From The Ministry of Health and the Health Services Authority

The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Health Services Authority, is offering an overseas scholarship package for junior Caymanian doctors who have completed their internships and are seeking to undertake specialty training.  The application process is open from 1 November to 14 November and is for physicians seeking to begin studies in Fall 2018/Spring 2019/Summer 2019.

The scholarship, which is available now and may be awarded for up to five-years, will allow recipients to pursue studies at an institution recognised to provide high level training in the specialty being pursued. The application is open to all doctors in public or private practice who meet the scholarship criteria, and applicants will be required to return to the Cayman Islands and work at the Health Services Authority for at least the length of time of the scholarship.  Valued at a maximum of CI$125,000 per annum, the scholarship covers tuition, other school-related fees and expenses and a monthly stipend for living expenses such as accommodation, utilities, groceries, transportation and airfare.  Other expenses such as medical equipment and conferences can also be covered if approved beforehand, and a small allowance will be awarded in addition to the annual expenses.

“I am pleased to see this unique scholarship come to fruition.  Interest in the medical field among young Caymanians continues to grow, and in recent years we have had a number of Caymanian physicians come home to practice. However, it has proven quite financially challenging for many of them to further their education and advance their qualifications by specialising, thus limiting their professional growth and not allowing them to go beyond the role of general practitioner,” said Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture, and Lands (MEYSAL).

“This scholarship will allow them to get the specialist training they need in order to not only compete on a level playing field both locally and internationally but to find their niche in the field and be able to practice in that area with the requisite experience and credentials,” Minister O’Connor-Connolly concluded,  “I am happy that we were able to work with the Ministry of Health and the HSA to make this a reality for our Caymanian doctors.”

In order to qualify, applicants must possess the right to be Caymanian and be domiciled in the Cayman Islands during the immediate five (5) years prior to application.  In addition, they must have attained a recent qualification with a minimum of:

• A MBBS/MD degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or an Upper Second Class Degree (2:1) or higher; OR
• A Master’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or an Upper Second Class Degree (2:1) or higher
• Current programme with a semester GPA of 3.0 or an Upper Second (2.1) or an assessment of Satisfactory or higher.

Applications for the Medical Specialisation scholarship can be downloaded on the Ministry of Education website (www.education.gov.ky/scholarships).  Interested applicants can contact the Scholarship Secretariat at 244-2482 for further details. Applicants must scan and email their application form and the necessary documents to the Scholarship Secretariat at [email protected].