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St Christopher Iba Mar Diop College of Medicine (SCIMD-COM) is a medical college located in Luton, England (30 miles north of London) as a satellite campus of the Universite El Hadj Ibrahima Niasse (UEIN) in Dakar, Senegal. Two medical colleges exist under the umbrella of parent university UEIN: Ecole de Médecine St Christopher Iba Mar Diop (EM-SCIMD) in Dakar and SCIMD-COM in Luton. The college operated under the name St. Christopher's College of Medicine from 2000-2006. Degrees are now issued from the parent university under the name of SCIMD-COM.

Accreditation and Licensing

The college's programs award the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree through the authority of UEIN. The Dakar, Senegal campus is currently listed in The Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) International Medical Education Directory (IMED) database of medical schools. It is listed as such based on its recognition by the Senegalese Ministry of Education through its issuing of a charter in February 2000, and again reaffirmed in April 2006 (after a reorganization of the school). Of note, the Luton, UK location in and of itself is not listed as being recognized as an independent entity in the UK.. SCIMD-COM's Dakar location is also listed by the World Health Organization in the updated 7th edition of the World Directory of Medical Schools. However, the Office of Degree Authorization in Oregon listed the former name of SCIMD and stated that "No Senegalese school issuing degrees under this name exists as of March, 2006." SCIMD-COM is not accredited by any recognised accreditation body and neither the college, nor the parent university, is listed in UNESCO's database of accredited institutions. As such, its degrees may not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, and use of degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions.

Canada

Being listed in FAIMER/IMED is a prequisite for graduates of medical schools outside of Canada to be permitted to take the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE), as well as the Qualifying Examination Part I and Part 2; and SCIMD Dakar campus is listed as such.

United Kingdom

Degrees issued by SCIMD-COM were recognized by the General Medical Council (GMC) of the UK for graduates to gain limited registration as licensed physicians for a brief period after successfully completing the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) examination and the International English Language System examination. However, in November 2005, the GMC announced that it was suspending recognition of the degrees issued by SCIMD (as well as all "schools who claim that the course of study undertaken substantially or wholly in the UK leads to a Primary Medical Qualification awarded by an overseas University.") due to concerns over the college's accreditation status in its parent country, as well as quality assurance arrangements. Currently, this suspension is still in force, which restricts graduates of SCIMD-COM from taking the PLAB examination, and from registration as licensed physicians. The Accreditation Service for International Colleges, a UK-based accrediting agency, has included SCIMD-COM on their list of "Bogus Universities."Due to unknown reasons, this list is not currently available on the Service's website, but it can be verified by Google's cache of the page.

United States

Being listed in the FAIMER/IMED directory of medical schools is a prerequisite requirement for medical students and graduates to be able to register for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and gain ECFMG Certification. SCIMD-COM's Dakar campus is listed in FAIMER/IMED. Satisfactory results on the USMLE examinations, as well as Certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), are some of the prerequisite requirements to obtaining residency training and licensure in the US.

Alabama states that SCIMD-COM is "not approved by the Board for applicants for certificates of qualification." California does not list SCIMD on their recognized or disapproved list. "If a school is not on either the recognized or disapproved list, it may be a school that has not requested recognition by the Medical Board of California." "If a medical school is not listed on the recognized school list, the medical school is either unrecognized or disapproved. The education and training received at an unrecognized or disapproved medical school does not meet California licensure requirements." Indiana has a list of approved, disapproved, and questionable foreign medical schools. SCIMD is on the list of "questionable" schools and applications for licensure would be considered on a "case by case" basis. Kansas has a list of approved and disapproved schools. SCIMD is not on either list. "If the school has not been approved by the Board, an applicant may still be eligible for a license if the school has not been disapproved and has been in operation (date instruction started) for not less than 15 years." SCIMD has been in operation for 8 years, which is less than the 15 years required for a Kansas license. Maine has added St. Christopher's College of Medicine (the former name of SCIMD-COM) to their state's list of unaccredited schools. The Executive Director of the Board of Medical Examiners in New Jersey has stated that New Jersey law requires that students spend the first two years of their medical education studying in the location where the school is chartered. He also stated other states also have denied hospital residency programs or medical licenses to graduates of the school. Another official with the New Jersey's board of Medical Examiners stated graduates of the school would likely not be accepted at any three-year medical residency program at a New Jersey hospital. New York requires study "in a medical program recognized as an acceptable educational program for physicians by the appropriate civil authorities of the country in which the school is located." The Dakar, Senegal campus is recognized by the authorities there, however, the Office of Degree Authorization in Oregon stated that no Senegalese school under the former name of SCIMD exists as of March 2006. According to the Office of Degree Authorization in Oregon, "Great Britain ceased accepting its degrees, March, 2006. No Senegalese school issuing degrees under this name exists as of March, 2006. Price, Waterhouse has taken over the entity's records (UK/Senegal) and students who want to get information must contact PWC." In July of 2000, the Oregon Department of Justice issued a restraining order as well as a lawsuit against St Johns University School of Medicine of Montserrat, which claimed that transcripts issued by the school would be accredited through St. Christopher's College of Medicine. According to the Oregon DOJ, "St. Christopher’s College of Medicine does not appear to be licensed or accredited by anyone. Texas has similarly placed SCCM on their list of "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas" and notes that attempting to use the degree to obtain a medical license is a Class B Misdemeanor.

Programs and curriculum

SCIMD-COM offers two English-language curricula at the Luton school: a four-year curriculum for students who have previously completed the necessary premedical coursework and a six-year curriculum for those that have not. There is also a five-year curriculum that is conducted in French at the Senegal campus.

The basic medical science curriculum consists of:

First Semester: Gross Human Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Histology and Cell Biology, Medical Embryology, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Medical Terminology

Second Semester: Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, Neurosciences

Third Semester: Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology, Medical Genetics

Fourth Semester: Pathology II, Pharmacology, Behavioral Sciences, Medical Ethics

Fifth Semester: Physical Diagnosis, Introduction to Clinical Medicine, USMLE Review

After completing five semesters of the Basic Medical Sciences (and all applicable premedical coursework) on campus in Luton students enter the Clinical Sciences and complete 72 weeks of clinical clerkships. Of those 72 weeks, 48 weeks consist of core clinical clerkships in Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Family Medicine. The remaining 24 weeks consist of elective clinical clerkships in the areas of interest to the student.

SCIMD-COM's Luton campus is not listed in the Register of Education and Training Providers published by the British Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Home Office will not grant anyone permission to enter or remain in the UK as a student, unless he or she plans to study at a college on the Register." "The Register does not quality assure the services offered by providers," but instead, "the purpose of the Register is to help the Home Office tackle immigration abuse in the education sector."

The UK/European Union administrative offices are located in Luton, England, and the U.S./Canadian administrative offices are located in McDonough, GA, as a result of the school's termination of affiliation with its former representative due to "numerous and grave" reasons.. Although the US headquarters are in Georgia, SCIMD also maintains additional admissions and clinical sciences office in Nassau County, NY.

Media coverage

In 2003, the BBC local news programme Look East visited the campus, noting that no private university has ever been given full accreditation in the UK, and that St. Christopher hoped to be the first. It also noted that fees were between 2/3 and 1/2 of the fees charged by US colleges, and that this attracted a significant US student body.

External links

• Official website

References

1. ^ "History of St Christopher Iba Mar Diop College of Medicine". Retrieved 2006-08-14.
2. ^ Foundation for the Advancement of International Education and Research. "International Medical Education Directory: St. Christopher Iba Mar Diop College of Medicine". Retrieved 2006-07-27.
3. Senegalese Charter of SCIMD from scimd.com
4. ^ Senegalese recognition letter by Minister of Education
5. Foundation for the Advancement of International Education and Research. "International Medical Education Directory: United Kingdom". Retrieved 2007-08-09.
6. World Directory of Medical Schools Update
7. ^ Oregon Office of Degree Accreditation. "Unaccredited colleges". Retrieved 2007-05-05.
8. UNESCO list
9. Medical Council of Canada: About the Exams
10. ECFMG 2007 Information Booklet: Frequently Asked Questions
11. Web Archive of GMC recognition letter posted on stchris.edu
12. ^ General Medical Council. "UK based medical colleges". Retrieved 2007-08-10.
13. ^ General Medical Council. "Acceptable primary medical qualification". Retrieved 2006-07-27.
14. Chapman, Matthew (6 November 2005). "Some medical degrees 'worthless'". BBC News. Retrieved 2006-08-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
15. List of Bogus Universities from the Accreditation Service for International Colleges
16. GoogleCache HTML version of ASIC Bogus Universities PDF
17. ECFMG 2007 Information Booklet: Frequently Asked Questions
18. Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. "Medical Education Requirements". Retrieved 2006-08-27.
19. Medical Board of California: International Medical Schools Disapproved by the State of California
20. Medical Board of California. "Medical Schools Recognized by the Medical Board of California". Retrieved 2006-07-27.
21. "Medical Licensing Board of Indiana" (PDF).
22. http://www.ksbha.org/medicalschoolsapprovedunapproved.html
23. Kansas Board of Healing Arts. "Statues: Chapter 65.--PUBLIC HEALTH Article 28.--HEALING ARTS". Retrieved 2006-08-18.
24. Maine Higher Education. "Unaccredited Schools" (PDF). UnaccreditedSchools-042706.pdf. p. 48. {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help)
25. Thorbourne, Ken (2004-03-30). "SPC partnership with med school hastily called off". The Jersey Journal. p. 1. Retrieved 2006-08-12.
26. NYS Office of the Professions. "Medicine License Requirements". Retrieved 2007-07-22.
27. Department of Justice, State of Oregon. "Media Release: Attorney General Closes Down Unlicensed Medical School". Retrieved 2006-08-18.
28. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas". Retrieved 2007-05-05.
29. 4-year M.D. Curriculum at stchris.edu
30. Clinical Clerkships at stchris.edu
31. DFES Provider Register of Education and Training
32. UKVisas requirements for student visas
33. http://www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister/faq-general.cfm#a1
34. Dr. Sow Notice at scimd.com
35. Termination notice at scimd.com
36. http://imed.ecfmg.org/details.asp?country=820&school=&currpage=1&cname=SENEGAL&city=&region=AF&rname=Africa&mcode=820020&psize=25
37. http://stchris.edu/contact.htm
38. RealAudio file, BBC Look East, February 2003

• Unaccredited institutions of higher learning