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Celebrating 25 Years Of Quality Medical Education

Academic Concentration
in Global Health

Medicine Is Global.
Your Training Should Be Too.

Medicine is no longer confined by borders. Physicians today must be prepared to care for patients shaped by different cultures, healthcare systems, disease burdens, and resource environments.

The Academic Concentration in Global Health at Saint James School of Medicine is designed for students who want their medical education to reflect that reality. Through structured international clinical rotations, students gain meaningful hands-on experience across multiple healthcare settings and develop the adaptability, perspective, and cross-cultural awareness that modern medicine increasingly demands.

This concentration is not simply about travel. It is about becoming a more capable physician by learning how care is delivered in different parts of the world, and by building experience that extends beyond the traditional training path.

Why This Concentration Matters

Begin International Clinical Training Earlier:
This is the only Academic Concentration that allows students to begin a designated international clinical experience before passing USMLE Step 1, through a family medicine rotation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Train Across More Than One Health System:
Students complete two designated international rotations, gaining exposure to different clinical environments rather than a single short-term experience.

Develop Cross-Cultural Clinical Skills:
Students learn to work with patients from diverse backgrounds and in healthcare environments shaped by different social, economic, and system realities.

Build a Stronger Residency Profile:
The concentration demonstrates initiative, maturity, adaptability, and a broader view of medicine, all of which can strengthen a student’s professional profile.

Gain a More Global Medical Education:
Students graduate with international clinical experience that reflects the realities of medicine in a connected world.

What Students Gain

  • Broader Clinical Perspective:
    Students experience how medical care is delivered in more than one international setting, helping them think beyond a single healthcare model.
  • Adaptability in Practice:
    Working across varied environments helps students become more flexible, observant, and resourceful in patient care.
  • Cross-Cultural Understanding:
    Students build stronger awareness of how culture, communication, access, and local health system realities influence the delivery of care.
  • Meaningful International Exposure:
    This concentration gives students a more substantial global health experience than a single elective alone, with structured exposure across two different settings.
What Students Gain
Requirements for Concentration

Requirements for Concentration

To earn the Academic Concentration in Global Health, students must complete two required international rotations:

  • Rotation 1 — St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Family Medicine rotation at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.
    This rotation may be completed prior to USMLE Step 1.
  • Rotation 2 — One additional international rotation in either:
    • Mexico through PaceMD, or
    • Suriname through SPAOGS
    This rotation must be completed after passing USMLE Step 1.

Program Cost

$4,795
This fee covers the specialized international clinical placements and administrative costs associated with these unique rotations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this change my degree title?

No. You will receive a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. The concentration is an academic honor formally noted on your diploma: Doctor of Medicine with Academic Concentration in Global Health.

Can I start this track before I pass Step 1?

Yes. The rotation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is uniquely structured so that it may be completed before you take the USMLE Step 1. However, your second rotation (Mexico or Suriname) must be completed after passing the USMLE Step 1.

Are there academic performance requirements to enroll?

No. There are no additional academic performance criteria or minimum GPA requirements to pursue this concentration. All students are held to the same identical academic standards as the core MD program.

How is this different from the Tropical Medicine concentration?

While both involve international travel, the Global Health concentration focuses on experiencing two different international health systems (St. Vincent plus Mexico or Suriname). Tropical Medicine specifically focuses on infectious diseases and includes specialized PAHO coursework.

Does this impact my licensing eligibility?

No. These concentrations do not modify licensing eligibility, change assessment benchmarks, or constitute separate degree programs.

How do I sign up?

Current students can sign up by contacting our Clinical Department.

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