Saint James School of Medicine
Joins the
National Academy of Inventors

A New Standard for Innovation in Medical Education

Saint James School of Medicine is now a member institution of the National Academy of Inventors, joining a global community of universities and research institutes committed to innovation, research, and academic impact.

The school's connection to the academy runs deeper than membership. Dr. Paul Sanberg, founder and president of the National Academy of Inventors and a named inventor on more than 160 patents, serves on the board of Saint James School of Medicine.

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Saint James School of Medicine students in clinical training

What Membership in the
National Academy of Inventors Means

The National Academy of Inventors was founded in 2010 and has grown to more than 4,600 individual members affiliated with over 300 institutions worldwide. Its mission is to recognize academic inventors, advance the visibility of university research and technology transfer, and mentor the next generation of innovators.

As a member institution, SJSM joins a network that includes major research universities and academic medical centers. Membership connects the school's students and faculty to NAI's educational programs and to a broader culture of research and innovation.

It is a starting point the school intends to build on, not a final destination.

A Connection Rooted in Innovation

SJSM's relationship with the National Academy of Inventors is more than an institutional listing. Dr. Paul Sanberg, who founded the NAI in 2010 and serves as its president, is a member of the SJSM board. A Distinguished University Professor at the University of South Florida and a named inventor on more than 160 U.S. and international patents, Dr. Sanberg is one of the country's most influential figures in academic innovation and technology transfer. His decision to serve on the board reflects a shared view of where medical education can go.

SJSM was founded to address practical problems in medical education: the cost of training, gaps in who gets the chance to become a physician, and persistent shortages of doctors in underserved communities. Operating from its campus in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with clinical rotations across the United States, the school aligns its curriculum and clinical training with U.S. and Canadian licensure pathways, so that a school built around access can prepare graduates for practice in highly regulated systems.

Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, PhD, DSc

Founder & President, National Academy of Inventors
SJSM Board Member

Dr. Paul R. Sanberg is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of South Florida and the founder and president of the National Academy of Inventors.

A pioneering scientist in regenerative medicine and brain repair research, Dr. Sanberg has authored hundreds of scientific publications and holds more than 160 United States and international patents. As founder of the National Academy of Inventors, he has played a central role in advancing the translation of academic research into real-world clinical and commercial impact.

His service on the SJSM board is the foundation of the school's NAI membership. It reflects a shared belief that innovation in medicine extends beyond the laboratory — to how physicians are educated, trained, and prepared to serve communities across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

The SJSM Approach:
Access, Innovation & Impact

Access

Expanding access to medical education while holding to serious academic expectations.

Innovation

Encouraging students and faculty to approach healthcare problems through research, systems improvement, and invention.

Impact

Preparing graduates to enter residency and serve communities across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and beyond.

What This Means for SJSM Students

For students, NAI membership supports an academic environment that encourages thinking beyond the immediate demands of coursework. Modern physicians work inside complex systems, and the most useful ones understand how clinical problems become better tools, workflows, and models of care.

SJSM's academic focus areas connect directly to that goal:

Clinical readiness and USMLE-focused preparation
Research exposure for students and faculty
Global health and tropical medicine
Public health and population-level thinking
Practice in underserved and cross-border settings

The aim is not to turn every student into an inventor. It is to graduate physicians who understand the systems they work in and can help improve them.

“Innovation in medicine is not limited to the lab. It includes how physicians are educated, trained, and prepared to serve.”

Saint James School of Medicine students on global health and tropical medicine rotation

Innovation Connected to Global and Public Health

Healthcare is increasingly global and interdisciplinary. SJSM's academic initiatives reflect that direction, with active work in tropical medicine, global health, and public health, alongside its core clinical curriculum.

These are not add-ons. They prepare physicians who are clinically capable, globally aware, and equipped to work in the settings where physician shortages are most severe. That is the same idea reflected in the school's NAI membership: education designed for the realities of modern medicine.

SJSM has expanded academic concentrations in Tropical Medicine, Global Health, and Public Health, including a Tropical Medicine partnership with the Government of Suriname.

Why This Matters for Caribbean Medical Education

Caribbean medical schools are usually judged on a narrow set of measures: affordability, residency placement, and licensure outcomes. Those measures matter, and SJSM takes them seriously.

But they are not the whole picture. Membership in the National Academy of Inventors signals that a Caribbean medical school can also take part in the broader academic conversation around research, innovation, and physician workforce development. For SJSM, this is a platform to build on, not a finish line.

MD Program

SJSM's Doctor of Medicine program covers basic sciences, clinical sciences, and structured USMLE preparation.

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Global Health & Tropical Medicine

Learn how SJSM is expanding international medical education through global health, tropical medicine, and public health.

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Research at SJSM

See how SJSM supports student and faculty engagement with research and healthcare problem-solving.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Academy of Inventors?

The National Academy of Inventors is a non-profit member organization of U.S. and international universities, government agencies, and research institutes. Founded in 2010, it works to recognize academic inventors, advance university research and technology transfer, and mentor innovative students.

Is Saint James School of Medicine a member of the National Academy of Inventors?

Yes. Saint James School of Medicine is listed as a member institution in the National Academy of Inventors Member Institution Directory.

Why does NAI membership matter for SJSM?

Membership connects SJSM to a global community focused on research and innovation, and supports the school's efforts to strengthen research exposure, academic problem-solving, and innovation in medical education.

What does innovation mean at SJSM?

At SJSM, innovation includes how physicians are educated, supported, and trained, not only laboratory discovery. It covers approaches to access, clinical readiness, global and public health, and physician workforce development.

How does membership benefit SJSM students?

It supports an academic environment that connects students to research, innovation, and a broader conversation about the future of medicine, alongside their clinical training.

Saint James School of Medicine Joins the National Academy of Inventors

What Membership in the National Academy of Inventors Means