Applications for Ponce Health Sciences University’s inaugural cohort for Fall of 2025, opened on October 1, 2024. Since its soft launch on the social media platform Facebook, several questions has been raised. Photo: Facebook

Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) is set to begin a medical program in the Virgin Islands (VI) on Tortola in the fall of 2025. Photo: Facebook

The MD Program offered by Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) will be housed at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) when classes commence in the Fall of 2025 with the school’s first cohort. Photo: Facebook

Applications for the inaugural cohort for Fall of 2025, opened on October 1, 2024, and according to the school’s website, PHSU offers an innovative and tech-driven 4-year Medical Doctor degree programme that prepares graduates for careers in medicine in any specialty, anywhere in the world.

The PSHU School of Medicine will be based at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay, Tortola in August 2025, with a first class of 50 students and 75 more for the Fall 2026 session, the university stated.

PHSU’s fourth campus

The programme in the VI, according to the website, will follow the same curriculum as PHSU School of Medicine, which has campuses in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and St Louis, Missouri, USA.

The website also stated that medical students from the VI campus will be able to apply for clinical rotations in Puerto Rico and the United States during their third and fourth years.

PHSU’s MD programme is preliminarily accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM), according to the website.

Officials tightlipped; Wheatley to meet with PHSU

Senior health officials have remained tightlipped when contacted about the medical school and have redirected Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) to the school’s administrators.

When contacted, PHSU released a press release in which a quote from Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D Wheatley said, “We are truly excited to welcome the new PHSU School of Medicine in the British Virgin Islands because of the benefits it will bring not just to health standards in our territory but also to our economy…I am optimistic that Virgin Islanders will welcome them and develop services for this new kind of resident.”

Meanwhile, President of PHSU, Dr Gino Natalicchio said, “Opening this location in Tortola will make a major difference to students in BVI, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean region, and worldwide because it gives them a truly viable and accessible option to complete their studies in medicine.”

In addition, the university plans to grant two full scholarships to qualifying VI students annually.

VINO can confirm that Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), Minister for Health and Social Development, is set to meet with the school sometime next week.

Our News Centre has also been informed that an official press launch of the school is being planned and may occur during this month.

Since its soft launch on the social media platform Facebook, a number of questions have been raised and PHSU hopes to give the public answers soon.