Western Atlantic University School of Medicine
MD (Doctor of Medicine) Program
Freeport, Bahamas, The
M.D.
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 66,000 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
“Our job as WAUSM leaders is to provide you with opportunities that will allow your skills and leadership to develop so you can become master adaptive learners who are positioned to succeed as MDs in your specialties of choice.”
– Paula Wales, EdD, Executive Dean and Chief Academic Officer
With a focus on what comes next, Western Atlantic University School of Medicine has designed a forward-thinking curriculum that blends modern strategies with time-honored traditional teaching methods. Through case-based, hands-on, supportive learning, you will graduate with the knowledge and skills to launch a successful career in your field of choice, and be empowered to become a self-taught learner who is capable of continually updating your expertise over time.
Preclerkship Curriculum
WAUSM students experience active, hands-on learning from day one. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect in semesters 1 to 5 of our Preclerkship Curriculum:
- Semester 1: As you make the transition from layperson to medical student, you will be introduced to the language of medicine, have your first encounter with a patient, begin your immersion into virtual anatomy, start working in teams with your fellow students, and establish a relationship with your academic mentor.
- Semesters 2, 3, & 4: As you become immersed in all aspects of each system module, your integrated medical knowledge will continue to grow. Active, self-directed learning initiatives with cases will provide the framework for foundational science content, and you will begin to incorporate connecting elements and utilize the functions of basic science knowledge in patient care.
- Semester 5: With the completion of the systems sequence, you will now be ready to do a complete history and physical. As a community, we will celebrate how far you have come as you prepare to leave Freeport for clerkships in the US and sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1.
Simulation Labs
Work in our simulation labs begins early in the preclerkship stage of our curriculum, allowing you to participate in a wide range of hands-on activities, including working with standardized patients and high-fidelity patient simulators, and virtual reality scenarios that could potentially encompass the entire patient journey – from admission to discharge.
Lifelike models, patient simulators are equipped with technologies that make them resemble and respond like a living person, allowing you to acquire and hone technical skills such as suturing, resuscitation, endotracheal intubation, basic life support, and IV placement in a safe, simulated environment.
Team-training exercises are incorporated throughout, allowing you and your classmates to learn to work with each other, and other members of the healthcare team.
Virtual Anatomy
A time-honored introduction into the study of the human body, anatomy is an essential experience for all Western Atlantic University School of Medicine first-year medical students.
In step with US medical schools offering a more optimal way to study anatomy – and in keeping with our case-based, integrated approach to medical education – WAUSM students learn anatomy within the context of diseases and clinical practice in our Virtual Anatomy.
Using sophisticated teaching aids that provide a more precise view of live organs, virtual anatomy offers a reimagined and more appropriate representation of human anatomy that allows students to form a more accurate understanding of the body’s structures.
Virtual anatomy will allow you to:
- Probe the human body using three-dimensional renderings in virtual reality
- Examine organs from all angles
- View entire systems to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between structures
- Connect structure and function together in an integrated fashion
- Learn how to link anatomical structures to clinical problems
- Acquire valuable exposure to broader trends in clinical practice
Clerkship Curriculum
Your Practice-ready Preparation
Comprising the last two years of your medical education, your clinical rotations (75 weeks) will take place in the US, have direct access to patients, and gain valuable hands-on experience.
In year three of your training, you will receive broad exposure to the major medical disciplines designed to help you become active participants in providing patient care.
During this time, you will receive comprehensive, hands-on learning experiences that will allow you to grow your skills in several key areas, including medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, practice-based learning, and system-based practice.
Our tracked Clerkship program will allow you to complete all six core rotations at one location in your third year of medical school. Your core rotations (48 weeks) will include:
- Internal Medicine (12 weeks)
- Surgery (12 weeks)
- Obstetrics and Gynecology (6 weeks)
- Pediatrics (6 weeks)
- Family Medicine (6 weeks)
- Psychiatry (6 weeks)
In your fourth year – which is the most tailored in terms of the curriculum – you will work with your faculty mentor to complete elective rotations (27 weeks) in targeted subspecialty areas based on your goals as a physician, and prepare to begin applying for residency.
As a Western Atlantic University School of Medicine (WAUSM) student, clerkships are your opportunity to put your classroom learning into actual practice. And because our medical program is specifically geared toward training students to think quickly and critically from day one, when the time comes for you to examine a patient you will be able to ask appropriate questions, interpret the information, and determine the best course of action.