Oceania University of Medicine (OUM)

Oceania University of Medicine (OUM) was founded in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa to address its serious physician shortage, a situation which is today faced globally.

We combine today’s best e-learning capabilities with traditional hands-on clinical training to bring medical education to students in their home communities — helping them overcome distance and professional barriers to achieve their dream of practicing medicine.

Why OUM?

• Study from Home: The first two years are conducted online, allowing you to study from anywhere
• Clinical Rotations Across the US & Canada: Gain practical experience at a variety of clinical sites throughout the United States and Canada
• Accessible Education: Continue working while you study during the initial stages of the program
• Interactive, Personalized Learning: Small classes in live, instructor-led virtual classrooms enhance your learning experience
• Hybrid Curriculum: OUM’s hybrid curriculum is designed for those eager to enter medicine. With a strong network of affiliated teaching hospitals and committed faculty, we are success-focused and inspire excellence in all our students

Our pioneering distance-learning model opens the door to becoming doctors for those who do not reside near or wish to re-locate to, a traditional medical school campus. Accepting students from the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Samoa, we provide comprehensive support to meet and understand international medical licensing standards.

Additional Benefits

• No MCAT Required: Start your medical education journey without needing the MCAT
• Prepare for USMLEs and ECFMG Certification: Our students and graduates are fully equipped to pursue their medical licensing and certification exams
• Global Health Experience: Participate in a unique four-week clinical rotation at OUM’s main teaching facility in Samoa, adding a global perspective to your medical training.

If you have questions or would like more information about OUM’s MD Program, please contact the school's admissions counselors by visiting their school website.

Application Deadline

• Start in January: Apply by September 1
• Start in July: Apply by March 1

Start your path to an MD with OUM now.

Application Checklist

• Certified or official college/university transcripts from ALL institutions attended.
  Certified transcripts must come directly from the institution. We do not accept uncertified copies of transcripts sent directly from the applicant. Some transcripts may require a formal evaluation report to meet medical school application requirements.
• Confirmation of English proficiency by international medical school applicants whose first language is not English
• Essay on why you want to become a medical doctor
• 3 signed and dated original letters of recommendation (at least 1 from a medical doctor)
• Professional résumé/CV
• Photo ID
• $250 Non-refundable application fee (Paid in the home country’s currency by residents in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Samoa, and the US. )

Post-Acceptance Checklist

Upon acceptance to the OUM program, students must also provide the following Post-Acceptance documents
by December 1 for the January Intake, and June 1 for the July Intake:

• Criminal Background Check
• Immunization Records
• Passport-style Photo

OUM Entry Requirements

Applicants must have a:

• Recognized Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited tertiary institution
• GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, 5.5 on a 7.0 scale, or its equivalent

OUM students come from a variety of backgrounds. A Science major is not a prerequisite for entry because the Basic Sciences are foundational to a medical school curriculum.

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) are not required.

OUM currently accepts students from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa, where the University has well-established relationships with teaching hospitals and clinics and where it is most knowledgeable of the licensing requirements for international medical graduates (IMGs). This guarantees our students access to their requisite clinical rotations and assures a smoother transition through their hurdle exams into postgraduate training and clinical practice.

If you have questions or would like more information about OUM’s MD Program, please reach out to the school's admissions counselors by visiting the school website.

Accreditations

Who Accredits OUM?

OUM was first accredited in 2010 by PAASCU, which at the time was one of the 21 medical school accrediting bodies worldwide deemed by the US Department of Education’s National Committee for Foreign Medical Education Accreditation (NCFMEA) to have standards comparable to those of the United States. OUM’s accreditation was renewed in 2015, 2020, and 2025, and is valid until May 2030.

In 2018, the NCFMEA announced new criteria, and PAASCU was required to undergo further accreditation in 2024, in order for its accreditation of OUM to remain valid. On 6 April 2024, PAASCU was awarded Recognition Status through April 2033, pending annual monitoring of continued compliance. This Recognition Status is awarded to the Philippines and Samoa, as follows: “WFME Recognition Status confirms that the World Federation For Medical Education (WFME) is satisfied with the accreditation process, post-accreditation monitoring, and decision-making process of the PAASCU as it relates to basic medical education schools or programmes. WFME Recognition Status of an agency confers the understanding that the quality of medical education in its accredited schools is to an appropriate and rigorous standard.” This WFME Recognition Status reinforces OUM’s global reputation and confirms that its graduates hold a degree aligned with international standards.

Our international medical school accreditation is an important quality indicator that validates the quality of our educational programs. It also provides our diverse student body with the requisite credentials needed by graduates of foreign medical schools to practice in many countries.

OUM Is An Internationally Accredited Medical School

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at Oceania University of Medicine (OUM) is internationally accredited and recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), a key credential that enables graduates to pursue medical practice opportunities in many countries worldwide.

OUM’s accreditation is granted by the Philippine Accrediting Association for Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU), a respected international accrediting agency. OUM was first accredited by PAASCU in 2010, with renewals in 2015, 2020, and most recently in 2025. The latest certificate of accreditation, awarded on 30 May 2025, remains valid through May 2030.

In 2024, WFME granted recognition status to PAASCU for its accreditation of OUM in Samoa. This recognition ensures OUM’s continued global credibility and affirms that its graduates earn a degree that meets international standards. Further strengthening this standing, PAASCU and the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement, under which SQA officially recognizes PAASCU’s accreditation of OUM.

OUM meets the educational requirements set by the United States for international medical graduates. This includes the key requirement that the medical school be accredited by an agency recognized by the WFME, making OUM graduates eligible to apply for licensure and residency programs in the United States and other countries.

What Is Accreditation?

Medical school accreditation standards demonstrate that an institution has met rigorous qualifications, providing confidence that its curriculum is comparable to other well-established medical schools.

In addition to being an important quality indicator, many countries require that medical graduates applying for licensure in their jurisdictions earn their degrees from institutions with recognized medical school accreditation.

Why OUM?

• Study from Home: The first two years are conducted online, allowing you to study from anywhere.
• Clinical Rotations Across the US & Canada: Gain practical experience at a variety of clinical sites throughout the United States and Canada.
• Accessible Education: Continue working while you study during the initial stages of the program.
• Interactive, Personalized Learning: Small classes in live, instructor-led virtual classrooms enhance your learning experience.
• Hybrid Curriculum: OUM’s hybrid curriculum is designed for those eager to enter medicine. With a strong network of affiliated teaching hospitals and committed faculty, we are success-focused and inspire excellence in all our students.

Our pioneering distance-learning model opens the door to becoming doctors for those who do not reside near or wish to re-locate to, a traditional medical school campus. Accepting students from the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Samoa, we provide comprehensive support to meet and understand international medical licensing standards.

If you have questions or would like more information about OUM’s MD Program, please contact the school's admissions counselors by visiting the school website.