The mission of All Saints University, Dominica is to educate and produce competent, compassionate and socially responsible healthcare professionals who are capable of providing the best care possible to the global community and are able to assume leadership position. Applicants seeking admission to All Saints University must possess the requisite academic qualifications and submit all relevant documentation as required by the Admissions Department. In addition, applicants are required to meet the technical standards for admission. These technical standards will be in place from the time of matriculating into the MD degree program until the student completes the program. Technical standards that all applicants or students must meet include;
Motor and Tactile Function Students must possess sufficient motor function to be able to participate in all activities such as attendance in class, seminars, laboratory sessions, conferences and rounds. Students must have sufficient motor function to carry out physical examinations and activities such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ability to apply pressure to stop bleeding, clear obstructed airways, administer intravenous medication and basic diagnostic procedures, including venipuncture, lumbar puncture, arterial puncture etc.
Communication Students must be able to communicate effectively with patients, staff and other health care providers in a clinical setting or patient care setting. They must be able to make clear, concise, fluent oral and written expressions and presentations in English. Students must be able to recognize and process non-verbal communications, including ability to observe and decipher changes in mood, posture, worry, sadness etc.
Professionalism Students are required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the ethics of the medical profession. They must be able to exercise good judgment under stress or uncertainties in the care of their patients. Students must be able to complete the responsibilities involved in the diagnosis and care of their patients in an effective and timely manner. They must exercise professional decorum at all times and avoid copyright infringement. They must be able to adapt to changing environments and also display flexibility with the overall goal of optimizing patient care. They must be forthright, emotionally stable, and respectful to patients, peers and other members of the health care team.
Conceptual, Analytical, and Quantitative Abilities Students must have quantitative ability. They must be able to memorize, recall and explain medical and relevant concepts. They must be able to calculate, analyze and interpret data that are part of the Medical School curriculum. They must be able to understand spatial and three-dimensional relationships such as those encountered in anatomy or dissection lab or those applicable to basic surgical procedures.
Observation Students must have functional use of senses of vision, hearing, somatic sensation, smell and touch. These skills are required by students to be able to observe demonstrations, experiments and simulations in the basic and clinical sciences. Students must be able to access a patient’s physical condition, obtain history, perform relevant physical examination, develop a differential diagnosis and treatment plan for their patients.
All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica is focused on providing equal educational opportunities and does not discriminate against qualified candidates or enrolled students with disabilities. The Technical Standards conveyed here do not serve to intentionally impede any candidate for whom reasonable arrangements would allow the fulfillment of the curriculum. Moreover, all accepted and enrolled students with disabilities have access to every available resource at the University.
Candidates with disabilities who are offered admission should establish discussions with the Technical Standards Committee (TSC) through the Office of the Registrar of the University in order to commence the accommodation process. The candidate is responsible for delivering any necessary and/or supplementary documentation in regard to the degree and nature of disability, the functional restraints and accommodation that need to be considered or catered for.
Documentation supplied should be sufficiently current and updated. Requests are reviewed independently with consideration regarding any reasonable accommodation which would allow the candidate to fulfill the technical standards. Accommodations are not reasonable if they pose an immediate risk to the well- being and safety of the candidate or others, if making it requires considerable alteration of the educational program, if it could negatively impact the academic standards, or it represents an undue administrative or financial burden on the University. Accommodation which requires an intermediary or an auxiliary aid that provides cognitive support, medical information, or a selective function are, except in rare cases, not reasonable. Intermediaries and aids may not perform any essential skills or supplement clinical and or moral judgement in the interest of the candidate.
The TSC maintains the right to request additional documentation, release information to third parties inside or outside the University for professional evaluation and may require candidates to undergo additional examination by experts. Such examination will be at the candidate’s expense. Enrollment in the program is contingent on the candidate’s willingness and capacity to fulfill the technical standards with reasonable accommodation.
The following guidelines apply to students who self-identify a documented disability after formal acceptance.
- Disclosure of Disability: This is the responsibility of the student to submit in writing by the end of the first week of classes. All documents concerning the disability will be retained by the TSC, through the office of the Registrar
- Statement of Understanding: The student will be asked to provide a signed Statement of Understanding that specifies the need for formal documentation of the disability, how the information will be used to determine accommodations, with whom it will be shared, and the limits of confidentiality
- Signed Release(s) of Information: A student who does not possess documentation of the disability will be asked to sign a Release of Information form so that a copy of the professional report documenting the disability may be obtained directly from the evaluating professional and sent to the TSC, through the office of the Registrar
- Documentation of Disability: A qualified professional must provide complete documentation of a student’s disability, including its functional impact and recommended accommodation(s). The TSC may request documentation to verify the professional qualifications of the assessor. The student will pay the costs related to this documentation. The information provided by the professional must reflect the student’s current status, be factual, objective, and technically valid, and must establish clearly that the disability substantially limits one or more of the student’s major life activities. The assessor evaluating the student should give specific recommendations for the management of the disability
- Review of Report by Disability: After the student has signed the Student Disability Disclosure Form, the Statement of Understanding, the Release of Information Form: Formal Assessment Request (if applicable), and complete documentation of the disability has been received, the student seeking accommodations will be asked to sign a Release of Information Form for Disability Accommodations. This document gives the TSC permission to discuss pertinent evaluative information with the Registrar Office so that the student’s eligibility status may be reviewed fully and confidentially.
- Disability Accommodations Decision: Based on information provided by the diagnosing professional, the TSC will review the student’s request and eligibility for accommodations. A written response will be provided, explaining the limits of the accommodations granted, the need for additional testing, or why the request was denied. The student will be responsible financially for obtaining any additional information requested. The UI Carver College of Medicine reserves the right to request as much detailed diagnostic information from the student and/or professional(s) as necessary to assess the scope of the disability and/or appropriateness of accommodations.
Appeals Process: A student who has requested accommodations for a disability and believes he or she improperly has been denied and/or discriminated against on the basis of their disability may submit a formal, written appeal to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. This document should be submitted within ten working days after receipt of the TSC’s initial decision. As needed, the Associate Dean may assemble an appeals committee. Within ten working days following receipt of the student’s formal appeal, the Appeals Committee will evaluate and provide to the student a written copy of the decision whether to grant or deny requested accommodations.
