The Sovereign Medical Order of the Knights Hospitaller, the ancient benevolent society of medical knights, began classes in medicine in 2005 and formally announced the opening of its School of Medicine in Cuenca, Ecuador, October 13, 2007. After long negotiations, the Sovereign Council approved the Charter of member affiliates participation, SOMA Institute of Ecuador, and the Pan-American School of Natural Medicine. Knights of the Order volunteered as faculty. Currently 16 students are in resident studies with another twenty in post-graduate distance learning. On January 16, 2009, a meeting of the Magistral Council convened and voted to launch an online school in English in conjunction wtih residencies in affiliated hospitals and clinics. This web page is announcing its post-graduate program for member candidates interested in this unique medical degree (M.D.) program.

Meeting of the Educational Council, Jan 16, 2009

Since the invasion of the Order by Napoleon on Malta, 1798, the Medical School was closed and for more than 200 years the Order has not resurrected its own school. The Council recognizes that popular medicine is not generally suited to convey primary care training to doctors to aid and assist in services to poverty-stricken regions, and a medical program must be custom tailored for effective training of medical personnel. There are many practitioners in the Americas that would readily volunteer medical services and for that purpose the Sovereign Council of SMOKH voted to initiate its new school of medicine.

This active, Medical Order is the last such organization, carrying on the work of monastic medicine, and we wish to have it preserved for the benefit of future generations as well as serve a lasting memory of a movement that contributed significantly to the Renaissance of today’s modern medicine. This heritage included languages, transcription, folk tales, ceremonies, etc. about traditional medicine, and all the medical and nursing skills that were handed down from generation to generation including surgery and ambulatory care. These traditions and practices reflect the spirit of members and communities of the Hospitallers from Europe to the Americas, to the Philippines. Yet this intangible heritage is at great risk as the natural and spiritual heritage must be preserved to the world for future posterity.

The new school emphasizes the biological sciences in relation to theistic evolution, bedside diagnosis, tropical medicine, laboratory, emergency medicine, minor surgery, chaplaincy, nursing, and rural primary care. Academic learning will work in concert with clinical rotations in the rural clinics sponsored and operated by the Order.

Description: The program is combined online studies with clinical rotations as service to the Order's Hospitals and primary care centers. The centers are currently located in Nevis, West Indies; Quito and Santo Domingo Ecuador; Malakoff, Texas; Cyprus; with other centers developing. Enrollment is limited to members of the Order having taken monastic vows.

Admittance into the School is by formal application with a referral of Knight in good standing. Upon application and confirmation, a appointment for personal interview is arranged.

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