Caribbean Medical University

What Caribbean Medical University does

Caribbean Medical University (CMU) is a private, for-profit medical school founded in 2007 that delivers a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree pathway primarily to applicants who were unable to gain admission to US medical schools. Its academic model is structured in three sequential segments: a 100% online Pre-Medical program (three 16-week trimesters), a Basic Science program (five trimesters, ~16 weeks each) conducted at the company's main campus in Willemstad, Curacao, and a Clinical Science program (six 12-week trimesters) delivered through a network of five US-based CMU SOM Medical Centers plus affiliated ACGME-approved teaching hospitals. CMU is listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), is ECFMG-eligible, and holds a recent 5-year full accreditation — requirements that allow graduates to sit US board exams and apply for US/Canadian residency.

The institution targets two core customer segments: pre-medical students needing prerequisite coursework (delivered online with a guaranteed MD-admission pathway) and MD-program students seeking an alternative to US medical school via rolling admissions (January, May, September intakes), no MCAT requirement, and a 2.8 GPA minimum. Stated outcome metrics include a 90% first-attempt USMLE Step 1 pass rate and 80%+ NRMP Match success among participating students. Key differentiators are tuition priced significantly below US medical schools (~$5,900 per trimester for Basic Science and $9,900 for Clinical Science, versus $30,000–$60,000+ per semester in the US), three rolling admission cycles per year, small class sizes of approximately 30 students, and a USMLE Step 1 guarantee credit of $5,000 for first-attempt failures.

Revenue is generated primarily through trimester-based subscription tuition, supplemented by a $75 application fee (occasionally $25 on promotion), $780 graduation and $370 visa-processing fees, and student-housing revenue at the on-campus AB Dorm (single $2,800 / double $1,800 per trimester, utilities included). The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer: centralized online applications, digital content (website blog, short-form video, social platforms including TikTok), enrollment webinars led by the Director of Enrollment, and in-person open houses in major US and Canadian cities. CMU operates from a Curacao headquarters, a Chicago-metropolitan US Office (Rosemont, IL) handling financial aid, and a separate Chicago training-academy footprint for clinical-rotation orientation and USMLE review. The reported headcount of 11–50 employees indicates a lean operating model relative to the operational scope of a multi-program medical school.

Name

Caribbean Medical University

Legal name

Caribbean Medical University

Website

https://cmumed.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caribbean Medical University is a private, for-profit medical school founded in 2007 that offers an MD pathway — online Pre-Med, Basic Science in Curacao, and Clinical Science rotations across US hospitals — targeting applicants who cannot gain admission to US medical schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAGAB

Medical Schools (MD/DO Granting)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

SECONDARYEDAHALAF

Online Healthcare & Nursing Universities (Allied Health, RN-to-BSN, etc.)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Distance & Online Universities

SECONDARYEDANAIAA

Healthcare & Medical Licensure Exam Prep (USMLE/COMLEX, NCLEX, Dentistry, Pharmacy, PA)

Education/Tutoring & Test Preparation/Professional Certification & Licensure Exam Prep

Keywords

• Medical education
• Doctor of medicine
• USMLE preparation
• Clinical rotations
• Pre-medical program

Headquarters

HQ city

Park Ridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Medical Education Tuition: Semester/trimester-based tuition for Pre-Med, Basic Science, and Clinical Science programs. Students pay per trimester with options for annual or program-based payment.
2. Application Fees: One-time non-refundable application fee of $75, with occasional promotional discounts reducing to $25
3. Student Housing: On-campus dormitory fees for student accommodations, billed per trimester alongside tuition
4. Graduation and Administrative Fees: One-time fees including $780 graduation fee and visa processing fees of $370

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caribbean Medical University is a private medical school offering a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree delivered through a three-stage pathway: a 100% online Pre-Medical Program, a five-trimester Basic Science curriculum on its Curacao campus, and a six-trimester Clinical Science program of US hospital rotations. The school supports students with integrated USMLE Step 1 preparation, NRMP residency matching services, and on-campus housing.

Product overview

Caribbean Medical University offers a comprehensive medical education program consisting of three main components: a 100% online Pre-Medical Program (3 semesters) providing guaranteed admission to the MD program, the Medical Program - Basic Science (5 semesters on Curacao campus), and the Medical Program - Clinical Science (6 semesters at affiliated US hospitals). The university also provides optional student housing at AB Dorm and supplementary USMLE preparation courses. Students can start in January, May, or September with rolling admissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Medical Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% USMLE Step 1 first-attempt pass rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CMU SOM Medical Centers (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive CMU SOM Medical Centers located throughout the USA where Clinical Science students complete rotations. Sites offer residency programs approved by ACFGME or are affiliated with CMU School of Medicine.
• US Teaching HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated hospitals in the United States providing clinical rotation opportunities. Students complete core and elective rotations at these ACGME-approved sites, enabling practical training in US healthcare settings.
• Pavilion Apartments (Chicago)minorOthersRecommended housing location for students during clinical rotations in Chicago area near O'Hare Airport. Not affiliated with CMU but provided as resource.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St. George's University: Largest Caribbean medical school founded in 1976, offering a 4-year MD program with USMLE prep, ACGME-approved clinical rotations, and a track record of residency placements. Directly competes with CMU for the same pool of US/Canadian applicants priced out of US MD programs.
• All Saints University School of Medicine: Caribbean medical school with campuses in Dominica and Saint Vincent, offering a 4-year MD with clinical rotations in the US. Smaller-scale competitor serving applicants who are priced out of US MD programs.
• Trinity School of Medicine: St. Vincent-based Caribbean medical school with rolling admissions and US clinical rotations. Closely comparable to CMU in scale, structure, and target applicant pool of students unable to enter US MD programs.
• Ross University School of Medicine: Dominica-based Caribbean MD program with a comparable structure of basic sciences followed by US clinical rotations and a strong focus on USMLE pass rates and residency matching. A primary direct competitor for the same students CMU targets.
• American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine: Sint Maarten-based Caribbean medical school with USMLE-focused curriculum and clinical rotations in the US/UK. Operates the same basic-science-then-clinical-rotations model and competes head-to-head with CMU for international and US applicants.
• Medical University of the Americas: Nevis-based Caribbean medical school offering a 4-year MD with USMLE preparation and US-based clinical rotations. Operates on a similar small-scale, low-overhead model targeting international and US applicants seeking an alternative path to residency.
• Saba University School of Medicine: Small Caribbean MD program with rolling admissions and a basic-science/clinical-rotation structure similar to CMU's. Targets the same demographic of students who did not gain admission to US MD programs and competes on cost and access.
• Xavier University School of Medicine: Aruba-based Caribbean MD program offering a basic-science/clinical-rotation structure with USMLE prep, competing with CMU for the same international and US applicant pool at a comparable price point.

Others

• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): Operates the AMCAS application system for US MD programs and administers key standards. Not a competitor, but the institutional gatekeeper whose capacity constraints and admission standards drive the rejected-applicant pool that CMU depends on.
• Kaplan (USMLE prep and education services): Major USMLE preparation provider that is both a partner (5-week Kaplan LivePrep integrated into CMU's curriculum) and an adjacent participant in the medical education ecosystem. Relevant as an enabling service rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbeQWeDkNNrQLrp4S366Usg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cmusom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caribbean-medical-university-curacao
• Instagraminstagram.com/cmusom
• TikToktiktok.com/@cmusom
• Xx.com/cmusom

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caribbean Medical University