The already inadequate health systems in developing countries have been badly damaged by the migration of their health professionals. There are 57 countries with a critical shortage of healthcare workers, a deficit of 2.4 million doctors and nurses.

The effect on the source country is profound.  Medical students and young doctors in training need motivated, well-educated, articulate champions of both the health service and their specialty. Loss of well-trained, experienced personnel is perhaps the most serious aspect for the future in many countries and one that monetary compensation can not replace.

Push Factors

Push factors include: lack of opportunities for postgraduate training; under- funding of health service facilities; lack of established posts and career opportunities; poor remuneration and conditions of service, including retirement provision; governance and health service management shortcomings; and civil unrest and personal security.

Pull Factors

Pull factors include: opportunities for further training and career advancement; the attraction of centers of medical and educational excellence; greater financial rewards and improved working conditions; and availability of posts, now often combined with active recruitment by prospective employing countries.

The IUHS methodology is well suited to offer one part of the solution to a very complicated problem. Because the school does not rely on large capital expenditure for brick and mortar infrastructure, and makes innovative use of technology and community, the school works in partnership with global governments and their private or state-sponsored medical schools to provide degree programs. 

St. Kitts Campus

The campus of the IUHS is located on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, which is the larger of the two islands of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts is located in the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies.

The twin islands are 1,200 miles southeast of Miami, Florida and 45 minutes from San Juan, Puerto Rico by airplane. Here are some other facts about St. Kitts: 

• The island of St. Kitts is 69 square miles with a population of 39,000. 
• English is the official language. 
• The time is Atlantic Standard Time (year round - no daylight savings time) 
• The tropical island climate is tempered by constant sea breezes and there is little seasonal temperature variation. The yearly average temperature is 79 degrees, humidity is low and the annual rainfall averages 55 inches. 
• Driving follows the English tradition of being on the left hand side of the road and most cars have right hand drive. 
• At the center of St. Kitts at 3,972 feet, stands the spectacular, cloud-fringed peak of Mount Liamuiga (pronounced Lee-a-mweega), a dormant volcano covered by a dense tropical forest. Students enjoy hiking through the lush rain forest that leads to the peak of Mt. Liamuiga. 
• The currency is East Caribbean dollars, commonly called "EC" The exchange rate is very stable at around $2.70EC per $1 U.S. Most businesses accept U.S. currency but typically give back change in EC. 
• International banks include First Caribbean International Bank (a partnership of Barclays and CIBC), RBC Royal Bank of Canada, and Scotiabank. Banks provide 24 hour ATM's which honor Visa, MasterCard and other major international bank cards. 
• Historically, sugar was the traditional mainstay of the St. Kitts economy for over two centuries. The final year of sugar cultivation on the island was in 2005. 
• Tourism, offshore banking and international universities have assumed larger roles in the economy. Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange.
• Electricity is 220 volts but most apartments are also wired with 110 volts. 
• Cable television brings in many American and international networks. 
• Water is of good quality and suitable for drinking. Mountain springs and wells are the sources and all water goes through purification processes. Bottled water is also readily available. 
• Residents of St. Kitts (known as Kittitians - pronounced Ki TISH ans) have a very friendly reputation and the crime rate on the island is very low. 

The Campus 

The campus is located in a 10,000 square foot classic two-story colonial building at the corner of Wilkin Street and Wigley Avenue in Basseterre, the country's capital city. 

The campus provides spectacular views of the harbor, visiting cruise ships and the sister island of Nevis. Picturesque campus grounds surrounded by an 8 foot wall (right out of a Homer Winslow painting) create an atmosphere ideal for quiet study. IUHS has plans to build a new and larger campus on three acres of land on the western side of the city. 

IUHS enjoys a unique and enviable position among other Caribbean medical schools due to its close affiliation with the Joseph N. France Hospital, one of the leading clinical facilities in the West Indies. IUHS students on St. Kitts, under the supervision of the medical school's clinical faculty, have weekly clinical visits to the JNF Hospital as part of their curriculum. Practical experience and patient contact early in a student's medical training is one of the unique benefits of the campus program. 

Housing on St. Kitts

At present there are no on-campus living quarters for students. However, the Campus Administration Office will assist students with finding suitable accommodations, some of which is available within walking distance of the campus. Approximate rental expenses are in the range of US$500 - $750 for a single bedroom apartment. Students sharing houses may pay less or more depending on quality and location choices. 

Students and faculty have high speed Internet access throughout the campus. 

The Ocean Terrace Inn, one block from the campus, offers studio apartments at special rates to IUHS students for 3 months. This is a popular option for students as it gives them sufficient time to become familiar with housing options. 

Immigration

All St. Kitts Campus students who are spending more than 4 weeks on St. Kitts must enter the country with the following documentation: 

• Valid passport 
• Negative HIV test, no older than four months 
• Negative TB test no older than four months, or original chest x-ray if the TB test was positive 
• Formal statement from the student's local police department that the student has no criminal record 
• VDRL or RPR blood test for syphilis, no older than four months 
• Two passport photos 
• Return airline ticket
• Acceptance letter from IUHS