Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Oceania University of Medicine? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
ozziegiraffe 03:26 UTC 26 Mar 2012 | Does this sound too good to be true? I found the site for the Oceania Universtiy of Medicine while browsing about another institution offering so-called higher education. It sounds very much like a scam that was set up in Solomon Islands a few years ago. Students actually arrived in the country to find the University didn't exist. Can anyone with first-hand knowledge of Samoa shed any light? |
anillos_de_saturno 16:39 UTC 26 Mar 2012 | I don't have first-hand knowledge of Samoa but I think you could find useful this thread in other forum that talks about the Oceania University of Medicine; specially, the suggestion made there by a user called Shanmac1 (3rd post starting by the end). There are plenty of articles about the Oceania University of Medicine in the Samoan newspaper quoted by that user. Of course, it would be better if someone with first-hand knowledge could provide us info about the Oceania University of Medicine (although we should be careful with touts) but, just in case that isn't possible... BTW, it seems that university exists because is quoted by the Ministry of Education, sports and culture of Samoa here and here (page: 76). | 1
wksamoa 18:35 UTC 26 Mar 2012 | The school certainly exists, no doubt about that. But that is already all I know about it as a Samoan local. | 2
ozziegiraffe 02:34 UTC 27 Mar 2012 | According to one of the links in #1 above, it appear to be based at the Ministry of Health. However, given what happened in Solomon Islands, and given generally slow internet in the South Pacific, I am concerned and wondering where its graduates are accredited (if they get that far). | 3
wksamoa 06:09 UTC 27 Mar 2012 | Yes, it is at the National Hospital which just gets a new multi-storey wing, for teaching purposes too. The Ministry of Health new premises are right opposite on the other side of the road. All built by Chinese workers, on a grant project. Internet speed in that area is Broadband on cable, WIMAX and 4G on wireless, even faster. Since Digicel and BlueSkyNet are competing, communication options in and around Apia really reached a new level. Faster than I had it in Auckland a few months ago. What happens to the graduates - I dont't know. The school is running since 2009, as far as I know, so there might be not that many of them yet. | 4
anillos_de_saturno 14:10 UTC 27 Mar 2012 | I am concerned and wondering where its graduates are accredited I'm not sure if you are asking about this info. | 5