Get ASTMH-Approved. Get CTropMed®-Ready. Get in the Field.
ASTMH-Approved Diploma Course
Diploma in Tropical Medicine
Diploma in Tropical Medicine
and Public Health
Next Enrollment Deadline: contact Admissions for dates — course cycle begins each March.
A Recognized Credential in Tropical Medicine
Saint James School of Medicine’s Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Public Health is now an official ASTMH-Approved Diploma Course, satisfying the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s requirements for the Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers’ Health (CTropMed®). SJSM now stands alongside Johns Hopkins, Tulane, Baylor, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine as one of a select group of institutions worldwide recognized by ASTMH.
Whether you’re an SJSM student, an SJSM alum, or a practicing physician anywhere in the world, this hybrid program combines rigorous online coursework with hands-on clinical training in Suriname — preparing you to sit for the CTropMed® exam and practice confidently in tropical and resource-limited settings.
Why This Matters
ASTMH-Approved
Officially listed by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene as meeting all criteria for an approved Diploma Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers’ Health.
A Direct Path to CTropMed®
Successful completion qualifies you to apply to sit for the ASTMH Certificate of Knowledge Examination (CTropMed®) — a globally recognized credential in tropical and travel medicine.
Real Clinical Immersion
Not just lectures — a four-week, in-person practicum in Suriname with hands-on laboratory training and a field rotation among indigenous and tribal communities in the Amazon interior.
Open to Everyone in Medicine
Designed for SJSM students and alumni, as well as physicians, PAs, NPs, and public health professionals from any institution.
Who Is This For?
SJSM Students
Complete the Diploma as a clinical elective rotation that counts toward your SJSM MD degree — and graduate with a credential that sets you apart on residency applications.
SJSM Alumni
Add a globally recognized subspecialty credential to your CV, sharpen your clinical skills in infectious and tropical disease, and open doors to global health, ID, and public health career paths.
Physicians & Clinicians Anywhere
MDs, senior medical students who’ve completed core clinical rotations, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and public health professionals — no prior SJSM affiliation required.
Program Overview
The Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Public Health is a hybrid program built around the full CTropMed® Examination Content Outline.
1. Online Curriculum
(up to 12 months, self-paced)- Recorded lectures, live online instruction, required reading, and CTropMed®-style assessments
- Mastery-based platform: unlock each unit only after 80%+ video completion and an 80%+ quiz score
- Scheduled faculty touch points throughout, including a live case lecture, a Capstone Case discussion, a Capstone review, a live Domain V module, and faculty office hours
- Flexible pace — most students complete the online portion in approximately seven months, with up to twelve months allowed
2. In-Person Practicum in Suriname
(4 weeks) Weeks 1–3 — Paramaribo- ~40 hours of hands-on laboratory training: malaria microscopy (thick/thin smear, species ID, parasite quantification), stool parasitology, dermatology diagnostics, and arbovirus serology
- Clinical rounds and afternoon lectures at s’ Lands Hospitaal (est. 1760) and other Paramaribo teaching hospitals
- Direct clinical exposure in Medical Mission clinics serving indigenous Amerindian and Maroon communities
- A visit to a Malaria Service Deliverer post at an artisanal gold-mining site in the Amazon rainforest interior
3. CTropMed® Eligibility
Upon successful completion, graduates qualify to apply to sit for the ASTMH CTropMed® Certificate of Knowledge Examination. The in-person practicum contributes toward the clinical tropical medicine experience ASTMH requires for eligibility; the remaining balance may be met through other qualifying supervised tropical medicine activity, subject to ASTMH’s review.
Program Faculty
Stephen Vreden, MD, PhD
Course Director, Suriname
Soenita Nannan Panday-Gopising, MD
Director, Suriname
Faculty are drawn from Suriname’s Centraal Laboratorium, Bureau of Public Health, Malaria Programma, Medische Zending (Medical Mission Primary Health Care Suriname), and the Dermatology Service — physicians and senior laboratory scientists with decades of clinical and research experience in tropical infectious disease.
Program Details
| Format | Hybrid: online coursework + 4-week in-person practicum |
| Total Duration | ~7–12 months online + 4 weeks in Suriname |
| Location | Online + Paramaribo & Amazon interior, Suriname |
| Course Cycle | Begins each March; in-person practicum runs in May |
| Tuition | $9,900 (includes lodging in Suriname during the in-person component) |
| Living Expenses | Approx. $300–$500/month for food and incidentals |
| Credential Earned | Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Public Health |
| Credit for SJSM Students | Counts as a clinical elective rotation toward the SJSM MD degree |
| CTropMed® Eligibility | Yes — qualifies graduates to apply for the ASTMH CTropMed® exam |
| Who Can Apply | MDs, senior medical students (core clinical rotations completed), PAs, NPs, and public health professionals |
Already an SJSM Medical Student?
Current SJSM students can also earn a Concentration in Tropical Medicine upon graduation by completing additional tropical medicine coursework, including the 4-week Tropical Medicine Elective Rotation in Suriname. Ask your advisor how the Diploma Course and the elective rotation can work together as part of your path toward a tropical medicine concentration and CTropMed® eligibility.
Why Choose SJSM for Your Tropical Medicine Training?
- ASTMH-Approved — one of a select number of Diploma Courses recognized worldwide
- Truly Hands-On — real patients, real labs, real field conditions — not simulation
- Flexible for Working Clinicians — self-paced online portion built around a single, focused in-person month
- Unique Clinical Setting — Suriname offers malaria, arboviral disease, and tropical dermatology exposure alongside care for indigenous and Maroon communities rarely available in U.S.-based training
- Built-In Pathway — direct progression from coursework to CTropMed® eligibility, with a credential that counts toward the SJSM MD degree for current students
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to enroll in the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Public Health?
Is this course really ASTMH-approved?
Will completing this course guarantee I pass the CTropMed® exam?
How long does the program take?
Do I have to travel to Suriname?
Can current SJSM students take this course?
What does tuition include?
What will I actually do during the in-person component?
Ready to Earn Your Diploma in Tropical Medicine?
Join physicians and clinicians from around the world in one of a select number of ASTMH-approved Diploma Courses.
