Avalon University School of Medicine


Avalon University School of Medicine is a private medical school located in Willemstad, Curaçao, in the Caribbean. AUSOM confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine degree. Administrative offices for the university are located in Youngstown, Ohio.

History

AUSOM was founded in 2003 in Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles as the Xavier University School of Medicine. In 2010, the university relocated to Curaçao and changed its name to Avalon University School of Medicine to differentiate itself from another university with the same name.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Doctor of Medicine degree spans four years. First- and second-year students study basic science courses on the Curaçao campus. Third-year students attend an 8-week course at the admissions office in Youngstown, Ohio for orientation in clinical studies, preparation for the USMLE Step 1 examination and an overview of US residency application. Students who pass the USMLE exam spend the final 18 months in clinical clerkships in the United States, including 24 weeks of elective clerkships for fourth-year students.

Accreditation

Avalon University School of Medicine states that it is chartered by the Government of Curaçao to offer an MD degree. AUSOM is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
In 2019, AUSOM has been granted accreditation by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Medicine and other Health Professions, and the Accreditation Commission of Colleges of Medicine. With CAAM-HP and ACCM accreditation, AUSOM has met the 2023 requirement established by the Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates of obtaining accreditation by an accrediting agency that is officially recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education.
Both CAAM-HP and ACCM are international accrediting bodies listed by The National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation which is part of the United States Department of Education has listed CAAM-HP and ACCM as "found to use standards to accredit their medical schools that are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States.
AUSOM is listed with the Medical Council of India
AUSOM is recognized by the Medical Council of Canada and is on the Canadian Government's List of Designated Educational Institutions