Yes. OUM is an internationally accredited medical school, providing the requisite credentials which graduates of international medical schools need to practice in most countries.
The school was founded in 2002, in close collaboration with the Government of Samoa, so its future is secure. The program began by making sure that the computer-assisted curriculum worked well before opening it to large numbers of students. The school deliberately started small and currently has 257 students enrolled worldwide. OUM is selective about [...]
OUM’s flexible program appeals to a wide variety of students—from recent college graduates, to working professionals interested in changing careers. The distance-learning component is attractive to many nurse practitioners, nurses, chiropractors, physical therapists, physician assistants, pharmacists, paramedics, respiratory therapists, podiatrists, and other healthcare professionals. In addition, OUM has some students with non-science backgrounds such as [...]
All students matriculating to OUM are required to complete at least one four-week elective clinical rotation in Samoa. Students should apply for the Samoa rotation at least six months in advance through their regional dean.
OUM is not an abbreviated program. The OUM MD program is a full and rigorous medical school curriculum, based largely on US and Australian medical education models. The difference is that OUM facilitates online delivery of the pre-clinical portion of the curriculum. OUM's unique approach enables students to complete the pre-clinical modules in online classrooms, [...]
Students who attend OUM full-time, with no interruptions other than the existing breaks within modules, may finish the program in 4.5 years (5 years for the USMLE Pathway). During the pre-clinical phase, students who successfully complete all consecutive annual modules may complete the pre-clinical curriculum in 32 months on the Standard Pathway, or 40 months [...]
This really depends upon the student. Medical school requires a tremendous time commitment to absorb and digest a huge quantity of very complex information. Many students find it difficult to work while also devoting a sufficient amount of time to their studies. OUM has no official policy against students working while attending medical school, but [...]
When the COVID 19 pandemic forced medical schools to transition to remote learning, many schools learned what OUM has known for some time: that the didactic portion of a medical school curriculum can effectively be taught online. Even before COVID, traditional medical schools were moving towards high-quality electronic teaching material. In addition to Gross Anatomy, [...]
Students complete clinical rotations at accredited teaching hospitals formally affiliated with OUM. The University will work with students to seek clinical rotations at an accredited hospital that is geographically convenient. In Australia, regional clinical coordinators help students secure their placements. OUM students work side-by-side with students from other medical schools on clinical activities established by [...]
Applicants need a Bachelor's degree or equivalent from an appropriately accredited tertiary educational institution, with at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Standardized admissions tests such as MCAT or GAMSAT are not required. OUM selects students whom it believes will successfully complete the rigorous and demanding OUM medical degree program. The admissions decision [...]