Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has said Ponce Health Sciences University will shape the future of healthcare in the Virgin Islands. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands

Ponce Health Sciences University will officially open a campus in the Virgin Islands welcoming fifty students in July 2025. Photo: internet Source

The partnership between Ponce Health Sciences University and the government of the Virgin Islands is seen as an investment into strengthening the territory’s healthcare sector long term. Photo: Internet Source

PHSU, along with government officials, including Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL), held a press conference at Cutlass Tower on March 24, 2025. 

The Health Minister said, “The launch of this medical school is just the beginning of a transformative journey—one that will shape the future of our healthcare sector, empower our people, and contribute to the overall development of our beautiful Virgin Islands.”

PHSU’s impact will be profound- Hon Wheatley 

Scheduled to open its doors and welcome students officially in July 2025, PHSU will have a first cohort of fifty students, most of whom will come from the United States. The school is also offering two full tuition and fees scholarships to belongers in the VI.

Hon Wheatley said the medical school’s impact will be profound and a game changer for the Territory’s healthcare system. 

“As we all know, the Virgin Islands, like many other regions, faces challenges such as healthcare accessibility, physician shortages, and the need for specialised medical expertise. By establishing this school of medicine right here in the Virgin Islands, we are creating a direct pipeline for training the next generation of doctors…who will understand our Territory’s unique healthcare needs and, most importantly, doctors who will have the opportunity to serve right here at home,” he explained. 

PHSU & gov’t partnership strengthens VI healthcare- Hon Wheatley 

According to the Health Minister, the partnership between the medical school and the government is an investment into strengthening the territory’s healthcare sector long term. 

“It will create opportunities for our young people who aspire to study medicine and enhance the overall quality of healthcare services available to our residents.  Additionally, the presence of a medical school fosters an environment for continuous learning, research and clinical training components that will help improve medical standards and promote innovation within our health sector,” Hon Wheatley stated. 

Opportunities for medical tourism

The presence of PHSU provides the opportunity for collaboration between local healthcare institutions and international medical experts, he said, which would eventually lead to improved patient care and advancement in medical practices within the territory. 

While Premier Wheatley, in his remarks at the press conference, said the school would kickstart the territory’s edu-tourism, Health Minister Wheatley said it would also enhance the territory’s potential for health tourism. 

“With potential specialised medical services and research opportunities, positioning this Territory as a potential leader in medical education and healthcare excellence in the region,” he said, adding, “The possibilities are endless.”