Welcome to Academics

Now that you have decided to come to Ross University School of Medicine to study medicine, you want a commitment that you will be prepared in the best way possible to achieve your goal of becoming a physician. More than that, you want a commitment that you will get the kind of education that will enable you to pass your critical licensing exams, earn the residency you are hoping for, and fulfill the dream you have had for so long. Ross University School of Medicine can make that commitment.

Under the guidance of a faculty that is committed to teaching, and supported by an exceptional array of the latest laboratory and instructional facilities, you will receive the education you need to succeed. Most students spend their first four semesters (16 months) in Dominica; however, beginning in January 2009, third and fourth semester students enrolled in the Progressive Academic Education (“PAcE”) program will have the opportunity to attend our new location in Freeport, Grand Bahama. After you have completed your requirements in Dominica or the Bahamas, you will spend a semester receiving your Introduction to Clinical Medicine in Miami, Florida, or Saginaw, Michigan, and then you will begin your clinical rotations at the nearly 70 teaching hospitals in the U.S. that are affiliated with Ross University School of Medicine.

This unrelenting commitment to delivering a rigorous academic and clinical experience foundation is the reason why:

  • Ross University School of Medicine has graduated more than 6,500 physicians.
  • Ross University School of Medicine is one of the few international medical schools approved by the licensing boards in all 50 states and Canada, including New York, New Jersey, California, and Florida.
  • Ross graduates have obtained residency appointments in virtually every medical specialty and subspecialty at leading teaching hospitals and medical centers across the U.S.
  • Our graduates have told us that they had a better range of clinical experience compared with other residents.
  • Directors of residency programs have said, “Send me more Ross graduates.”

Purpose of the PAcE Program

The PAcE program at Ross University expects to stimulate students to become lifelong, self-directed learners, through independent study and small group learning exercises. These skills are invaluable to students throughout their medical careers.

About the PAcE Program

Ross University School of Medicine developed the PAcE program as an independent study option, which is an alternative to the traditional lecture-based medical school curriculum. The PAcE program provides flexibility for students during their pre-clinical years, making students responsible for their own learning in a self-directed, independent manner. Students use faculty-written learning objectives to direct their learning, and the faculty are available, as needed, to assist students through difficult concepts and material. Independent study is also facilitated by MediaSite®, an online site where all recorded lectures from Ross University can be viewed. Students will cover the same curriculum as the remainder of the Ross students, but will receive additional quizzes and clinical cases.

Although the PAcE program promotes independent study, there is also a group learning component, designed to teach students to work together to solve problems. All PAcE students will meet for regularly scheduled sessions on a weekly basis, where group quizzes and case studies with teaching faculty will be presented. In addition to promoting group collaboration, these sessions are designed to help students gauge their progress and identify areas of weakness in their studies.

Advantages

  • Opportunities for greater faculty interaction.
  • Flexible learning schedule.
  • Interactive learning format.
  • Small group learning, which promotes camaraderie.
  • Frequent assessment (quizzes with discussion).
  • Emphasis on clinical cases.
  • Development of life-long learning techniques.
  • Exposure to extra clinical cases and quizzes with answers explained by faculty.  

PAcE offers students at Ross an educational experience that consists of a team-based learning (TBL) format covering a considerable portion of the curriculum.

TBL is an instructional strategy that:

  • Utilizes active student learning.
  • Develops high performance learning teams.
  • Promotes higher-level cognitive skills and aids efficient mastery of material.
  • Provides instant feedback of learning status.

Admission to PAcE in Semester 1

The criteria for admission are based on GPA and MCAT scores. To be invited into the program students must have:

  • MCAT of at least 20
  • Overall GPA of at least 3.0
  • Pre-requisite GPA of at least 2.8

Due to space limitations, it is possible that not all invited applicants will be accepted into the program.

PAcE in Semesters 2, 3 and 4

To continue in the PAcE program after semester 1, students are required to have attended a minimum of 10 out of 12 mandatory PAcE sessions in semester 1. In addition the student must maintain a GPA of a least 2.5 and have failed no classes. Students must also be in good standing with Ross University by complying with all academic rules and regulations.

Admittance to PAcE after semester 1 is possible and is dependent upon available space. Criteria for admission to the program after semester 1 are that the student must have a GPA of a least 2.5 and have failed no classes. Students must also be in good standing with Ross University by complying with all academic rules and regulations. Students can be admitted to the PAcE program, up to and including, the 4th semester.

Attendance Requirements

Attendance is required at all scheduled PAcE sessions. Students are required to attend a minimum of 10 of the 12 mandatory PAcE sessions. Unexcused absences beyond more than two mandatory sessions will result in immediate removal from the PAcE program. Absences will be excused for documented medical or emergency situations only.

Opting Out of PAcE

Any student can opt out of the PAcE program at any time during or between semesters. There is no penalty for opting out of the program at any time. Please let the appropriate director know if you choose to opt out so that records can be maintained. Students who have left the PAcE program, for whatever reason, are not normally eligible for re-admittance.

Program Administration

Director of PAcE: Dr. Michael Robinson, 767-255-6335, mrobinson@rossmed.edu.dm

Semester Directors

1st Dr. Sheakley 255-6293 msheakley@rossmed.edu.dm
2nd Dr. Averill 255-6330 daverill@rossmed.edu.dm
3rd Dr. Yakubovskyy 255-6264 myakubovskyy@rossmed.edu.dm
4th Dr. Johnson 255-6268 jjohnson@rossmed.edu.dm

Administrative Staff