International American University College of Medicine (IAU), St. Lucia

Location: St. Lucia
Year founded: 2004

Tuition per semester:

Premedical Program: $6,000 (PM 1-4)
Doctor of Medicine Program, Basic Sciences and Pre-Clerkship Clinical Sciences (Medical Semesters 1-4): $7,500
USMLE Step 1 Preparation (“Bridge to Success”) with Transition to Clerkship Program (MS 5): $7,500 plus resource expenses
Clinical Clerkship (MS 6-10): $12,500

Private Loans: Sallie Mae and Canadian Student Loans
Email: admissions@iau.edu.lc

About IAU College of Medicine

Founded in 2003, the International American University College of Medicine (IAUCOM) is located in the heart of the Caribbean in the town of Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, West Indies. IAUCOM is chartered and authorized by the Government of Saint Lucia to confer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including the Doctor of Medicine. IAU offers a state of the art curriculum in medical education, using current technology and teaching methods based on US models, delivered by faculty with science and clinical content expertise.

The mission of IAUCOM is to provide high quality education to those who are qualified and highly motivated to pursue a career in medicine. Through numerous collaborations with international healthcare organizations, academic medical institutions, and other key stakeholders, IAUCOM has played a major role in developing health and education infrastructure in Saint Lucia, and has provided medical education and clinical training for hundreds of healthcare professionals and students around the world.

The IAUCOM team brings together a wide range of knowledge and experience across every aspect of healthcare education. Senior leadership includes members of US and Canadian medical education and healthcare delivery systems, and full-time staff includes experienced professionals in medicine, education, research, medical planning, health information technology, business strategy development, and leadership and management. IAUCOM’s programs continue to draw on the expertise of faculty and staff across the College of Medicine and its affiliated teaching hospitals and institutes.

PreMed Program

The IAU College of Arts and Sciences offers an 18-month Premedical Program designed for students from varying backgrounds who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine, with highly individualized instruction in courses that serve as prerequisites for admission to the College of Medicine’s MD program.

MD Program

The four-year medical degree program is designed to produce physicians qualified for licensure in St. Lucia as well as in countries such as the United States, Canada, India, and Nigeria. The MD program combines two years of Basic Sciences alongside Pre-Clerkship Clinical Skills training at the St. Lucia campus, followed by two years of clinical sciences at US teaching hospitals.

Students are eligible to participate in clinical clerkship programs approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) at teaching hospitals in the United States. IAU is approved by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), USA, and is listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED). IAU is also approved by the World Health Organization and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, developed through a partnership between the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER).

Students of IAUCOM can sit the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE), as well as other licensing exams such as the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations (MCCQE) and the UK’s Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board Test (PLAB), along with equivalent qualifying processes in the many other countries our internationally diverse students come from.

IAU has built a well-integrated course structure to strengthen integration between Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences. The University has moved away from a purely lecture-based approach toward Interactive Learning Sessions driven by clear goals and measurable learning objectives that support Self-Directed Learning. Small-group, case-based teaching, combined with early exposure to clinical material, helps promote student interest and long-term retention.

The Doctor of Medicine program is designed to foster excellence in future medical leaders, with particular emphasis on competent, compassionate, team-based interprofessional healthcare. Experienced faculty and a strong educational leadership team help students grow into outstanding practitioners. The University has also launched research programs (the Academy of International Medical Scholars and the Capstone Program) and an Evidence Based Medicine Clinical Outcomes Research Program that runs across all semesters, along with the Medical Student Run Free Community Clinic, reflecting IAUCOM’s ongoing commitment to advancing research and evaluation of medical education worldwide.

Academics

Progressive Curriculum

Many international medical programs expose students solely to classroom-based instruction throughout their basic science coursework, applying that knowledge to clinical cases only after two years and USMLE Step 1 (the “two plus two” approach). This approach has gradually been replaced by a case-based, patient-oriented curriculum that emphasizes active learning (reading, writing, discussing, researching, and reflecting) over passive, lecture-based learning.

Medical schools continually innovate their programs to keep pace with clinical training standards in the United States and Canada, where basic sciences and case-based clinical learning are fully integrated from the start of medical school. IAUCOM has embraced this model, evolving its curriculum to meet the standards of top US programs and of the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Medicine and Health Professions (CAAM-HP). At IAUCOM, students meet their first patients at the very beginning of their first semester.

Basic Sciences Program

The Basic Sciences Program runs across five semesters at the St. Lucia campus. Core basic science and pathophysiology courses are paired with clinical correlates that help students apply scientific principles to patient care. Students prepare team presentations of faculty-compiled cases, identifying relevant features and presenting guided by assigned learning objectives, with depth and difficulty increasing as students progress. From semester 1, the curriculum also introduces evidence-based medicine (EBM) and the research skills physicians need to evaluate clinical research and understand best practices in patient care.

Pre-Clerkship Clinical Science Program

Students are exposed to patient care through multiple channels starting in semester 1, training in core skills for taking a thorough and accurate patient history, with emphasis on communication skills, professionalism, cultural competence, and ethics. Physical examination across all systems is practiced with clinic patients, simulated (mannequin) patients, and standardized patients (actors). Together, these year 1 to 2 experiences let IAUCOM students refine and master basic skills so they enter clerkship rotations fully prepared to focus on advanced skills and patient care.

A key setting for developing patient care skills is the Student-Run Clinic, held on Saturday mornings. Since 2017, a modern medical office space has replaced the original outdoor IAUCOM tent, welcoming walk-in local patients from downtown Vieux Fort for basic health screenings covering diabetes, hypertension, and other preventable illnesses. Under supervision from IAU-COM and local physicians, students are observed and evaluated while examining the 60 to 80 patients who typically visit on an average morning. Patients with serious illnesses are referred to the local hospital, while unique findings are presented by students and reviewed in depth with preceptors after the clinic, mirroring patient-based learning in the inpatient hospital setting.

Another clinical learning setting is the Comfort Bay Senior Citizens Home in Vieux Fort, a primary care nursing facility for healthy and chronically ill elderly patients. IAUCOM students round with physicians there weekly as part of their ICE-ACE clinical skills training, gaining vital exposure to the diagnoses and treatment of chronic illness they are likely to encounter during internal medicine, family medicine, and surgery rotations.

Clinical Science Program

Study in the Clinical Science Division spans the sixth through tenth semesters. While rotating through various medical specialties at cooperating teaching hospitals and other approved healthcare facilities, students are guided by clinical faculty and supervised overall by IAU’s Deans of Clinical Sciences and Academic Affairs at the primary IAU-COM clinical campus in Baltimore.

Clinical sites: IAU currently holds contracts with Health System Hospitals in Baltimore, MD (all with ACGME-approved programs), where most clinical students complete their rotations: Surgery and Internal Medicine at Northwest Hospital Center, Ob-Gyn at Providence Hospital, Psychiatry at Bon Secours Hospital, Family Medicine at Union Memorial Hospital, and Pediatrics at Willoughby Beach Pediatrics. IAU-COM students also complete elective rotations across hospitals affiliated with Johns Hopkins and the LifeBridge Health system, as well as Baltimore Washington Medical Center and other US and Canadian institutions. Students can also complete a portion of their elective rotations at qualified Canadian hospitals to build relationships with programs and faculty ahead of applying for residency through CaRMS.

Our curriculum builds student confidence in presentation skills starting in semester 1 through the Evidence Based Medicine Clinical Outcomes Research course, a program now being extended across all basic science courses. These communication skills are honed further through clinical skills courses involving patient presentations, preparing students to present cases confidently to a room of physicians.

In the pre-clerkship clinical skills component of semesters 1 through 5 in St. Lucia, the fundamentals of professionalism, communication, ethics, and physical examination and diagnosis are combined into a longitudinal sequence: Initial Clinical Experiences, Advanced Clinical Experiences, and Transition to Clerkship. This curriculum includes learning experiences with simulated and standardized patients, as well as real patients from the local population through the Medical Student Run Free Community Clinic and the Comfort Bay Senior Citizens Home.

Beginning in the first semester, students are presented with a specific case each week to research and present to the group. Each case comes with questions compiled by faculty, and student groups prepare an oral presentation addressing them, with depth and difficulty increasing as students progress toward their final semester in St. Lucia. Alongside these case studies, students also participate extensively in local clinics and at St. Jude, the local St. Lucian hospital.

New Developments

Medical Student Run Free Community Clinic

Mission: To offer the general public in Saint Lucia, especially in Vieux Fort, a public health screening opportunity. The clinic’s logo uses the colors of the Saint Lucia flag (black, white, yellow, and blue) surrounded by the college’s green, symbolizing IAUCOM’s commitment to the Saint Lucia community.

Goals: The Medical Student Run Free Community Clinic (MSRFCC) runs biweekly on weekends, welcoming 40 to 80 walk-in patients for health screenings. It is run by senior (MS 4-5) medical students, overseen by IAUCOM medical doctors and licensed Saint Lucia physicians, with senior students also advising junior peers (MS 1-3) on patient assessment based on their advanced clinical skills.

MSRFCC operates from a tented welcome area outside the campus, where patients present their chief complaints and have their clinical history taken. Students practice ethics, cultural competence, communication, professionalism, and use of a digital medical record. Patients then move to an extended examination room, where students apply advanced clinical skills such as taking vitals and, when needed, conducting a focused physical exam in a private setting. Patients receive a formal report of their screening results for future reference.

Academy of International Medical Scholars (AIMScholars)

Mission: The Academy of International Medical Scholars at IAUCOM encourages and supports the spirit of inquiry and learning across a community of faculty scholars, in academic partnership with students from the IAU Colleges of Medicine and Arts & Sciences, as well as healthcare schools throughout the Caribbean and beyond.

Goals and overview:

Provide a forum aligning the common interests of basic and clinical scientists and students
Offer a supportive space for students and faculty to seek advice and mentoring
Sponsor journal clubs to build skills in analyzing peer-reviewed literature and evidence-based medicine
Promote collaboration, idea sharing, and peer mentorship
Support educational, clinical, population health, and basic science research projects and their presentation to the wider academic community
Engage IAU teachers in ongoing faculty development, including writing effective test questions, clinical cases, and simulated patient assessments
Recruit and train healthcare providers from St. Lucia medical facilities as clinical educators and mentors
Build relationships with clinical preceptors at US medical sites to prepare students for clerkship training
Provide career mentorship opportunities for premedical and medical students
Encourage dissemination of health research through community and public outreach
Support faculty presentations at academic conferences
Guide faculty and students to key resources for personal and professional development
Support continuous quality improvement across the IAU academic community
Host an Annual Research Conference featuring faculty, students, and invited international experts as plenary speakers
Run needs-based Continued Medical Education (CME) symposia and workshops, licensed by the Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association
Host the Institutional Research Review Board (IRB), with divisions ensuring bioethical standards across all research activity
Build a pipeline for peer-reviewed publication through the IAU-AIMS Journal of International Medical Scholarship

Capstone Research Program

Mission: To deepen and broaden the medical education experience, students can pursue research through a Capstone Program Project, gaining in-depth exposure and making a research contribution in a concentration of their choice or one they design themselves.

Goals and overview: Capstone Scholars graduate with the distinction “Doctor of Medicine with Distinction in Research.” Research concentrations, which allow students to pursue original ideas with ownership of intellectual property and project design experience, include:

Evidence-based medicine
Health outcomes research
Cultural competency
Collaborative care
Global, public, and community health
Geriatric health
Women’s health
Health policy and advocacy
Health management and leadership
Health communication
Medical education
Translational, clinical, and basic science research
Medical humanities

Starting with the MS1 course “Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Outcomes Research,” students learn various approaches to scholarly inquiry, then spend the first semester building knowledge in a chosen area and beginning work with a Capstone Program mentor. Early in the process, students learn to identify, organize, and communicate information. In the second semester, under their mentor’s guidance, students formally begin their Capstone project. In special circumstances, projects may begin during the clinical years in collaboration with the Dean of Clinical Sciences or Academic Affairs and clinical preceptors. Approved projects culminate in a presentation at the Interdisciplinary Student Research Day, hosted by the Academy of International Medical Scholars prior to graduation.

Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Outcomes Research Program

Mission: This course builds a foundation for understanding how research informs best practices in patient care. Students learn to apply Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Outcomes Research (EBMCOR) to key diagnostic and treatment decisions, using case-based experiential learning to evaluate the best available evidence for decision-making under uncertainty. These skills are introduced from the start of basic and clinical training in Year 1, building lifelong learning habits.

Goal and overview: Entry-level medical students explore the foundations and relationships between basic and clinical sciences and current research that promotes critical thinking. In the first semester, five key themes, cancer, diabetes, the glymphatic system, obesity, and the gut microbiome, are each explored over two separate two-hour sessions before students reflect collectively on the connections between them. The first session in each theme involves literature searching and discussion of how to read a research article, using an accessible report; the second session builds on a research article (review or meta-analysis).

Learning objectives guide focal issues, with students prompted through Socratic questioning to assess oral overviews. Standardized patients prompt students to address questions through literature review for the best available evidence, and in the final session, small groups identify relationships between themes. Assessments use a validated hybrid Visual Analog/Likert Scale rating instrument, and students complete surveys on the course’s design, approach, and perceived learning value.

Given the course’s success, it is now being extended longitudinally across the basic science courses and into clinical clerkships. It was presented as an innovative solution at the 2017 annual meeting of the International Association of Medical Science Educators in the US.

Bridge to Step 1 Success and Transition to Clerkship Program

The Bridge to Success (BTS) Program gives IAUCOM students a structured, mentored approach to preparing for the high-stakes USMLE Step 1. Its core components, arranged in systems-based sessions, help students organize their basic science knowledge in a framework that mirrors USMLE Step 1 content, self-assess daily using NBME practice questions, receive instructor guidance for remediation, and access one-to-one tutoring support where needed. Each afternoon includes protected time for self-directed study and question practice (UWorld, CBSSA, QBank, First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, First Aid for the Basic Sciences Organ Systems), helping students track progress and identify areas needing deeper study.

USMLE Step 1 preparation in BTS begins and ends with an NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination. Clinical skills built over the first four semesters, through Initial Clinical Experiences (preICE to ICE) and Advanced Clinical Experiences (preACE to ACE), culminate in the final two weeks of the fifth semester Bridge to Success Program, in the Transition to Clerkship sub-program. This component reinforces primary clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes for clerkships, showing students how basic science applies to patient care and preparing them for immersive clinical learning in Baltimore once they succeed on Step 1.

IAUCOM Advantage

Medical school admissions remain highly competitive even as more schools open in the US. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, of the 53,042 prospective students who applied to medical school in the 2016 to 2017 cycle, only 40% matriculated into US programs.

IAUCOM offers qualified applicants a path toward becoming a physician. Approximately 25% of US medical residents are not graduates of US medical schools, and International Medical Graduates (IMGs) play a vital role in the US healthcare system, representing 26% of practicing physicians and 24% of clinical residents in specialty programs. About 41% of IMGs practice in primary care disciplines as defined by the AAMC (internal medicine, family medicine/general practice, pediatrics, internal medicine/pediatrics, and geriatrics), helping address a national shortage of primary care physicians.

At IAUCOM, we recognize there are many Caribbean medical schools to choose from, including several large and prominent institutions. We encourage every applicant to make a personalized assessment of their needs and study habits: Will you thrive in a class of 800, or prefer small classes? Do you want ready access to professors and all your preceptors at one clinical campus, or would you rather rotate through different states for core rotations? Will you spend two years in classrooms preparing for Step 1, or see your first patients in week one of medical school? We are committed to giving our students structured, individualized opportunities to find their place in the medical profession.

A progressive curriculum: Our state of the art curriculum centers on case-based and self-directed learning, with interactive teaching sessions using simulated and standardized patient exercises. This balance gives students many ways to learn, take charge of their own academic progress, and benefit from faculty and peer support in small groups. Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Outcomes Research is woven into the Year 1-2 pathophysiology courses to integrate basic sciences with clinical practice and teach students how to find the best research resources for patient care. All learning sessions are defined by clear goals and learning objectives, closely aligned with NBME science content headings for USMLE exams, while core clinical competencies follow the ACGME and AAMC framework of Entrustable Professional Activities, guiding the gradual development of clinical skills through weekly patient rounds and clinical conferences.

Low student to faculty ratio: Maintaining a low student to faculty ratio is fundamental to our teaching method. This scale gives students real opportunities for mentorship and participation in community-based initiatives, public health research, education, and outreach, with faculty support for publishing their work.

Early patient exposure: IAUCOM students begin interacting with patients in their first semester. The Student-Run Free Community Clinic and the Comfort Bay Senior Citizens Home provide exposure to a diverse patient population, continuing through later semesters via preceptor-supervised activities and simulated and standardized patient exercises.

NBME Subject Exams: Given at the end of each basic science course and counting for 50% of course grades, these exams confirm students are meeting discipline standards and help prepare them for the Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE), which assesses strengths, weaknesses, and readiness for USMLE Step 1.

Fifth semester: Starting May 2018, students in St. Lucia complete a 13-week USMLE Step 1 preparation program followed by a two-week higher-order clinical skills review and assessment. The Bridge to Success Program sets a Step 1 baseline through pre- and post-CBSE exams, using a systems-based design with resources from NBME’s self-assessment program (CBSSA), UWorld, and other test-taking tools. The two-week Transition to Clerkship Program then immerses students in primary clinical skills, with a comprehensive review of communication skills, professionalism, history taking, and physical examination across all systems.

Mission & Goals

Mission: Train future physicians to contribute positively through selfless, humble action, with strong medical ethics and a deep appreciation for human worth and dignity.

Goals:

Foster and support a vibrant health science learning community for students, faculty, staff, and community partners
Build an outstanding academic program with comprehensive scholarly support in a campus culture that promotes engagement from students, faculty, staff, and the community
Lead an innovative medical education platform, including programs for medical students, faculty, and community physicians
Develop research and scholarly programs emphasizing translational approaches to disease prevention, personalized medicine, and improved population health

Credentials

As an IAUCOM student, you can expect to meet the credentialing levels required for US, Canadian, Indian, and Nigerian clinical licensure.

IAUCOM students are recognized by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), allowing them to take all three steps of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) required to practice as a physician in the US.

IAUCOM is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, developed through a partnership between the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), an accurate and up-to-date compilation of international medical schools recognized by the relevant government agency in each school’s country. ECFMG recognition depends on being listed in this directory.

The Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP) granted formal accreditation status to the International American University College of Medicine on July 31, 2018.

Residency & Licensure

Obtaining a residency position: Residency programs begin on July 1 each year. To be eligible, students must, before May 31, have passing scores on USMLE Step 1 (192 required, 250+ preferred) and USMLE Step 2 CK (209 required) and Step 2 CS (pass/fail), a diploma from International American University, and an ECFMG Certificate.

The application process is complex and deadlines are critical. Most residency programs accept applications from July to December for entry the following July, so students should contact programs of interest and request applications as early as possible. Interviews are generally held from October to January, and invited students should make every effort to attend. The American Medical Association’s Graduate Medical Education Directory (the “green book”) and the ACGME website list accredited programs and are useful starting points for research.

Match program: The National Residency Match Program (NRMP) is a universal placement service used by most programs and applicants, which greatly improves the chances of securing a residency position. Applications are available from July to September for entry the following July, with an October deadline. To participate, students must have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS by December 31 of the year before entering residency training, and must be scheduled to graduate by May 31. After applying to the NRMP, students apply individually to each residency program of interest and attend interviews. In February, students submit a rank order list to the NRMP ranking programs from most to least desirable, while programs submit their own rankings of candidates. A computerized matching process follows, with results released in March. A match is a legally binding commitment to begin residency that July. Students who do not match, or are not eligible for the NRMP, can still apply to programs directly for positions outside the match; a list of unfilled positions is also released to unmatched NRMP participants in March.

Transcripts and recommendations: All residency programs require a medical school transcript, a Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE, formerly the Dean’s Letter), and three letters of recommendation. Most programs require official transcripts and MSPEs sent directly from the school, and confidential letters sent directly from recommenders, though some allow unofficial copies to accompany the initial application, with official versions to follow if the student is invited to interview. Students should confirm requirements with each program before applying.

The MSPE is written by the Chief Academic Officer of International American University College of Medicine and includes information on academic performance and excerpts from clinical evaluations. Students should ask basic and clinical science faculty to send letters of recommendation directly to the Dallas office, and must submit a written request to the Registrar’s office for their MSPE, including a CV and personal statement.

USMLE: The United States Medical Licensing Examination has three parts leading to licensure. USMLE Step 1 is taken during the fifth semester, and clerkship opportunities are available only to students who have passed it. Students who complete Semesters 1 through 5 and pass Step 1 are eligible to sit Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills), provided they have completed at least 48 weeks of clinical training and are within 12 months of graduation. International Medical Graduates certified by, or pursuing certification through, ECFMG should review these regulations on the USMLE website. Students must pass Step 2 CK and CS within three attempts and within two calendar years of becoming eligible to receive the Doctor of Medicine degree. USMLE Step 3, the final step for licensure, is taken after graduation or during residency training (non-US residents must pass Step 3 to be eligible for an ECFMG certificate).

Graduation: To graduate, students must complete all required coursework, pass USMLE Step 1 in three or fewer attempts, pass USMLE Step 2 CS and CK in three or fewer attempts, meet all financial obligations to the college, and have all required documentation on file at the US office by the first week of April. Commencement is held each year in May in Dallas, Texas.

ECFMG certification: The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates validates the education of foreign medical graduates and issues certification required for residency and licensure. To obtain it, a student needs a valid medical school diploma and passing scores on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (CS and CK). More information is available on the ECFMG website.

Licensure: Licensure to practice medicine is governed individually by each US state, each with its own requirements. Students should contact the relevant state licensing board directly, or consult the Federation of State Medical Boards website for a list of boards. All states require a diploma, an ECFMG certificate, and passing scores on USMLE Steps 1, 2 CK, 2 CS, and 3, along with completion of residency training, though the required length varies by state. Students should check specific requirements for any state where they intend to practice.

Scholarships & Loans

Student loans: IAU students who are US citizens or permanent residents can apply for Sallie Mae’s Smart Option Student Loan, which allows qualified students to borrow up to 100% of the cost of attendance for the Doctor of Medicine program, with two interest rate types and multiple repayment options. Canadian citizens can apply for the Canada Student Loan Program; IAU is approved by the Government of Canada and listed on the CanLearn Master Designated List (MDL).

Scholarship opportunities: IAU offers a range of scholarships recognizing outstanding applicant performance across several fields, granted as credits toward basic sciences tuition and fees for semesters one to four. All applicants must submit a scholarship application outlining academic success, community service, and professional achievements, along with a supporting essay and documentation (transcripts, letters of recommendation, certificates, awards). The Office of Student Services must receive all applications and supporting documents at least 30 days before classes start. There is no guarantee of a scholarship, the number awarded per semester may vary, and all decisions are final. Questions can be directed to the Office of Student Services at 972-484-9700 or studentservices@iau.edu.lc. Scholarships renew automatically as long as the student maintains passing grades each course.

Outstanding Medical School Student Scholarship: A highly competitive, limited scholarship for students who show strong personal qualities of citizenship, dedication to community or public service, and academic excellence, covering up to $2,000 off Basic Science tuition. Applicants need a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.7 and strong academic, social, and personal leadership qualities, and must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress with a 3.0 each semester to remain eligible.
Academic Scholarship: Awarded each semester to new applicants who have shown academic excellence and are pursuing the MD program, covering up to $1,500 off Basic Science tuition. Applicants need a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.3, and must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress with a 3.0 each semester.
MCAT Scholarship: A limited scholarship for students who have recently completed the MCAT with a minimum score of 25/500, requiring an MCAT score report and a single application. Recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress each semester.
US Military Veterans Scholarship: A $500 scholarship for active military members and veterans of the US Army, Navy, and Air Force, applicable to both Pre-Medical and Doctor of Medicine students. Proof of military service is required, and recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress each semester.
Medical Professional Scholarship Program: Open to certified EMTs, paramedics, LVNs, RNs, and similar licensed medical professionals pursuing higher education at IAU, applicable to both Pre-Medical and Doctor of Medicine students. Proof of current certification and licensure, along with other admissions requirements, must be submitted to the Office of Student Services, and recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress each semester.
Saint Lucian Student Scholarship: Covers 100% of tuition (only) through the fourth semester of the Doctor of Medicine Program for Saint Lucian natives pursuing a career in medicine, applicable to both Pre-Medical and Doctor of Medicine students. Recipients are expected to return to their home country to practice medicine. This scholarship does not cover university fees, room, board, transportation, or educational supplies; IAU does not guarantee clinical placement in the US, and applicants remain subject to US immigration laws for clinical rotations. Recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress each semester.
CARICOM Tuition Reduction Scholarship: A 30% tuition-only reduction for students from CARICOM member and associate member states. This scholarship does not cover university fees, room, board, transportation, or educational supplies; IAU does not guarantee clinical placement in the US, and applicants remain subject to US immigration laws for clinical rotations. Recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress each semester.
African Student Tuition Reduction Scholarship: Open to applicants who currently reside in, and hold citizenship of, an African country, with proof of citizenship and residency required. Contact the Office of Student Services (972-484-9700 or studentservices@iau.edu.lc) for the scholarship amount.

Admissions

Admission process: IAU operates on a trimester system, admitting students in January, May, and September. Applications can be submitted up to three semesters in advance, and early submission is encouraged to secure a seat in the desired term.

Academic requirements for North American applicants:

Bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years (90 semester credit hours) from a regionally accredited university
1 year of General Biology or Zoology with labs (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of Inorganic Chemistry (General or Physical) with labs (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of Organic Chemistry with labs, or one semester each of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 semester of Physics with lab (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 semester of math, such as Calculus, Computer Science, or Statistics (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of English (undergraduate level or equivalent)

Academic requirements for British applicants:

Bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years (90 semester credit hours) with a strong science background
1 year of General Biology or Zoology with labs (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of Inorganic Chemistry (General or Physical) with labs (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of Organic Chemistry with labs, or one semester each of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 semester of Physics with lab (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 semester of math, such as Calculus, Computer Science, or Statistics (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of English (undergraduate level or equivalent)
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if deemed necessary

Academic requirements for applicants from other educational systems:

Successful completion of secondary school
Bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years (90 semester credit hours) with a strong science background
1 year of General Biology or Zoology with labs (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of Inorganic Chemistry (General or Physical) with labs (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of Organic Chemistry with labs, or one semester each of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 semester of Physics with lab (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 semester of math, such as Calculus, Computer Science, or Statistics (undergraduate level or equivalent)
1 year of English (undergraduate level or equivalent)
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if deemed necessary

Students who do not hold a bachelor’s degree with 3 years of undergraduate study are advised to contact the Office of Admissions about placement into the 5-year combined Pre-Medical/Doctor of Medicine Program.

Required documents for application:

IAU Application for Admission
Application fee of $100 (non-refundable)
A color passport-size photo
Personal statement explaining your motivation to become a physician
At least two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources
Resume listing extracurricular or medical volunteer activities
Official transcripts for all coursework completed to date
Transcript evaluation for coursework completed outside the United States

Transfer students must also submit:

Official transcript(s) from previous medical school(s)
Official USMLE transcripts (if attempted)
Score reports for all previous CBSE attempts (if attempted)
A dean’s or registrar’s letter

Applicants meeting admission criteria are scheduled for an interview, typically arranged within 48 hours and conducted in person, by video, or by phone, depending on availability. Being granted an interview does not guarantee acceptance. The interview evaluates communication skills and the content of responses, preparation for medical school, leadership and volunteer experience, and overall potential to become a successful physician. Afterward, the interviewer submits a one to two page evaluation to the Admissions Committee, which reviews applicants holistically, considering academic marks, standardized test scores, and consistency and progression in achievements, alongside a commitment to building a diverse student body. Applicants are encouraged to have experience in clinical settings, research, public health, or community outreach.

Following the interview, applicants are typically notified of their admission status within 24 to 48 hours, unless further review is required. Accepted students must acknowledge their intention within 7 days by returning enrollment documents along with the acceptance letter, and must submit a seat deposit to secure their place.

Application timeline: The College accepts applications on a rolling basis across three intake sessions per year (January, May, and September). Applications are recommended no later than two months before the start of the chosen term; since September is the largest intake, applications for that term are best submitted three to four months in advance to allow time for processing.

Questions can be directed to the Office of Admissions at 972-484-9700, 1-888-440-4474, or admissions@iau.edu.lc.

Want to Know More?

Weighing IAU’s Baltimore clinical campus against other Caribbean programs? Visit our forum to hear directly from current and former IAU students about the St. Lucia basic sciences experience, US clinical rotations, and how the admissions and scholarship process actually plays out.