Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Honourable Sharie B. De Castro (AL) has welcomed the offer of two scholarships per year to Virgin Islanders by Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) School of Medicine in the Virgin Islands (VI). Photo: GIS

Some of the persons in attendance at the press conference on March 24, 2025, when Ponce Health Sciences University announced plans for the opening, the structure and the vision of the school of medicine in the VI and provided updates on the student enrollment to date. Photo: GIS

Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) School of Medicine in the Virgin Islands will be based at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay and will have fifty students in its first cohort. Photo: GIS

Hon de Castro was giving brief remarks at a press conference on March 24, 2025, when the university announced plans for the opening, the structure and the vision of the school of medicine in the VI and provided updates on the student enrollment to date.

PHSU’s first cohort in the VI will have fifty students, which will be increased to 75 for cohort two.

“And for our own people, we are ensuring that financial barriers do not stand in the way of potential. I would like to take this opportunity to thank PHSU for partnering with the Ministry of Education to make two scholarships available to two BVI students each year, for the first four years, with full tuition coverage, ensuring that our homegrown talent has the opportunity to rise and serve.

“This is not just a scholarship—it is a commitment to the future of healthcare in the Virgin Islands,” Hon de Castro declared.

‘We are truly investing in life’- Hon de Castro

The education minister said the milestone of achieving a medical school in the territory is the result of a shared vision—between PHSU, the Government of the VI, and other partners, who recognise that reimagining education means reimagining healthcare.

She said accreditation, partnerships, and dedicated leadership have brought the VI to this moment, proving that when we invest in education, we are truly investing in life.

“This medical school is for every student who has ever dreamed of donning a white coat, for every patient who has ever needed a medical professional to believe in them, and for every territory that has longed for quality healthcare within reach.”

This medical school is for every student who has ever dreamed of donning a white coat, for every patient who has ever needed a medical professional to believe in them, and for every territory that has longed for quality healthcare within reach.

Economic boost

Hon de Castro also supported the views of PHSU and Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), who posited that the medical school would help to boost the VI’s economy.

“This initiative is more than just about education—it is about impact. The presence of international students coming to the BVI for medical training is a prescription for economic growth. They will live here, engage with our businesses, contribute to the territory, and enrich the local economy.

“This is a long-term investment that extends far beyond the classroom—it bolsters our healthcare services, creates jobs, and cements the BVI’s status as a hub for academic and professional excellence,” Hon de Castro stated as she welcomed PHSU to the Virgin Islands.