St. Theresa's Medical University (St. Kitts)
Encyclopedia
St. Theresa’s Medical University was a medical school formerly located in Basseterre
, St. Kitts.
STMU was founded by its Chancellor and Executive Dean, Thomas M. Uhrin, of Latrobe, PA, where it also had offices. Mr. Uhrin held himself out in St. Kitts as an MD, but had been terminated in 2004 by the International University of the Health Sciences in St. Kitts for misrepresenting his academic credentials. In 1999 he had resigned as Medical Director of a clinic in Greensburg, PA after admitting that he had not completed medical training and was not licensed as an MD. Mr. Uhrin's credentials became the subject of investigations by government ministries.
Of the initial class of 17 students, 15 withdrew amid allegations of verbal abuse, unsafe learning conditions, and improper treatment of cadavers. As of the fall term ending December 2006, STMU had approximately one dozen students. In early 2007, the school claimed to have approximately 30 students enrolled. At the time of its closure, it had eight or ten students.
for automatic admission of holders of Warnborough College (UK) Pre-Medical diplomas and issuance of dual degrees with Warnborough College (IE). The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization states that Warnborough and STMU were operated jointly.
In May 2009, the Institute of Technological Studies
announced that it had formed a partnership to open a branch campus of STMU in Colombo, Sri Lanka beginning in June 2009, with approximately 75 students, for which STMU claimed to have government approval. The closure of STMU ended these plans and other plans for expansion into Italy. "Health Education Associates Unlimited, Inc.", the investment firm promoted by Uhrin and STMU President and CEO Jeffrey T. Irwin to finance the Sri Lanka and Italy expansions, folded in 2009, leaving investors unpaid. A former US Attorney who examined the firm's agreements characterized it as fitting the characteristics of a Ponzi scheme
; in December 2009, Uhrin denied that it was a plan to defraud investors.
, master of medicine, doctor of medicine
, doctor of pharmacology
and doctor of philosophy
degrees.
STMU graduates are eligible to apply for certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)for entry into residency or fellowship programs in the US. This does not assure that certification will be granted, or that once granted, a STMU graduate will be eligible for a residency or fellowship program or for medical licensing in a particular state.
STMU graduates are considered on a case-by-case basis for eligibility to register with the General Medical Council
to practice medicine in the UK.
Basseterre
Basseterre , estimated population 15,500 in 2000, is the capital of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Geographically, the Basseterre port is located at , on the south western coast of Saint Kitts Island, and it is one of the chief commercial depots of the Leeward Islands...
, St. Kitts.
History
STMU was opened in August 2005, and closed in August 2009.STMU was founded by its Chancellor and Executive Dean, Thomas M. Uhrin, of Latrobe, PA, where it also had offices. Mr. Uhrin held himself out in St. Kitts as an MD, but had been terminated in 2004 by the International University of the Health Sciences in St. Kitts for misrepresenting his academic credentials. In 1999 he had resigned as Medical Director of a clinic in Greensburg, PA after admitting that he had not completed medical training and was not licensed as an MD. Mr. Uhrin's credentials became the subject of investigations by government ministries.
Of the initial class of 17 students, 15 withdrew amid allegations of verbal abuse, unsafe learning conditions, and improper treatment of cadavers. As of the fall term ending December 2006, STMU had approximately one dozen students. In early 2007, the school claimed to have approximately 30 students enrolled. At the time of its closure, it had eight or ten students.
Academic Partnerships
STMU was in an academic partnership with Warnborough CollegeWarnborough College
Warnborough College UK provides a variety of educational programs, both on-site in Canterbury, England, and by distance learning. Warnborough College Ireland offers distance-learning programs from Ireland...
for automatic admission of holders of Warnborough College (UK) Pre-Medical diplomas and issuance of dual degrees with Warnborough College (IE). The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization states that Warnborough and STMU were operated jointly.
In May 2009, the Institute of Technological Studies
Institute of Technological Studies
The Institute of Technological Studies is a private degree awarding institution situated in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It offers degree programs for undergraduates, especially transfer programs such as 2+2 or 3+1 for undergraduates who want to transfer to the United States, Canada or other countries.As...
announced that it had formed a partnership to open a branch campus of STMU in Colombo, Sri Lanka beginning in June 2009, with approximately 75 students, for which STMU claimed to have government approval. The closure of STMU ended these plans and other plans for expansion into Italy. "Health Education Associates Unlimited, Inc.", the investment firm promoted by Uhrin and STMU President and CEO Jeffrey T. Irwin to finance the Sri Lanka and Italy expansions, folded in 2009, leaving investors unpaid. A former US Attorney who examined the firm's agreements characterized it as fitting the characteristics of a Ponzi scheme
Ponzi scheme
A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to its investors from their own money or the money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by the individual or organization running the operation...
; in December 2009, Uhrin denied that it was a plan to defraud investors.
Initial accreditation
The school was accredited in 2005 by the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis to grant bachelor of scienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
, master of medicine, doctor of medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, doctor of pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
and doctor of philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degrees.
Government investigations and loss of accreditation
In 2006,the Ministry of Education’s Accreditation Board commenced an investigation of STMU in light of unspecified complaints about STMU. The Ministry of Health commenced a separate investigation about the extent of Mr. Uhrin’s medical training, the validity of his professional credentials and possible fraud in the accreditation application process. Yet another investigation by the Ministry of Health concerned the importation and handling of cadavers by the school. The ministries did not disclose the results of their investigations, but stated that the school had lost its accreditation prior to it closing.Unaccredited status in US and UK
The US Department of Education's National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) does not recognize the accreditation standards used by the government of St. Kitts and Nevis as being comparable to those used to accredit medical schools in the United States. Accordingly, STMU students were ineligible to participate in the Federal Family Educational Loan (FFEL) program.STMU graduates are eligible to apply for certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)for entry into residency or fellowship programs in the US. This does not assure that certification will be granted, or that once granted, a STMU graduate will be eligible for a residency or fellowship program or for medical licensing in a particular state.
- ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
The Arkansas State Medical Board banned STMU graduates from medical licensing in that state, and STMU graduates are ineligible for residency or fellowships at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine.
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
STMU graduates are not eligible for licensure in the State of California, because it is not listed as a recognized medical school by the Medical Board of California.
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
A former STMU student was advised in November 2009 by the National Association of Boards of PharmacyNational Association of Boards of PharmacyThe National Association of Boards of Pharmacy is an international association which assists state licensing boards in developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards relating to pharmacies...
that he was ineligible to be certified as a foreign pharmacy school graduate and could not sit for the Florida licensing examination due to STMU's lack of accreditation and other issues.
- MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
The State of Maine lists STMU as non-accredited, which precludes use of a STMU degree to obtain employment, promotion or higher compensation, admission to an institution of higher education, or in connection with any business, trade, profession or occupation.
- MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
The State of Michigan lists STMU as not accredited, precluding use of a STMU degree to satisfy educational requirements of the Michigan Civil Service Commission.
- OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
The State of Oregon Office of Degree Authorization lists STMU as unaccredited.
STMU graduates are considered on a case-by-case basis for eligibility to register with the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
to practice medicine in the UK.