The Basic Sciences program takes place during 15-week terms on the island of Sint Eustatius. Summer and winter breaks are short by U.S. standards, permitting three academic terms in any given calendar year. Students also have the option of completing their 5th semester in the United States, which further reduces students’ total time away from their home country.

The Basic Sciences consists of training in multiple disciplines taught in a 5-term format. Most courses are taught in double 50-minute blocks, 3-5 times per week. Training in some disciplines may span two terms.

For students needing extra preparation for the Basic Sciences program, the University offers an extended program involving an extra 4-month term of pre-basic sciences coursework (e.g., medical physics, chemistry in medicine.). To optimize learning, the courses in the extra term are taught in an integrated, clinically-relevant fashion.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine:
This course is crucial to students entertaining the possibility of a vocation within the medical profession.  As multiple university medical educational institutions have shown, the introduction of Clinical Medicine at the earliest possible juncture during the assimilation of the Basic Sciences coursework provides the greatest benefit to the student.  This course introduces students to the background and procedural functions of a physician such as: the psychological mind-set, professionalism, skill sets, medical decision making, ethical conundrums, differential diagnosis, and finally making a diagnosis and treating the same real patient predicated on that diagnosis.   Thus, the Clinical Medicine Course fully outlines for students, all the aspects of being a physician, which contribute to both the hard work and incredible rewards of practicing the ‘art’ of medicine.


FIRST TERM: 

Professionalism & Patient-Doctor Skills I
This course consists of fifteen weeks of lecture during which time students will be educated on what it means to BE the doctor, what is expected in terms of personal deportment, professionalism, appearance, and cultural awareness.  Students will practice what they have learned in the classroom and will also observe at the a local, pharmacy, laboratory, and at an in-patient and out-patient hospital, with clinical mentors from 4th and 5th terms.

Gross & Developmental Anatomy
Gross structure and development of organs and systems of the human body. This course is dedicated to teaching developmental aspects of major organ systems, integrated with a discussion of the gross anatomy of the human body. Within the course, an emphasis is placed on applied and clinical aspects of gross and developmental anatomy.  In addition to didactic lectures and cadaveric dissection, the learning of anatomy is enhanced with the help of small group discussions in the laboratory with computer software, study of X- rays, CT scans, MRIs and osteology.

Histology and Cell Biology
Microscopic structure and function of cells, tissues and organs. Formal lectures and student presentations explore the microscopic anatomy of cells, tissues and organs. Emphasis is placed upon the correlation of structure with function.

Public Health
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Preventive Medicine. Epidemiologic principles, measurements, investigations and research designs will be  discussed. Students will gain experience in applying epidemiologic methods in clinical problem solving and decision making. Principles of biostatistics as they apply to medicine will be  covered. Students are expected to build upon and in turn demonstrate their knowledge in the process of testing hypotheses and making inferences from various types of data. Disease trends in human populations and methods of disease prevention will also be explored.  Public health systems and medical care organizations will also be reviewed. Students participate in practical instruction through their participation in community health care projects.


SECOND TERM: 

Ethics & Patient-Doctor Skills II
Students will be instructed on the Moral and legal concerns in medicine, through Didactic lectures:. The course will explore complex issues pertaining to confidentiality, informed consent, mental competency, obstetric/pediatric ethics, physician-assisted suicide and conflict of interest situations Current laws, regulations and judicial precedents governing ethical matters in medicine will also be discussed. . Students will be instructed in physical and practical skills involving a stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, tuning forks, reflex hammer, laryngoscope, vaginal specula, surgical gloves, gowns, hats, booties, surgical instruments, suture material, casting material, syringes, needles, and other medical instruments essential to a physican’s main functions.   Students will also gain valuable hospital experience with 5th term mentors.

Biochemistry and Genetics
Structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and other important biomolecules. Lectures will cover important topics such as structure-function relationships in molecular diseases, enzyme characteristics and kinetics, bioenergetics, metabolism and metabolic interrelationships of important biomolecules, the molecular basis of metabolic diseases, the biochemistry of hormones and cell signaling, and biochemical principles in nutrition. In lab activities, students will be instructed on the basic tests and procedures used in general practice, including pregnancy tests, urine reagent strips and tablets for the detection of glucose and ketonic bodies, and glucometers for monitoring diabetic patients.

Basic genetics and its relevance to inherited disorders. This course covers topics including the structure and function of genes, the general organization of the human genome and the principles of Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics as applied to disease. Chromosomal abnormalities, cytogenetics in principles and practice, population genetics as applied to issues of human health and the use of genetics in medicine will also be covered.  Principles of molecular recognition, the control of cellular proliferation and the organization, replication and repair of the genome will also be emphasized. Gene expression, mutation, molecular genetics and the techniques of molecular biology will also be covered.

Physiology
Basic human biological processes. Both normal and abnormal physiological states, as seen in both everyday life and in the clinical setting, will be examined fully. Specifically, the mechanical, biomedical, and regulatory processes of major organ systems including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and neural will be covered. Clinical correlation is stressed via case studies of patients with major organ system dysfunction.

Neuroscience
Structure and function of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. Students will gain knowledge of Neuroscience through didactic sessions and laboratory dissections of the human brain and spinal cord.  This will promote a clinically relevant understanding of a functional and dysfunctional nervous system. Through the integration of neuroanatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and biochemistry, students will converse fluently in the language of the nervous system. Emphasized are the clinical examination and the correlation of findings with neuroimages.


THIRD TERM: 

Communication & Patient-Doctor Skills Didactics III:
As part of this course, lectures will discuss patient medical history including how it is gathered and recorded.   Students will learn how to glean patient information by from dialogue, neurolingusitics (body language) medical records, and other healthcare professionals..  The didactics will include the patient’s demographics, chief complaint, family, social, review of systems, and past medical history.  The course will also explain the function as well as how to use SOAP notes.  With 5th term mentors, physicians, and clinical asst. students will gain practical knowledge of recording patient history.

Medical Psychology
The biological and psychological bases of mental illness. Major psychiatric disorders are covered with an emphasis on diagnostic features, neurobiological correlates, and psychotherapeutic and biological treatments. During practical role-play exercises, students will gain experience conducting mental status exams, interviewing for specific neuropsychiatric disorders, and managing suicidal behavior.

Microbiology
Microorganisms causing infectious diseases. The course will cover the classification, laboratory identification, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of disease processes and treatment strategies. Major human diseases of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and helminths will be presented in lectures. Student experiences within the laboratory will supplement didactic instruction. Fundamental concepts of immunology are covered and integrated as various diseases are discussed.

Pathology I
The study of basic reactions of cells and tissues to abnormal stimuli that underlie all diseases. Students examine the mechanisms of injury and disease processes and the body's response. Lectures cover cell injury, acute and chronic inflammation, ischemia and necrosis, neoplasia and mechanisms of pathogenicity. Infectious disease and response to infectious agents are covered.


FOURTH TERM: 

Physical Diagnosis & Patient-Doctor Skills IV:
Didactic lectures will demonstrate to students how to peform head to toe physical examinations of mock and real patients. Students will be introduced to clinical skills such as: Auscultation of Cardiac, Pulmonary, and Gastrointestinal sounds; Otoscopy, including the Otoscope, its practical use and functions in the observation of adults and children; Ophthalmoscopy, including the Ophthalmoscope, with instruction on how to use it for observation; Performing interpretation of 12 Lead Electrocardiograms; Using Doppler devices in order to auscultate fetal heartbeats and find arteries and veins; Phlebotomy and starting an intravenous line; Suturing- two handed, one-handed, and instrument-tie; The use of airway and respiratory care instruments and maneuvers in critically ill patients; Administering oxygen through use of the nasal cannula, face mask, and non-rebreather mask, Ambubag-mask, Ambubag-endotrachael tube manual ventilation, Laryngoscope, endotrachael tubes and endotrachael intubation; Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Percussion of body cavities and organs; Pelvic, rectal, and speculum examinations in vitro and on live models and patients; Central intravenous line placement, Gowning and gloving in preparation for surgery; Casting and immobilization of the extremities of injured or post-operative patients; The use of splints, plaster and fiberglass glass casting materials and their   application on live patients injections; Intradermal, subcutaneous, and intramuscular injection techniques; Lumbar puncture, Epidural and Subarachnoid (spinal) anesthesia; Local Anesthetic techniques, including local, ring, and nerve blocks.

Pharmacology
An integration of anatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology and pathology in the understanding of complex actions of drugs on the living organism. The main focus of this course is to provide future doctors with a basic understanding of the functions of drugs in the treatment of patients. Basic principles of pharmacology including absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, drug toxicity and drug-drug interactions will be presented together with the principles of drug-receptor interactions. After basic concepts are covered, the pharmacology of all major organ systems will be explored, including the autonomic and central nervous systems and the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and blood systems. The anti-microbial and cancer chemotherapeutic agents and the basic principles of toxicology will also be covered.

Pathology II
Students will gain an understanding of patho physiology manifestations and the management of common diseases. Pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, endocrine, rheumatic, orthopedic, renal, neurologic and hematology organ systems will be covered. Course includes laboratory hours.

FIFTH TERM:

INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE:
Didactic lectures:  System by system look at clinical patho physiology as elucidated by demonstrating thorough knowledge of the Basic Sciences and the art of Differential Diagnosis.  Clinical experience will be specifically tailored by the Clinical Staff and assistants to the areas in which there is more practical hands-on technical skills or more information acquiring skills needed.  The students will be evaluated purely on their clinical skills and ability to communicate their findings to their colleagues. There will be a Clinical Medicine “Grand Rounds” monthly.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine:
This course is crucial to students entertaining the possibility of a vocation within the medical profession. As multiple university medical educational institutions have shown,* the introduction of Clinical Medicine at the earliest possible juncture during the assimilation of the Basic Sciences coursework provides the greatest benefit to the student.  This course introduces students to the background and procedural functions of a physician such as: the psychological mind-set, professionalism, skill sets, medical decision making, ethical conundrums, differential diagnosis, and finally making a diagnosis and treating the same real patient predicated on that diagnosis.   Thus, the Clinical Medicine Course fully outlines for students, all the aspects of being a physician, which contribute to both the hard work and incredible rewards of practicing the ‘art’ of medicine.

Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine: (USMLE Review)
This course provides students with an overview and synthesis of materials covered in the Basic Sciences program in preparation for the successful writing of USMLE Step 1.  Presentations will focus on the systems and disciplines which are central to the USMLE Step 1, including Anatomy, Behavioral Sciences, Biochemistry, Immunology, Medical Genetics, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, and Physiology, etc. Students will also have access to USMLE-type practice questions.

To enhance the Review Course, faculty of the University of Sint Eustatius make themselves available to students in order to address any questions arising from the presentations or practice questions. Course achievement is measured through a simulated USMLE Step 1 examination, which lasts lasting approximately four hours in length.  The simulated USMLE Step 1 examination provides diagnostic feedback to permit targeted formulation of remediation plans geared at addressing specific areas of weakness.  Grades for the Review Course are awarded on a pass-fail basis.

OPTION FOR U.S-BASED 5TH TERM - 5TH@ATLANTA
After completing the 1st through 4th terms of Basic Sciences terms on Sint Eustatius, students have the choice of completing their 5th Term either on Sint Eustatius or in the United States in Duluth, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.

As on Sint Eustatius, 5th@Atlanta includes the Introduction to Clinical Medicine and Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine (USMLE Review).  Students will be in the dynamic community of Duluth which offers many conveniences to students, affordable housing and a large medical community to gain practical experience to clinical medicine.

In order to be eligible for the U.S.-based 5th Term, students must enroll before the established deadlines, be in good financial standing with the University, and have the legal right to reside in the U.S.