Ewings working on TCIs first indigenous university and school of medicine; plans unveiled

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, November 15, 2022 – The Turks and Caicos is moving even closer to having its own medical school after high level stakeholder meetings were held on Thursday.

A team from Hamilton Education Fund including Dr. Rufus Ewing, former TCI Premier and his wife, Dr. Dawn Perry Ewing met with Premier Washington Misick, other government ministers and select government bodies in a session which offered some insight into the Hamilton University project.

“We are all excited about the Hamilton University School of Medicine, it’s a university that is proposed to the government of The Turks and Caicos Islands by the Hamilton Education Foundation to establish an indigenous medical school,” explained Ewing.

The combined vision of Ewing and his wife, he said HUSM will bring ‘great socio economic benefit’ to the TCI by “Not only training medical doctors to serve Turks and Caicos need for doctors but also the rest of the Caribbean and the world where there’s a global shortage.”

He maintained that HUSM would diversify the country’s tourism offerings as well as boost the island’s medical offerings.

“All we have is persons coming on vacation, honeymoons and weddings but now we can add to that list of tourist arrivals students who are coming to the Turks and Caicos Islands to live for some period for training.”

He added “The school will bring with it as well persons who are highly skilled as specialists within their fields as visiting faculty to teach our medical students.  And they in doing so will be able to provide medical care that is currently not available.”

The school which is slated to begin construction in 2023 will span 45,000 square feet.  It will include a Medical Clinic that will house specialist clinics serving the educational needs of the students and offering care to the local community

Back in August when the initial MOU was signed, the government had promised “state-of-the-art learning technologies, and an accredited curriculum.”

During Thursday’s session, at the conference room at Blue Haven Resort, the Hamilton Education Fund met with key agencies including the Ministry of Health, the TCI Hospitals, the Health Regulatory Authority and the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College in closed sessions.

When opened HUSM will be The Turks and Caicos’ first indigenous university.