medical Director of Cayman HospiceCare
2. Different World Views at the End of Life by Rev. Guillermo Escalona
3. How to Merge Usual Care with Hospice/Palliative Care, Really by Thomas J Smith, MD
4. Dying In Good Hands by Christine Sutherland

No other medical school faculty is as committed to the success of students as the dedicated team of educators at St. Matthew's University. 

For each of the Basic Science courses, the faculty offer general review sessions outside of normal class times. These sessions, available to all SMUSOM students, review the key points covered in the course.

Basic Science faculty also offer small group tutoring sessions, which provide practice exam questions and other practical techniques including improving student's test-taking skills. Finally, after each exam, the faculty schedule one-on-one time to review test questions with students. Students with poor exam results are expected to schedule additional time with faculty to review the areas where the individual student struggled with the material.

The faculty member who teaches the course is the first person to whom a student should turn for help, but other resources are available through the Office of Student Affairs Center for Learning Enhancement.

At SMUSOM we recognize the value of peer-assisted learning. 

Teaching Assistants are upper-semester Basic Science students who have demonstrated excellent knowledge of course material. They are provided by the university at no cost to the student.

They schedule group sessions in which they review practice questions that are provided by professors, as well as other materials to support student's understanding of course material. They also suggest learning strategies that have worked well for them in a given course.

Students who have excelled in given courses are invited by the university to serve as individual peer tutors. 

These students are available for individual help in each course. The Office of Student Affairs arranges for tutors on request from students, but fees and meeting schedules are arranged between the tutor and the student.

Academic advisors are also available to offer general assistance to students with the following: 

• Organization of course materials
• Time management
• How to study for and take multiple choice exams
• Reading for retention
• Stress management strategies
• Listening for Learning: How to maintain good attention in lectures
• Assessment of academic strengths and weaknesses with specific recommendations for remediation as indicated.

Students can make an appointment for help in any of these areas, or personal counseling.

St. Matthews University School of Medicine invites ambitious and hard-working students to join our MD program. If you’re passionate about helping others, excellent at problem-solving and looking for a rewarding career, medicine could be the right path for you.

Doctors work in high pressure environments and are constantly having to make life-changing decisions for their patients. You’ll need to be prepared to put in hard work and to work in a busy role that often involves dealing with people in distress.

If you’re willing to dedicate yourself to medicine, then review St. Matthew’s MD program. The program is broken into two segments, Basic Sciences and Clinical Rotations.

St. Matthew’s University’s MD program includes five semesters of Basic Sciences followed by five semesters of Clinical Rotations. The program attracts students from the United States and Canada as well as the UK and further afield. Our student cohort is made up of 52% males and 48% females with the average age being between 25 and 27. As such, when you study on Grand Cayman, you’ll be surrounded by a diverse mix of students, all with ambitions to become the best doctors possible.

Our Basic Sciences program will prepare you extensively for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Through small class sizes, taught by expert faculty in state-of-the-art facilities including gross anatomy labs, you’ll have a unique teaching experience that will enable you to be successful.

St. Matthew’s University also has achieved a first-time pass rates average of 92% and 94% for USMLE Step 1 and 2 between 2018-2022². Once you’ve successfully completed the exam, you’ll enter clinical rotations which will help you solidify your learning in a clinical environment.

When you come to study on Grand Cayman, you’ll have the best tools, a distraction-free location and committed staff to help you fulfill your dream of becoming a physician.

2. First-time pass rate is the number of students passing the USMLE Step Exam on their first attempt divided by the total number of students taking the USMLE Step Exam for the first time.

Passing the USMLE Step 1 on your first attempt and scoring highly will help to position you for your preferred residency. The exam takes place over one day on which you will answer a series of multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge of the basic sciences. It is vital you are prepared for the exam.

St. Matthew’s University is committed to providing excellent USMLE Step 1 preparation to make the transition from a university setting to clinicals as smooth as possible.

From 2018-2022², St. Matthews University has achieved a First-Time Pass Rates average of 92% and 94% for USMLE Step 1 and 2 respectively.

2. First-time pass rate is the number of students passing the USMLE Step Exam on their first attempt divided by the total number of students taking the USMLE Step Exam for the first time.

Have you thought about what specialty interests you? During your clinical rotations, you’ll have the opportunity to explore different areas of medicine. Your core clinical rotations include Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics and Gynecology whilst your electives can be in a number of different areas.

The elective portion should be focused on positioning you for the residency process. Throughout your clinical rotations the staff at St. Matthew’s works closely with you to best position you for a competitive residency.

USMLE Step 2 is comprised of two parts: Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills. Whereas in USMLE Step 1, the examiner was looking to see if you had a good understanding of the basic sciences, they are now looking to see if you can apply this knowledge within a clinical setting. As such, you’ll be required to answer a series of multiple choice questions in the Clinical Knowledge part of the exam. During the Clinical Skills section, you’ll face a series of diagnostic challenges from patients to further test your understanding.

As with USMLE Step 1, it is vital you start preparing for your USMLE Step 2 in good time. Make the most of your clinical rotations as this is where you’ll apply your knowledge of basic sciences in a medical setting, giving you a real experience of what it is like to be a practicing physician.

Having excellent results on USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 is the best way to secure your preferred residency. You’ll also need to be successful in both exams to gain your medical license.
However, it is not just about gaining excellent results on USMLE Step 2, many residencies will have limitations on how many attempts you take to pass the exam. Therefore, it is crucial that you choose a medical school that provides excellent preparation for these exams.

From 2018-2022², St. Matthews University has achieved an First-Time Pass Rates average of 92% and 94% for USMLE Step 1 and 2 respectively.

2. First-time pass rate is the number of students passing the USMLE Step Exam on their first attempt divided by the total number of students taking the USMLE Step Exam for the first time.

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required for all applicants who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. In addition, it is strongly encouraged for all other applicants and specifically required from those students who meet any of the following three conditions:

• Students with outdated required science coursework (>5 years old) 
• Students who completed required science coursework at a community college 
• Students with “C” grades or lower in the required science courses 

SMUSOM’s MCAT code is 919. More information about the MCAT is available at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website. 

Applicants can send SMUSOM their MCAT exam scores through the online THx system as soon as they are available at the AAMC.

Please review the upcoming MCAT test dates here.