Admission Requirements

The following courses are the pre-medical requirements for admission to Saba. Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis.

Biology: A one-year general biology or zoology course with a laboratory component. Students who elect to pursue additional coursework in the biological sciences should consider genetics, embryology, cell and molecular biology or comparative anatomy.

Chemistry: One year of inorganic and one year of organic chemistry with a laboratory component. Biochemistry can be considered as an option for one semester of organic chemistry.

English: At least one year of college-level English literature or composition. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in writing, reading and oral communication.

Other: A broad background in humanities, social sciences or physical sciences, and computer skills

Additional coursework in biology and related disciplines is highly recommended. Students completing courses such as cell biology, anatomy and physiology, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, statistics and psychology/interpersonal skills and communication are given preference in admissions.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our students, Saba will waive the MCAT score requirement for applicants to the Spring 2022 (January) term who are not able to secure a test date. Applicants who have an MCAT score, or a pending MCAT score, are required to submit their score(s) with their application.

However, for May and September 2022, taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required for all applicants who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.

In addition, taking the MCAT is recommended for all other applicants and is specifically required from those students who meet any of the following three conditions:

1. Students with outdated required science coursework (>5 years old)
2. Students who completed required science coursework at a community college
3. Students with “C” grades or lower in the required science courses

Saba’s MCAT code is Saba. More information about the MCAT is available at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website.

Applicants can send Saba University School of Medicine the MCAT exam scores through the online THx system as soon as they are available at the AAMC.

Since English is the language of instruction at Saba University School of Medicine, it is important that applicants be prepared academically to pursue the curriculum and also be able to communicate well.

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). More information is available at the TOEFL website.

Applicants are expected to have a minimum of 50 hours of direct patient care experience to be eligible for admission to Saba University School of Medicine.

This experience can come from volunteering in a hospital setting, shadowing physicians, working as an EMT, etc.

Students who do not meet the minimum requirement at the time of their application must fulfill it prior to matriculation.

Individuals who have attended an approved medical school can apply to Saba and will be considered for admission after completing the application. Acceptance is contingent upon the recommendation of the Admissions Committee and availability of space. Please contact the Admissions Office before submitting an application for transfer.

Transfer students must submit all documentation required of new students (with some additions; see below) and must be in good academic standing.

Requirements for the application include:

• An official transcript from your current institution and all past educational institutions.
• A Dean’s letter from your medical school indicating your standing at that school.
• A statement that the applicant has met all outstanding financial and academic obligations at the previous medical school.

Saba University School of Medicine will not consider coursework completed through a distance learning program. Students with unsatisfactory records or dismissal for any reason from other medical schools are not considered for transfer.

Saba University School of Medicine does not offer advanced standing credit for courses taken in graduate or professional degree programs (e.g. Chiropractic, Physician Assistant, Podiatry, Dentistry or other allied health professional programs).

Please note: Based on the medical school an applicant is seeking transfer from, if accepted, the student may need to repeat courses to satisfy state licensure requirements.

Students interested in transferring to the Clinical Medicine program (Semesters 5-10) must contact the Admissions Office prior to formally applying to determine eligibility and space availability.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO NON-U.S. AND NON-CANADIAN STUDENTS:

In order to complete the program in medicine, students from outside the U.S. and Canada may need to obtain certain visas in order to undertake all or a portion of the requisite clinical training in affiliated hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, all students from outside the U.S. and Canada will need certain visas to take one or more segments of the USMLE exams in the U.S. These visas are solely the student’s responsibility to obtain. The School understands that as a result of policies or practices adopted by the U.S. State Department, a number of medical students from outside the U.S. and Canada have been unable to obtain the required visas. Students from outside the U.S. and Canada who are unable to obtain the necessary visas will not be able to complete the School’s degree program. In such a case, no refund of tuition or other expenses incurred in connection with his or her attendance at the School will be made.

Students with disabilities may request any reasonable accommodations by contacting odr@saba.edu.

The goal of Saba University School of Medicine is to prepare our medical graduates to be competent, caring physicians who have the skills of lifelong learning necessary to incorporate new knowledge and methods into their practice as either a generalist or a specialist and to adapt to a changing professional environment.

Essential abilities and characteristics required for completion of the MD degree consist of certain minimum physical and cognitive abilities and sufficient mental and emotional stability to assure that candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation are able to successfully complete the entire course of study, participate fully in all aspects of medical training and meet such other requirements of the program as may be established or changed from time to time. The school intends for its graduates to become physicians who are capable of pursing and completing graduate medical education, passing licensing exams and obtaining and maintaining medical licensure.

The avowed intention of an individual student to practice only a narrow part of clinical medicine, or to pursue a non-clinical career, does not alter the requirement that all medical students take and achieve competence in the complete program of medicine required by the school. For purposes of this document and unless otherwise defined, the term "candidate" means candidates for admission to the MD Program as well as enrolled medical students who are candidates for promotion and graduation.

The school also has an ethical responsibility for the safety of patients with whom students and graduates will come in contact. Although students learn and work under the supervision of the faculty, students interact with patients throughout their medical school education. Patient safety and well-being are therefore major factors in establishing requirements involving the physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities of candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation. As a result, the medical education process, which focuses so largely on patients, differs markedly from postsecondary education in fields outside of the health sciences.

The essential abilities and characteristics described herein are also referred to as "technical standards." They are described below in several broad categories including: observation; communication; motor function; intellectual-conceptual (integrative and quantitative) abilities; and behavioral and social skills. In addition to these, candidates must have the physical and emotional stamina to function in a competent and safe manner in settings that may involve heavy workloads, long hours, and stressful situations. All candidates should be aware that the academic and clinical responsibilities of medical students may, at times, require their presence during day and evening hours, any day of the week, at unpredictable times and for unpredictable durations of time.

Individuals who present a threat to the health and safety of others for any reason, including as a result of a physical, mental, or other condition, are not suitable candidates for admission, promotion or graduation. Candidates must possess the capability to complete the entire program of medicine, achieve the degree Doctor of Medicine, and practice medicine with or without reasonable accommodations, taking into account the limited nature of accommodations available at Saba University School of Medicine.

Candidates should note, in this regard, that the school is not subject to federal or state disability laws that might apply in the United States or other countries for that matter; the school is in a position to provide only a very limited range of accommodations for students with disabilities; and much of the housing and other infrastructure on the island is not readily accessible to persons with disabilities.

View full information on technical standards