Prime Minister visit
I met Mr. Mark Rutte the Prime Minister of the Netherlands today! Well, he said hi to me and I said hi back. I ran up to him all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed so I didn't leave him much choice, but I don't care. This was after I took a couple creeper shots of him and his posse. The flags were out today and all our profs were dressed up and everyone was excited get a look at him.
He also announced that Saba has officially been approved as an EU (European Union) university. We are "the 9th medical school in the Netherlands" now as opposed to a Caribbean school. This means that #1 we have some sort of higher standing as a school #2 we will graduate with an MSc as well as an MD and #3 it could make it easier for us to practice in Europe if we chose to. In related news, Saba has been approved for American federal loans which is very exciting for the other half of our class. This is good for us in the sense that the more accreditation we have the better, but also could be bad because tuition could increase. I'll paste a copy of most of the e-mail we received today for anyone who is interested! (That means you, Dad.)
We also took the opportunity to take some pictures since everyone looked so nice and dressed up.
This has been a momentous week for Saba University School of Medicine. As all of you know we have been working toward several critical goals for the university, namely full accreditation by the Netherlands and gaining Title IV loans from the US government. This week we reached both of these goals. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands visited the school today and in a surprise ceremony presented the school with the final documents for our full accreditation as the 9th medical school in the Netherlands. We now hold the identical accreditation as the other 8 schools. No other Caribbean school has such a prestigious accreditation.
Also announced this week was that the Title IV student loans will be available to US students in mid-August. While this may not directly affect our Canadian students, it does so indirectly. While 3 other Caribbean schools have these loans they obtained them long ago under different standards and were grandfathered in for continuance. We are the only Caribbean school that has applied, met all of the newer standards, and been granted these loans. This demonstrates the high esteem to which this school is held by the US government.
These achievements have been a team effort of administration, faculty, staff, and importantly students. We would not have even been considered for accreditation or loans except for the excellence exhibited by our students and graduates. Our USMLE step 1 and 2, 1st time pass rates, and excellent matching for residencies were in the final analysis achieved by students, and are undeniable evidence of the quality of this school. Present and past students can be very proud of Saba University School of Medicine.
Dr. James G. Lewis
Associate Dean of Basic Sciences
Professor of Pathology
He also announced that Saba has officially been approved as an EU (European Union) university. We are "the 9th medical school in the Netherlands" now as opposed to a Caribbean school. This means that #1 we have some sort of higher standing as a school #2 we will graduate with an MSc as well as an MD and #3 it could make it easier for us to practice in Europe if we chose to. In related news, Saba has been approved for American federal loans which is very exciting for the other half of our class. This is good for us in the sense that the more accreditation we have the better, but also could be bad because tuition could increase. I'll paste a copy of most of the e-mail we received today for anyone who is interested! (That means you, Dad.)
We also took the opportunity to take some pictures since everyone looked so nice and dressed up.
That's him! The guy on the left who is facing the camera
Again
Mr. Prime Minister's entourage
The first semester building all prettied up with the flags
Some Canadian girls under the Canadian flag
2nd semester girls - some American's into the mix
Roomies!!
Team Nova Scotia
Dear All:
This has been a momentous week for Saba University School of Medicine. As all of you know we have been working toward several critical goals for the university, namely full accreditation by the Netherlands and gaining Title IV loans from the US government. This week we reached both of these goals. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands visited the school today and in a surprise ceremony presented the school with the final documents for our full accreditation as the 9th medical school in the Netherlands. We now hold the identical accreditation as the other 8 schools. No other Caribbean school has such a prestigious accreditation.
Also announced this week was that the Title IV student loans will be available to US students in mid-August. While this may not directly affect our Canadian students, it does so indirectly. While 3 other Caribbean schools have these loans they obtained them long ago under different standards and were grandfathered in for continuance. We are the only Caribbean school that has applied, met all of the newer standards, and been granted these loans. This demonstrates the high esteem to which this school is held by the US government.
These achievements have been a team effort of administration, faculty, staff, and importantly students. We would not have even been considered for accreditation or loans except for the excellence exhibited by our students and graduates. Our USMLE step 1 and 2, 1st time pass rates, and excellent matching for residencies were in the final analysis achieved by students, and are undeniable evidence of the quality of this school. Present and past students can be very proud of Saba University School of Medicine.
Dr. James G. Lewis
Associate Dean of Basic Sciences
Professor of Pathology
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