AS part of a wider strategy to improve edu-tourism in Jamaica, the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) has partnered with Russia-based Kursk State Medical University (KSMU) to launch a new academic programme that will enable aspiring doctors here to earn their medical degrees in Russia.

The programme is expected to begin in May of this year at the UCC campus and requires students to complete two 10-week terms over a one-year period locally, to qualify them to matriculate into the medical programme at the Russian university. This one-year programme will be a theory-based programme called the Certification in Foundation Health Science, and will be taught by local lecturers.

Head of the UCC international office, Jacqueline Thelwell, explained that the aim of this one-year certification course would be to create a pathway for studies in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and dentistry at Kursk.

“During this time, students would be exposed to physics, chemistry, and biology as the main courses and beginners’ Russian and an English programme,” explained Thelwell, who pointed out that students who already have a degree in the natural sciences would be able to bypass this one-year programme at UCC and be matriculated directly into the degree programme in Russia come February 2014.

“Our students would be assessed and evaluated throughout the period by that body, and upon successful completion of the two terms, the students will then move on to the first year of their programme at Kursk,” she said.

The university will only be able to matriculate about 25 students for this year, although Thelwell explained that the programme has already been attracting a lot of interest since being launched last month. In order to matriculate into the programme, students must possess two units of biology and chemistry and two units of either mathematics or physics in CAPE, or the equivalent in A levels. They must also have CXC passes in mathematics, English language, chemistry, physics, and biology.

Deputy President of UCC Dr Dameon Black said the low tuition fee being required for this new programme has given them the competitive edge over other institutions in the Caribbean that offer medical degrees. Students will be required to pay US$5,200 (J$500,000) for the first year certification programme, of which US$1,000 will be put towards their first-year in Russia.

Upon being matriculated into Kursk, the student would be required to pay approximately US$5,200 each year for the four to six years their degree programme would last. The $5,200 will cover tuition, on campus accommodation in a double bedroom, limited medical insurance, and the first airport pick up from the Moscow airport.

“That international dimension adds significantly, we think, to your resume profile,” explained Dr Black, who pointed out that students would also benefit from this cross-cultural experience.

The programme will be delivered in English in Russia, although students will be taught Russian to help them better communicate while studying in that country.

“They are going to start the Russian classes here, but they are going to continue with the Russian classes there, because eventually they will have to meet patients whose only language is Russian, so it means that they will have to learn Russian as they go along,” explained Thelwell.

The deadline for application is mid-April. While the programme is set to be offered full-time only, Thelwell said it could also be offered part time in the evenings if there is a demand for this.