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Basic Science Phase

Program Overview

The medical program offered at St. Martinus University, Faculty of Medicine is a rigorous program that integrates the Basic Sciences into the clinical practice of medicine. The Basic Sciences Program is a 2-year program offered over four semesters of 20 weeks each. We believe that a high-quality education cannot be rushed. Two, 20-week semesters a year affords students the opportunity to integrate and retain the knowledge presented. There are 35 contact hours of teaching per week in each of the first four semesters. This is equivalent to more contact hours over 4 semesters than most Caribbean schools can accomplish over 5 semesters.

In order to successfully complete the basic sciences component of the degree, a student must have successfully passed all courses with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Students who are unable to pass a course in any particular semester are offered a Remediation (remedial exams) at the end of every semester.

Curriculum

As of January 2017, SMUFOM has integrated a Systemic Curriculum to in Basic Science Program. We are among the first and only medical schools in the Caribbean to adopt this modern approach to medical studies. Our Systemic Curriculum allows for our students to be presented.

St. Martinus University has long been working on the development of a better approach to learning in the medical field. After months of careful analysis, SMUFOM has now integrated a new Systemic Approach to Medical Education consisting of the newest trends in medical teaching. This new method allows for the organized teaching of the same system in physiology, pathology, and pharmacology classes thereby leading to an increase in information retention due to facilitation in the process of association. Here are but a few of the advantages of this method of teaching:

Advantage #1: Organized Approach

Every aspect of the method focuses on organization and maximizing returns on student's education. Generally speaking, it breaks down into different phases. Further organization within these phases facilitates information flow and promotes understanding. Ultimately, this method helps ensure that people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives are able to reach similar understandings.

Advantage #2: Recognizing the Student's Needs

Though the Systemic Method may seem rigid at first, it's designed to be flexible and adaptive to a student's needs. Through the implementation and evaluation process, an instructor will get to know what a student needs to get out of the course. In addition, the instructor may learn about educational preferences or special needs, thereby allowing him/her to re-design the teaching methods to guarantee the highest success rate.

Advantage #3: Recognizing the Student's Abilities

Likewise, this method will allow an instructor to recognize where individual students excel and where they require more assistance. By recognizing these strengths and weaknesses, a student will gain confidence in their abilities and capabilities, and ultimately do it better.

Advantage #4: Hands-On Design

Each and every university and program has different protocols, requirements, and expectations to fulfill. The Systemic Method is successful because it recognizes this and offers high individual input within its strict structure.


BASIC SCIENCE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
MD1 (39 Credit Hours; 580 Class Hours)
 
Course # Prerequisite Module 1 : 10 weeks Module 2 :10 weeks
MED1001 Histology - 5 (2x2x20 = 80)
MED1002 Anatomy & Embryology - 17 ((2x5x20) + (3x2x20)Lab = 320)
MED1003 Biochemistry - General, Metabolic and Molecular - 11 (2x5x20 = 200)
MED1004 ICM I - 3 (2x1x20 = 40)
 
MD2 (43 Credit Hours; 640 Class Hours)
 
Module 1 : 10 weeks Module 2 :10 weeks
MED2001 MED1002 Neuroscience - 8 (2x3x20 = 120)
MED2002 Physiology - 13 (2x5x20 = 200)
MED2003 Genetics - 3 (2x2x10 = 40)
MED2004 MED1001, MED1005 Microbiology & Immunology - 11 (2x5x20 = 200)
MED2005 MED1004 Integrated Clinical Medicine II- 5 (2x2x20 = 80)
 
MD3 (41 Credit Hours ; 620 Class Hours)
Module 1 : 10 weeks Module 2 : 10 weeks
MED3001 Pathology I - 11 (2x4x20 = 160)
MED3002 Pharmacology I - 11 (2x4x20 = 160)
MED3003 Pub. Health, Epi, Biostat - 5 (2x3x20 = 120)
MED3004 Behavioral Science - 4 (2x3x10 = 60)
MED3005 MED2005 Integrated Clinical Medicine III - 8 (2x3x20 = 120)
 
MD4 (39 CR; 590 hours)
Module 1 : 10 weeks Module 2 : 10 weeks
MED4001 MED3001 Pathology II - 8 (2x4x15 = 120)
MED4002 MED3002 Phamacology II - 8 (2x4x15 = 120)
MED4003 Medical Ethics - 3 (2x1x20 = 40)
MED4004 Introduction to Research - 3 (2x1x20 = 40)
MED4004 MED3005 Integrated Clinical Medicine IV - 8 (2x3x20 = 120)
MED4005 All MD1 to MD4 classes Comprensive Basic Sciences Review - 16 (6x5x5 = 150)
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