This approach enables students to use their knowledge not just to treat patients, but also to prevent disease and promote good health.
Throughout the first two years, students participate in a series of clinical medicine courses that focus on the art of patient care and preventive medicine. What is unique about St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine program is that these courses are integrated with Cayman Island's world-class healthcare system. The courses offer students access to hospital and community clinic experience and hospital-based research.
The medical students of St. Matthew’s University gain hospital experience in collaboration with two state-of-the-art hospitals. Students visit these hospitals while touring with physicians, making patient rounds and reviewing charts with physicians and nurses.
Both hospitals are only a few minutes from the St. Matthew's University campus.
The Cayman Island Hospital is a 124-bed facility located in George Town. The hospital offers numerous specialty services including orthopedics, rheumatology, radiology, gastroenterology, dental and eye clinic as well as emergency services, operating rooms, maternity unit and general practitioner offices. A pharmacy and professional library are also located within this modern campus.
The Doctor’s Hospital (former CTMH) is a private, 18-bed facility located on Walkers Road in Grand Cayman. The Doctor’s Hospital offers 24-hour Urgent Care available 7 days a week along with the Family Practice office which is open 7 days a week. This modern facility houses two operating rooms as well as a maternity unit with four private birthing suites. Specialty services include cardiology, podiatry, dermatology, and psychiatry.
You will start with the basics: Cellular Biology, Histology and Gross Anatomy.
This course is the first in a series of required two-credit courses providing medical students with a progressive introduction to the skills and attitudes that are requisite in becoming competent, compassionate physicians.
In this first course, students will come to appreciate the essential nature of a complete history. They will understand how the vast majority of patient presentations can be diagnosed with the information available in a complete history. Students will gain experience in history taking and will gain expertise in musculoskeletal examinations.
The student will have an opportunity to develop research skills related to evidence-based medicine (EBM).
Students will be introduced to concepts of research analysis and critical thinking. At the end of this course, students will be able to identify and frame a clinical question based on therapy, diagnosis, prognosis or etiology; develop a focused search strategy to identify articles that best answer the clinical question; identify and use the appropriate medical database; and critically appraise articles for validity.
This course examines the microanatomy of cells, tissues and organs. Lectures illustrate the microstructure of major tissues and organs in relation to their function. Laboratory exercises use the light microscope to study these components and make use of slides and electron micrographs for review and discussion.
This lab-oriented course presents the molecular biology and histology of normal cells, tissues and organ systems at various developmental functional stages. Students will learn the unique characteristics of the four basic tissues of the body: epithelial tissue, connective tissue (including bone, cartilage and blood), muscle tissue and nervous tissue. Student will learn how individual cell functions interact with one another and how such interactions are accomplished from the tissue levels to the organ levels.
The course introduces molecular and control systems, and prepares the student for future understanding of normal (homeostasis) system and pathological conditions. In addition, the student learns how molecular building blocks are utilized for growth and differentiation, wound healing and tissue repair, defense mechanisms and transfer of hereditary characters. (Lecture/Lab)
This course integrates gross human anatomy and medical embryology, allowing students to understand the relationship of embryological development to gross structure and the mechanisms of congenital abnormalities.
Through lectures, use of human plastinated cadavers, evaluation of radiographs (including CT and MRI) and clinical correlations, students acquire a basic knowledge of the normal gross structure, functional and clinical anatomy of organs and systems of the adult human body, including the brain, spinal cord, back, thorax, abdomen, pelvis and perineum.
The embryological aspects including fertilization and placentation, development of each organ and system, from gametogenesis to birth, is discussed along with the gross anatomy. Clinical correlative sessions illustrate medically relevant normal and abnormal findings, and common congenital malformations are used to demonstrate mechanisms of teratogenesis.
Computer-based tutorial programs and structured reviews are used to supplement the lectures and labs. (Lecture/Lab)
Now you will move on to the body’s molecular building blocks (Biochemistry), the complex interplay among the body’s different systems (Physiology), as well as Epidemiology and Medical Genetics.
This course provides the student with an understanding of the principles and concepts upon which current clinical genetic practice (diagnosis, treatment and counselling) is based.
This course covers the genetics of human populations and introduces recent and ongoing discoveries so that their future applications may be understood. It builds upon the foundation of basic material introduced in histology. (Lecture)
This course provides an introduction to some relevant biostatistical concepts, an introduction to data types, measures of central tendency and variation. This course introduces various study epidemiological study design, the basic principles and methods of epidemiology, with an emphasis on critical thinking, analytic skills, and application to clinical practice and research. Furthermore, the course will provide tools for critically evaluating medical and scientific literature and fine-tune the necessary skills to practice evidence-based medicine.
The biochemical pathways of living organisms are studied to include the structure of biomolecular chemistry and an understanding of energy yielding processes and the transfer of genetic material.
This course includes the study of the chemistry and reactions of constituents of living matter, including the carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, coenzymes and minerals; the chemistry and regulation of the reactions and processes of whole organisms; endocrinology; enzymology; nutrition; intermediary metabolism and biochemical mechanisms in selected disease states.
Theory and application of classical and emerging technologies in biochemical lab analysis will be covered. (Lecture/Lab)
The principles of human physiology are first studied then followed by an intensive overview of human organ system physiology to include neural, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, gastrointestinal and kidney physiological processes.
The goals of this course are to enhance the student’s ability to critically analyze the cell biology mechanisms governing the functions of each system and to utilize physiological concepts in problem solving.
Small group and the hands on lab component of the course reinforce lecture material. (Lecture/Lab)
Prerequisite: Developmental and Gross Anatomy
Keep learning about what makes us healthy with studies in Neuroscience and also what makes us unhealthy, (Microbiology), as well as Medical Psychology and Medical and Legal Ethics.
This course will provide the basic communication skills for the medical practice. Its focus will be the usual verbal exchanges that happen in the patient-doctor relation.
Emphasis will be placed in the most common mistakes that have the potential to impair the compliance with treatment and the overall trust in the relation, while keeping the broad aim of the course in improving the understanding of basic Spanish in the medical setting. (Lecture)
This course considers the characteristics and properties of microorganisms, their role in the disease processes and selected aspects of diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease. Other topics include the basic principles of bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, virology, immunology and microbial genetics, including cultural characteristics and pathogenic properties of medically important species of bacteria, fungi and viruses. This course covers the basic immunologic concepts of the cells and humoral products of the immune system. Lectures include the molecular biology and genetics of antigen recognition and immunoglobulin production plus the characteristics and detection of antigen-antibody reactions. The approach is to correlate these basic concepts with clinical manifestations of the disease, the immunopathologic mechanisms of hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, transplantation, tumor immunology, hematology, reproduction, infectious diseases and immunodeficiency. (Lecture/Lab)
Abnormalities in human functioning are examined and students are introduced to psychiatric evaluation, nomenclature and clinical writing, and how to conduct a mental status evaluation. The course provides an in-depth study of the DSM-IV-R psychiatric diagnostic categories. These range from childhood disorders through geriatric dementia. Epidemiology and pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, course and prognosis, along with current treatment strategies are presented. Additionally, students participate in case-based discussions of ethical dilemmas facing today’s health care provider. Ethical analysis of moral reasoning is emphasized. Students are challenged to reflect on their personal values and moral obligations as physicians. (Lecture/Lab)
Build your knowledge about disease (Pathology) as well as therapeutic efforts to deal with it (Pharmacology). You will also learn how to take a history and examine a patient.
Courses during the fourth semester total 30 credit hours.
Objectives are to:
Learn more about disease in Pathology and get extensive preparation for the USMLE Step 1.
Courses during the fifth semester total 31 credit hours.
Objectives are to:
This second part of the Pathology curriculum focuses primarily on systemic pathology and disease processes. In this course, emphasis is placed on relating pathophysiological and biochemical abnormalities of disease processes to clinical signs and symptoms of disease. Pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, endocrine, rheumatic, orthopedic, renal, neurological and hematology organ systems are covered. Knowledge and the understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of diseases is gained through the intense examination of clinical cases, gross material, selected microscopic slides, clinical laboratory data and X-rays. (Lecture/Lab)
This course builds upon the students’ understanding of pharmacology, providing practical experience of medical therapeutics in a case-based format. The students, working individually and in teams, have the opportunity to participate in therapeutic decision-making in clinical cases, receive feedback regarding their decisions and benefit from discussions led by clinicians involved in the practical application of medical interventions in common disease states. This course is integrated with the other co-requisite courses to allow students to attain conceptual understanding of common medical conditions and provide them with the necessary skills and perspective for their transition to the clinical wards.
This team-taught course helps the student to prepare for hospital clerkships. Students will gain practical knowledge and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Following an integrated case-based curriculum, students will take histories and perform physical examinations on trained standardized patients. They will work individually and in teams to discuss differential diagnoses and investigation strategies and will use the information gained to formulate management and disposition plans. Throughout this course there is an emphasis on the need to listen and communicate effectively with colleagues, team members and, most importantly, the patients. The students will have an opportunity to spend time with the practicing physicians in a hospital/clinical setting. Students will be evaluated both formatively and by objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) standards. Practical knowledge, skills and abilities will be tested in an objective manner.
This course utilizes daily live lectures and other materials to provide a structured, integrated review of the basic sciences. An emphasis is placed on understanding of disease processes and clinical problem solving. Students attend daily live lectures. Early in the course students are given a diagnostic pre-test to help identify problem areas and individualize learning goals. At the end of the course students are administered a full-length, simulated comprehensive exam.
SMUSOM students leave the Grand Cayman campus and join students from other medical schools at teaching hospitals in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. SMUSOM carefully manages the clinical program to ensure that there are more than enough clerkship positions to enable our students to complete their education without delay.
Third Year Core Rotations cover five specialties:
Internal Medicine | 12 weeks |
Surgery | 12 weeks |
Pediatrics | 6 weeks |
Obstetrics & Gynecology | 6 weeks |
Psychiatry | 6 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
» 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.
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, FL
» Community Health of South Florida (CHI), FL
» Miami Rescue Mission Health Clinic (MRM), FL
» Mt. Sinai Hospital, Chicago, IL
» Ascension St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD
» St. John's Episcopal Hospital, New York, NY
» Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare, Cleveland, OH
» Northern Virginia M.H.I., Falls Church, VA
» Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SW Vermont), VT
» Whipps Cross Hospital, London, UK
» Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH
» Cleveland Clinic, Westin, FL
» Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL
» Cumberland Regional Health Care, Novia 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, D.C.
» 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, 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
Classes Begin | January 9, 2023 |
Last Day of Classes | April 21, 2023 |
Diploma Date | April 29, 2023 |
Classes Begin | May 8, 2023 |
Last Day of Classes | August 16, 2023 |
Diploma Date | August 26, 2023 |
Classes Begin | September 4, 2023 |
Last Day of Classes | December 15, 2023 |
Diploma Date | January 12/March 15, 2024 |
Classes Begin | January 8, 2024 |
Last Day of Classes | April 19, 2024 |
Diploma Date | January 12/March 15, 2024 |
Classes Begin | May 6, 2024 |
Last Day of Classes | August 16, 2024 |
Diploma Date | May 17, 2024 |
Classes Begin | September 2, 2024 |
Last Day of Classes | December 13, 2024 |
Diploma Date | September 6, 2024 |
Classes Begin | January 6, 2025 |
Last Day of Classes | April 18, 2025 |
Diploma Date | January 10/March 14, 2025 |
Classes Begin | May 5, 2025 |
Last Day of Classes | August 15, 2025 |
Diploma Date | May 23, 2025 |
Classes Begin | September 1, 2025 |
Last Day of Classes | December 12, 2025 |
Diploma Date | September 5, 2025 |
Classes Begin | January 5, 2026 |
Last Day of Classes | April 17, 2026 |
Diploma Date | January 9/March 13, 2026 |
Classes Begin | May 4, 2026 |
Last Day of Classes | August 14, 2026 |
Diploma Date | May 22, 2026 |
Classes Begin | August 31, 2026 |
Last Day of Classes | December 11, 2026 |
Diploma Date | September 4, 2026 |
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.
(excludes fees, tuition only)
Tuition per semesters 1-5
Lectures, labs & small groups
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(excludes fees, tuition only)
Tuition per semesters 1-5
Lectures, labs & small groups