St. Theresa's Medical University (St. Kitts)

St. Theresa's Medical University was a medical school located in Basseterre, St. Kitts prior to its closure in 2009. St. Theresa's Medical University was opened in August 2005 and closed in August 2009. The medical school was founded by its chancellor and executive dean, Thomas M. Uhrin, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where it also had offices. In St. Kitts Uhrin represented himself as holding an M.D. degree, but he had been terminated in 2004 by the International University of the Health Sciences in St. Kitts for misrepresenting his academic credentials. In 1999 he had resigned as Medical Director of a clinic in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, after admitting that he had not completed medical training and was not licensed as a medical doctor. Uhrin's credentials became the subject of investigations by government ministries. Of the initial class of 17 students, 15 withdrew amid allegations of verbal abuse, unsafe learning conditions, and improper treatment of cadavers. As of the fall term ending December 2006, STMU had approximately one dozen students. In early 2007, the school claimed to have approximately 30 students enrolled. At the time of its closure, it had eight or ten students. STMU was in an academic partnership with Warnborough College for automatic admission of holders of Warnborough College (UK) Pre-Medical diplomas and issuance of dual degrees with Warnborough College (IE). The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization states that Warnborough and STMU were operated jointly. In May 2009, the Institute of Technological Studies announced that it had formed a partnership to open a branch campus of STMU in Colombo, Sri Lanka, beginning in June 2009, with approximately 75 students, for which STMU claimed to have government approval. The closure of STMU ended these plans and other plans for expansion into Italy. "Health Education Associates Unlimited, Inc.", the investment firm promoted by Uhrin and STMU President and CEO Jeffrey T. Irwin to finance the Sri Lanka and Italy expansions, folded in 2009, leaving investors unpaid.