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St. Vincent is the largest island in the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, part of the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.

Saint James School of Medicine’s St. Vincent campus is surrounded by beaches, scenic hiking trails and tropical gardens. When you take a break from your medical school studies you can find adventures on your doorstep.

The island’s scenery is dominated by La Soufriere, a 4,000ft tall volcano. Steep tree clad hills fall to dramatic black sand beaches and the mountainous island terrain is carved by rivers, rapids and waterfalls. St. Vincent has protected the waters off its coast since 1979, and as a result has some the finest snorkeling and scuba diving in the Caribbean. Experience reef diving, wall diving, drift diving, wreck diving and even cave diving.

To find out more visit the St. Vincent and the Grenadines tourism authority website.

“MEDICINE WAS MY DREAM … AND SO I CHOSE TO COME TO SAINT JAMES. TUITION IS VERY REASONABLE. THE CARIBBEAN’S A FANTASTIC PLACE TO STUDY.”

Tina, MD4, Saint James St. Vincent

STUDENT LIFE ON ST. VINCENT

Saint James St. Vincent is a newly built Caribbean medical school campus. The school community is welcoming and supportive, offering tutoring, one-on-one guidance, and peer support networks in order to help you meet the challenges of medical school.

Your faculty are experienced medical school professors from the US and Canada, who’ve moved to St. Vincent to combine their love of teaching with the laid back island lifestyle.

STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS AT ST. VINCENT

One of the beauties of attending Caribbean medical school is the wealth of activities available to you outside study hours. We’re proud to support a number of student organizations and associations – DOT (Doctors of Tomorrow) G.I.V.E. (Get Involved and Value Everyone), Lady Ligers Rugby, etc.

St. Vincent is a new campus, with a growing student community so we encourage you to establish new clubs and activities.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (SGA)

The Student Government Association (SGA) promotes self-improvement, maintains good relations with the island community and organizes activities, like the welcome party for new students. SGA officers meet regularly with the school administration.

AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (AMSA)

The American Medical Students Association (AMSA) is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. The AMSA is a student-governed, national organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training.

With a membership of more than 67,000 medical students, pre-medical students, interns, residents and practicing physicians from across the country, AMSA is committed to improving medical training and the nation’s health.

STUDENT HOUSING ON ST. VINCENT

Comfortable accommodation is easy to find on St. Vincent. We have an extensive housing list, compiled by our Campus Manager, and you can share with a roommate or live by yourself. We recommend that you wait until you arrive on the island to sign leases or make permanent arrangements.

Rent ranges from approximately $400-$800 per month, depending on your preferences. Housing almost always comes furnished with furniture, linens, towels, cookware, and air conditioning. Some rents are include utilities, others may require you to pay for electricity, cooking gas, and/or cable and internet separately, however rent and utilities can be negotiable.  Laundry facilities are usually located in the apartment or within the apartment complex.

“THE PROFESSORS HERE ARE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. THEY REACH OUT IF THEY SEE THAT YOU’RE STRUGGLING.”

Cristy, MD2, Saint James St. Vincent

TRAVEL TO ST. VINCENT

You can find direct flights to St. Vincent from Miami or through connecting flights from Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad, and St. Lucia. Flights leave regularly from New York, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, and North Carolina to these destinations.

St. Vincent’s airport is the Argyle International Airport.

Visitors to St. Vincent need a valid passport, along with a roundtrip ticket with a return date within 120 days of arrival.

GETTING AROUND ST. VINCENT

St. Vincent is 29km long, and it’s easy to get around. Saint James runs a bus for students. We can pick you up near your accommodation in the morning and drop you back near your home at night. We recommend that you check that your apartment is on the student bus route before you sign the lease, because the mountainous terrain means that the bus isn’t able to run everywhere.

If you’d like to go further afield, there are car-rental agencies on St. Vincent. Taxis are plentiful, and fares are reasonable for short trips: we recommend you negotiate your fare before you set off. The local bus service is regular, but it’s also busy, so it can be a bit overcrowded. If you’re up for a work out on the hilly roads, you can rent a bike, or buy one for the duration of your stay. Boats run from St. Vincent to the nearby islands of Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island.

LANGUAGE IN ST. VINCENT

English is the official language in St. Vincent. Most Vincentians also speak Vincentian Creole, which combines elements of French, Antillean Creole, Spanish and Portuguese.

WEATHER IN ST. VINCENT

St. Vincent enjoys a pleasant tropical climate. Temperatures are fairly constant with a daily high temperature of around 85°F and a nightly low around 76°F. Steady trade winds create great conditions for windsurfing and sailing. The dry season runs from January to May.

CELL PHONES, INTERNET AND TV ON ST. VINCENT

The area code for St. Vincent is 784.

St. Vincent has two major mobile service providers, FLOW and Digicel SVD Ltd, both  offering cellular telephone and internet service.

The island has one television broadcast station SVG-TV and one cable television provider.

Electricity is 220 volts. US standard appliances (110 V) work with a transformer.

BANKING IN ST. VINCENT

The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. The US Dollar is widely accepted. There are ATMs and banks throughout the island and major credit cards are accepted.

St. Vincent is an international finance center, so there are currently six domestic banks and five international banks operating on the island. For more information, visit the Financial Services Authority for St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

MAIL TO ST. VINCENT

The United States Postal Service guidelines for mailing to St. Vincent are here.

TIME IN ST. VINCENT

The time in St. Vincent is Atlantic standard (Eastern Standard Time plus one hour).

About SJSM Concierge

Saint James School of Medicine continues to raise the bar in education and the overall quality of services offered to its students. As such, SJSM introduced the role of Student Concierge. On each of our campuses, the Student Concierge team will assist students who are joining the school for the first time with their transition and acclimation to the island life. This service is available to every SJSM student, and there are no additional costs to utilize the service.

PERSONAL SERVICES

Students coming to the island for the first time can expect to be welcomed by the Student Concierge representative of their respective island at the port of entry (an appointment is required to be set up in advance). Our friendly staff member will then take you to your place of stay or give you a tour of the campus. We aim to ensure that your first visit to the island is pleasant and that your transition to your new Caribbean life as a medical student goes well.

Below are some of the additional services you can expect from the SJSM Student Concierge:

  • INITIAL WELCOME TO THE ISLAND FOR FACULTY/STAFF
  • RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE TRANSPORTATION & CAR SERVICES
  • TRAVEL RELATED INFORMATION & SERVICES
  • ACCOMPANIED CAMPUS WALKTHROUGHS
  • DOCTOR REFERRALS
  • GUIDANCE ON ORGANIZING EVENTS (BIRTH PARTIES, SCHOOL EVENTS, ETC)
  • INFORMATION ON BUS TRANSPORTATION
  • INFORMATION ON RESTAURANT & HOTEL RESERVATIONS
  • MAPS/ LOCAL TOURISM INFORMATION
  • SHOPPING INFORMATION (GROCERIES, CLOTHING, ELECTRONICS, PHARMACY, ETC)
  • INFORMATION ON SHIPPING FREIGHT IN/OUT OF THE ISLAND
  • CURRENCY/BANKING INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE
  • ASSISTANCE WITH OBTAINING CELL PHONE/OTHER UTILITIES
  • INFORMATION ON GYMS, SALONS, SPAS, DRY CLEANERS, TAILORS
  • CAR RENTALS/REPAIRS, PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY, PHONE/INTERNET
  • BABYSITTING/DAYCARE/CHILDREN SCHOOLING ADMISSION ASSISTANCE

CONCIERGE SERVICES

Mrs. Olivia Maloney

Mrs. Olivia Maloney

St. Vincent Campus

Mrs. Maloney is a St. Vincent native with several years of experience working with students in higher education in roles relating to student assistance. Prior to that, Mrs. Maloney worked for airline agencies and is well-versed in customer service.

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