Why Choose Saba

Why Choose Saba

30 years and 3,000+ successful graduates later, we're proud that Saba University School of Medicine has lived up to its founding vision.

Saba University School of Medicine was founded in 1992 with a bold vision: to establish an international alternative to U.S. and Canadian medical schools that would provide an excellent medical education and expansive career opportunities.

Here Are Some Reasons to Choose Saba

98% 1st Time Pass Rate for USMLE Step 1 & 2 (avg. 2018-2022)**

Preparation leads to perfection and Saba’s USMLE Step 1 first-time pass rate results are the proof. Saba’s 98% first-time pass rate in 2022 exceeds the average for U.S. and Canadian MD programs (93%), compares very favorably to U.S. and Canadian DO programs (89%), and significantly outclasses the average for other non-U.S./Canadian MD programs (74%). Saba consistently has the highest USMLE first-time pass rate of any Caribbean medical school.

To best prepare our students for the USMLE Step exams, we provide students with a test center that mirrors the test conditions and environment students will experience during USMLE exams. Furthermore, our dedicated faculty aims to give our students a unique learning experience through one-on-one interactions, and early hands-on training you won’t get at bigger schools.

97% Sustained Residency Placement Rate (avg. 2021-2023)*

Saba graduates have enjoyed great success in securing residencies. Saba’s success is on par with U.S. medical schools, greater than most U.S. osteopathic schools, and significantly greater than most International medical schools.

In Canada, where access to medical schools and residencies thereafter is extremely competitive, Saba has earned a strong reputation through large numbers of placements in the Canadian Residency Matching System, or CaRMS. Learn more, about Canadian Applicants.

Accreditations

Saba University School of Medicine’s medical program is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO), the accrediting body for the Netherlands and Flanders. The United States Department of Education, via the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), has determined that the accreditation standards used by the NVAO to accredit Saba’s medical program are comparable to those used by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body that accredits MD. granting medical programs in the United States. Saba is the only Caribbean medical school that has met the exacting standards of European accreditation.

State Approvals

Saba University School of Medicine students who successfully complete the requisite licensing examinations are eligible to practice medicine in Canada, Puerto Rico, and all 50 U.S. states. Specifically, the following bodies have approved, recognized, or licensed Saba University School of Medicine:

U.S. and Provincial Aid

Saba University School of Medicine is one of the select international medical schools approved to participate in U.S. Federal Student Aid programs. Canadian students are eligible for Provincial Loans in addition to scholarships and grants. 

Expert Full-time Faculty

Our faculty represent a variety of medical expertise and are dedicated to student success. Saba faculty have exceptional qualifications, including holding an advanced degrees or doctorates.

7:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Our intentionally small classes allows for in-depth learning and customized support for students.

Hear Our Student’s Success Stories

  • Saba is amongst the top school choices for quality education amongst Caribbean medical schools, and their tuition cost after scholarships provided to me was the lowest among these top schools.
    Daniel LwisMD Student
  • I chose Saba for many reasons, one of which is I have a sister who attended and highly recommended the school and is now a successful physician practicing back
    in Canada.
    Ariana GammonMD Student
Important Information, Terms & Conditions

*Three- year residency placement rate is the percentage of students attaining a residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2022-23 and graduates in 2021-22 and graduates in 2020-21 who were active applicants in the NRMP match or attained a residency outside the NRMP match.
**First-time pass rate is the number of students passing the USMLE Step Exam on their first attempt divided by the total number of students taking the USMLE Step Exam for the first time.