ROSS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

fully equipped clinical learning laboratories.

In addition to the build-out of the academic facilities at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, RUSM also completed construction of a living community for students at The Villages at Coverley. With support from the Barbados government, RUSM also established a busing cooperative with local transportation business owners to transport students between Coverley and the campus.

Dr. Heidi Chumley Dean of Ross University School of Medicine

The primary factors that encouraged RUSM to relocate to Barbados include the more obvious prerequisites such as easy accessibility with regular flights, sound general infrastructure, safety and security, benign climate, quality of life and a good national healthcare system. Also, due to the pressured environment of medical studies, it’s a big benefit for our students that Barbados has a positive social attitude toward wellness. All in all, this is a great place to live for both students and faculty. But, most importantly, we needed a good partner to align with to be able to achieve our long-term goals. Through the Government, particularly the Ministries of Education and Health, other healthcare professionals and the private sector, Barbados offered that kind of all-inclusive partnership.

Despite several unexpected challenges, including the pandemic, the move has largely been successful. The whole world was affected by the pandemic, not just Barbados, but we continue to weather the storm and pivot as needed to support our students’ academic journey, having returned to on-campus in-person learning in September 2021 after a period of online instruction. The pandemic even had its plus points, because it gave our students a rare opportunity to gain invaluable real-world, hands-on experience by volunteering at vaccination centres. It is essential to help young doctors understand and value the vital importance of community healthcare, and they could not have asked for a better early lesson in life.

We are fortunate to be in a highly attractive location, with a dedicated faculty and learning environment. RUSM and Barbados can provide international students with a wonderful personal development experience, combined with a first-class medical education and a solid platform to launch their future.

The provision of accommodation at Coverley was a big help in the beginning, allowing our students to live together in the same community. But now many of them are spreading their wings, living elsewhere and immersing themselves more into local society, where they have been made to feel welcome.

Generally speaking, I believe our students are happy to be here.

1 Ross University School of Medicine is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP, www. caam-hp.org).