Information in this section is effective 1 January 2023. For tuition information prior to 2023, refer to the Student Handbook. Tuition for the MD Program is dependent upon the pathway taken by the student. Students undertaking the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Pathway are expected to complete the program in four-and-a-half years (no longer than [...]
Yes. OUM was first accredited in 2010 by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities and its re-accreditations now take it through to 2025. It was the South Pacific's first internationally accredited medical school, providing the requisite credentials which graduates of international medical schools need in order to practice in most countries. [...]
The University was founded in 2002 to aid the South Pacific island of Samoa in addressing its shortage of doctors. Since the school was established in close collaboration with the Government of Samoa, its future is secure. The program began small, making sure that the computer-assisted curriculum worked well before opening it to a larger [...]
OUM’s flexible distance-learning program appeals to a wide variety of students — from recent university graduates to working professionals interested in changing careers. Pre-medical school careers have ranged from nurse practitioners, nurses, and chiropractors to physical therapists, physician assistants, pharmacists, paramedics, and other healthcare professionals. OUM also accepts students with non-science backgrounds such as business, [...]
All OUM students are required to complete at least one four-week elective 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 complete and rigorous medical school curriculum based mainly on US and Australian medical education models. The difference is OUM's virtual interactive delivery of its pre-clinical curriculum, which offers two pathways of study based upon where a student intends to practice in the future. [...]
Students who progress through the program with no interruptions other than the scheduled breaks within or between modules, will likely finish the program in 4.5 years (usually 5 years for the USMLE Pathway students). The pre-clinical phase of the program lasts 90 weeks, and includes the 8-week General Principles Course, and 82 weeks of System-Based [...]
Since OUM’s innovative online approach allows a certain amount of flexibility during the pre-clinical phase, many students elect to work reduced schedules during that portion of the curriculum. However, 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 and [...]
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 as an alternative to traditional [...]
While most students complete clinical rotations at accredited teaching hospitals formally affiliated with OUM, the University will also 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. This portion of the curriculum also involves case assignments and other learning [...]