To advance the training of health professionals in the Caribbean and beyond through innovative, technology-driven, and community-focused education, grounded in collaborative, evidence-based research.
An internationally recognized Caribbean institution of excellence with global reach and impact.
Hamilton University School of Medicine (HUSM) was born from a bold vision: to transform healthcare in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), the wider Caribbean, and globally by developing a strong, sustainable pipeline of highly trained, community-rooted medical professionals.
HUSM is an initiative of the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF)—a for profit organization founded by a family of distinguished Caribbean healthcare leaders, Dr. Rufus Ewing, Dr. Dawn Perry, and Dr. Stuart Ewing. These founders bring decades of experience in clinical practice, public health, education, and healthcare policy. Together, they share a unified commitment to advancing healthcare quality, education, and access in the region.
The university is named in honor of Hamilton Ewing, grandfather of founder Dr. Rufus Ewing. A man of wisdom, curiosity, and service, Hamilton Ewing embodied the values of learning, healthcare advancement, and excellence—principles that now define the mission of HUSM.
TCI, like many small island developing states, faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals and relies heavily on transient foreign workers. Recognizing these challenges, the founders of HUSM sought to build a solution that would train physicians within the Caribbean context—equipping them to meet local health needs and remain embedded within the communities they serve.
The global shortage of healthcare workers, projected by the World Health Organization to exceed 11 million by 2030, underscores the urgency of HUSM’s mission. By building local capacity and reducing dependency on external health professionals, HUSM aims to close equity gaps and ensure consistent, high-quality care in TCI and globally.
Hamilton University School of Medicine is more than an academic institution; it is a movement toward health justice, community empowerment, and Caribbean excellence. By educating physicians who are skilled, compassionate, and deeply connected to the region, HUSM is shaping the future of healthcare—locally and globally.
We are transforming local communities and impacting the world!
Our leadership team brings together experienced medical educators, researchers, and healthcare administrators committed to our mission of excellence:
Founder & Executive Chairman, Hamilton Education Foundation
Project Lead, Hamilton University School of Medicine
Dr. Rufus Ewing is a distinguished Consultant General Surgeon, Public Health Practitioner, and former Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, with over two decades of leadership in healthcare and public service.
As Founder and Executive Chairman of the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF), Dr. Ewing leads the strategic development of the Hamilton University School of Medicine (HUSM), a transformative initiative to expand medical education and strengthen health systems in the Caribbean.
A graduate of the University of the West Indies and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Ewing has served in key national roles, including Chief Medical Officer and Minister of Health and Human Services. His legacy includes advancing surgical services, shaping national health policy, and building private sector health infrastructure through Medinco Group Ltd.
Regionally, Dr. Ewing has contributed to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) as an Advisor for Health Systems and Services and Country Program Advisor for the Caribbean and continues to support sustainable health initiatives across the Caribbean. His enduring commitment to education and community development guides his leadership of HUSM—positioning it as a catalyst for healthcare excellence and equity in the Turks and Caicos Islands and beyond.
Founder, Hamilton Education Foundation Lead, Accreditation & Academic Governance, Hamilton University School of Medicine
Dr. Dawn Perry is a respected Consultant Obstetrician-Gynecologist and Public Health Practitioner with over 20 years of clinical and leadership experience in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
As a Founder of the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF), she plays a pivotal role in shaping the academic direction and institutional quality of the Hamilton University School of Medicine (HUSM), serving as the Lead for Accreditation and Academic Governance.
A graduate of the University of the West Indies and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Perry has served in several senior health leadership roles, including Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Director of Clinical Services in the Ministry of Health. As Chief of Medical Services at TCI Hospitals, she led the institution to achieve four consecutive diamond-level accreditations from Accreditation Canada.
Dr. Perry has also made significant contributions to medical education, including helping secure accreditation from the University of the West Indies for the training of medical interns. She currently leads Omnicare Medical under Medinco Group, managing a network of specialist health centers that provide high-quality care across TCI.
Her commitment to academic excellence, accreditation integrity, and system-wide quality improvement underpins her leadership at HUSM—ensuring that the university meets the highest standards in medical education for the Caribbean and beyond.
Advisor Curriculum and Academic Program Development
Leading our research initiatives, Dr. Fernandez fosters collaboration between faculty and students to address pressing healthcare challenges.
Dean and Chief Academic Officer
With over 25 years of experience in medical education leadership at institutions across North America and the Caribbean, Dr. Richardson guides our academic vision.
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Dedicated to student success and wellbeing, Dr. Johnson oversees support services and ensures an optimal learning environment.
Director of Research and Innovation
Leading our research initiatives, Dr. Fernandez fosters collaboration between faculty and students to address pressing healthcare challenges.
To guide the strategic development of the Hamilton University School of Medicine, the Hamilton University Medical Center, and the Hamilton University Research Institute, the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF) Board of Directors has appointed a distinguished Advisory Board.
Comprising reputable experts in their respective fields, the Advisors are drawn from both the internal development team and leading partner institutions. They provide specialized knowledge and strategic insight to ensure that the university and its affiliated entities are established with excellence, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
The Advisory Board supports a wide range of key areas, including but not limited to:
These focus areas reflect the breadth of expertise required to build a world-class institution committed to advancing healthcare education, clinical excellence, and research innovation in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the wider Caribbean.
At HUSM, our curriculum is built on the ACTIVE Guiding Principles—a transformative model that aligns academic excellence with social responsibility and healthcare innovation. ACTIVE stands for:
Accountable socially, Competency-based, Transforming systems, Integrating disciplines, Value-based, and grounded in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Evidence-driven practice.
These principles shape a dynamic, community-informed medical education that prepares students not just to practice medicine—but to lead, innovate, and advocate for better health outcomes.
Our programs respond to the real health needs of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the broader Caribbean through community partnerships, service learning, and public health engagement.
Our curriculum aligns with global standards, ensuring graduates master clinical skills, leadership, interprofessional collaboration, and lifelong learning.
We train future physicians to be changemakers—skilled in health policy, systems-based practice, and technology integration to improve population health.
A multidisciplinary, team-based approach equips students to think critically, collaborate effectively, and provide holistic care.
Our students learn to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care centered on outcomes and patient well-being.
We foster a learning environment that is inclusive, just, and continually evolving—preparing culturally competent, evidence-informed physicians for an increasingly diverse and complex world.
We foster a learning environment that is inclusive, just, and continually evolving—preparing culturally competent, evidence-informed physicians for an increasingly diverse and complex world.
The Hamilton University campus at Grace Bay combines state-of-the-art learning facilities with the natural beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands:
Hamilton University School of Medicine is committed to maintaining the
highest standards of medical education.
We have embarked on our licensing and accreditation journey with the Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Advisory Board (HEAB) and the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). We have obtained a provisional license from HEAB and are actively progressing toward accreditation candidacy with CAAM-HP.
Our goal is to achieve initial provisional accreditation prior to the admission of our first medical class, and full accreditation before the graduation of our first cohort of students.
We are:
Children and adolescent literacy programs empowering children to attain their full potential
