Students at Medical University of the Americas dissect cadavers in Gross Anatomy. There are typically eight students assigned per cadaver.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required for all applicants who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. In addition, it is strongly encouraged for all other applicants and specifically required from those students who meet any of the following three conditions:
- Students with outdated required science coursework (>5 years old)
- Students who completed required science coursework at a community college
- Students with “C” grades or lower in the required science courses
If using the MCAT (THx) system, please use the school name. More information about the MCAT is available at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website. Applicants can send MUA the MCAT exam scores through the online THx system as soon as they are available at the AAMC.
For travel to Nevis, there are a number of options:
Through St. Kitts: St. Kitts, Nevis’ sister island, is a popular Caribbean destination that can be reached by direct flights from Puerto Rico, Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, New York and other locations. Once on St. Kitts, you can get to Nevis either by air (Liat) or by taking the ferry, which has regularly scheduled crossings throughout the day.
Through Antigua or St. Maarten: Antigua and St. Maarten are both gateways to the Caribbean that are served by major air carriers. Once there, you can take a connecting flight to Nevis on Liat (Antigua) or Winair (St. Maarten). Upon arrival in Nevis, the university is a short distance from either the airport or ferry.
Medical University of the Americas accepts payment for tuition and fees in U.S. dollars via wire, money order or personal checks.
Tuition and fees at Medical University of the Americas are substantially lower than they are at other medical schools. The tuition and fees for the M.D. programs at other medical schools can be as much as double those of MUA. This enables MUA students to complete their education with far less indebtedness than medical students at other schools.
Medical University of the Americas makes it possible for students to earn their M.D. in under 4 years. Our students spend 20 months studying Basic Sciences on the campus in Nevis and then return to the U.S. or Canada for 72 weeks of clinical rotations. We manage our clinical program to ensure that there are enough available clerkships for our students to complete their core rotations without delay. MUA has affiliations with ACGME-approved teaching hospitals in the U.S. (and their equivalent in Canada)—more than enough to ensure timely placement for our students.
The island of Nevis has a well-developed communications infrastructure with land line, cell phone and Internet service. To communicate back home, many students take advantage of Internet-based services such as Vonage or Skype.
There are a wide range of housing options for students at Medical University of the Americas. To ease your transition, unaccompanied first semester students live in one of two dorms, built exclusively for our students. Dorms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. After first semester, students live in off campus housing—there are a wide range of options. On average, fully furnished housing prices (US Dollars) are as follows: 1 Bedroom $550-650; 2 Bedrooms $800-1,100; 3 Bedrooms $1,200-1,500. All properties are privately-owned and therefore the price of rentals and utilities varies. Electricity is generally a separate cost. For more information on housing, click here. The Nevis University Housing Coordinator will assist you in finding off-campus housing:
Housing Coordinator
Telephone 869-469-9177
Fax 869-469-9180
Email: housing@mua.edu
Our faculty is at the core of what makes the learning experience at Medical University of the Americas different than other medical schools. All faculty members at MUA hold an advanced medical degree or doctorate (MD, MBBS, PhD) in the field they teach, and are experienced educators. Many come to MUA because of the school’s strong commitment to academic excellence and the quality of its students.
A typical incoming Basic Science class at Medical University of the Americas is 80-90 students. This makes it possible for MUA to maintain small classes and close student-teacher interaction. This is substantially different from other medical schools, particularly other schools located in the Caribbean, that are increasing their class sizes and subjecting their students to large, impersonal classroom experiences.
Many things about Nevis make Medical University of the Americas an extremely desirable place to attend medical school. Nevis is a beautiful country with white sand beaches, historic inns and world class restaurants. Housing and living costs on Nevis are very reasonable. Local grocery stores stock food items to meet the full range of dietary needs. The school enjoys good relations with the local population. When not studying, there is always plenty to do, from hiking to deep sea diving.
Because MUA operates on a year-round, three-semester schedule, there are three entry points for new students every year—you can begin your medical studies at MUA in September, January or May. For that reason, we accept applications throughout the year.
Medical University of America graduates have an excellent track record. Since 1998, more than 1,000 M.D.‘s have started their medical career after completing their education at MUA. Our graduates do extremely well on the critical USMLE Step 1 exam, achieving a 98% USMLE Step 1 first time pass rate from 2020. In addition, MUA students have earned excellent placements in a wide range of specialties—in a typical year, more than half of our students obtain residencies in fields outside of Family Medicine. A significant number are selected as Chief Residents and many pursue Fellowship (subspecialty) training following their residencies. A sampling of some of the post-graduate programs where MUA students have placed includes:
- Albert Einstein (Neurology)
- Case Western Reserve (Emergency Medicine)
- Cleveland Clinic Health System, Fairview Hospital (Surgery)
- Duke University (Psychiatry)
- Louisiana State University (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
- Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, St. Cloud, MN (Family Medicine)
- Michigan State University (Family Medicine)
- New York Medical College (Surgery)
- Queen’s University (Pediatrics)
- St. Vincent’s Medical Center-Connecticut (Diagnostic Radiology)
- Tulane (Neurology)
- University of Arizona (Internal Medicine)
- University of Florida (Pathology, Pediatrics)
- University of Nevada (Surgery)
- University of North Carolina (Anesthesiology)
- University of Pennsylvania (Anesthesiology)
- University of Saskatchewan (Surgery)
- University of Tennessee (Urology)
- University of Toronto (Neurosurgery)
Medical University of the Americas offers a one-semester Gateway Medical Program (GMP) on its Nevis campus that is specifically designed to bolster student’s pre-medical coursework and help ensure a smooth transition into the Doctor of Medicine program.
The program is designed to provide students with: exposure to critical elements of the Basic Sciences; assimilation to medical school life; and an introduction to the study skills and habits necessary to succeed in medical school.
In fact, graduates of the GMP are often among the top graduates of MUA’s medical program. The Gateway program is offered in the September, January and May semesters.
Curriculum:
• GMP 400 - Clinical Anatomy
• GMP 401 - Medical Physiology
• GMP 402 - Cell and Molecular Biology
• GMP 403 - Principles of Medicine
Medical University of the Americas is committed to providing the facilities that support efficient, effective learning. We offer a modern anatomy lab and a full complement of well-equipped classrooms and auditoriums with the latest multimedia technologies. A fully equipped Clinical Skills Training Center provides an ideal environment for the teaching, assessment, and improvement of clinical and patient communication skills. The entire campus is wireless. First semester students live in comfortable dorms just minutes away from the classrooms.
Medical University of America students do all of their core clinical rotations at U.S.-based, ACGME-approved teaching hospitals (and their equivalent in Canada).