| 1Q. | Where is Spartan Health Sciences University, School Medicine (SHSU) located? |
| | SHSU is a foreign medical school located in the country of St. Lucia, West Indies. |
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| 2Q. | Is SHSU accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education? |
| | The Liaison Committee for Medical Education of the American Medical Association accredits medical schools located only in the United States and Canada. For example, LCME does not accredit Cambridge or Oxford Universities located in the United Kingdom. Spartan is Licensed, Chartered and Accredited by the Government of St. Lucia and its curriculum closely follows the standards and guidelines set by LCME. |
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| 3Q. | Does SHSU accept transfer students? |
| | Yes. Students from recognized medical schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (W.H.O.) and International Medical Education Directory (I.M.E.D.) will be admitted as transfer students upon evaluation of their credentials. Transfer tudents can only be considered to the Fourth Trimester of the basic science and pre-clinical science program for admission. Students are not accepted directly into the clinical program. |
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| 4Q. | How much time do I have to spend in St. Lucia? |
| | SHSU curriculum is an accelerated program which could be completed in 36 consecutive calendar months (3 calendar years). Of those, you must spend 16 months (4 trimesters) in St. Lucia for the basic science and pre- clinical science program and the remaining 20 months (5 trimesters) in United States for the Clinical training program. In the near future, we will offer a five trimesters of basic sciences and pre-clinical science program. |
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| 5Q. | Can I mail all my Admission Documents directly to St. Lucia instead of the New Mexico office? |
| | Yes. Unfortunately, the mail from United States to St. Lucia, West Indies takes more than three weeks. If you send mail to New Mexico, it will be sent by Federal Express to St. Lucia for a speedier response from the school. You can send the mail by United States Postal Service (Regular Mail / Express Mail / Priority Mail / Certified Mail) to the following address to expedite the mail service to St. Lucia:
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 989
Santa Teresa, New Mexico 88008 |
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| 6Q. | Once I submit my application package, do I require an interview? |
| | Yes. Telephone interviews are conducted with all prospective students to relieve them of financial burden such as airline tickets and hotel costs etc. But students are encouraged to come for a personal interview if they feel that would enhance their chance of acceptance. |
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| 7Q. | Is it true that school's personnel are not available for communication? |
| | Absolutely not true. They are readily available and easily accessible for advice and consultation Monday to Friday except holidays |
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| 8Q. | When I call the New Mexico office why isn’t the phone answered as "Spartan"? |
| | The university is located in St. Lucia, West Indies. It would be misleading and technically incorrect to imply that Spartan is located in the United States. |
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| 9Q. | Can I buy my required textbooks in St. Lucia? |
| | Yes, textbooks can be purchased in St. Lucia. |
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| 10Q. | What is the Comprehensive Exit Examination? |
| | Comprehensive Exit Examination is conducted at the end of the basic sciences and pre-clinical program in St. Lucia. Passing score is required and is mandatory to start clinical rotations. |
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| 11Q. | What happens if I fail the Comprehensive Exit Examination? |
| | Student has to come back to St. Lucia, West Indies and retake the examination at the end of the following trimester. |
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| 12Q. | Can I take the test in the New Mexico office? |
| | No. Spartan Health Sciences University is located in St. Lucia, West Indies. All the tests are conducted at the school in St. Lucia |
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| 13Q. | Where can the students do their clinical rotations? |
| | Clinical rotations can be done in the United States. It is the responsibility of the University to arrange the clinical rotations for all its students. Student’s own arrangement is not allowed and not accepted by the University.
Students are given an extensive orientation in the final trimester of basic sciences and pre- clinical program as a group and also individually. List of all available hospitals are provided and procedures to follow are discussed at length and in detail.
The hospitals list and clerkship placement requirements do change from time to time. |
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| 14Q. | How do I request for a transcript and how long does it take? |
| | Request in writing on a "Transcript Request Form" with proper payment enclosed. Also provide the information as to where it needs to be sent with student/graduate’s signature authorizing the request. Student’s file has to be complete and with no financial obligation to the University. All Basic Science course grades have to be recorded and original clinical evaluations have to be received by the University and are on file. Clinical rotations grades are entered on a trimester basis, i.e. every 16 weeks.
It takes about 7-10 working days to mail the transcript once the request is received.
If the student’s file is complete, the request can be processed in 24-48 hrs. |
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| 15Q. | If my loan is approved when do I get my loan check? |
| | Basic Sciences: One week after a student is enrolled at the University and be physically present in St. Lucia attending the medical program.
Clinical sciences: One week after the start of the clinical rotation. The check is sent to the address provided by the student via FedEx.
A student is absolutely entitled to receive loan funds in a timely manner provided he/she is currently enrolled and undertaking clinical clerkships.
To be eligible for the next disbursement, a student must complete sixteen (16) weeks of clinical rotations with Original Evaluations submitted to the school and be enrolled for the next trimester. The School becomes responsible to pay the lender if funds are not disbursed according to lending agency’s guidelines.
A student on Leave of Absence does not constitute as enrollment. |
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| 16Q. | What is the USMLE pass rate? |
| | Based on the data collected during the year 2004, the results are:
Step 1 72%
Step 2 81%
CSA 100% |
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| 17Q. | How can I be licensed in the United States? |
| | You must pass USMLE Step I, Step 2CS and Step 2CK examinations, obtain ECFMG Certificate and complete an accredited Residency Training Program.
Each State has different licensing requirements for international graduates. When you are ready to apply for a licensure, you should contact the medical licensing Board of a State in which you may wish to practice medicine.
At the present time, Spartan graduates are licensed and practicing in 46 States of the United States and 42 countries in the world. Hopefully, graduates would apply in those remaining States in the near future. It is erroneous to imply that Spartan is "banned" in those other States. |
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| 18Q. | Who will make arrangements for my housing? |
| | The housing committee will help you find appropriate housing upon your arrival in St. Lucia. |
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| 19Q. | There are many "Caribbean Medical Schools" – Why should I choose Spartan? |
| | 1. Because of its proven medical education program which has been established over 25 years
2. Its true international identity with over 90 nationalities among its student body
3. Its affordable tuition fees which is reasonable among its counterparts
4. But above all, you will be part of a true family in a school where everybody knows you and cares to help you to reach your goal (You are just not a number) |
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| 20Q. | How true is it about Spartan’s "bad reputation" as propagated on "chat rooms" and "Forums"? |
| | "Absolutely False." These "Chat Rooms" and "Forums" on the internet are conducted to mislead prospective students by putting false, unsubstantiated and misleading information with a hidden agenda by disgruntled "agents and students" of some of those unreputable schools knowing well that these can not be defended by us on a daily basis. In some cases, there may even be a few of our own disgruntled students. What counts in the end are the facts and not the innuendoes that are perpetuated by these anonymous Individuals. They don’t realize that by default these same comments will tarnish the reputation of ALL medical schools in the Caribbean as history has shown in the early 1980’s. "Don’t let history repeat itself." |
