Following over 15 years of collaboration, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK and St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies, have announced a renewed commitment aimed at delivering exceptional medical education to students worldwide.
The St. George's University-Northumbria University medical education programme was established in 2007 to create a pathway for highly qualified international students to pursue medical education.
Bringing together Northumbria's well-established excellence in healthcare education and St. George’s University's (SGU) reputation as an innovative medical school, the programme was designed to develop knowledge, clinical skills, and research interests while giving students the opportunity to experience two different healthcare systems and enable them to pursue practising medicine across many specialties with a global perspective.
Going from strength to strength, the programme has grown significantly since its inception, leading to the development of a new Medical Degree Pathway to provide access to the SGU Doctor of Medicine degree for a wider range of students.
The original four-year Medical Degree programme offered through the collaborative relationship between the two institutions was only open to graduates with a relevant bachelor’s degree. Under the new 10-year agreement, there are multiple entry points and study routes to qualifying.
The additional entry points allow students with High School level qualifications to achieve the same Medical Degree via one or two years of additional study. Students will begin their studies at Northumbria and complete one, two or three years of study, dependent upon their enrolment in either the four-year Doctor of Medicine, or the five- or six-year Medical Degree Pathway. They then travel to Grenada to complete one year of study in Principles of Clinical Medicine at SGU’s main campus in Grenada before undertaking two years of clinical rotations in the USA or UK.
Another key feature of the new relationship is the ‘dual degree’ opportunity. Students studying in Newcastle may achieve both a Doctor of Medicine Degree from SGU as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Sciences (BMedSci) from Northumbria.
Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with St George’s University, and we are thrilled to deepen our collaboration with them to offer exceptional medical education through additional pathways.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to welcome more students from a wider range of educational and international backgrounds to Northumbria. Together, we have created a unique educational experience that takes advantage of our collective strengths in a way that ensures our students are equipped with the tools they need to provide outstanding care to patients around the world.”
This year the two institutions celebrated the 2000th student joining Northumbria as part of the SGU programme and the new agreement will help the next 2000 students benefit from this unique study option over the next 10 years.
Dr Richard Liebowitz, Vice-Chancellor of St. George’s University, said: “The relationship between SGU and Northumbria is now in its 16th year. The new agreement provides the platform for the next 10 years of our relationship and reflects the commitment of both Universities to delivering an education that is truly global in nature and provides future doctors with a comprehensive education that prepares them for successful careers in medicine.”
Northumbria and SGU have also recently been shortlisted as finalists in The PIEoneer Awards 2023, in the ‘Public private partnership of the year’ category.
The PIEoneer Awards, which this year will be held on Friday 22 September in London, honour innovation and achievement across the whole of the global education industry. With a distinguished judging panel representing geographical and professional diversity, The PIEoneer Awards recognise both individuals and organisations who are pushing professional standards, evolving their engagement, or redefining the international student experience.
Dr. James Coey, Assistant Dean of Basic Sciences at St. George's and the academic lead for the programme in Newcastle, said: “The Doctor of Medicine program at SGU opens doors for a medical career on an international scale. Northumbria University and St. George's University share a similar vision of producing outstanding healthcare professionals who are equipped to tackle real-world challenges in a diverse range of settings. This relationship will enable us to continue combining our expertise, knowledge, and resources to produce the doctors of tomorrow who will go on to make a positive impact on global health.”
For more information, visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/sgu
