A centralized Caribbean Medical University for Offshore Medical Schools – An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Abstract

Offshore Caribbean medical schools (OCMS) face a number of academic challenges. At present, each OCMS functions as an independent university but most schools do not have the resources for optimalfunctioning as a university. In this article, the author proposes the formation of a single offshore Caribbean medical university to which all OCMS will be affiliated. The benefits of the university system are discussed in the manuscript. Among these are regulating student transfer between schools, monitoring faculty recruitment and promotion, creating a model curriculum, supporting faculty development activities, ensuring quality control of assessments, providing support with regard to clinical teaching sites, and helping with social accountability and integration with local health systems.