November 2020 Update The 2020 Progress Report from the Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine was presented to the CAAM-HP at its Annual General Meeting held November 18-19, 2020. The Authority considered and accepted the progress report and expressed dissatisfaction with the level of progress made in addressing the areas of concern previously identified by CAAM-HP and felt that greater effort was required. The Authority recommended the establishment of an internal quality assurance mechanism to monitor the measures taken to address the outstanding issues. In addition, the Authority remained concerned about low progression rates and requested more information on attrition rates, by cohort, as well as residency placements. CAAM-HP also requested information as to how the School is addressing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 requirement for graduation in light of the pandemic.
July 2019 Determination: Programme placed on Probation for three years, 2019- 2022 This was the third full accreditation exercise for Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine. The visit took place March 23-30, 2019 and involved a visit to the main campus in St Lucia and clinical affiliates in the US. The site visit team members were: 1. Professor Minerva Thame (Team Chair) 2. Dr Paula Lashley (Team Secretary) 3. Dr Sandra Reid The CAAM-HP at its meeting held July 25-27, 2019 considered and accepted the site visit report of the ad hoc site visit team. Decision: The Authority, having carefully considered the site visit report, was unable to grant a further extension of provisional accreditation, having exhausted the maximum period allowed for this category of accreditation. The Authority therefore determined that the programme be placed on Probation for three (3) years, 2019- 2022. CAAM-HP expects the school to submit annual progress reports to demonstrate efforts, supported by evidence, to address the areas of concern identified in the report.
July 2017 Update The 2017 progress report from Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine was presented to the CAAM-HP at its meeting held July 20-22, 2017. The Authority considered and accepted the report. The meeting noted that there were a number of issues that the school indicated had been addressed but did not provide any supporting documentation. In addition, the management of the clerkships at The University of the West Indies remained a challenge. The Authority noted that the next full site visit is due in 2018.
July 2016 Determination: Provisional Accreditation extended, 2016-2018 This was the second full accreditation exercise for Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine. The visit took place November 14-21, 2015 and involved a visit to the main campus in St Lucia and clinical affiliates in the US. The site visit team members were: 4. Professor Jim McKillop (Team Chair) 5. Dr Damian Cohall (Team Secretary) 6. Dr Shamdeo Persaud 7. Dr Ian Sammy The CAAM-HP at its meeting held July 27-29, 2016 considered and accepted the site visit report of the ad hoc site visit team. Decision: In the light of the issues cited in the report, the Authority decided to extend Provisional Accreditation for another two (2) years from 2016-2018. The Authority also noted several areas of partial and substantial non-compliance with accreditation standards. CAAM-HP looks forward to receiving the annual progress reports indicating efforts being made to address issues cited in the site visit report and in its letter. Failure to comply would result in a redetermination of accreditation status. The Authority asked that all promotional material, electronic or otherwise, accurately reflect the institution’s current accreditation status.
July 2014 Update The CAAM-HP at its meeting held July 28, 2014 considered the progress report of the School of Medicine in response to its letter of October 12, 2013. The CAAM-HP noted that efforts were being made to address the issues raised. CAAM-HP looks forward to receiving the documentation, including staff contracts, in preparation for the visit in 2015.
October 2013 Determination: Provisional Accreditation, 2013-2015 Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine is an offshore university located on the island of St Lucia with clinical affiliates in the USA. A site visit was paid to its main campus in St Lucia and clinical teaching sites at Jackson Park Hospital and Norwegian American Hospital in Chicago from May 26-31, 2013. The members of the ad hoc assessment team were: 1. Howard W. Spencer, CD, MB, BS FRCS (Ed.) FACS, MPH (UWI), Professor Emeritus of Cardiothoracic Surgery UWI; Registrar of the Medical Council of Jamaica and the Caribbean Association of Medical Councils; Team Chair 2. Owen B. O’L James, OD, B.Sc., M.B. ChB (Edin.), Dip.Bact./Virol.; Former Lecturer/Consultant Microbiologist/Immunologist, UWI; Dean, All American Institute of Medical Sciences; Team Secretary 3. Mary T. Coleman, M.D., Ph. D.; Director of Community Health; Professor of Family Medicine, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana 4. Dalgleish Joseph, M.D., FCCOS; Former Medical Director University of Guyana School of Medicine; Lecturer, Physiology University of Guyana School of Medicine; Tutor Postgraduate Programme in Surgery GPHC CAAM-HP at its meeting on October 11-12, 2013 considered and accepted the report by the ad hoc assessment team. Decision: CAAM-HP granted Provisional Accreditation for two (2) years, 2013-2015 with another site visit in two (2) years with the condition that the school provides a report to CAAM-HP towards resolution of the problems flagged in the letter and in the report including details of steps taken to improve the management of the clinical programme.
