Take Control of Your Medical Education

The Faculty Student Selection Committee takes seriously its charge of choosing future physicians who will contribute positively to the world’s community of healthcare practitioners, and chooses SGU candidates who will, as future physicians, contribute positively to the world’s community of healthcare practitioners.  Throughout the review process, this Committee seeks candidates for its MD program who demonstrate:

• Strong academic achievement or potential
• Empathy and Compassion
• Motivation and commitment
• Ability to learn from mistakes or failures
• Critical thinking with problem-solving ability
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team
• Health professions experience
• Sense of community responsibility
• Curiosity and dedication to lifelong learning
• Sensitivity and openness to diversity

Additionally, the medical school faculty specified the following non-academic and academic standards which applicants/medical students are expected to meet to participate in the medical education program and the subsequent practice of medicine.

• Observation Skills
  The applicant/medical student must be able to participate actively in all demonstrations and laboratory exercises in the basic medical sciences and to assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned to him or her for examination, diagnosis and treatment.
• Communication Skills
  The applicant/medical student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, assess non-verbal communications, and be able to effectively and efficiently transmit information to patients, fellow students, faculty, staff and all members of the health care team. Communication skills include speaking, reading and writing, as well as the observation skills described above.
• Motor Skills
  The applicant/medical student must have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers, be able to perform basic laboratory tests, possess all skills necessary to carry out diagnostic procedures and be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients.
• Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities
  The applicant/medical student must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the applicant/medical student must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures. The applicant / medical student must have the capacity to perform these problem-solving skills in a timely fashion.
• Behavioral and Social Attributes
  The applicant/medical student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and others. An applicant/medical student must also be able to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environment, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, commitment and motivation are personal qualities which each applicant/medical student should possess.

St. George’s University’s School of Medicine takes a student’s entire background into account during the application and acceptance process. Among other things, we assess academic achievement, volunteer and job experience, extracurricular activities, and exposure to the medical profession.

Application Process

Upon receipt of your application, an SGU admissions counselor will be assigned to you and contact you. That counselor will help you ensure that you have provided all supporting documentation and that you meet the minimum admission requirements (courses, degree or diploma, tests, etc.).

Once your application is complete (all required documentation has been received), your counselor will inform you when your application is being presented to the School of Medicine Faculty Student Selection Committee (FSSC). The FSSC would review your application to determine whether it will go to the next step (the interview).

Message from the Faculty Student Selection Committee

We have compiled some guidance on applying to St. George’s University School of Medicine’s Doctor of Medicine program.   We encourage you to read this in its entirely as you embark upon your application process to SGUSOM.

BEFORE APPLICATION

The study and practice of medicine is rewarding, intense, and rigorous.   Students who succeed are generally those who have a clear idea of why they want to study medicine, a burning desire to do so, and a good idea of the realities of the contemporary medical profession.

1. Think about, then list, the reasons why you want to study medicine. Your response to this should inform how you fill out the application, write the essay, and, if invited to an interview, how you interact with the interviewer.
2. One of the ways that you will be assessed is on your understanding of the profession. The more clinic or hospital experience you can gain – either paid or volunteer – the better informed you will be about the profession.

The Application

The School of Medicine has defined the desired medical student as those who have these attributes.  Throughout the review process, which includes an interview for those chosen to move on in the process, the Faculty Student Selection Committee evaluates the candidates for these attributes which will help to make a successful medical student and an excellent practicing physician after graduation.  Your essays, letters of reference, personal statements and discussions during the interview should all convey to committee members indicators of these qualities.

Letters of Recommendation

The Faculty Student Selection Committee will accept up to five letters of recommendation, but two are mandatory.   Letters from science professors are preferred, but a candidate for admissions may obtain letters of reference from other professors or managers/supervisors, or someone who can speak knowingly about the candidate’s qualities that will ensure success in medical school.

• Strong academic achievement or potential
• Empathy and Compassion 
• Motivation and commitment
• Ability to learn from mistakes or failures
• Critical thinking with problem-solving ability
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team
• Health professions experience (if possible)
• Sense of community responsibility
• Curiosity and dedication to lifelong learning
• Sensitivity and openness to diversity

All letters of recommendation must contain official letterhead (or contact information if letterhead not available) and handwritten signatures.

The application should demonstrate these qualities. The personal essay and the letters of recommendation are important for the Selection Committee to gain a deeper understanding of you, your characteristics, and your accomplishments.  Many applicants have met challenges during their student journey to medical school.  It is extremely important to acknowledge and explain these challenges and to articulate to the FSSC that you understand the nature of the challenges, your response to overcoming them, and your subsequent strategies for success.

Please fill out your application to highlight all of the above characteristics. Be sure that you submit every academic qualification you have attempted.  If you are applying to the Four-Year MD program with a bachelor’s degree, you do not need to submit scores from secondary school, but any course or examination taken from the first year of undergraduate on is necessary to submit.  Please include any postbaccalaureate and/or graduate work done.  If you have sat for the MCAT, you must submit the scores.

Students applying to the Five, Six, and Seven Year MD programs need to submit all secondary school documentation in addition to any examinations undertaken – A Levels, O Levels, GAMSAT, UCAT, etc.

THE INTERVIEW

After an initial review, those that are selected to continue in the application process will be invited to an interview.   Interviewers are trained to evaluate your readiness and preparedness for medical school and to evaluate candidates according to the attributes above.  The interviewers have a deep understanding of medical school, the medical program at SGU, and its partner institutions, and of the profession of medicine.  If invited to an interview, please come prepared.

• Please dress professionally and arrive promptly/start the virtual meeting on time. Professionalism is at the core of the study and practice of medicine.  It does not matter if the interview is conducted electronically, candidates for medicine are expected to comport themselves professionally and to project that to an interviewer.  Whether the interview is virtual or in person, you are expected to treat this interview professionally:  Create a quiet space, dress professionally, and be prepared to speak about yourself, your aspirations, and your achievements.
• Be prepared to show a basic understanding of the practice and of some of the ethical concerns of the practice of medicine in the 21^st
• Be ready to talk about challenges in your life and how you ultimately succeeded. If there have been weak grades or challenging periods in your life, be ready to speak about them, especially stressing strategies you have developed to overcome the challenges.
• Be prepared to speak about your experience if you have worked in any health care field, including research.
• Teamwork is important in medicine. You should be able to articulate your understanding of this through your own experiences.
• In general, be prepared to speak about yourself in a meaningful way.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

All interviewed candidates will be reviewed by the Faculty Student Selection Committee who will make a determination on a candidate’s admission to the program.

These are the various determinations that are made at the Four-Year MD level:

• Admit MD
• Admit MD/Medical Academic Communication (MAC) – a 50-minute a week English Language Support program for students with a deficit in the writing part of the English Language Assessment.
• Admit MD/English for Medicine Pathway (EMP) – Pre-matriculation course with audited 300-400 level science courses and English Language support for those who do not meet the required grade on the English Language Assessment.
• Provisional Admit/Medical School Assessment Program (MSAP) – The MSAP is a four-week, intensive, online course with quizzes and an examination. If a student reaches the grade set by the FSSC, that student will proceed into the MD program.
• Not Admit/Admit to Charter Foundation Program (CFP) – The CFP is a term-long, campus-based program of upper level sciences and learning strategies support. If a student obtains the required grade, that student is accepted into the next MD entering class.
• Provisional Admit with a condition – such as a certain score on an MCAT, an English test, or a set grade in a course or other examination
• Not Admit

Candidates for entry into the Five, Six, and Seven-Year MD programs can be given these determinations:

• Admit – into year of stated minimum entering qualifications
• Admit/MAC – admit to year of academic qualifications with 50 minutes a week of English language support for those with a deficit in writing.
• Admit with EMP – decelerated academic courses in the first year with English language support throughout.
• Not Admit – Admit into a prior year – with or without EMP or MAC
• Provisional Admit – Admit with a provision of a stated qualification on an upcoming examination or qualification.
• Not Admit

Acceptance and Matriculation

Within three weeks of acceptance notification, a student must submit a signed Acknowledgment of Admission along with a non-refundable tuition deposit in order to reserve a seat in the class. Additionally, the Health Care form must be completed before registration.

Acceptance into St. George’s School of Medicine is granted upon the presumption by the Faculty Student Selection Committee that:

• All courses currently being taken by the applicant will be completed prior to registration.
• All statements made by the applicant during the admission process, whether oral, written, or in submission of academic documentation, are true and correct.

If we subsequently discover that we made our decision based on false or inaccurate information, we may nullify a student’s acceptance or, if the student is registered, dismiss the student.

Acceptances cannot be deferred, but if you want to matriculate in a later term than the one offered, you must submit your request in writing for the Faculty Student Selection Committee to review. Please be aware that, if you delay matriculation, SGU cannot guarantee that you would be offered the same terms as in the initial acceptance offer.

For your convenience, we encourage you to apply online and track your application status through Self-Service Admission. As an alternative, you can still download a paper copy to print and complete manually.

APPLY or DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION NOW

Application Deadlines

The Faculty Student Selection Committee uses a rolling admission policy; therefore, we accept and review applications on an ongoing basis.

The School of Medicine begins first-term classes in mid-August, mid-January and mid-April.

If you are considering application to SGU’s Doctor of Medicine program, please allow for the time necessary to secure official transcripts, standardized test scores and letters of recommendation.

Please note that entering classes are highly competitive and applications completed early have the advantage of being reviewed at the beginning of the admission process. The Faculty Student Selection Committee reserves the right to defer an application to the following semester if there are no available seats.

Prospective applicants interested in transferring into St. George’s University are required to fill out the transfer request form and email it to [email protected]. Once the Admissions Office receives your request, it will be reviewed by our Faculty Student Selection Committee to establish eligibility for you to apply to our 4-Year Doctor of Medicine program.