FTC Refunds Students Misled by Saint James Medical School
As we speak the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) is sending funds totaling over $830,300 to 1,376 college students who enrolled at Saint James College of Medication between fall 2016 and summer time 2021.
Key Takeaways
- On Nov. 3, 2022, the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) started sending funds totaling over $830,300 to a whole lot of scholars who enrolled at Saint James College of Medication between fall 2016 and summer time 2021.
- Again in April 2022, the FTC reported Saint James misled potential college students about their possibilities of each passing america Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 Examination and matching with a residency program after graduating.
- The FTC imposed a judgment towards Saint James and its operators of greater than $1.2 million to be put towards scholar refunds and debt cancellation.
Misleading Medical College Advertising and marketing
Saint James, a for-profit medical college positioned within the Caribbean, and its Illinois-based operators have been falsely promoting in regards to the successfulness of its college students since a minimum of April 2018, in keeping with the FTC. Again in April 2022, the FTC issued a criticism alleging Saint James misled potential college students about their possibilities of each passing a essential medical college standardized check and matching with a residency program following their commencement.
Based on the FTC’s criticism, Saint James and its operators claimed in gross sales calls, advertising supplies, and displays that the medical college possessed very excessive cross charges for america Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 Examination, regardless of its cross price being solely 35%. The medical college additionally promised its college students had “the identical” residency match charges as American medical faculties. Since 2017, their precise match charges have been roughly 20% decrease than marketed.
The Actions In opposition to Saint James
As a part of the ultimate order, the FTC took the next actions towards Saint James and its operators:
- Imposed a judgment of over $1.2 million, which went towards refunds and debt cancellation.
- Required the defendants to inform customers whose money owed had been canceled.
- Banned the defendants from misrepresenting their USMLE cross price and residency matches, along with making every other unsubstantiated claims.
- Prohibited violations of the TSR, Holder Rule, and CPR. The settlement additionally included Holder Rule protections by prohibiting Saint James from promoting any shopper credit score contracts except the client agrees, in writing, that its rights are topic to the debtors’ claims and defenses towards the defendants and Saint James notifies every borrower whose credit score contract is being offered.
