md program information...md program information catalogue 2018 – 2019 internationally accredited d...

MD

Program

Information

Catalogue 2018 – 2019

INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED D

Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Apia, Samoa, where OUM students complete at least one clinical rotation.

OCEANIA UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE

Oceania University of Medicine CATALOGUE 2018/19

MD Program Information Copyright © 2018 e-Medical Education LLC. All rights reserved. PAGE 2

WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN For many individuals who seek a medical education, becoming a doctor has been a lifelong dream.

Perhaps realizing such a dream has led you here to learn about Oceania University of Medicine (OUM).

We welcome your inquiry.

OUM’s innovative approach has helped many aspiring physicians overcome distance, personal, and

professional barriers to achieve their dream. We hope you will be one of them. Founded in 2002 in the

South Pacific island nation of Samoa, OUM has evolved from a local mission to better meet the health

needs of underserved island communities to an international medical school with students and

graduates in many countries.

When first accredited in 2010 by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and

Universities (PAASCU), OUM became the only internationally accredited medical school in the South

Pacific. The school was reaccredited in 2015 for five more years. PAASCU is one of a few international

accrediting bodies charged with ensuring that foreign medical schools are held to standards

comparable to those applied to US medical schools. Rigorous accreditation validates the quality

education we provide to our students and identifies our curriculum and programming as comparable to

traditional, more established institutions. It also provides the requisite credentials which graduates of

foreign medical schools need for licensing and to practice medicine in many countries including

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

As you read through this publication, you will find every piece of information needed to become a

student in our MD Program. The majority of our students live in Australia, New Zealand, and the United

States, but the student body represents more than 40 countries of origin and an equally diverse array of

professional backgrounds. Many OUM students are already practicing healthcare professionals. This

enhances class discussions and provides support throughout the rigorous course of study. While the

students’ backgrounds and professions are diverse, their visions are identical. The school’s flexible

distance-learning curriculum is ideal for individuals who have professional and family commitments but

wish to study medicine and become physicians.

We welcome your interest and look forward to helping you realize your own personal dream.

Sincerely,

Taffy Gould

Chairman and Founder



Table of Contents

Welcome from the Chairman 2

Accreditation & Official Designations 4

I. The University’s Mission & Charter 5

II. OUM’s Approach to Learning 7

III. Technical & Academic Standards for Admission 9

IV. The MD Program Curriculum 11

V. Special Programs: Post-Baccalaureate & Master’s 25

VI. Curriculum Delivery & Technology’s Role 27

VII. Student Support: Advising, Skill-Building & More 30

VIII. Assessments & Examinations 35

IX. Pathways to Practice: Graduation & Licensing 40

X. Admissions & Enrollment Process 44

XI. Tuition, Fees, Refunds & Payment Plans 49

XII. Student Policies & Regulations 52

XIII. The Samoas: OUM’s Roots 58

XIV. For More Information 60

[email protected]

www.oum.edu.ws

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.oum.edu.ws/



Internationally Accredited

ACCREDITATION & OFFICIAL DESIGNATIONS Oceania University of Medicine was granted formal accreditation by the

Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities

(PAASCU) in 2010, making OUM the only internationally accredited medical

school in the South Pacific.

In 2015, PAASCU’s Board of Directors re-accredited OUM for five years until

2020. PAASCU is one of 19 accrediting bodies recognized by the US

Department of Education’s National Committee on Foreign Medical Education

and Accreditation (NCFMEA). NCFMEA identifies and vets accrediting bodies

outside the United States that use standards comparable to those used to

accredit medical schools in the United States.

During each round in the accreditation process, an accreditation team visits the

OUM campus in Apia, Samoa and meets with students, alumni, and faculty in

Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The team reviews programs

and procedures in eight areas: faculty, curriculum and instruction, clinical

facilities, research, students, library, administration, and facilities. This process

will be repeated in 2020.

Founded in 1957, PAASCU is a service organization that accredits academic

programs to meet standards of quality education. Since 1991, PAASCU has

been a full member of the International Network for Quality Assurance

Agencies in Higher Education, which is composed of 200 accrediting agencies

in more than 90 different countries. PAASCU also is a founding member of the

Asia-Pacific Quality Network. PAASCU has linkages with the Council for

Higher Education Accreditation, which is a private, nonprofit national

organization that coordinates accreditation activity in the United States.

OUM is accredited in Samoa by the Samoa Qualifications Authority, which

coordinates and assures the quality of post-school education and training in

the nation of Samoa.

Throughout the accreditation process and beyond, OUM remains listed in the

World Directory of Medical Schools—a joint publication of the Foundation for

the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research and the

World Federation for Medical Education—and is recognized by the Education

Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Being recognized by

these organizations is a prerequisite in many countries for foreign medical

school graduates applying for licensure.



I. THE UNIVERSITY’S MISSION & CHARTER

he mission of Oceania University of Medicine is to produce physicians with the requisite

knowledge, skills, and attitudes to improve the health of underserved communities in Oceania

and beyond, via traditional and innovative instructional modalities to help individuals overcome

distance, personal, and professional barriers to realize their calling to the medical profession.

As set forth in the University’s Constitution and in support of the University’s mission, the specific

objectives of the medical program are to:

◼ Graduate general practitioners with foundation competencies in the basic and clinical sciences

that prepare them for work in a hospital or community setting, while also developing the vision,

sense of national and professional need, motivation, and perseverance necessary to pursue

specialty training;

◼ Produce graduates with skills and motivation needed to be life-long learners;

◼ Produce graduates with a strong orientation toward community practice, by allowing students to

study in their own communities;

◼ Produce graduates who are socially responsive and ethically responsible in their approach to the

practice of medicine;

◼ Deliver a common internationally-applicable medical curriculum while providing students with

experiences which allow them to localize their learning outcomes;

◼ Broaden access to medical education by allowing students to minimize the social, geographic,

family, and financial disruption normally experienced with the study of medicine;

◼ Utilize current and emerging information technologies which allow students to complete their

studies within flexible settings and timeframes;

◼ Give a central role to practicing community physicians, utilizing their experience, role modeling,

and mentoring capacity. OUM sees this relationship as a pioneering “new apprenticeship” model

of medical education, supporting it with high-quality educational resources to assist in the

personal and professional development of OUM graduates.

◼ Contribute to the development of undergraduate and postgraduate health sciences training in

Samoa and the Pacific region, also promoting professional development of healthcare

professionals, actively pursuing alliances with regional educational institutions.

The University was founded on these principles, which have driven the development of the program into

its current state and will provide guidance for its future advancement.

The future of medicine will be marked by rapid change, and OUM’s medical graduates are expected to

adapt and actively participate in those changes. The mission includes redefining medical education to

make it relevant to societal needs. We encourage our graduates to maintain life-long, self-directed

learning, and to pursue evidence-based medical practices that support advances in patient care,

community service, research, and education. With the University’s mission and objectives in mind, OUM

aims to graduate doctors who:

◼ Are committed to rational, evidence-based, and compassionate healthcare;

◼ Engage in professional relationships to acquire, evaluate, and communicate information;

◼ Apply critical reasoning to medical care;

◼ Apply understanding of illness to its prevention, identification, and management and to the

promotion and maintenance of health;

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◼ Apply understanding of the practice of medicine in a community or population;

◼ Take responsibility for self-education and self-evaluation.

The OUM Charter

Oceania University of Medicine (OUM) operates under a charter executed by the Government of

Independent Samoa (formerly Western Samoa), as an autonomous statutory corporation operating in

partnership with the Samoan government, represented by the Prime Minister. The school’s authority

derives from the Oceania University of Medicine Act, ratified by the Parliament of Samoa in January

2002. e-Medical Education, LLC, an international software and health science education company,

operates OUM as part of the agreement.



II. OUM’S APPROACH TO LEARNING

he University is committed to diverse learning. Students develop a broad range of knowledge,

skills and attitudes necessary to practice medicine. The curriculum structure balances course

subjects, integrated learning modules, and clinical experiences using the problem-based learning

model (PBL), which grounds clinical reasoning with the basic sciences and utilizes independent

learning and small-group discussions to probe complex and timely medical issues.

Physicians must master a vast knowledge base to practice medicine. Through the latest information

technology, OUM integrates that knowledge into the curriculum and the student incorporates these tools

into daily practice. Computer-assisted learning programs will enable the student to enter a career as a

lifelong learner armed with the tools to engage in this constantly evolving profession.

Prime consideration is given to developing a sense of responsibility; an understanding of the patient’s

need for a compassionate, knowledgeable physician; and a commitment to continuing medical

education, research, self-directed learning, the improvement of skills and the acquisition of new ones.

At the inception and throughout the program, students will interact with patients and physicians to learn

basic interviewing skills, history-taking, physical examination, and physical diagnosis.

Program Summary

The faculty and administration of OUM are dedicated to providing a high-quality academic curriculum in

all its programs, based largely on US and Australian medical education models. Students from all

countries are welcome to apply for admission. Preclinical modules are taught utilizing distance-learning

technologies that enable students to complete the preclinical study modules from their own

communities. Similar to traditional medical schools, once OUM students successfully complete their

preclinical modules, clinical rotations occur on site at select teaching hospitals.

OUM’s distance-learning approach:

◼ offers flexibility with the pace and location of instruction;

◼ utilizes an internationally-accepted medical education model: problem-based learning;

◼ increases access to a medical education for students in rural/remote locations; and

◼ utilizes Physician Mentors for greater clinical exposure and Academic Advisers to customize the

student’s learning experience.

OUM’s MD program is divided into two main phases: preclinical and clinical. All preclinical coursework

(first 2-3 years) is completed via distance learning, beginning with one of two basic science approaches,

the e-Foundation 300-Series Track or the Basic Science Track. While both tracks cover the same nine

disciplines, one offers slightly more intensive study (36 weeks vs. 30 weeks) for students intending to

practice in the United States. (They are required to pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam, in

particular USMLE Step 1 which is heavily focused on basic science content, before they are permitted

to begin clinical rotations at teaching hospitals.) Basic science study is followed by nine six-week

system-based modules, and modules focused on emerging medical issues and research methodology.

Throughout the pre-clinical phase, a clinical skills course focuses the student on the development of

skills to examine and treat patients. This preclinical phase is followed by 72 weeks of core and elective

clinical modules (clerkships) for learning hands-on patient care in approved clinical settings.

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Preclinical students will be assigned an Academic Adviser who will help ensure that they are keeping up

with and retaining the course material through regular personal advising sessions. In addition, before

the first system-based module begins, immediately following the basic sciences, each student is

required to identify and have approved a local physician to act as his/her mentor. Students are expected

to meet with their mentors for one hour each week to discuss issues arising from problem-based

learning cases, as well as to observe and to participate in selected patient-doctor interactions and in the

local healthcare system.

The curriculum is presented using Moodle, a licensed software and course content platform with cases,

exhibits, and assessments developed by American and Australian medical scholars. Highly-qualified

online faculty guide students through the learning process, utilizing small student groups in regular

tutorial sessions, focusing on intensive problem-based learning (PBL), independent learning, and

formative assessment. The PBL cases integrate basic science material with clinical content from the

very beginning of the program.

OUM’s distance-learning curriculum utilizes Blackboard Collaborate virtual classroom software, which

allows for student-teacher interaction online in a live real-time teaching environment. Collaborate’s

virtual classrooms provide an important, invaluable mode of interaction, namely real-time lectures and

classroom discussion, as well as the opportunity to record lectures for future reference.

Students must be knowledgeable in basic computer application programs and, eventually, OUM’s

teaching applications Moodle and Collaborate. Since the OUM curriculum uses a distance-learning,

computer-based format, student success may be determined, to a certain extent, upon his/her

understanding and comfort level using these technologies.

The 72 weeks of clinical clerkships encompass on-site activities organized by the host hospital, in some

instances working side by side with students from other medical schools. The clinical training includes

directed learning activities and virtual lectures with corresponding tests following each core clerkship.

Students also are required to complete a minimum of one four-week clinical rotation at OUM’s home in

the South Pacific, either in the independent nation of Samoa or the US territory of American Samoa.

OUM’s academic calendar allows new students to enroll in January or July. For continuing students, six

terms are offered each year, with short breaks in between and a longer break provided from late

December through early January. This intensive year-round program gives full-time students who

successfully complete all six annual terms the opportunity to complete the medical curriculum in just

over four years. Students are not required to take all six annual terms but must complete at least 24

weeks per year to maintain good academic standing. Part-time students—needing flexibility for work,

family, and other activities—may take five to six years to complete the degree program.



III. TECHNICAL & ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION

ceania University of Medicine welcomes students from all backgrounds. Students are selected

without regard to age, gender, race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. While OUM

reserves the right to vary requirements based upon standards in a student’s country of origin, a

basic set of requirements and procedures is applied to all admissions candidates.

Technical Standards

In addition to the academic discipline necessary for a rigorous curriculum, OUM students must possess

minimum physical, cognitive, and behavioral requirements in order to successfully complete the

curriculum. Medical students must be able to consistently, quickly and accurately integrate all

information received by their senses, and have the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and

synthesize data. Specifically, OUM students must have:

◼ sufficient senses of perception – the functional use of vision and hearing;

◼ sufficient somatic senses – the senses of touch, pain and temperature;

◼ sufficient proprioceptive senses – position, pressure, movement, stereognosis and vibratory; and

◼ sufficient motor function to carry out both academic and clinical activities.

Candidates for a medical degree must have the following five additional skills and abilities:

Observation – The candidate must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic

sciences, including but not limited to physiologic and pharmacologic demonstrations in animals,

microbiologic cultures, and microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic

states. A candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand.

Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation. It is

enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.

Communication – A candidate should be able to speak, to hear, and to observe patients in a sensitive

manner. A medical student should be able to elicit information, describe changes in the patient's mood,

activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications. The student also must be able to

communicate effectively in oral and written form with all members of the healthcare team.

Motor – Students should have sufficient motor function to obtain information from patients by palpation,

auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers; to do basic laboratory tests; to carry out

diagnostic procedures; to read electrocardiograms and radiographs; and to conduct anatomical

dissections during both basic science and clinical study. A student should be able to execute the motor

movements reasonably required to provide general and emergency care to patients. Examples of

emergency treatment reasonably required of physicians are cardiopulmonary resuscitation,

administration of intravenous medication, application of pressure to stop bleeding, opening of

obstructed airways, suturing of simple wounds, and performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers. Such

actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional

use of the senses of touch and vision.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities – These abilities include

measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, the critical skill

demanded of physicians, requires all these intellectual abilities. In addition, the student must be able to

comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.

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Behavioral and Social Attributes – A student must possess the emotional health required to fully use

his or her intellectual abilities; to exercise good judgment; to promptly complete the responsibilities

attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients; and to develop mature, sensitive, and appropriate

relationships with patients. Students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function

effectively under stress. They must be flexible and able to adapt to changing environments and capable

of functioning in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients.

Academic Prerequisites

Applications are accepted from students with all undergraduate majors. Students who select an

undergraduate major primarily to enhance their chances of acceptance to medical school may not be

making a decision in their own best interest. While a science major may be helpful, it is not a

prerequisite at OUM. Students should not major in science simply because they believe this will

increase their chances of acceptance. For most physicians, the undergraduate years are the last

available opportunity for an in-depth pursuit of non-science subjects of interest, and all those who hope

to practice medicine should bear this in mind. OUM will strongly consider the overall quality and scope

of all successfully completed undergraduate work.

All MD candidates must have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher at an appropriately accredited

tertiary educational institution. US students seeking a medical degree also must have completed a full

year of university-level chemistry. Generally, for medical school success, applicants are expected to

have a credit-level degree or GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent.

OUM’s curriculum features the basic sciences needed for success in medical school; therefore,

standardized admission tests such as MCAT and GAMSAT may not be required for admission. OUM

selects students it believes will successfully complete the rigorous and demanding OUM medical

degree. The admission decision is based on academic success, test scores, healthcare experience

where applicable, letters of recommendation, and the interview.

Applications are welcome from transfer candidates in good standing at an accredited medical school

whose accrediting agency has been certified by the World Federation of Medical Education. Depending

upon their standing, successful transfer applicants may be asked to complete examinations such as the

OUM’s Interval Performance Exams, In-House Exam, or USMLE.

Prospective students are encouraged to speak with an OUM admissions counselor early in the

admissions process. The counselor will answer questions regarding the medical school’s unique

curriculum and the timeline for completing medical school and postgraduate training, and may connect

prospective students with current members of the student body. Upon the first phone call or e-mail to

the Office of Admissions, prospective students are assigned to an admissions counselor who will walk

them through the application process and remain their adviser throughout the admissions process.

To speak with an OUM admissions counselor,

call 1-877-463-6686 toll free in the US and Canada

or e-mail [email protected].

For Australia, New Zealand and other countries,

e-mail [email protected]

or call 1300 665 343 (toll free in Australia only)

or 0800 99 01 01 (toll free in New Zealand only).





IV. THE MD PROGRAM CURRICULUM

UM’s overall academic goal is to produce well-rounded graduates with a foundation of

knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and skills to foster success in postgraduate training, as well as

to maintain professional competence throughout their careers. Students are expected to master

the curriculum objectives listed in the tables below by the end of their full course of study.

Prior to the beginning of course work, students are required to attend an orientation, held online for

students in Australia, New Zealand or other countries and at a central location in the United States for

North American students. The orientation presents strategies for medical school success, an

introduction to required IT modalities, and a “meet and greet” forum for students, faculty, administrators,

and Academic Advisers.

Generally completed in four-and-a-half to five years, students begin the MD curriculum through one of

two entry points: the e-Foundation 300-Series Track or the Basic Science Track. As the basic sciences

are the foundation of medical studies, both tracks cover the same nine disciplines, one offering slightly

more intensive study. The Basic Science Track is recommended for students who intend to practice in

the United States and must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 – which is

heavily focused on basic science content – before they are able to begin clinical rotations. Students in

this track spend 36 weeks on basic science study; those in the e-Foundation 300-Series spend 30

weeks. Once basic science study is complete, the remainder of the MD program – the system-based

modules and clinical curriculum – remains the same for all students.

Beginning with Term 1801 in January 2018, all students also begin clinical skills training on the first day

of medical school. The Day-One Clinical Skills Course is taken concurrently with other preclinical study,

both basic science and system-based modules.

PRECLINICAL CURRICULUM

The first module taken in the medical program begins OUM’s preclinical phase of study. Entering

students are oriented to OUM’s self-directed learning system (Moodle) during the 300-Series and Basic

Science Tracks, both of which focus on providing students with a solid background and understanding

of the basic sciences.

As students in a graduate-entry program, many with extensive healthcare experience and/or advanced

degrees, students in these initial tracks are expected to be competent in study techniques and Internet

technology prior to enrolling. The content in both tracks allows students to appreciate the clinical

significance of basic science principles, utilize online technical resources, and effectively articulate the

scientific basis of disease. This ensures that all students progress in the preclinical curriculum with

comparable levels of basic science knowledge and mastery, which will be built upon during the system-

based modules.

e-FOUNDATION 300-SERIES TRACK

The 300-Series is a 30-week track (three ten-week segments) in which students attend live instructor-

led interactive sessions four days each week. Delivered via the Blackboard Collaborate virtual

classroom platform, sessions are held Monday through Thursday from 8:00-10:00 pm Eastern Time

(US), which is Tuesday through Friday, late morning to midday, for students in Australia/New Zealand.

All sessions are also recorded for students with a scheduling conflict at the time of the live lectures or

for those wishing to listen to lectures a second time.

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Each ten-week segment is made up of several subjects listed below, presented in blocks ranging from

two to four weeks in length:

Biochemistry

Molecular Biology & Medical Genetics

Physiology

Anatomy, Neuroanatomy & Embryology

Microanatomy & Cell Biology

Pharmacology

Microbiology

Immunology

Pathology

Behavioral Medicine & Biostatistics

To monitor content mastery, there is a quiz at the end of the first week for each basic science discipline

and an exam at the end of each block.



Students scoring less than 60 percent in any e-Foundation 300-series subject will be required to

complete the corresponding four-week 100-level e-Foundation Science block prior to enrollment in the

system-based modules. For example, a student scoring less than 60 percent on the 300-Series

Biochemistry block will have to pass the four-week 100-level Biochemistry block before progressing

further in the preclinical curriculum.

BASIC SCIENCE TRACK

Established for students intending to practice medicine in the United States, the Basic Science Track

offers a more intensive study of the basic sciences in preparation for the USMLE Step 1. In contrast to

the 300-series 30-week schedule, students in the Basic Science Track will spend an intense 36 weeks

on basic science study. Students attend live instructor-led interactive sessions four days each week,

delivered via the Blackboard Collaborate virtual classroom platform. Sessions are held Monday through

Thursday from 8:00-10:00 pm Eastern Time (US) and Tuesday through Friday, late morning to midday,

for students in Australia/New Zealand. All sessions are also recorded for students with a scheduling

conflict at the time of the live lectures or for those wishing to listen to lectures a second time.

Basic Science Track students complete nine four-week 100-level e-Foundation Science blocks. These

blocks are intensive expansions of the basic science disciplines taught during the 300-Series track.

They cover:

Biochemistry. Classic and molecular biochemistry, including structure, function, and biosynthesis

of macromolecules, metabolic interrelations and control mechanisms, and biochemical genetics.

Application of recent advances in knowledge of molecular bases for cellular function to disease

states (diagnosis, prevention, and treatment).



Molecular Biology. The study of the structure and function of the genetic material, including DNA

structure, DNA replication and recombination, regulation of gene expression, and protein synthesis.

Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems are examined, including contemporary recombinant DNA

technology and applications of molecular cloning procedures.

Medical Statistics. Introduction to statistical methods used by medical researchers, including

descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, regression, and correlation.

Physiology. Functional features of the major organ systems in the human body. Emphasis on

homeostasis and the interactions of organ systems in health and disease.

Pharmacology. Various classes of drugs are covered, particularly those used in specific or

symptomatic treatment of disease states. Drugs of abuse are also covered. Emphasis is on the

mechanisms of drug action at the organ and system level and on their use in medicine.

Medical Genetics. An introduction to human genetics. Topics include human gene organization

and expression, chromosome structure, karyotyping, chromosomal aberrations, sex determination

and sex chromosome abnormalities, patterns of single gene inheritance, linkage analysis, human

gene mapping, inborn errors in metabolism, human population genetics, polymorphic cell surface

antigens, multifactorial inheritance genetics of cancer, prenatal diagnosis, and uses of recombinant

DNA in medical genetics.

Microanatomy/Cell Biology. Microanatomy is designed to provide students with knowledge of the

major features of the structural organization of cells, tissues, and organs, and how that organization

is related to function. Cell biology involves an analysis of the basic structure and function of human

cells, with an emphasis on the regulation of cellular processes. The basic features of membranes,

cellular compartmentalization, protein trafficking, vesicular transport, cytoskeleton, adhesion, signal

transduction, and cell cycle are covered.

Anatomy. A systems approach to the analysis of human structure. Molecular, cellular, tissue,

organ, and organ system levels of structure and organization are integrated throughout.

Neuroanatomy. How neuroscience uses tools of many disciplines, from imaging to behavior, to

develop and test hypotheses about functions of specific parts of the brain. Basic organization of

nerve cells and the human nervous system, methods of visualizing nerve cells, neural connections,

and neural activity patterns are covered.

Embryology. Embryologic development from ovulation through birth is covered and is organized

by organ systems. Topics are integrated with human anatomy to facilitate understanding of

anatomic relationships, selected birth defects, and anatomic variants.

Microbiology. Comparative metabolism of small molecules and cell structure and relationship to

microbial classification are covered, including macromolecule synthesis and regulation, cell

division, growth, and effects of antibiotics.

Immunology. A study of humoral and cellular immunology. Topics include lymphoid systems, cells,

antigens, antibodies, antibody formation, cellular immunity, and tumor and transplantation

immunology. Diseases and each topic’s altered immune states are discussed in detail.



Behavioral Medicine. * Lectures in normal human development and psychopathology. The class

focuses on biological, psychological, and social substrates of normal and pathological human

behavior, including major diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. (*This 100-level block is

not completed by Basic Science Track students, as this topic is covered in the Trends & Topics

module taken during system-based modules. Behavioral Medicine is taken by students who fail the

300-Series Behavioral Medicine and Biostatistics block or if recommended by their advisers or the

Student Affairs Committee. In addition, Post-Baccalaureate students take this block.)

Pathology. An overview of the molecular mechanisms of human diseases, including neurologic,

hematologic, neoplastic, and infectious diseases.

Basic Science Track students also are required to take Interval Performance Examinations (IPE) after

every three 100-series blocks to ensure that they are on track learning the material necessary to pass

USMLE Step 1. The 50-question exam encompasses subjects covered to date in the 100-series blocks

and includes content from both the lectures and the reading assignments in addition to the entire

assigned textbook on the subject. Students not earning a passing score on the IPE will be required to

appear before the Student Progress Committee to explain their study strategies and exam preparation.

Students planning to take USMLE Step 1 will also sit for two IPEs during the system-based modules,

followed by the In-House Exam on which they must score 80 percent to be approved to take Step 1.

Note: 100-level e-Foundation blocks are available to all students, by their own choice and/or at the

recommendation of a student’s Academic Adviser. Students are welcome to utilize the 100-level blocks

as additional preparation for USMLE Step 1. If a student completes the 300-Series track and decides to

prepare for USMLE Step 1, s/he should plan to complete all ten 100-level blocks, including Behavioral

Medicine and Biostatistics.

CONCURRENT DAY-ONE CLINICAL SKILLS COURSE

Students who enroll in Term 1801 and beyond will participate in clinical skills activities beginning with

their first medical school module, whether in the 300-Series or Basic Science Tracks. The “Day-One

Clinical Skills Course” is taken concurrently with other preclinical modules and features both online and

onsite components. Prior to beginning system-based modules, the clinical skills course focuses on

history taking and the basic physical examination. Once system-based modules begin, clinical

skills/physical exam content will relate specifically to the student’s current module.

The course’s online component is the foundation for the live onsite training and students must pass the

online phase of study prior to enrolling in the live component. Students must pass both the online and

live training. Failure of either component will require the entire Clinical Skills Course to be repeated.

In the US, the live component will be held at one of OUM’s contracted teaching hospitals, likely in

Chicago or Houston. Students may choose a three-day on-site Clinical Skills Course for clinically

experienced students or a two-week on-site course. The two-week course may be combined with a

clinical rotation, if approved by OUM faculty.

In Australia, the live component will be provided via weekend workshops (Friday through Sunday)

offered 3-4 times per year, utilizing a curriculum approved by the Dean of Australia and organized by a

physician facilitator. A minimum of six students is needed to schedule one of the face-to-face courses

and registrations are limited to a maximum of ten. Students will practice history taking and physical

examinations, evaluated by the workshop facilitator and at least one OUM faculty member who provides

each student with written performance-based feedback and a pass/fail grade.



SYSTEM-BASED PRECLINICAL STUDY

The Role of Problem-Based Learning

OUM recognizes that problem-based learning (PBL) is the cornerstone of modern medical school

teaching and has adopted this style in developing its curriculum content. During the MD program,

students are exposed to 270 clinical entities through PBL cases, lectures, and group discussions

covering a diverse range of pathologies. Each PBL case begins with a virtual patient

presentation/scenario and follows patient progression through the following stages:

• Patient presentation

• History & physical examination

• Differential diagnosis

• Laboratory tests & diagnostic imaging

• Provisional diagnosis

• Short-term management

• Long-term management

Together with the patient information presented, each case includes basic science and clinical learning

objectives. Preclinical PBL case studies link basic sciences with the development of clinical reasoning

through virtual patient scenarios. PBL cases provided during the clinical phase of study will

focus on patient management and other patient care issues and concepts. All PBL cases reference

current core medical and basic science textbooks, journal articles, and verified websites.

System-Based Modules

• Modules 3 through 14 (e-F300 Track)

• Modules 10 through 21 (Basic Science Track)

Each of the nine system-based modules (SBMs) is six weeks long, providing material which combines

the basic and clinical sciences in a PBL case format. Each week, cases and supporting materials are

accessed online through Moodle and are fully examined as the basis for classroom discussion. Two

days each week, faculty lectures in Blackboard Collaborate focus on a detailed case presentation,

covering key concepts and engaging in directed independent study. While the interactive lectures

complement the case, the required reading covers the organ system in its entirety. On the other two

days of the week, faculty members will lead discussions of two mini-cases each day, with students

contributing content from discussion points derived from the readings. Thirty cases are covered during

each six-week module, with a review period and the final exam taken during the seventh week.

Students taking USMLE Step 1 will be required to sit and pass three 25-question Interval Performance

Examinations after the third and sixth SBM modules to ensure that they are on track learning the

necessary material.

The system-based modules include:

Cardiovascular. The cardiovascular cases include chest pain, arterial hypertension, pulmonary

hypertension, arrhythmia, infective endocarditis, and congenital heart disease.

Endocrinology. The endocrinology cases include thyroid disease, parathyroid disease, pituitary

disease, adrenal disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Gastrointestinal. The gastrointestinal cases include esophageal disorders, gastric and duodenal

disorders, intestinal disorders, hepatic disorders, cirrhosis, and pancreatic and biliary disorders.



Hemic-Immune. The hemic-immune system cases include immunodeficiency disorders, systemic

lupus erythematosus, leukemia, lymphoma, anemia, and hemostasis.

Musculoskeletal. The musculoskeletal cases include rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy,

osteogenesis imperfecta, gout, osteoporosis, and osteosarcoma.

Neurology & Neuroscience. The neurology and neuroscience cases include multiple sclerosis,

bacterial meningitis, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

Renal. The renal module focuses on glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, acute and chronic

renal failure, fluids and electrolytes, acid-base balance, and nephrolithiasis via written case

vignettes with a strong emphasis on the underlying basic science principles.

Reproduction. The reproduction cases include sexual development, amenorrhea, prolactinoma,

cervical cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.

Respiratory. The respiratory cases include asthma, tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV, lung cancer,

and COPD.

The basic sciences integrated into PBL cases and covered throughout the preclinical curriculum are:

Anatomy

Biochemistry

Behavioral Science

Cell Biology

Embryology

Genetics & Cell Biology

Histology

Immunology

Microbiology

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

As students progress through each preclinical module, they develop and improve their clinical reasoning

skills as they apply their expanding knowledge to virtual medical scenarios depicting unique, as well as

common, human conditions and ailments. These skills are essential to success during the core clinical

clerkships and electives.

To further prepare for those clerkships, students complete two additional modules which round out their

preclinical experience:

Trends & Topics in Medicine. Trends & Topics in Medicine includes case studies in behavioral

medicine, legal medicine, medical ethics, integrative medicine, nutrition, and preventive medicine,

offering the student a well-rounded exposure to current issues facing the medical profession.

Research Methodology. Students learn the language and methods of research as they prepare for

their required research project, working directly with a research adviser who will help them choose a

topic, design and conduct the study, and prepare the manuscript. Research Methodology may be

taken toward the end of system-based study or during clinical rotations, depending upon when a

student selects his/her topic and the prospectus is approved (See Research Requirement below).

Journal Club

Students are required to participate in Journal Club (JC) upon enrolling in the system-based preclinical

modules, though all preclinical/clinical students and faculty are invited to attend JC sessions. Students in



the system-based modules and beyond are required to attend at least 75 percent of the sessions. All

students must present at least one article at Journal Club while enrolled as a student at OUM. At least one

faculty member is present at each session to facilitate and guide discussion central to the student

presentation and the article’s subject matter.

Research Requirement

Prior to graduation, all students in the MD program are required to complete an original research project

and to publish the results in Medical Student International, the student research journal created by OUM

faculty, or in a peer-reviewed journal. Students will need to identify a faculty member who is willing to

oversee their research project and manuscript preparation. It is recommended that students select their

research faculty sponsor early in the program, as they are required to submit a research prospectus prior to

completion of their fifth system-based module. Once the prospectus is approved, the student will enroll in

the Research Methodology course, which may be taken during the preclinical or clinical modules. The

research course provides 20 hours of faculty time to work with the student on the research project.

TIME COMMITMENT: PRECLINICAL PHASE

Each preclinical module requires mastery of an extensive amount of information during a relatively short

time period. Students generally enroll in only one module/block at a time because they are designed as a

full-time study workload requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week for completion. Only students

demonstrating consistent superior performance and a mastery of the material will be approved to take a

second concurrent preclinical module in a term.

In a recent survey, OUM students report spending an average of 43.7 hours per week on their studies,

which may be broken down as follows:

• 8 hours for live lectures, case discussions, and online interaction with the academic instructor and

fellow students;

• 2 hours for recorded didactic lectures;

• 1 hour for individual interaction with an Academic Adviser;

• 1 hour of interaction with their Physician Mentors (during system-based module enrollment);

• 2 hours for Journal Club, Research Club, Case of the Week, or any other OUM optional (but essential)

learning activities; and

• 30-plus hours for reading assigned text material and other resources related to cases, completing

course assignments, and other self-directed learning. The faculty recommends devoting more than 40

hours per week to reading.

Given the intense workload, students should expect to complete the program in four-and-a-half to five

years, though there is some flexibility built in for students who may need extra time for work, family, and

other life events.

UNITED STATES MEDICAL LICENSING EXAMINATION (USMLE) STEP 1

The preclinical modules are benchmarked to cover much of the content required by the United States

Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1. After completion of the final system-based module, MD students

who intend to complete clinical rotations at US teaching hospitals, and all students seeking to practice

medicine in the United States, must pass the USMLE Step 1 to be eligible to proceed into the clinical phase

of study. Students are required to begin clinical rotations within six months of passing their USMLE Step 1, or

within six months of completing their final preclinical module, if Step 1 is not required.



NOTE: Students who will not be rotating at US teaching hospitals are not required to pass the USMLE to

begin clerkships and may commence clerkships after completing the preclinical curriculum once proper

contracting is in place with his/her teaching facility.

Preparing for the USMLE Step 1: OUM’s In-House Exam and more

OUM students must pass the University’s In-House Exam (IHE) to receive the University’s approval to sit

for the USMLE Step 1. The IHE is offered on the last Friday of each month, and students take the Interval

Performance Exam (IPE) five times throughout their preclinical years to continually gauge their progress

toward IHE and Step 1 readiness.

Students are strongly encouraged to research and abide by the timeframe during which they are required

to complete all three steps of the USMLE, according to University regulations and the individual state in

which licensing is desired.

CLINICAL CURRICULUM

Upon completing preclinical training and passing their preliminary exams, OUM students become eligible to

enter 72 weeks of clinical clerkships/rotations. Core clinical clerkships cover 56 weeks, followed by 16

additional weeks of advanced medical/surgical and general elective rotations.

At least one four-week clinical rotation must be completed at OUM’s home in the South Pacific. Clinical

clerkships are available at OUM’s campus in Apia, Samoa at TTM Hospital, the medical school’s primary

teaching hospital in Samoa’s National Health Complex, and at LBJ Tropical Medical Center in Pago Pago,

American Samoa (a US territory). Upon completion of core clinical rotations, students begin elective

rotations (typically in four-week increments) which may expand further study into core subjects or introduce

students to new areas.

During rotations, students acquire and maintain skills needed to provide total patient care by gaining an:

• understanding of the therapeutic nature of the patient-doctor relationship;

• ability to listen to and identify concerns of patients and their families and to respond to those concerns;

• ability to systematically elicit and interpret clinical signs/symptoms by interviewing and examining

patients with sensitivity; and

• understanding of how to evaluate difficult situations and make decisions in uncertain circumstances.

This portion of the clinical curriculum is designed both to highlight important learning objectives and to

complement knowledge acquired during rotations. OUM expects personal dedication to scholastic

achievement and active participation in completing the learning activities outlined in each case. The goal of

these problem-based cases and directed-learning activities is to bring specific issues forward in an

appropriate clinical context.

Clinical students will have an opportunity to train in both ambulatory and in-patient settings. The time spent

on each will differ from clerkship to clerkship and from one hospital to another, but these differences are not

significant in terms of enabling students to meet the module objectives.



CORE ROTATIONS The core clinical modules in OUM’s MD program and their durations are:

Core Modules Module Code Duration

Internal Medicine IM 12 weeks

Surgery SUR 12 weeks

Pediatrics PED 8 weeks

Obstetrics & Gynecology OBG 8 weeks

Psychiatry PSY 4 weeks

Emergency Medicine EM 4 weeks

Community Medicine COM 8 weeks

Internal Medicine. Building on the Clinical Skills Course, students learn the steps necessary for

proper patient diagnosis and treatment. This includes learning to take complete medical, personal, and

family histories. Students also learn how to perform a diagnostic work-up and develop a plan for

managing patient care. Students participate in clinical conferences where they learn to report findings

and conclusions, logically and succinctly.

Surgery. Students acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the recognition and

management of patients with disorders that require surgical evaluation and surgical intervention. In the

process, they become familiar with the principles, clinical reasoning, techniques and tools used by

surgeons, and with operating room policies/procedures.

Pediatrics. Students acquire special skills and knowledge required for the treatment of infants,

children, and adolescents. Students gain an appreciation of acute pediatric illnesses, assessment of

child health, pediatric outpatient, and community pediatrics.

Obstetrics & Gynecology. Students learn about the body’s response to pregnancy, labor, delivery,

and the postpartum period – both normal and abnormal. They also become familiar with the diagnosis

and treatment of major gynecological disease and various family planning methods.

Community Medicine. Students acquire the principles of family medicine and their application to

community practice. Emphasis is placed on continuous and comprehensive healthcare for people of all

ages within the context of their families, social groups and communities, and on understanding

influential factors in a population’s health and the respective roles of health promotion, prevention, and

treatment of disease.

Emergency Medicine. Students familiarize themselves with the key principles, such as assessment of

acutely ill patients, triage, trauma management, and resuscitation.

Psychiatry. Students become familiar with the major categories of mental illness, including diagnosis

and methods of therapy. In the process, they learn how to take a psychiatric history and to evaluate

mental status.



The order of core clinical modules may vary. Modifications may be necessary to accommodate more

established clerkship programs at affiliated teaching hospitals.

Samoan Clerkship Requirement

OUM students are required to complete at least one four-week clerkship at OUM-affiliated teaching

hospitals in Samoa or American Samoa. Students are responsible for travel and living accommodations,

and affordable housing is available near the hospitals, as is staff assistance in finding placement.

Community/Family Medicine is typically the recommended rotation, but students should discuss the Samoa

clerkship with their respective Dean prior to beginning the clinical modules. Assistance obtaining student

visas will be provided when traveling to either of the Samoas. Please note that all students (including US

citizens) are required to have a valid passport, even for travel to American Samoa, a US territory.

While the required clerkship in Samoa or American Samoa may be completed at any time during the

clinical phase of study (depending on availability and type of clerkship requested), students beginning their

core rotations at Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) Hospital in Samoa in a discipline other than the 12-week

Internal Medicine clerkship will be required to complete a four-week intensive clinical skills course in

Samoa, first. Students completing this course will obtain the hands-on experience necessary to then

confidently begin their core rotations at TTM. Students who have taken at least four weeks of a core

rotation at another hospital may have this requirement waived. Interested students should request details

from their Student Affairs contact.

Note: The Dean for North America and US-based faculty recommend that students passing USMLE and

desiring a residency in the United States should undertake their core clinical rotations in US-based

teaching hospitals, ideally in hospitals with a residency program in the rotation’s discipline accredited by the

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

ELECTIVE ROTATIONS

Upon completion of the core clinical rotations, students will take 16 weeks of University-approved elective

rotations (typically four four-week rotations). Electives usually cover three main areas: medical, surgical,

and general subspecialties. The electives focus on patient management problems, exposure to the

specialties, and the acquisition of additional procedural skills prior to beginning a supervised

internship/residency program.

◼ Medical elective options include exposure to medicine at a higher level, integrating other specialties

and introducing internal medicine subspecialties such as endocrinology, rheumatology, and

infectious diseases, as well as pediatric specialties, pain management, and hyperbaric medicine.

◼ Surgical electives provide continued development of surgical techniques and patient management,

as well as exposure to subspecialties such as anesthesiology, trauma surgery, orthopedics,

ophthalmology, and plastic surgery.

◼ General electives provide exposure to a broad range of medical and healthcare specialties ranging

from forensic medicine to sleep medicine and occupational health.

One elective rotation that is not approved for OUM students is Clinical Research. The faculty feel that

students get sufficient exposure to research during the Research Methodology module and that electives

are better spent in clinical subspecialties.



SCHEDULING CLINICAL ROTATIONS

Students in North America work with the Student Affairs Coordinator, and those in Australia-New Zealand

work with the General Manager there to schedule rotations. Students are encouraged to contact University

staff midway through the system-based modules to begin discussion about where they want to undertake

clinical training. While rotation planning begins early, actual contracting and scheduling will commence

either once a student has passed the OUM In-House Exam (for students planning to rotate at US teaching

hospitals) or during the final/ninth system-based module (for students not planning to rotate in US teaching

hospitals), to ensure that all information is current and complete.

All cores and many electives are available at TTM Hospital in Samoa and at LBJ Tropical Medical Center in

American Samoa. OUM students have also trained at clerkship sites in Australia, New Zealand, India, and

Europe. All students, regardless of their home country, may complete rotations at teaching facilities in the

US where OUM has established formal relationships, primarily in Chicago, Illinois and Houston, Texas.

Outside Samoa and the US, the best source of clinical rotations for OUM students remains the network of

hospitals and clinics at which OUM students and faculty have previously secured positions. These rotations

are usually arranged by the student with assistance from OUM staff.

Rotating at facilities where the University does not have formal relationships, perhaps a facility closer to a

student’s home, requires a significant collaborative effort between the student and the school – often a

lengthy process. The student will be asked to provide administrative contact information at these facilities

for OUM staff to research for suitability, often securing assistance from mentors and other physician

colleagues. A Dean or other OUM administrator will make the direct contact with the proposed sites and

every effort will be made to accommodate a student’s location preference.

In the US, OUM prefers to contract with facilities that are identified as accredited teaching hospitals by the

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Contracting with non-teaching hospital

sites may be permitted for students who do not sit the USMLE while enrolled at the University. Medical

centers without the official infrastructure in place to enroll, evaluate, and record student rotations may not

be able to verify training should a licensing body contact them in the future. Many US states will not license

physicians who did not train in accredited teaching hospitals. Consequently, the Dean for North America

strongly discourages rotations in private practices or other clinics not associated with a teaching facility or

with physicians who do not have formal teaching experience and credentials.

For American and Canadian students, the University will negotiate a required affiliation agreement with the

appropriate facilities to ensure that OUM students have full access to all site resources. For students

rotating in teaching hospitals, they will train with the same academics, privileges, and procedures as all

other medical students training at that hospital.

While students may reach out to colleagues to explore clerkship opportunities, the affiliation agreement

process is complex and OUM students or prospective students should not contact the sites directly or

attempt to negotiate any aspect of affiliation. Students farthest along in their preclinical curriculum take

priority in the research and negotiations for rotations.

TIME COMMITMENT: CLINICAL PHASE

Between hands-on rotations and completing the clinical curriculum assignments, students will spend 60+

hours per week completing their clinical modules. The following table indicates components of a typical

core clinical module, the mode/location of delivery, and approximate time expected to accomplish each

activity. Given the intense workload, students should plan on devoting full time to clinical clerkships. Other

employment during clerkships is highly discouraged.



Learning Activity Clinical Location / Delivery Approximate Time

Allocation

Clerkship Placement

Admitting patients (re-admitting when necessary) – includes history & physical, clinical data gathering, procedures, planning, management, etc.

Affiliated hospital-based sites 15 hours/week

Patient rounds/bedside teaching (hospital-based rotations)

Affiliated hospital-based sites 12 hours/week

Seeing patients (outpatient rotations) Affiliated clinic-based sites 10 hours/week

Clinical tutorials Affiliated sites 2 hours/week

Grand Rounds Affiliated teaching hospital 1 hour/week

Clinical Knowledge

Reading corresponding material to support procedures observed and concepts learned in the rotations.

OUM – Moodle

ClinicalKey 20 hours/week

Evaluation and Assessment

Activities related to evaluation and assessment, e.g. weekly quizzes, end-of-rotation exam, log book preparation, supervisor’s report, clinical knowledge (CK) exam, clinical assessment tasks etc.

Affiliated sites and OUM 2-3 hours/week

Preparing for Graduation (North America)

Upon passing the USMLE Step 1 and completing core rotations, all students seeking to practice medicine

in the United States must also pass both parts of the USMLE Step 2, Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Clinical

Skills (CS), which are required for US licensure and for postgraduate training.

Prior to the final year of study (for students who sat and passed the USMLE Steps 1 and 2), North

American students gather the appropriate documentation necessary to apply for the National Residency

Match Program. It is strongly recommended that all core rotations be completed prior to applying for the

annual match. Following extensive application reviews and personal interviews, students and residency

programs are “matched” electronically based upon mutual preferences given by the students and the

programs. All senior medical students throughout the US receive their residency acceptance on Match Day,

held each year in March. Students who will take the USMLEs after graduating from OUM will take the FCE

as their graduating exam (and take USMLEs on their own timetable as graduates). They will participate in

the appropriate Residency Match once USMLE Steps 1 and 2 are passed.

Preparing for Graduation (Australasia)

After core rotations are completed, students not taking USMLE will prepare for and take OUM’s Final

Clinical Examination (FCE). The 250-question written exam will measure the student’s clinical knowledge.

The clinical skills portion, set up as a multiple-station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE),

will evaluate the student’s clinical skills in a variety of different patient scenarios.

Depending on where the student intends to undertake postgraduate training and to eventually practice,

licensure or registration exams may be required before or after graduation, depending upon local medical



board requirements. OUM has information about the requirements of the Australian Medical Council and

the Medical Council of New Zealand. For other jurisdictions, the student should check with local authorities.

Academic Calendar

The Academic Calendar includes the beginning and ending dates for each term, exam schedules, and

other important information. The Academic Calendar is approved mid-year by OUM’s Academic Board. To

view the applicable calendar, visit www.oum.edu.ws.




V. SPECIAL PROGRAMS: POST-BACCALAUREATE & MASTER’S

Post-Baccalaureate Program

OUM offers a rigorous 40-week Post-Baccalaureate (Post-Bac) program to prospective MD students

seeking an edge before applying to any medical school.

The application process for the OUM Post-Bac program is similar to that of the MD program, because upon

completion, the student is eligible for enrollment in OUM’s MD program.

The same basic science courses that are the foundation of medical education around the world are taught

utilizing OUM’s e-Foundation Science 100-series. Through the e-Foundation 100-series, OUM’s Post-Bac

Program covers the basic sciences in ten four-week installments totaling 40 weeks of instruction for the

entire series. Disciplines include:

◼ Biochemistry

◼ Molecular Biology & Medical Genetics

◼ Physiology

◼ Anatomy, Neuroanatomy & Embryology

◼ Microanatomy & Cell Biology

◼ Pharmacology

◼ Microbiology

◼ Immunology

◼ Pathology

◼ Behavioral Medicine & Biostatistics

Alongside OUM medical students, Post-Bac students attend live interactive sessions, review recorded

lectures, and complete reading assignments as outlined in each block’s syllabus. e-Foundation 100-series

sessions will be offered Monday through Thursday from 8:00-10:00 pm Eastern Time (US), which is

Tuesday through Friday, late morning to midday, for students in Australia/New Zealand. Assessments

include weekly quizzes and a final exam.

Much like students in the MD curriculum, Post-Bac students have access to all course faculty, all of whom

hold doctoral-level degrees, and work with Academic Advisers who provide extra resources, as needed, to

ensure understanding of the material. The Post-Bac Academic Advisers also prepare students for

admission to the student’s medical school of choice, including assistance with the application process,

interview preparation, and appropriate follow up. Additionally, students receive a detailed letter of

recommendation to go with medical school applications.

Upon successful completion of the Post-Bac program, students are guaranteed admission to OUM’s MD

program with advanced standing and, depending upon performance, the student may be eligible to start the

preclinical curriculum with the system-based modules. Upon graduation from the MD program, the blocks

completed in the Post-Bac program will be counted toward time in the MD program.

Post-Bac students with two failures are dismissed from the program. However, they should be warned that

performing at a level that results in even one failure diminishes their chances of being admitted to a

medical school and/or being considered for a competitive residency position if they do graduate from

medical school. Students with a failed block in the Post-Bac program, continuing to OUM’s MD program,

will carry that failure with them to count as one of the two failures allowed in the MD program.



Master of Health Sciences Program

OUM offers a Master of Health Sciences degree to students who want exposure to the preclinical sciences

but do not wish to devote four-plus years to earning an MD degree.

The program is open to:

• Current preclinical students who do not wish to proceed with clinical clerkships.

• Prospective students who are interested in sampling the medical school curriculum before making

a four-year commitment.

• Prospective students who want to broaden their medical knowledge to enhance their own careers

or to seek new opportunities in healthcare administration, science and medical technical writing, or

medical research.

The curriculum for the Master of Health Sciences degree is the same as the preclinical modules in the MD

program, beginning with the 300-Series or e-Foundation 100 series and system-based modules.

At the conclusion of the final preclinical module and required research project, the student must pass

OUM’s In-House Exam and present his/her thesis, suitable for publication in Medical Student International.

The research project must focus on a healthcare issue relevant to Samoa and the South Pacific and must

follow the research approval process. Because of the faculty supervision required (up to two hours per

week or 20 total contact hours), the research project and thesis will be treated as an additional module and

subject to tuition fees.

Completing the requirements of the Master’s program does not qualify the graduate to practice medicine in

any jurisdiction, as the completion of clinical clerkships and commensurate licensing exams are required to

become a medical doctor.

Part-time Non-Degree Seeking Students

Students who already have earned an MD or MBBS degree from a recognized medical school and wish to

take additional medical school coursework, either for personal enrichment or to strengthen their CV, may

register at OUM on a part-time basis, following the normal application process. In addition to meeting

OUM’s admission requirements, non-degree seeking part-time students must:

◼ Enroll for a minimum of 24 weeks of coursework in one 12-month period

◼ Pay full tuition

◼ Accept clinical clerkships at a hospital of OUM’s choosing

For more information, contact [email protected].




VI. CURRICULUM DELIVERY & TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE UM’s MD program utilizes a blend of traditional face-to-face learning, online curriculum materials

and real-time virtual classrooms, offering students the best of today’s e-learning capabilities.

Online delivery applications Moodle and Blackboard Collaborate are the focal point of OUM’s

medical education program and a student’s success may depend, to a certain extent, upon his/her

understanding and comfort level using these technologies.

The University requires that students have access to a computer that has high-speed Internet connectivity,

is reliable, functioning, free from viruses, and is Java-enabled. Curriculum content and delivery utilizing

Moodle and Blackboard Collaborate are continuously monitored by medical scholars based in Australia,

North America, and Samoa.

Moodle: OUM’s Learning Management System

OUM’s prime curriculum delivery vehicle is an established web-based education software system called

Moodle (www.moodle.org). OUM has tailored this program to maximize efficiency and function as a

teaching tool, while remaining user-friendly for students. Students access material utilizing secure Internet

connections from their personal computers. In addition to presenting the weekly problem-based learning

(PBL) case studies, exhibits, and assessments, Moodle:

◼ provides students with access to Blackboard Collaborate and its live interactive and recorded lectures and case discussions;

◼ posts important instructional and administrative information for students ranging from the academic

calendar and library resources, to exam results, and club announcements;

◼ contains electronic copies of all curriculum documents; and

◼ gives instant messaging capabilities for registered users and the ability to send private messages to

instructors and fellow classmates.

Blackboard Collaborate

Blackboard Collaborate is a highly regarded educational software package that provides real-time online

learning and student-teacher interaction in a live classroom environment specifically suited to academic

institutions that incorporate distance-learning education into their curricula.

The Collaborate classroom enables students to “raise their hands” to ask questions, answer instructor

questions using a polling system, take notes, and carry on a group discussion much like a telephone

conference call. Collaborate’s “web tour” feature enables instructors to show students relevant websites

during class sessions and easily move among websites, white boards, outlines, and PowerPoint

presentations. Students also may use these resources for class presentations and articles presented

during Journal Club. Collaborate lectures are all recorded for students to revisit for additional review and

access when they were unable to attend the live lecture.

In the nine six-week system-based modules, an essential disease process is addressed in a 40-50-page

case which integrates the basic and clinical sciences. Students participate in interactive lectures via

Collaborate, which focus on the diagnosis and management of the clinical condition based on the current

understanding of the basic sciences and existing technology. The principles of the case and lectures are

reinforced with extensive reading and assessed with a comprehensive examination.

Clinical students also participate in lectures via Collaborate. Specialists deliver presentations on essential

clinical topics which are tested at the completion of each core clerkship, and include the epidemiology,

presentation, differential diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of the symptom/disease process.

O

http://www.moodle.org/



OUM has integrated Collaborate into all aspects of the University, from classroom instruction and student

study groups to faculty/staff meetings. Collaborate is also utilized for school-wide student meetings and

information sessions regarding new resources and academic programming, as well as for webinars

introducing OUM to prospective students.

Expert Faculty Facilitators

OUM's faculty represents the world of medicine at its finest and most diverse. Physicians and PhD basic

science instructors trained in the world's most respected universities guide students through the online

learning process, utilizing small student discussion groups in regular tutorial sessions, or focusing on

intensive problem-based learning, self-instruction, and formative assessments. In addition, a variety of

basic science and clinical specialists from Australia, the United States, and other countries are invited to

give live student seminars and lectures on the Blackboard Collaborate platform.

ClinicalKey & OUM Library

OUM uses ClinicalKey for its online textbooks. ClinicalKey is an Elsevier product which provides online

access to textbooks, journals, practice guidelines, multimedia, and more. ClinicalKey is more than just an

online repository of books; it is a comprehensive searchable knowledge base suitable for practicing doctors

and clinicians, as well as for medical students at every level of education. ClinicalKey includes:

◼ Journals (500+)

◼ Books (1,000+)

◼ Practice Guidelines

◼ First Consult (point of care information)

◼ Patient education resources

◼ Drug information

◼ Multimedia: images and videos (13,000+)

The OUM Library located in Moodle provides links to:

◼ ClinicalKey newsletter of updated titles

◼ PubMed, the comprehensive database of citations in health and medical research

◼ Training resources on how best to use ClinicalKey and PubMed

◼ Document Supply Registration and Request forms to ask for help from an OUM librarian or to secure

documents (including book chapters and journal articles) that students have not been able to find

Exam Proctoring

Remote exam proctoring provides a secure test-taking environment from any location, offering OUM

students maximum convenience while preserving exam integrity. The medical school’s remote proctor for

all testing is Proctortrack by Verificient Technologies. Through each student’s own computer (webcam,

speaker, microphone), Proctortrack uses facial recognition technology to verify the student’s identity, lock

the computer to prevent access to other information, and record/monitor the student’s actions during an

exam. Proctoring services “flag” a wide array of actions ranging from wearing earbuds to laying one’s head

on the desk. While many of the actions seem benign, monitoring them preserves exam integrity. Students

pay an annual fee for exam proctoring and monitoring.

Technology Requirements for Students

The University requires that students have access to a computer that has high-speed Internet connectivity,

is reliable, functioning, free from viruses, and is Java-enabled. Students should always have a back-up plan

in case their computer experiences problems and/or is no longer in working order.



The following are requirements for students’ computers:

◼ Broadband internet connection with an upload speed of 200kbps or more and a download speed of

1Mbps or more

◼ Running the latest version of Java 8

◼ For Mac, running the latest version of Flash and QuickTime

◼ Webcam, microphone, and speakers

The following are recommendations for students’ computers:

◼ Less than two years old

◼ PC: Windows 7, 8 or 10, with at least 4GB RAM

◼ Mac: OS version 10.12 or later, with at least 4GB RAM

◼ Running the latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari web browsers

◼ An up-to-date anti-virus program

A laptop or notebook computer is a requirement for the in-person orientation session. Students who travel

to Samoa to complete clinical clerkships would be better prepared with a laptop or notebook computer.

Technology owned by OUM may not be used to download videos or music and may not be used for

Internet telephone, audio or video streaming, or other high-bandwidth activities.



VII. STUDENT SUPPORT: ADVISING, SKILL-BUILDING & MORE

istance learning at OUM doesn’t mean distant learning. There are many vehicles in place to engage

and connect students with each other, faculty, and other resources. Physician mentors and

Academic Advisers connect students to experts in the field, and the OUM Student Association

(OUMSA) connects students directly. Additionally, students may participate in a variety of programs to

boost their fund of knowledge.

Physician Mentors

A student resource unique to OUM, the role of a Physician Mentor is that of guide, coach, role model, and

aide in student assessment. Mentors do not teach course content or basic science material, but they offer

clinical experience and advice relevant to the student’s current system-based module. Mentors provide

students with a positive role model and:

◼ explain the career paths, in addition to the personal, professional, scientific and ethical aspects of

life as physicians;

◼ explain how knowledge gained through case studies is applied to the diagnosis and management of

a patient’s problem;

◼ demonstrate basic clinical skills related to each module’s cases; and

◼ complete a checklist assessment of the student’s clinical skills.

Students are urged to identify their prospective Physician Mentor early during their 300-series or Basic

Science Track study. Students will not be allowed to register for their first system-based module until OUM

has approved their Physician Mentor. * Mentors must be a currently-practicing registered/licensed

physician holding an MBBS or MD degree in good standing, be in or have completed a specialty-training

program, and have at least four years of clinical experience. In the US, a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) is also

an acceptable mentor. OUM provides materials for students to present to prospective mentors who

complete an application for review and approval by the student’s regional dean. Mentors receive a modest

honorarium after submitting an assessment and invoice after each system-based term.

Students are expected to meet with their approved mentor one hour each week to discuss issues arising

from the problem-based learning cases, as well as to observe patient-doctor interactions, and to become

familiar with the local healthcare system. In some instances, due to distance or time constraints, students

and mentors combine their hourly sessions and meet less frequently, for longer periods of time. Each

Physician Mentor must have Internet access and use e-mail regularly to communicate with the student and

the school. Mentors also monitor the student's behavior and attitudes toward patients, other healthcare

professionals, and the practice of medicine, in general. Through the mentor, OUM monitors student well-

being. If a mentor identifies that his/her mentee appears to be excessively stressed or not coping with the

workload, the mentor is asked to contact the school, which will arrange for counseling.

OUM anticipates that mentors will provide positive role modeling to students in three key areas:

1. Commitment to professionalism and the physician’s role

These impressions will likely be informal, casual observations of the student by his/her Physician

Mentor, noting punctuality, proper dress, good manners, appropriate language, organizational

acumen, etc. More serious discussions also may take place regarding global health issues, such as

bioethics, continuing medical education (CME), and practicing medicine in the face of increasing

social, political, and economic pressures.

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2. Communicating with patients, their families, other health professionals, and colleagues

While most medical schools have formal courses in doctor-patient communication, these classroom

sessions could never replace a student’s direct observation of a mentor and his/her patient.

3. Commitment as a life-long learning professional

One of the most important messages OUM conveys to students is the need to become a life-long

learner. In order to stay up-to-date, physicians must continue to learn throughout their careers. OUM

hopes mentors will demonstrate a commitment to this principle.

* In order to prevent a potential conflict of interest, a student is not permitted to select as his/her mentor

anyone related by blood or marriage, e.g., spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister,

grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin.

Academic Advisers

The primary contact for students regarding their academic status and program progression is their

Academic Adviser. Academic advisers help customize a student’s transition into the OUM program and

meet with him/her for one hour each week via telephone/email/Skype. Academic advisers are available

upon request for students in good academic standing, but are required for students who are experiencing

academic difficulty.

The Academic Adviser provides continuity in the program and helps students overcome impediments

inherent in a distance-learning environment. Many Academic Advisers are also instructors for the 300-

Series or Basic Science Tracks and/or the system-based modules, so they are familiar with the OUM

curriculum. The Academic Adviser serves as the student’s coach for benchmark exams such as the

USMLE, by assisting with preparation and overcoming deficiencies in the student’s knowledge base

through recommending and facilitating reading assignments, test questions, and practice exams.

Academic Advisers will:

◼ guide students through the high volume of required readings assigned during each module;

◼ assess the student’s knowledge as applied to material in the current module and overall, in light of

other modules taken;

◼ interact with instructors and/or Physician Mentors, if necessary, to gain insight into academic or

clinical performance;

◼ make assignments to facilitate learning or to supplement formal instruction;

◼ establish a means by which to document comprehension and assess the student’s fund of

knowledge and readiness to progress from one module to the next.

All OUM Academic Advisers hold an MD, MBBS, or a PhD in one of the basic sciences. They will also have

familiarity with licensure exam requirements in their respective country.

Clinical Student Advisers

Clinical Student Advisers extend and redirect the Academic Adviser role to guide students through the

clinical curriculum. Issues related to clinical rotations are the focus, as are strategizing about future

rotations and career plans, and preparing for the FCE or USMLE Step 2. Every effort is made to match

students specifically with a clinician who is familiar with the licensure/registration exams and post-graduate

opportunities in the country where each student intends to practice.

Clinical advisers ensure that their advisees are completing weekly readings, provide feedback on weekly

quizzes and end-of-rotation exams, and advise students on administrative protocols.



While Clinical Student Advisers meet with their students on an as-needed basis during the core rotations,

they must meet, at minimum, during the beginning, middle, and end of each core clerkship. Students and

clinical advisers are not allowed to meet for more than one hour each week, but they must meet any time a

student scores below passing on a weekly core clerkship quiz.

Toward the end of each core rotation, clinical advisers survey their students for details regarding:

• description of a typical day, including hours;

• types of cases seen by the student and procedures performed;

• description of patient contact;

• description of the student’s role in recordkeeping;

• other educational resources at the clerkship facility;

• description of interaction with other medical students, residents, attendings;

• description of supervision the student received, feedback, etc.;

• positive characteristics of the rotation and whether the student would recommend it to others;

• concerns or any negative characteristics;

• readiness for the end-of-rotation exam.

When clinical advisers and students are in the same facility, meetings will be held in person. For advisers

and students not in the same geographic area, meetings are held by telephone, Skype, or other web-based

means. Brief communications may be made via email.

As with preclinical advisers, clinical advisers will make monthly contact with students who are on break and

not enrolled in a clerkship. The adviser provides proper assignments to enhance knowledge retention and

ascertains the student’s readiness for the next clinical rotation.

If a student has a complaint about the clinical supervisor (preceptor) or an issue with the clinical facility, the

clinical adviser will report the incident through proper University channels including the regional Dean,

Student Affairs Committee, and/or Grievance Committee.

Clinical advisers will also have input into the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) which is a

document required for students applying to US residency programs.

Intensive Exposure to the Basic Sciences and Preparing for USMLE

As mentioned in previous sections of the catalogue, anyone seeking to practice medicine in the United

States must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, which is laden with basic science and

taken at the end of the preclinical curriculum (after passing OUM’s In-House Exam to confirm readiness).

Any OUM students who need additional exposure to the basic sciences, especially American students who

plan to rotate at US teaching hospitals, should avail themselves of the Structured Study Protocol or the

Basic Science Immersion, and the In-House Examination in order to ensure that their fund of basic science

knowledge is competitive with peers at other medical schools.

Structured Study Protocol

The Structured Study Protocol (SSP) is an intensive, comprehensive study regimen to help prepare

preclinical students for USMLE Step 1. As the name implies, the program provides an added level of

structure and discipline for students during the preclinical phase. In addition to the assigned reading and

lectures for the e-Foundation and system-based modules, students on this intensive track will have

additional reading assignments as well as daily quizzes to confirm a high level of reading comprehension



and a weekly cumulative examination that serves as an ongoing review. It is essential to understand that

enrollment in the SSP and completion of the quizzes and examination alone will not assure USMLE

readiness. To adequately prepare for USMLE Step 1, it is recommended that students complete ALL the

assigned reading and score 85-90 percent on all quizzes and examinations.

The SSP is open to all preclinical students in the e-Foundation 100-series and system-based modules

(SBMs) and comes in several versions to fit the students’ needs:

◼ The Concurrent SSP runs for a total of 90 calendar weeks with the e-Foundation 100-series (36

weeks) and system-based modules (54 weeks) and requires approximately four hours of study

time per day. Students sign up for the Concurrent SSP when they matriculate and there is no

extra tuition fee.

◼ Students who have completed the SBMs may take the Study Hall SSP, which runs for 36 weeks

and requires four hours of study time per day. There is a nominal tuition fee for the Study Hall

SSP.

◼ Students who have completed the SBMs and want to prepare for USMLE at a faster pace than the

Study Hall SSP may enroll in the Accelerated SSP, which runs for 16 weeks and requires eight

hours of study time per day. There is a nominal tuition fee for the Accelerated SSP.

Enrollment in any of the SSPs is completely optional (at the request of the student or upon the

recommendation of the Academic Adviser, Student Progress Committee, Student Affairs Committee, or

Dean), but highly recommended for anyone intending to practice medicine in the US. All versions of the

SSP include daily reading assignments, daily quizzes, and weekly comprehensive examinations.

Students may enroll in the Study Hall SSP or Accelerated SSP when a topic begins (every four weeks),

meaning that these SSPs run continuously. Students will be expected to maintain a comprehensive

examination average of 75 percent to remain in good standing in the Study Hall or Accelerated SSP;

however, a comprehensive examination score of 85+ percent correlates with a passing score on USMLE

Step 1.

Basic Science Immersion

The Basic Science Immersion (BSI) is a comprehensive eight-week course that covers all the basic

sciences, which will be tested on USMLE Step 1. The BSI typically is taken as a final push of preparation

for USMLE Step 1 once SBMs are completed. Daily quizzes and weekly cumulative examinations are

derived from daily reading assignments. Students should expect to spend 14 hours of study time per day,

seven days per week for eight weeks with daily quiz and weekly cumulative examination scores of 85-90

percent to successfully complete the BSI and assure USMLE Step 1 readiness. A nominal tuition fee is

charged for BSI.

Interval Performance Exams and In-House Examination

All OUM students who plan to sit for USMLE Step 1 must take the Interval Performance Exams (IPEs) and

attain a score of 80 percent or above on the OUM In-House Examination (IHE) to receive the University’s

approval to sit for Step 1. The IPEs are taken after the third, sixth, and ninth e-Foundation 100 blocks and

after the third and sixth system-based module. The objective of the IPEs is to help students measure where

they are in the acquisition of knowledge needed to be on track for passing Step 1.

Following the ninth system-based module, students will take the IHE to gauge their fund of basic science

knowledge. Offered monthly, students may take the IHE throughout their preparation period for USMLE

Step 1 in order to determine their readiness for the exam. Since the IHE’s 100 questions are randomized,



students should expect a different exam at each sitting. Upon attaining a score of 80 percent or above,

students are usually approved to sit for USMLE Step 1.

Case of the Week

The Case of the Week program helps students strengthen diagnostic, test ordering, and patient

management skills. This online program is based on a weekly case that is presented in daily increments

with a new case every Monday. The cases involve actual patients and represent what will likely be

encountered in a primary care setting. Each day’s presentation is followed by a brief quiz consisting of one

to four questions. There is no preparation or supplemental reading required. Thus, participating in the Case

of the Week will help students confirm what they know and identify concepts which may need additional

study. There is no tuition for the Case of the Week and no transcript entries. Both pre-clinical and clinical

students are encouraged to participate. Students will be exposed to 200 unique cases during their years in

the MD curriculum.

Oceania University of Medicine Student Association (OUMSA)

The OUM Student Association (OUMSA), formed by students in early 2014, is a chapter of the American

Medical Student Association (AMSA), one of the largest medical student organizations in the world. Though

AMSA is located in the US, over 70 international medical schools have chartered chapters. Membership in

AMSA and in OUMSA is open to all OUM students, no matter where they live.

The OUMSA seeks to represent and promote OUM student interests, to promote awareness among

OUMSA members about issues relevant to the study and practice of medicine, and to effect change in the

medical education process. To that end, OUMSA serves as a helpful source of information to students as

they navigate the various medical registration pathways and global internship opportunities available to

OUM’s diverse student body.

International Medical Honor Society

OUM students who excel academically will be eligible for nomination by the faculty for membership into the

relatively new international medical honor society, Mu Delta Iota (MDI). Following criteria used by the

renowned Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) national medical honor society, MDI will accept faculty nomination of

students in their first year of clinical rotations. MDI is now an option for academically gifted international

medical students who previously were not eligible for membership in AOA.

Student-to-Student Learning—An Added Bonus at OUM

In addition to the structured programs and resources that OUM provides to students, the program attracts

a student population with a wealth of clinical experience, many with extensive careers (up to 30 years) as

nurse practitioners, senior nurses, respiratory therapists, physician assistants, paramedics/ambulance

officers, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and other health specialists. These individuals bring many skills

and life experiences to the classroom and help to nurture rich and vibrant discussions, creating a unique

classroom dynamic conducive to learning. This highly interactive environment produces students who are

supportive and encouraging to fellow classmates. There are numerous opportunities for students to meet

informally online as study groups, and to meet face-to-face at regular student conferences.



VIII. ASSESSMENTS & EXAMINATIONS

UM has developed a series of assessment and examination instruments to measure the

competencies expected of its graduates, as outlined in the Pathways to Practice section.

Additionally, to ensure that all MD students are receiving the necessary support in their quest for a

degree, the Student Progress Committee—comprised of an administrator and two faculty

members, one from North America and one from Australia/New Zealand—meets regularly to monitor the

progress of each student.

Below is a summary of the specific modalities used to measure student readiness to meet the University’s

graduation requirements.

1. Knowledge: Acquisition and Retention

Tools to assess gained medical knowledge include:

◼ Weekly quizzes and a final examination after each preclinical module and core clinical rotation

◼ For students planning to take USMLE Step 1: Interval Performance Exams during the e-

Foundation 100-series and system-based modules, as well as the In-House Examination for

approval to sit Step 1

◼ United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1

◼ End-of-rotation exams during core clinical clerkships

◼ Clinical Supervisor Reports during core rotations and electives

◼ Final Clinical Examination (FCE) Part 1 or USMLE Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge)

◼ Publication of research paper in Medical Student International

2. Clinical Skills Development

Clinical skills assessment tools include:

◼ Head-to-toe physical examination final exam, for students taking the Clinical Skills Course

◼ USMLE Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills)

◼ FCE Part 2 (Objective Structured Clinical Examination)

◼ Clinical Supervisor Reports

◼ Clinical Log Book Assessment

◼ Clinical Skills Workshop Exam

3. Personal Attributes and Behaviors

Tools to evaluate the attributes and behaviors necessary to successfully practice medicine include:

◼ Preclinical Student Assessment forms completed by the student’s Physician Mentor

◼ Preclinical and foundation module faculty assessment

◼ Clinical Supervisor and Clinical Student Adviser Reports

◼ Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) for US residency applications

With its diverse international student body, OUM acknowledges that its students face a broad range of

licensing exams from their home countries or those in which they plan to practice medicine. To align these

needs with the medical curriculum and assessment process, OUM has developed a preclinical question

bank (QBank) of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Many of these questions involve a “clinical vignette”

that requires each student to adopt a clinical reasoning process and to test basic science or clinical

O



knowledge. This style of MCQ has been incorporated into OUM’s formative and summative assessments,

with practice exams available to enhance individual exam preparation.

Foundation and Preclinical Module Assessment

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

As physicians must perform well on the job every day, OUM medical students are evaluated on a

continuous basis, whether on campus in Samoa or in the distance-learning curriculum. Continuous

assessment parameters may include:

◼ Grading of weekly assignments and interaction with fellow students and instructors;

◼ Live lecture attendance and participation on Blackboard Collaborate for distance-learning students.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

OUM’s distance-learning curriculum has a weekly assessment during all preclinical and core clinical

modules in the form of a multiple-choice quiz based on that week’s required reading. This assessment is

intended to help the learner identify his/her strengths and weaknesses, and to confirm comprehension of

the week’s reading. Since the quizzes are administered on a weekly basis, students may identify and

concentrate on areas that may need remediation. In this learning environment, students with differing

strengths often help one another study and master the material.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

A summative assessment (examination) is held at the end of each preclinical module, which counts from 50

to 67 percent of the final grade.

Preclinical system-based module exams contain 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQ), half of which are

applied knowledge questions containing a clinical vignette and the remainder are recall questions, usually

one-line questions assessing isolated facts.

Exams are administered online and proctored virtually by web-based testing software. Proctortrack locks

student computers into a testing program, which monitors activity and prohibits access to browsers or other

operating systems during the exam to preserve academic integrity.

In addition, Interval Performance Examinations measure the student’s comprehensive knowledge of

coursework completed to date during the e-Foundation 100 series blocks and the system-based modules.

GRADE REPORTS

Module final grade results are made available on Moodle where students may access their account to see

individual grades for each module/block. Students will have access to all their grades in their enrolled

classrooms and may request a transcript at any time while enrolled in the program.

The grading system for OUM module assessments is as follows:

90 percent or above = High distinction (HD)

80-89 percent = Distinction (D)

70-79 percent = Credit (C)

60-69 percent = Pass (P)

0-59 percent = Fail (F)



PHYSICIAN MENTOR EVALUATION

As students meet with their mentors each week during the system-based modules, progress is continually

monitored. Students may also have the opportunity to observe patients and discuss with their mentor

aspects of the weekly case and/or the module’s body system focus, in general.

Mentors are required to complete a student performance evaluation at the end of each module. Students

are assessed on the following criteria:

◼ Reliability and responsibility (duty),

◼ Self-improvement and adaptability (progress), and

◼ Relationship with colleagues and the mentor’s patients and their families (professionalism).

Mentors evaluate student behavior and attitudes toward patients, other healthcare professionals, and the

overall practice of medicine. This information is detailed in the evaluation forms mentors complete at the

end of each module. As mentioned previously, the mentor also monitors student well-being. If a student is

not coping well with the workload/course material, the mentor is asked to contact the school, which will

arrange for academic support. While the mentor may be a convenient learning resource, OUM’s online

instructors and Academic Advisers with specialized expertise are called upon to tutor struggling students,

as necessary.

STUDENT FEEDBACK AND MOODLE SURVEY

At the end of each module, all students are expected to complete a detailed Moodle survey to provide

invaluable feedback on the quality of teaching, curriculum content, and learning resources (ClinicalKey,

Collaborate Live). OUM faculty and administration carefully review and summarize student feedback

following each module and incorporate key changes into future programming.

An annual confidential student survey, conducted at the end of each calendar year, gauges student

satisfaction and gathers opinions on a variety of current and proposed academic and administrative topics.

Student input has been the genesis of many OUM programs, enhancements, and procedural changes

including the Clinical Student Adviser.

Assessment After Preclinical Module Completion

IN-HOUSE EXAM, USMLE STEP 1, AND ROTATIONS

Students required to take and pass USMLE Step 1 must first complete the associated OUM exam

preparation. To assist students in that preparation, OUM has created an intensive program combining

proven external resources and internal review, bringing together important areas of the curriculum with

study strategies and test-taking skills. To be certified to take Step 1, students are expected to pass OUM’s

In-house Exam (IHE) within three-months following completion of the final preclinical module and must

score 80 percent or higher. The USMLE is typically taken a short time thereafter. Once a student passes

USMLE Step 1, he or she will be permitted to commence clerkships at US teaching hospitals, typically

beginning with the earliest available clerkship opportunity.

If a student does not pass the in-house examination within the three-month period, s/he has three months

to begin rotations in the Samoas. As an alternative for US students, rotations may be completed at a non-

teaching hospital, understanding that some state medical boards may not recognize the validity of those

clerkships toward future licensure.



Students who do not take Step 1 during OUM’s MD program may do so after graduating, on their own

timetable. Students who do not pass the IHE and/or USMLE also may elect to transfer to OUM’s Master of

Health Sciences program.

Clinical Module Assessment

END-OF-ROTATION EXAM

The end-of-rotation exam must be taken within seven calendar days after completion of a core clerkship

and is taken via Proctortrack. The exam consists of 50 “single best answer” multiple-choice questions and

its content is derived from the assigned readings. The passing score is 60 percent and the exam accounts

for 30 percent of each core clerkship grade. Student mastery of clinical content is collectively assessed

again when students take the USMLE Step 2 CK or OUM’s Final Clinical Examination (FCE) at the

completion of their seven core clinical modules.

CLINICAL LOGBOOK

Students are required to maintain a log of their clinical experiences during each rotation. A minimum

number of entries must be recorded for each activity, including case histories taken, clinical procedures

attempted, seminars attended, etc. Following each rotation, students must get their logbooks signed by

clinical supervisors and returned to their OUM clinical rotations coordinator at

[email protected]. Students should take care to respect patient confidentiality in the logbooks,

as mandated by local laws and customs.

CLINICAL SUPERVISOR’S REPORT

At the completion of each clinical rotation, both core and elective, supervising physicians submit a student

performance evaluation. The clinical supervisor awards quantitative marks based upon predetermined

criteria including assessment of medical knowledge, clinical competency, skills, and professional behavior.

Clinical supervisors are expected to return the report to the clinical rotations coordinator as soon as

possible following the end of the rotation, either faxed or as an electronic document (i.e. scanned PDF file)

to [email protected] and send the original in the mail if possible. Students must score 60

percent or higher (≥ 21/35) on their Clinical Supervisor Reports to pass the module. If a student’s report

score is less than 60 percent, he/she must repeat the entire clinical module at his/her own expense.

STUDENT FEEDBACK

Student feedback is a vital component of the clinical curriculum review process and helps the faculty

improve rotation quality. All clinical students are expected to complete a survey at the end of each rotation.

Assessment After Clinical Module Completion

FINAL CLINICAL EXAMINATION (FCE)

Students wishing to practice in Australia, Samoa, New Zealand or other non-US countries and US students

who do not take the USMLE are required to pass OUM’s Final Clinical Examination (FCE) in order to

graduate. The FCE is designed to assess clinical knowledge and clinical competencies. To qualify for the

FCE, students must successfully complete the seven core clinical modules and submit a signed logbook

and clinical supervisor report for each clinical module.

The 250-question written portion of the FCE measures clinical knowledge and is administered via

Proctortrack. The clinical skills portion of the FCE, called the Objective Structured Clinical Examination

(OSCE), uses standardized patients (people trained to portray real clinical conditions). The exam is





typically offered twice each year at a designated center in Australia and at additional locations outside

Australia, as needed. An examination fee will be charged for the OSCE.

USMLE STEP 2

In addition to Step 1, students planning to practice exclusively in the US are required to pass USMLE Step

2 CK and CS exams in lieu of the FCE in order to graduate from OUM. Step 2 assesses whether or not a

student has acquired the medical knowledge and skills needed to provide supervised patient care in a

residency training program. Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) evaluates a student’s clinical science

understanding, primarily related to physician tasks and disease categories. Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) uses

standardized patients in case scenarios covering common/important situations that a physician is likely to

encounter in clinics, doctors’ offices, emergency departments, and hospital settings in the United States.

Students planning to take USMLE Step 2 CS are advised to take a prep course and mock exam prior to

taking the exam. For more information, visit www.usmle.org.

http://www.usmle.org/



IX. PATHWAYS TO PRACTICE: GRADUATION & LICENSING

he OUM faculty has established a set of educational objectives which identify the knowledge, skills,

and personal attitudes/behaviors that its graduates must gain in order to successfully practice

medicine in today’s changing medical landscape. OUM graduates will have attained the following

competencies upon completion of the program:

Knowledge

◼ Knowledge of the normal structure and function of the body (as an intact organism) and of each of

its major organ systems.

◼ Knowledge of the molecular, biochemical, and cellular mechanisms important in maintaining the

body’s homeostasis.

◼ Knowledge of the various causes (genetic, developmental, metabolic, toxic, microbiologic,

autoimmune, neoplastic, degenerative, and traumatic) of maladies and the ways in which they

operate on the body (pathogenesis).

◼ Knowledge of the altered structure and function (pathology and pathophysiology) of the body and its

major organ systems that are seen in various diseases and conditions.

◼ An understanding of the power of the scientific method in establishing the causation of disease and

efficacy of traditional and non-traditional therapies.

◼ An understanding of the need to engage in lifelong learning to stay abreast of relevant scientific

advances, especially in the disciplines of genetics and molecular biology.

◼ Knowledge of normal pregnancy and childbirth, the more common obstetrical emergencies, the

principles of antenatal and postnatal care, medical aspects of family planning, and psychological

issues involved.

◼ Factors affecting human relationships, the psychological well-being of patients and their families,

and the interactions between humans and their social and physical environment.

Skills

◼ The ability to obtain an accurate medical history that covers all essential aspects, including issues

related to age, gender, and socio-economic status.

◼ The ability to perform routine procedures including (at a minimum) venipuncture and arterial

puncture, suturing lacerations, and inserting intravenous/foley catheters and a nasogastric tube.

◼ The ability to interpret the results of commonly used diagnostic procedures.

◼ Knowledge of the most frequent clinical, laboratory, roentgenologic, and pathologic manifestations of

common maladies.

◼ The ability to reason deductively in solving clinical problems.

◼ The ability to construct appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management strategies for patients

with acute and chronic common conditions, including medical, psychiatric, and surgical conditions,

and those requiring short- and long-term rehabilitation.

◼ The ability to recognize patients with immediately life threatening cardiac, pulmonary, or neurological

conditions regardless of etiology, and to institute appropriate initial therapy.

◼ The ability to recognize and outline an initial course of management for patients with serious

conditions requiring critical care.

◼ Knowledge about relieving pain and ameliorating the suffering of patients.

◼ The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with patients, patients’ families,

colleagues, and others with whom physicians must exchange information in carrying out their

responsibilities.

◼ The ability to counsel patients sensitively and effectively and to provide information in a manner that

ensures patients and families are fully informed when consenting to any procedure.

T



Altruism

◼ Knowledge of the theories and principles that govern ethical decision making, and of the major

ethical dilemmas in medicine, particularly those that arise at the beginning and end of life, as well as

those that arise from the rapid expansion of genetic knowledge.

◼ Compassionate treatment of patients, and respect for their privacy and dignity.

◼ Honesty and integrity in all interactions with patients’ families, colleagues, and others with whom

physicians must interact in their professional lives.

◼ Respect for human diversity including sexual, religious, and cultural differences.

◼ An understanding of, and respect for, the roles of other healthcare professionals, and of the need to

collaborate in caring for individual patients and in promoting the health of defined populations.

◼ A commitment to advocate the interests of one’s patients over one’s own interests.

◼ An understanding of the threats to medical professionalism posed by the conflicts of interest inherent

in various financial and organizational arrangements associated with the practice of medicine.

◼ The capacity to recognize and accept limitations in one’s knowledge and clinical skills, and a

commitment to continuously improve one’s knowledge and ability.

Duty

◼ Knowledge of the important non-biological determinants of poor health and of the economic,

psychological, social, and cultural factors that may contribute to the development and/or continuation

of maladies.

◼ Knowledge of the epidemiology of common maladies within a defined population, and the systematic

approaches useful in reducing the incidence and prevalence of those maladies.

◼ The ability to identify factors that place individuals at risk for disease or injury, to select appropriate

tests for detecting patients at risk for specific diseases or in the early stage of disease, and to

determine strategies for responding appropriately.

◼ Recognition that doctors should look after their own well-being and safety as well as that of their

patients and have the required professional support to do so.

◼ An appreciation of the systems approach to healthcare safety, and the need to adopt and practice

healthcare that maximizes patient safety.

◼ The ability to retrieve (from electronic databases and other resources), manage, and utilize

biomedical information for solving problems and making decisions that are relevant to the care of

individuals and populations.

◼ An appreciation of the responsibility to contribute toward the generation of knowledge and the

professional education of junior colleagues.

◼ A desire to achieve the optimal patient care with an awareness of the need for cost-effectiveness to

allow maximum benefit from the available resources.

◼ Knowledge of various approaches to the organization, financing, and delivery of healthcare.

◼ A commitment to provide care to patients who are unable to pay and to advocate for access to

healthcare for members of traditionally underserved populations.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to the knowledge, skills, and attributes described above, graduation from OUM requires

satisfactory completion of the following milestones:

◼ Successful completion of the preclinical curriculum with passing grades for each module;

◼ Successful completion of the required clinical curriculum including a passing grade for each module;

◼ Successful completion of the pre-internship electives;

◼ A passing score on the USMLE Step 1 for students planning to complete clinical rotations and

practice in the United States; and

◼ A passing score on OUM’s Final Clinical Exam (FCE) and OSCE or on USMLE Step 2 CK & CS.



The MD program, combined with the Post-Baccalaureate Program when applicable, may not be completed

in less than four years, a requirement of registration and licensure authorities in many countries.

Registration/Licensing Requirements

Before enrolling at OUM, prospective students are encouraged to research medical licensure/registration

requirements for foreign medical graduates in the locations where they intend to eventually practice.

Applicants should also inquire whether physicians are permitted to “mentor” students of foreign medical

schools in the country, state, or province where they plan to practice. Attending a World Health

Organization-listed medical school and completing certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign

Medical Graduates (ECFMG) are the basic licensing requirements for applying to practice medicine in most

countries, most US states, and many Canadian provinces. OUM meets these requirements. OUM’s

accreditation by an internationally recognized body, the Philippines Accrediting Association for Schools,

Colleges and Universities, will satisfy additional requirements in many jurisdictions.

SAMOA

OUM graduates may be registered to practice medicine in Samoa following an 18-month postgraduate

internship. Citizens from other countries wishing to practice in Samoa must meet the country's immigration

requirements and successfully apply to the Samoa Medical Council for provisional registration. In fact,

being eligible to practice in a foreign medical school’s home country helps to meet US licensing

requirements in some states.

OUM's Samoan scholarship recipients are required to serve the country's health system for five years after

postgraduate training, and OUM's American Samoan scholarship recipients are required to serve the

territory's health system for five years after postgraduate training.

AUSTRALIA

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) administers national examinations to foreign-trained physicians who

want to practice in the country. OUM graduates are eligible to take the AMC exams because the school is

listed in both the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Directory of Medical Schools and the

International Medical Education Directory (IMED) published by the Foundation for Advancement of

International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER). Upon finishing their studies, OUM graduates

wishing to practice medicine in Australia must contact the AMC to sit for its two-part examination. To

become a registered physician in Australia, foreign medical graduates need to complete one-year of

internship training and pass both AMC exams. Specific questions about internships and registration to

practice medicine should be directed to the Medical Board of Australia. For more information, visit

www.amc.org.au and www.ahpra.gov.au.

CANADA The Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) and the Medical Council of Canada

Qualifying Examinations (MCCQE Parts I and II) are administered to all foreign medical graduates planning

to practice in one of its provinces or territories. OUM graduates are eligible to sit for these exams due to the

school’s listings in both the WHO directory and IMED publication, per above. The MCCEE is a prerequisite

for eligibility to take the MCCQE exams Parts I and II, which assess readiness for postgraduate training

and clinical skills. Detailed information on the Canadian licensure process may be found through the

Medical Council of Canada at www.mcc.ca. Individuals are also encouraged to contact the medical

regulatory authority in the province or territory in which they would like to practice.

NEW ZEALAND

OUM graduates planning to practice medicine in New Zealand are eligible to sit for the New Zealand

Registration Examination (NZREX), due to the school’s listings in both the WHO directory and IMED

http://www.amc.org.au/

http://www.ahpra.gov.au/

http://www.mcc.ca/



publication, per above. Prior to taking the NZREX, OUM graduates must have passed USMLE Step 1 and

Step 2, the AMC Part 1 exam, or the UK’s Professional Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Part 1 exam

within the previous five years. Students and prospective students should contact the Medical Council of

New Zealand (www.mcnz.org.nz) about specific requirements regarding the practice of medicine in the

country upon graduation.

UNITED STATES

Matriculation in OUM qualifies the student to sit for the USMLE. In the US, students who graduated from a

school listed in the WHO Directory of World Medical Schools, who have also passed the USMLE

examinations, are eligible to apply for licensure in many states after completing post graduate training.

OUM has surveyed all 50 US states—all of which have their own regulations for licensing physicians—and

many have indicated that OUM meets their basic requirements. For more information on licensing

requirements in the US, see the Federation of State Medical Boards’ website at www.fsmb.org. Passage of

USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 are graduation requirements for OUM students who plan to complete clerkships

in teaching hospitals and practice in the US.

OUM follows the guidelines set by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)

and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to prepare student credentials for the National

Residency Match Program (NRMP). In accordance with AAMC guidelines, OUM prepares Medical Student

Performance Evaluations (MSPE) to submit with residency applications. Students and OUM faculty work

together on Match applications to ensure timeliness, clarity, and compliance with requirements. For

additional information, visit the NRMP website at www.nrmp.org or the ECFMG site at www.ecfmg.org.

Note: For students graduating in 2023 and beyond and expecting to practice in the United States, the

ECFMG requires that students graduate from a medical school that has been accredited by an organization

certified by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME). OUM’s accrediting body, the Philippines

Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, is undergoing certification by WFME, which

is expected to be complete in 2020.

http://www.mcnz.org.nz)/

http://www.fsmb.org/

http://www.nrmp.org/

http://www.ecfmg.org/



X. ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT PROCESS

UM welcomes students from all backgrounds. Students are selected without regard to age, gender,

race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. While OUM reserves the right to vary

requirements based upon standards in a student’s country of origin, a basic set of requirements

and procedures is applied to all candidates for admission, beyond the Technical Standards for

Admission, covered in Section III.

To learn if OUM’s unique approach is right for them, prospective students are encouraged to speak with an

OUM admissions counselor early in the admissions process. Upon one’s first phone call or e-mail to the

Office of Admission, prospective students are assigned to an admissions counselor who will walk them

through the application process and remain their adviser throughout the admissions process. The

counselor will answer questions regarding the medical school’s curriculum and the timeline for completing

medical school/postgraduate training, among many others. Prospective students will be invited to special

interactive webinars with current students, faculty, and graduates to learn more about OUM.

North Americans interested in speaking with an OUM admissions counselor should contact the US agent at

[email protected] or by calling +1-877-463-6686 toll-free in the US.

For Australia, New Zealand and other countries, please e-mail [email protected] or call 1300 665

343 (toll free in Australia only), 0800 99 01 01 (toll free in New Zealand only).

Academic Prerequisites

Applications are accepted from students with all undergraduate majors. The faculty and leadership of OUM

believe that students who select an undergraduate major primarily to enhance their chances of acceptance

to medical school may not be making a decision in their own best interest. A science major is not a

prerequisite at OUM, and students should not major in science simply because they believe this will

increase their chances of acceptance. For most physicians, the undergraduate years are the last available

opportunity for an in-depth pursuit of non-science subjects of interest, and all those who hope to practice

medicine should bear this in mind. OUM will strongly consider the overall quality and scope of all

successfully completed undergraduate work.

All MD candidates must have completed a bachelor’s degree, or higher, at an appropriately accredited

tertiary educational institution. US students seeking a medical degree also must have completed a full year

of university-level chemistry. Generally, for medical school success, applicants are expected to have a

credit-level degree or GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent.

Admission Tests: MCAT/GAMSAT

As OUM’s curriculum features the basic sciences needed for success in medical school and significant time

may have passed since students may have been exposed to science coursework in college, the MCAT is

not required for American and Canadian applicants. Likewise, the GAMSAT may not be required for certain

Australian and New Zealand applicants. The Admissions Committee of OUM selects students it believes

will successfully complete the rigorous and demanding OUM medical degree. The admission decision is

based on academic success, test scores, healthcare experience where applicable, letters of

recommendation, and the interview.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

As all instruction at OUM is in English, students must be fully fluent in the language. Normally, fluency will

be assumed if English is the applicant’s first language or if an applicant completed a degree program

O





taught in English. Otherwise, fluency may be demonstrated through the applicant achieving a minimum

score, as indicated below, on a standardized test administered by one of the following testing services:

◼ IELTS (International English Language Testing Service - at www.ielts.org) - achieving a minimum

score of 6.5. A score of at least 6 is required for each individual band and applicants must undertake

the appropriate reading and writing modules.

◼ TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language at www.toefl.com is administered by the Educational

Testing Service) - minimum test score of 577 with a TWE (Test of Written English) score of 5.

Scores must be available for both TOEFL and TWE.

◼ Computer-based TOEFL - minimum score of 233 with an Essay Rating (ER) score of 5.

Scores should be submitted directly to the OUM Admissions Office from the testing service, but certified

copies occasionally may be accepted.

Transfer Students

OUM accepts applications from students in good standing at an accredited medical school whose

accrediting agency is certified by the World Federation for Medical Education.

◼ Applicant must have an undergraduate college grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

◼ All of the applicant’s preclinical medical school coursework must have grade results of at least

75/100, certified by official transcripts submitted to the OUM Admissions Office.

◼ Applicant must have remained in good standing at current medical school throughout his/her

entire enrollment at the previous medical school with no breaks in service (continued attendance).

◼ The successful applicant must have completed all pre-clinical coursework at one school. Credits

from multiple medical schools will not be accepted.

◼ To be acceptable to the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, courses

transferred for credit must meet the following criteria:

o Credits must be for courses taken at one medical school within seven years of the date of

graduation from OUM.

o Credits must be for courses that were passed at the medical school in which the course was

taken (no transfer credits from other medical schools or degree programs).

◼ Applicants expecting to complete preclinical coursework at OUM will be required to pass OUM’s

Interval Performance Exams in those subjects taken at their previous medical school and subject

to remedial coursework in areas of deficiency.

◼ Transfer applicants who have completed their medical school’s pre-clinical curriculum and intend

to practice in the US must have passed USMLE Step 1 in no more than two attempts and with a

minimum passing score of 210.

◼ Applicants from other countries (non-USA) will be expected to pass OUM’s In-House Exam before

entering clinical rotations and may be subject to remedial coursework in areas of deficiency.

◼ Applicant must have original, written letters of recommendation from his/her current school’s dean

and at least two faculty members familiar with his/her work. Letters must be on university

letterhead. If the school has dissolved since the student attended, the student must supply an

explanation and proof that he/she attempted to obtain these letters in good faith.

◼ Applicant must have an original letter of recommendation from the Dean of Student Affairs of the

current medical school, attesting to the applicant’s professional behavior and good conduct and

good standing within the school. If the school has dissolved since the student attended, the

student must supply an explanation and proof that he/she attempted to obtain these letters in

good faith.

http://www.ielts.org/

http://www.toefl.com/



◼ If the student is transferring from a medical school in non-English speaking country, the applicant

may be required to provide a TOEFL score and the transcript will need to be converted by a

transcript conversion service.

◼ Applicants expecting a residency in a US hospital must secure from current medical school and/or

hospital(s) any narrative evaluations, grade reports, transcripts or other information required for

the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).

◼ The application must contain a detailed explanation stating the reason(s) that the student wishes to transfer from their previous medical school to another.

Application Procedure

The OUM application is online at http://www.oum.edu.ws/graduateMD/submitapp.php. Prospective

students are required to have an e-mail address for accuracy and ease of communication regarding the

status of their application.

In addition to the completed online application, the following items must be submitted in order to apply for

admission to Oceania University of Medicine:

◼ $250 non-refundable application fee ($100 will be credited to tuition payment) payable in Australian,

New Zealand, or US dollars by residents of those countries only. Residents of other countries should

pay in US dollars;

◼ Certified or official college transcripts (from all institutions where coursework was completed) *;

◼ Confirmation of English proficiency (TOEFL score, if not a native speaker or if not a graduate of a

degree program taught in English);

◼ Essay on why the applicant wants to become a physician;

◼ Three original or certified letters of recommendation, on letterhead, dated, and signed (at least one

from a physician) *; and

◼ Professional resume.

The following original documents are required after acceptance to Oceania University of Medicine, and

within 3 months or less of the student’s first day of class:

◼ Criminal background check or letter of good conduct from state police or federal law enforcement

authorities on official letterhead; **

◼ Health certification from physician, and

◼ Immunization records. ***

The application is submitted electronically and the additional documents should be sent to:

US and Canada:

Oceania University of Medicine

Box #4573

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2

Valley Cottage, NY 10989-2050

Australia, New Zealand, and other countries:

Medical Education Services Australia Pty Ltd

Australian Agent for Oceania University of Medicine

Level 17

31 Queen Street

http://www.oum.edu.ws/graduateMD/submitapp.php



Melbourne, VIC 3000

Australia

Please check the OUM website (for candidates) and eOUM (registered students) for application fee

payment information.

Applications are not reviewed until all documentation and fees have been received. Applicants with

questions should contact the Admissions Office at 1-877-463-6686 (toll free in the USA) or e-mail

[email protected]. Students outside of North America may direct their enquiries to the Australian

agent for Oceania University of Medicine at [email protected], 1300 665 343 (Australia only, toll

free), 0800 99 01 01 (New Zealand only, toll free), or +61 3 9008 5933.

* Official Transcripts and Recommendation Letters

In addition to the online application, prospective students must provide transcripts for all earned tertiary

credits, regardless of whether or not a degree was completed at the institution. Depending on the

applicant’s country of residence, transcripts may need to be forwarded directly to OUM from all of the

applicant’s colleges and/or graduate schools. Under certain circumstances, official or certified transcripts

may be accepted.

Three letters of recommendation from those who know the candidate’s academic ability and personal

strengths/weaknesses are also required. At least one letter from a physician or surgeon discussing the

candidate’s potential to practice medicine will strengthen the application. These letters must be original

documents on letterhead, include the date and the referee’s original signature, and be sent directly from the

referee. The OUM Admission Committee’s decision is final.

** Background Certification

All successful applicants must furnish an original certificate/letter of good conduct or a criminal background

check issued by their state, regional, or national police department within three months of beginning the

first OUM class.

*** Certificate of Health: Immunizations and Health Insurance

As medical students are regarded as healthcare workers, applicants must furnish a health certificate from

their primary care physician that documents the recommended immunizations for persons in this category.

The physician’s letter must state that “the student has been examined and is medically fit to attend medical

school.” The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following: immunity to mumps, rubella,

pertussis, varicella, and hepatitis B, as well as a booster every 10 years for diphtheria and tetanus. Medical

students should also have an annual influenza immunization, along with an annual TB test (PPD). Students

traveling to Samoa should have immunizations for hepatitis A and typhoid. Many students must document

compliance with CDC standards prior to beginning clinical rotations in the US. A student should have an

active health insurance policy while engaged in clinical clerkships. Should he/she become ill, the student

will be responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of any personal health issues that may arise while

enrolled as an OUM student.

Selection Interview

If an applicant successfully meets the basic admission requirements, the final components in the process

are semi-structured interviews routinely conducted as first, a “cameras on” Skype call with the

bursar/registrar and secondly, a conference call with the admissions selection committee, which is

comprised of OUM faculty. The interviews focus on personal qualities and attributes agreed to be essential

to both the study and practice of medicine, based on internationally accepted criteria for medical school





selection, as well as the study, practice, and clinical application of medicine. The qualities assessed during

the interview are:

◼ Motivation to become a physician

◼ Empathy

◼ Decision-making

◼ Teamwork

◼ Flexibility in learning style

◼ Communication skills

Application Review and Acceptance

The University strives to make the application process simple and inexpensive for its applicants.

Applications are reviewed upon receipt of all required documents. Official decision regarding acceptance is

typically made approximately ten days following the personal interview.

Applications are continuously reviewed until the e-Foundation 300-Series or e-Foundation 100-series

classes are filled. Students are notified of acceptance as early as possible. Waiting list candidates will be

selected to fill positions that may open up prior to the first day of classes. It is in the applicant’s best interest

to apply as far in advance as possible to guarantee his/her preferred start date, as interview slots fill up

quickly. Completing an application at least five months prior to the desired start date is recommended.

The successful applicant must respond to a letter of acceptance within two weeks and include a non-

refundable matriculation fee (equal to 10 percent of the module tuition), which is credited to the first term’s

tuition. Students must pay the first term’s tuition balance one month before the first module begins.

Prior to enrollment, students are required to sign a statement that they

• have read and understand all information in this catalogue, which is covered in greater detail in

the OUM Student Handbook, and

• agree to abide by these rules and regulations. OUM reserves the right to add or alter policies as

the need arises.



XI. TUITION, FEES, REFUNDS & PAYMENT PLANS

uition fees are typically paid in the local currency of the student. Students from Australia pay in

Australian dollars, Canadian students pay in Canadian dollars, New Zealand students pay in New

Zealand dollars, and Americans and all other students pay tuition fees in US dollars.

New students are required to pay a $500.00 non-refundable matriculation fee at the time of acceptance to

secure their choice of enrollment date. The remainder of the tuition must be paid at least 30 days before

the term begins. Students are not permitted to attend the mandatory orientation if their financial status is

not cleared. This may delay their start to the program. Classes are filled on a first-paid, first-reserved basis,

and classes are limited to 30 students per session.

Matriculation Fee $500

e-Foundation 300-Series Track @ $10,000 for the 30-week module

Basic Science Track (100-series) 9 blocks @ $2,500 per four-week block

Post-Baccalaureate Program (100-series) 10 blocks @ $2,500 per four-week block

System-Based Modules 9 modules @ $5,000 each

Trends & Topics, Research Methodology, and

Day-One Clinical Skills Course 3 modules @ $5,000 per module

Clinical Clerkships: 12-week modules 2 modules @ $7,500 per module*



* Does not include hospital or housing fees at the rotation site or other course-related travel/accommodations.

Half of the tuition fee for the e-Foundation 300 track may be paid at least 30 days before the term begins

and the other half at the commencement of the second segment or through a monthly payment plan.

Tuition fees for the Day-One Clinical Skills Course and the Research Methodology module may be paid

through a monthly payment plan or $1,000 each at the following intervals:

• Prior to matriculation

• Completion of the first e-Foundation 300 segment or four e-Foundation 100 blocks

• Prior to commencement of system-based modules (SBMs)

• Prior to third SBM

• Prior to sixth SBM

Toward the end of both the 300-series or Basic Science Tracks, tuition for each SBM is due four weeks

before each term begins. Registration Week, held four weeks before each term start date, is the

recommended time to make decisions about registering for the upcoming module, paying tuition, etc.

Invoices are sent to each student via his/her OUM e-mail address after the student expresses interest in

taking the term and are available within eOUM, the University’s internal student information system.

Students are encouraged to send their e-mail expressing interest in enrolling in a term at the beginning of

Registration Week, to allow time for questions, arrangements to be made, etc. Students who have not

made suitable arrangements by the end of Registration Week may not be able to take the next term and

may be subject to late fees. Sufficient time is needed to assign students to appropriate modules, distribute

curriculum materials, and provide access to information in Moodle. Likewise, students need time to locate

text materials on ClinicalKey and finalize their mentor visit schedules for the coming term.

T



OUM aims to keep its tuition fees at a constant level to allow students to budget accordingly. When

students matriculate into the program, the current tuition rate remains in effect for the preclinical modules

and for clinical rotations, as long as the student maintains full-time status and remains in good standing

with the University (see below).

Other Fees

All of OUM’s textbooks are available on Elsevier’s ClinicalKey, at a special rate of $500 per student per

year. ClinicalKey offers access to more than 500 of Elsevier’s journals, 900 books, and 9,000 medical and

procedural videos.

An examination proctoring fee of $200 per year is assessed prior to the student starting his/her first OUM

course and at the beginning of each subsequent year. This fee covers the year’s remote proctoring of all

quizzes and examinations.

The fee for the optional Study Hall and Accelerated Structured Study Protocols (SSP) and Basic Science

Immersion to help students prepare for USMLE Step 1 is $500 per month.

Some teaching hospitals and clinical clerkship sites charge a hosting fee that may range from $90 to $500+

per week. These fees help defray the costs that teaching hospitals incur in hosting medical students and in

some cases may include an honorarium for the clinical supervisor. Not all clinical sites charge hosting fees,

but they do add to the cost of medical education and should be budgeted accordingly.

Good Standing

In order to maintain good standing in OUM, students must complete a minimum of 24 weeks of instruction

per academic year. Additionally, the preclinical curriculum must be completed within four calendar years.

To remain in good standing during the clinical years, students are expected to successfully complete 24

weeks of clerkships during each academic year and to complete the entire clinical program within three

calendar years.

Tuition Payment

Most students have several options available to them for remitting tuition and fee payments.

• Australian/New Zealand students may remit payments by credit card, electronic fund transfer, or

direct deposit in Australian dollars (AUD) or New Zealand dollars (NZD). Account details for

making AUD/NZD payments are listed in eOUM.

• US students may remit payments by electronic check or credit card in US dollars (USD).

• Canadian students may remit payments by credit card in Canadian dollars (in USD).

• Most payments made by students from other countries are made in USD.

All credit card payments (Discover, MasterCard, Visa) are made by logging into eOUM. There is a small

non-refundable convenience fee for all credit card payments. Available payment plans are detailed below.

Online Invoice System

Once payment is processed by the Bursar’s Office, the student’s financial account in eOUM is updated to

reflect the payment.

Late Fees

A $25 late penalty, depending upon the currency used for the student’s payments, and 1.5 percent monthly

late charges will be assessed on unpaid balances after the due date. Students with unpaid bills will not be

permitted to register for subsequent terms, receive module grades, diplomas, or transcripts.



Unsuccessful Payments

A processing fee of USD$35 will be assessed to the student’s account when payments are denied due to

insufficient funds or when students provide incorrect bank information which results in non-payment.

Payment Plans

OUM is committed to making medical degrees affordable, as well as accessible. Given the school’s

relatively low tuition rates when compared to other medical schools, financial aid and loans from the school

are not available. However, to ease the burden of tuition payments, OUM has created payment plans.

These options are available to all OUM students, as long as the student is in good standing and has not

abused the payment plan privilege in the past.

OPTION 1

For system-based modules and clinical rotations of eight-weeks in duration or longer, OUM will accept a

two-part installment payment plan of:

◼ First Half of Module’s Tuition: Due four weeks before the term begins

◼ Second Half of Module’s Tuition: Due by the end of the module’s third week

OPTION 2

Students in good standing may spread tuition payments evenly over a 12-month period (December through

November) based upon the number of modules they plan to take during the calendar year. Payments are

due on the first of every month. For example, if a student plans to take four modules in a 12-month period,

the monthly fees would be the total cost of four modules, divided by 12: 4 modules x $5,000 each =

$20,000 : 12 = 1,666.66. Therefore, the payments would be:

• $1,670 per month for 11 months • $1,630 for the 12th month.

Students who default on either option or fall behind on payments will not receive module grades and may

not register for another module until the account is settled. In addition, the opportunity to continue a

payment plan may be subject to review by the Bursar’s Office.

Withdrawals and Tuition Refunds

Students who withdraw from a module may be eligible for a tuition refund (excluding non-refundable

deposits and convenience fees), based upon when their official notice is submitted. All refunds will be

made within 30 days of the withdrawal date. The withdrawal date and the corresponding refund include:

On or before commencement of classes 100 percent refund *

Within first week of classes 75 percent refund *

Within second week of classes 50 percent refund *

After second week of classes no refund

* Convenience fees for credit card payments will not be refunded.

No Influence Upon Acceptance

One’s credit history or financial aid eligibility are not factors in a candidate’s admission to OUM. Difficult

financial situations, past or present, should not discourage a prospective student from submitting an

admission application. OUM administration is prepared to counsel qualified applicants for admission.



XII. STUDENT POLICIES & REGULATIONS rior to enrollment, students are required to sign a statement confirming that they have read and

understand all information in this catalogue and understand the information which is covered in

greater detail in the OUM Student Handbook.

The OUM Student Handbook is the most comprehensive resource for all student policies, procedures, and

regulations. All handbook changes are reflected in the online version found in Moodle or on the OUM

website. Students are responsible for checking regularly for policy changes, and they will be notified

through Moodle and/or via their OUM e-mail address if important changes are made. They also agree to

abide by the rules and regulations presented. OUM reserves the right to add or amend policies as needed.

Student Affairs Committee

The Student Affairs Committee (SAC) is comprised of faculty and administrators from Australia and the

United States who meet to hear and consider student petitions/appeals and other cases, in addition to

discussing general student matters. Students seeking to submit a petition for a leave of absence, a time

extension for testing periods, for reasons discussed in the Appeals section (see below), or for other

situations should consult his/her local Student Affairs personnel to confirm that a petition is warranted. If it

is deemed that a petition is required for a particular situation, then students should submit a petition as a

Word document to [email protected]. Due to the unique and sometimes personal nature

of individual requests, petitions and appeals should be self-composed. There is not currently an official

form used for appeals/petitions.

Scholastic Requirements

OUM academic policies address not only failing performance, but module grades that do not show a

reasonable progression toward graduation. Passing grades that are just above failing (60-69 percent) place

students at risk of failing important exams such as OUM’s In-House Exam, USMLEs, and the FCE.

Inadequate grades negatively impact a student’s ability to secure residency interviews or ultimately, an

internship or residency position upon graduation. (See also Academic Status and Deficiencies below.)

At the end of a preclinical module in which a student has performed at 60-69 percent, the Registrar will

send a poor performance letter indicating that a faculty member will provide individual counseling and

academic remediation. Students who earn a second grade of 69 or below, will be interviewed to determine

whether or not they should be encouraged to:

◼ continue with remedial instruction to help with difficult content;

◼ repeat a module; or

◼ take a leave of absence, returning at a time more suited to improved academic performance.

Special Consideration

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AND/OR ABSENCE FROM PRECLINICAL MODULES

OUM understands that medical or personal circumstances may prevent students from being able to sit for an

examination as scheduled and/or to perform to the best of their ability. If such difficulties arise, students

should e-mail their course instructor and the IT Faculty Lead at [email protected] stating the

relevant circumstances. The student will be guided from there.

For special consideration based upon illness or health matters, the original copy of a physician's letter

(medical certificate) may be requested. The student's physician should supply a signed document on his/her

P

https://oum.edu.ws/schoolpolicies-studenthandbook/





practice letterhead, stating the date(s) of office visits, outpatient procedures and/or inpatient stays, and how

long the condition has/will influence the student's performance. No specific details as to the nature of the

illness are required. All personal information provided to OUM will be treated as strictly confidential.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AND/OR ABSENCE FROM CLINICAL CLERKSHIPS/ROTATIONS

Students who foresee an absence for an important personal occasion or anticipate situations that may

prevent them from performing to the best of their ability, should discuss the circumstances in advance with

the Clinical Rotations Coordinator. Students may be encouraged to apply for special consideration. It is up

to the Clinical Rotations Coordinator, with concurrence from the student’s respective Dean, whether or not

the absence is excused, and if so, under what conditions.

Failure of Modules

First and foremost, students should know that even the failure of one module may jeopardize their chances

for a post-graduate training position and registration as a practicing physician.

PRECLINICAL

If a student receives a final score of less than 60 percent in the e-Foundation 300-series, he/she must take

the corresponding e-Foundation Science 100-series block. Students failing a 100-series block or a system-

based module will be required to repeat the block/module with new quizzes and a new final examination.

If a student earns a final grade of less than 60 percent on three blocks/modules (only two for Post-Bac

students), the student may be recommended for dismissal from the University. A failed block by a Post-Bac

student will count against the MD program’s failure limit.

Grades for all failures and remediated modules will be reported on student transcripts. For example, if a

student receives a 90 on the remediated block/module, both the failing and remedial grades will be on the

official transcript.

If a student fails a system-based module, he/she will be permitted to enroll in the next system-based

module prior to repeating the failed module with written approval from the Academic Adviser or dean

(copying the registrar).

CLINICAL

A failed clinical module must be repeated. Students earning less than passing grades on either the clinical

assessment component or the end-of-rotation exam will be asked to make an appearance before the

Student Progress Committee (SPC) to discuss their performance and sub-standard fund of knowledge and

to receive recommended remedial action. Students not submitting a satisfactory log book will also be

referred to the SPC for review and remedial action.

If a student is directed by the SPC to re-take the end-of-rotation MCQ examination, he/she must pay the

examination fee of $400 to cover the costs of faculty time to write a new exam.

Students failing a clinical module greatly jeopardize their chances of earning an internship or residency. A

failed clinical module will result in the student re-taking the entire rotation at 75 percent of the current tuition

rate plus any additional hospital or clinical clerkship fees.



Academic Status and Deficiencies

ACADEMIC NOTICE

A student is on academic notice when s/he falls below OUM’s academic standard, earning a Pass grade,

for one term. S/he is required to raise his/her grade during the next term and may be required to take a

remedial course. Following release of module/block grades, students receive a letter about Academic

Notice (See also Scholastic Requirements above).

ACADEMIC PROBATION

A student is on academic probation when s/he earns a second grade below OUM’s academic standards.

The student may be required to meet conditions imposed by the Student Affairs Committee in order to be

removed from academic probation. A status of academic probation will be reflected on the student’s

transcript and will also be reported as per ECFMG certification regulations. Students will be notified of this

status by e-mail and by certified postal mail.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

A student is on academic suspension with a pending dismissal when s/he does not comply with, or

successfully meet in a timely manner, the conditions set forth by the Student Affairs Committee related to

academic probation. A student in this situation receives a letter confirming the suspension and pending

dismissal via e-mail, as well as by certified postal mail.

Appeals

A student has the right to appeal exam grades, probation, dismissal, or any other action that affects his or

her University status. Students may request an appeal when:

◼ a penalty is deemed to be excessively harsh for the given offense;

◼ insufficient evidence is presented;

◼ a biased or prejudiced review is suspected; or

◼ new information is discovered.

The student must submit an appeal application to the Student Affairs Committee. Decisions of the

committee are binding and final.

A student whose academic dismissal is reversed by successful appeal and is permitted to repeat a module,

will be placed on probation for one calendar year. If the student fails any module during that time, the result

will be automatic dismissal, not subject to appeal. A student placed on probation by the Student Affairs

Committee who fulfills his/her probation requirements, will have his/her status reviewed by the committee

upon completion of the probationary period.

Leave of Absence

Personal or medical circumstances sometimes make it necessary for a student to apply for a leave of

absence (LOA). The student’s Academic Adviser may assist in making that difficult decision. The Bursar’s

Office answers questions regarding refunds or applying tuition to a future term. The number of modules a

Note: MD students failing three modules (any combination of preclinical and clinical) will be dismissed

from the University without opportunity for appeal. Post-Bac students who fail two modules are likewise

dismissed from the University without opportunity for appeal.



student has completed and whether or not those were in preclinical or clinical modules determine the steps

necessary to request a leave of absence.

The Student Affairs Committee (SAC) may grant a student a medical leave of absence, with proper

documentation, for a period of up to 12 months, or a personal leave of absence in one-month renewable

intervals, for a maximum of 12 months as deemed appropriate by the SAC. A personal leave of absence

may be available in addition to a medical leave of absence, but is only granted for extraordinary

circumstances (e.g., unforeseen financial hardship, personal or family tragedy).

Different policies govern leaves of absence, depending upon the length of time that a student has been

enrolled in good standing at OUM. Please consult the OUM Student Handbook for details.

Withdrawal

Any student wishing to withdraw from a term of study at OUM must contact the Registrar

([email protected]) for the Dean’s approval. The withdrawal will be effective on the date written notice

is received. If the withdrawal notice is delivered by hand, the student must request a receipt. If the request

is faxed or e-mailed, the student must call the recipient to ensure that the communication was received and

to request written confirmation by fax or e-mail.

In the event that circumstances change and the student wants to rescind the intent to withdraw, the student

must provide timely written notice to the Registrar stating his/her intent to remain in academic attendance

through the end of the term.

A student is considered to have withdrawn him/herself from OUM after the student does not enroll in the

last possible term to maintain good standing status as set forth in the University policy requiring students to

take a minimum of 24 weeks of instruction per academic year.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE e-FOUNDATION 300

If a student wishes to withdraw from the 300-Series within the first two weeks of the initial 30-week module,

enrollment in that module will be dropped from the student’s record. If a student withdraws from the 300-

Series during Week 3 or Week 4, enrollment will be maintained in the student’s record and the student will

receive the letter W for withdrawal, instead of a grade. If a student withdraws after Week 4, his/her grade

will be an F.

WITHDRAWAL FROM BASIC SCIENCE TRACK BLOCKS

If a student wishes to withdraw from an e-Foundation 100-series block within the Basic Science Track

during the first week of the block, enrollment in that block will be dropped from the student’s record. If a

student withdraws during Weeks 2 or Week 3, enrollment will be maintained in the student’s record and the

student will receive the letter W for withdrawal, instead of a grade. If a student withdraws after the end of

Week 3, his/her grade will be an F.

WITHDRAWAL FROM SYSTEM-BASED MODULES

If a student wishes to withdraw from a system-based module within the first two weeks of the term,

enrollment in that module will be dropped from the student’s record. If a student withdraws from a system-

based module during Weeks 3 or 4, enrollment will be maintained in the student’s record, and the student

will receive the letter W for withdrawal, instead of a grade. If a student withdraws from a module after the

end of Week 4, his/her grade will be an F.

All posted grades will remain on the student’s transcript, even if the failed module is remediated.




Academic Dishonesty and Cheating

OUM takes academic dishonesty very seriously, whether in the form of plagiarism on a written assignment,

having a “cheat sheet,” checking a textbook during an exam, or creating/utilizing an unauthorized question

bank.

Therefore, the Academic Board has adopted a “zero tolerance” policy regarding all cases of academic

dishonesty. Fully described in the Student Handbook, a dual forum process ensures fairness when

considering all academic dishonesty cases and, in those cases where guilt is established, there are no

second chances.

The University relies on Proctortrack to monitor exams. While the proctoring software uses a variety of

plagiarism detection programs, reports from students, faculty, and staff also provide input into academic

dishonesty cases.

Students are advised to familiarize themselves with the behaviors that will alert the exam proctoring

software of possible violations. Listening to music, leaving the room, even resting one’s head on the table,

and other seemingly benign actions, will alert the remote proctor to trigger a review. More information may

be found by clicking Proctortrack’s Best Practices page at http://www.proctortrack.com/best-practices.

Smoking, Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Oceania University of Medicine is an alcohol-free, smoke-free organization. Alcohol and tobacco addictions

are serious health issues, and as future physicians, it is important that our students, faculty and staff serve

as positive, healthy role models for our communities. Smoking and/or the consumption of alcohol is

prohibited at all OUM facilities and at OUM-sponsored events held off campus. Only non-alcoholic

beverages may be consumed or stored on campus or any University facility.

Many countries require workplaces and educational institutions to take certain steps to ensure a drug-free

workplace, including the establishment of policies which among other items summarize (a) the adverse

health consequences of drug use and (b) legal penalties for drug abuse. OUM has chosen to follow these

guidelines, as well.

OUM is concerned with the international problem of alcohol and substance abuse. One of its tasks is

educating new physicians to identify and treat such problems in patients who may come under their care. A

second task is to assure, as best as it can, that the physicians it graduates will be individuals who, by the

stability of their lives and conduct, show themselves able to meet the public trust. Along with this trust

comes the responsibility not only of caring for the sick, but also of prescribing and handling controlled

substances.

In formal clinical instruction, the school trains students about alcohol and substance abuse. The subject is

taught in required classes and clerkships. In these classes, the problems, current research, and treatment

are studied. In the clerkships, patients are seen and managed, often in conjunction with other medical

problems. Students are encouraged to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or similar organizational meetings

and become familiar with their rationales and operations, prior to entering practice.

OUM recognizes the widespread availability of drugs that lend themselves to abuse. The illegal

possession, distribution, or use of drugs is a violation of University policy. Such violations are not in

accordance with the University’s requirement of fitness or suitability for the practice of medicine. It is

equally clear that the University cannot responsibly grant a medical degree to a student whose

performance is being impaired by drugs and/or alcohol. OUM is concerned with the health of its students

and their ability to meet the demands and challenges of their profession, and it recognizes and supports the

http://www.proctortrack.com/best-practices



local laws on controlled substances. Students should be aware of these laws and the consequences of

violating them. Students should also be aware that a student with an untreated alcohol or other substance

abuse problem is unfit to continue his/her medical education or to graduate. OUM, through its

administrative bodies and procedures, is the final arbiter on questions of a student’s fitness to study or

prepare for the practice of medicine at the University.

Any student who is aware of or suspects another of abusing alcohol or other drugs is encouraged to report

the matter to the University. Each case will be considered seriously and dealt with in the most appropriate

manner. If evidence shows that a problem exists, the individual may be required to undergo a rehabilitation

program or other disciplinary action in order to continue his/her relationship with the University. Refusal to

do so may result in separation from OUM.

Unethical/Inappropriate Conduct and Sexual Harassment

In addition to academic success, unethical or inappropriate student behavior is also monitored at OUM.

The University expects each student to be accountable and responsible for his/her behavior, and to be

cooperative and considerate toward all. Any abuse of others - verbal or physical - will not be tolerated and

is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the University. The Student Affairs

Committee addresses all alleged incidents of wrongdoing reported by a mentor, faculty member, fellow

student, clinical supervisor, or administrator. Confirmation of the conduct may be grounds for a warning,

probation, or dismissal. Conduct inappropriate to the profession of medicine may include, but is not limited

to dishonesty, willful destruction of property, substance abuse, violence or threat of violence, unethical

treatment of patients, racism, sexist or lewd comments, foul language, or serious breach of trust. All reports

of unprofessional conduct are reviewed by faculty and administration and are firmly grounded in the

presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

The University is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all students, faculty, and

staff. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, anything sexual in nature such as lewd jokes,

references to body parts, inappropriate gestures or innuendos, physical touching, verbally abusive words,

threats, unwelcomed propositions, and physical advances. Any form of sexual harassment will not be

tolerated, and any violation will be grounds for disciplinary action. The University takes harassment

allegations very seriously and will protect the rights of its students, administration, staff, and faculty from

having to learn and work under uncomfortable or hostile conditions.

OUM Student Handbook

For more information and comprehensive detail on OUM academic and student conduct policies, please

consult the OUM Student Handbook, available in Moodle or at www.oum.edu.ws. The OUM Student

Handbook is updated twice annually and students are notified of policy changes made in the interim via e-

mail and Moodle announcements.




XIII. THE SAMOAS: OUM’S ROOTS All MD students are required to complete at least one four-week clinical rotation at OUM’s home in the

South Pacific. Clinical clerkships are available in the nation of Independent Samoa and the US territory of

American Samoa. Located just south of the equator near the International Dateline, both Samoas are home

to warm, friendly people with a rich Polynesian culture.

Just west of the Dateline in Independent Samoa, two-thirds of the country’s population lives on the largest

island, Upolu, which is also where the capital, Apia, is located. Apia is the business commercial center and

main national port with numerous shops and restaurants, plus a hand full of cultural amenities including

Internet cafés and a movie theatre. The National Health Complex is located in the Apia suburb of Moto’otua

and houses OUM and Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) Hospital. Student housing is located within walking

distance of the health complex. The currency is the Samoan tala (SAT$), which floats against other world

currencies.

Located east of Independent Samoa and the International Dateline, American Samoa is a territory of the

United States with the same culturally rich Polynesian people of Independent Samoa. The capital is Pago

Pago with restaurants, shopping, and many of the same amenities as Apia, though air conditioning may be

more prevalent. The LBJ Tropical Medical Center hosts OUM students from the United States, Australia,

New Zealand, and other countries. Student housing is located conveniently near the hospital. The US dollar

is the currency used in American Samoa.

Air Travel to The Samoas

Flights into Apia arrive from Sydney, Brisbane, Honolulu, Auckland, Fiji, and Tonga. Polynesian Airlines,

Pacific Blue, Air Pacific, and Air New Zealand are the most popular carriers. Further information may be

obtained from online and traditional travel agencies.

Flights into Pago Pago are primarily from Honolulu via Hawaiian Airlines. Polynesian Airlines operates a

several-times-per-day shuttle between Apia and Pago Pago for students coming from Australia and New

Zealand.

OUM students travelling to either Samoa are required to notify OUM of their arrival details at least one

month prior to arrival.

Student Visas

Independent Samoan immigration legislation requires that all international students hold a valid passport

and obtain a student permit before entering the country. There is a SAT$300 fee for processing a student

visa which is issued for a six-month period. Once tuition is paid for coursework or clinical rotations to be

completed in Samoa, students are sent information on obtaining a visa. While admission to OUM does not

guarantee receipt of a student permit, it is highly likely that one will be issued. Detailed information about

obtaining a permit to study in Samoa may be found on the Government of Samoa Immigration website at

www.samoaimmigration.gov.ws.

American Samoa operates its own immigration and customs department, independent of the US

government, which permits students from Australia, New Zealand, and other countries to study there. All

students traveling to American Samoa will need to bring their passports, including US citizens, even though

it is an American territory.

http://www.samoaimmigration.gov.ws/



Vaccinations and Immunizations

Before travelling to Samoa, students should discuss their vaccination and immunization status with their

personal physician. Since medical students are regarded as healthcare workers, applicants must furnish a

health certificate that documents his/her current immunization status.

Students will have to document compliance with CDC standards prior to beginning clinical rotations. The

US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following immunizations: mumps, rubella,

pertussis, varicella, and hepatitis B, as well as a booster every 10 years for diphtheria and tetanus.

Students travelling to Samoa should include additional immunizations for hepatitis A and typhoid. Additional

information regarding travel immunizations may be found at www.cdc.gov/travel/studyabroad.htm.

Climate and Dress

The climate is tropical, with an average temperature in Apia of 28.5C (83.3F). Relative humidity is quite

high, and the average yearly rainfall is 290 cm (114 inches), occurring largely during the wet season from

November to April. Umbrellas are advisable, as short, sharp rainstorms are frequent throughout the year.

Dress is light and casual. Local Samoan custom dictates that women wear clothing that extends to or

below the knees.

Health Insurance

OUM does not provide health insurance but requires students travelling to Samoa to obtain an appropriate

international health insurance policy in their country of residence. Upon acceptance, students travelling to

the campus must provide proof of health insurance coverage with international benefits.

The following websites provide helpful information to current and prospective students:

◼ Government of Samoa’s official web site: www.govt.ws

◼ Samoa tourism site: www.visitsamoa.ws

◼ American Samoa tourism site: http://www.americansamoa.travel

◼ US Department of State: www.state.gov/p/eap/ci/ws

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/studyabroad.htm

http://www.govt.ws/

http://www.visitsamoa.ws/

http://www.americansamoa.travel/

http://www.state.gov/p/eap/ci/ws



XIV. FOR MORE INFORMATION All prospective North American students interested in obtaining admissions information should direct inquiries to the Admissions Office in care of OUM’s US Agent: [email protected]

+1-877-463-6686 (toll free in the US)

Admissions Office Oceania University of Medicine Box #4573 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2 Valley Cottage, NY 10989-2050 USA Students outside of North America should direct their enquiries to the Australian agent for Oceania University of Medicine: [email protected]

1300 665 343 (toll free in Australia only) 0800 99 01 01 (toll free in New Zealand only) +61 3 9008 5933

Medical Education Services Australia Pty Ltd Australian Agent for Oceania University of Medicine Level 17

31 Queen Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia

Admissions counselors are assigned based upon a prospective student’s home country.




The mission of Oceania University of Medicine

is to produce physicians with the requisite knowledge,

skills, and attitudes to improve the health of underserved

communities in Oceania and beyond, via traditional and

innovative instructional modalities to help individuals

overcome distance, personal, and professional barriers to

realize their calling to the medical profession.

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