UMHS Celebrates Success of Inaugural Principles to Practice Program

Innovative four-week program gives aspiring physicians hands-on experience in anatomy, clinical medicine, research, and community healthcare on UMHS's state-of-the-art St. Kitts campus

NEW YORK, Nov. 6, 2026 — The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS), a small, mission-driven medical school with a commitment to student success and a legacy of successful residency placements in the United States and Canada, today announced the successful completion of its inaugural Principles to Practice (P2P) program.

The four-week, 80-hour experiential learning program brought together undergraduate students from Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Guelph in Canada for an immersive introduction to medical education that bridged the gap between academic theory and the practice of medicine in the 21st century. Hosted on the state-of-the-art UMHS campus in St. Kitts, P2P combined hands-on laboratory training, cadaver-based anatomy instruction, clinical medicine workshops, research collaboration, community outreach, and hospital-based learning experiences.

What's New

• Students completed 20 hours of hands-on laboratory training, including cadaver dissection taught jointly by UMHS and University of Guelph faculty.
• During a 3-hour biochemistry laboratory session, participants practiced blood glucose monitoring and basic urinalysis to better understand the assessment of metabolic and kidney health.
• In a 3-hour physiology laboratory session, students explored the clinical applications of EKGs for heart monitoring and respirometry for lung function testing.
• Through 9 hours of clinical medicine instruction, participants practiced patient history taking, vital sign assessment, and foundational clinical skills before spending a day shadowing healthcare professionals at JNF General Hospital.
• As part of a 6-hour collaborative research project, students worked in mixed teams to research a medical topic and present their findings to faculty.
• Students also shadowed UMHS medical students at a Med4You community health fair, gaining firsthand exposure to patient interactions, community outreach, and preventive healthcare.

Why It Matters

Many students interested in attending medical school spend years studying scientific concepts before gaining meaningful exposure to the practical realities of healthcare. P2P was designed to bridge that gap by providing hands-on experiences that help students understand how foundational science translates into patient care.

The program also offers participants the opportunity to experience life on a medical school campus, interact with faculty and current medical students, and gain valuable experience before applying to medical school.

What It Delivers

• Hands-on medical education experience through anatomy, laboratory, clinical medicine, and research activities.
• Cadaver-based anatomy training, a learning opportunity not commonly available to undergraduate students.
• Early clinical exposure through hospital observation and community healthcare experiences.
• Collaboration with faculty, physicians, and medical students in a supportive learning environment.
• Research and presentation experience through interdisciplinary team projects.
• An immersive medical school experience on UMHS's state-of-the-art campus in St. Kitts.
• Academic and financial value through potential credit from participants' home institutions and a future UMHS tuition credit equal to the amount paid for the program for students who later enroll at UMHS.

"The Principles to Practice program reflects our belief that supporting future physicians should begin long before they enter medical school," said Warren Ross, President of UMHS. "We believe that when you give students the opportunity to engage with medicine early, and surround them with meaningful, hands-on learning, you give them a stronger foundation for success. This program is an extension of the high-touch approach we have built at UMHS: engage students early, understand what they need to succeed, and provide the support and experience to help them move forward with confidence."

For participant Alexa Mazereeuw, a student at the University of Guelph, the experience provided opportunities rarely available during undergraduate study.

"The Principles to Practice program at UMHS has been one of the best experiences I've had," said Mazereeuw. "Having the opportunity to participate in the health fair and gain hands-on clinical experience was incredibly valuable. The professors were excellent, and the small, interactive learning environment gave me opportunities and experiences that I likely would not have had otherwise during my undergraduate education."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the Principles to Practice (P2P) program?
  P2P is a four-week experiential learning program that introduces undergraduate students to medical education through hands-on laboratory experiences, anatomy instruction, clinical medicine workshops, research activities, and community healthcare exposure.
• Who participated in the inaugural program?
  The inaugural cohort included undergraduate students from Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Guelph in Canada who are interested in exploring careers in medicine and healthcare.
• What hands-on experiences did students receive?
  Students participated in cadaver-based anatomy labs, physiology and biochemistry laboratory sessions, clinical medicine workshops, research projects, a hospital visit, and community healthcare outreach activities.
• What was the purpose of the JNF General Hospital visit?
  Students toured clinical wards with physicians and observed healthcare environments where UMHS students train, helping them understand how concepts learned during the program apply in real-world clinical settings.
• How were students involved with the Med4You Health Fair?
  Participants shadowed UMHS medical students as they conducted community health screenings and patient education activities, providing many students with their first exposure to direct patient interactions.
• Who taught the program?
  The program was led by a multidisciplinary team of UMHS faculty members, physicians, learning specialists, current medical students, and visiting faculty from the University of Guelph.
• Will UMHS offer the program again?
  Yes. Building on the success of the inaugural cohort, UMHS plans to expand the Principles to Practice program with additional sessions in Summer 2027. Planning is underway, and program dates and additional details will be announced in the coming months.

For more information about the Principles to Practice Program, please contact Dr. D. Craig Ayre, Assistant Dean of Strategic Development, Course Director of Genetics and Immunology, and Associate Professor of Molecular Sciences at [email protected].

SOURCE University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts