Who Owns Ross University School of Medicine?

Robert Ross founded Ross University School of Medicine in 1978 in Roseau, Dominica. The school was established as a for-profit medical school to provide an alternative pathway to a medical degree for students who were not admitted to medical schools in the United States or Canada. US and Canadian medical schools have highly competitive admissions processes with limited enrollment capacity relative to the number of qualified applicants.

Caribbean medical schools like Ross University emerged in the 1970s and 1980s to serve aspiring physicians who could not gain admission to US or Canadian schools. These schools offer a pathway to an MD degree and eligibility to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), which is required for licensure to practice medicine in the United States.

Ross University's MD program follows a structure common to Caribbean medical schools. Students complete basic sciences (typically the first two years) at the Caribbean campus, then transfer to affiliated teaching hospitals in the United States and Canada for clinical rotations (years three and four). Upon completing the program and passing USMLE Steps 1, 2 CK, and 2 CS, graduates are eligible to apply for residency programs through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Ross University grew significantly during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, establishing itself as one of the largest Caribbean medical schools by enrollment. The school built a network of affiliated teaching hospitals across multiple US states and Canadian provinces.

In 2011, DeVry Education Group (renamed Adtalem Global Education in 2018) acquired Ross University. The acquisition was part of DeVry's strategy to expand into healthcare professional education, complementing its existing Chamberlain University nursing programs.

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 hurricane, made a direct hit on Dominica. The storm caused catastrophic damage to the island and to Ross University's campus in Roseau, destroying or severely damaging many of the school's facilities. Adtalem relocated students and operations to temporary facilities while planning a permanent relocation.

In 2019, Ross University officially relocated its campus to Bridgetown, Barbados, constructing new facilities for the basic sciences program. The relocation required regulatory approvals from Barbados authorities and coordination with US accrediting and regulatory bodies.

Ross University School of Medicine is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). The school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, which is required for graduates to be eligible for USMLE examination and US medical licensure. The school is not accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which accredits US and Canadian allopathic medical schools. This means Ross University graduates are classified as international medical graduates (IMGs) for residency application purposes.