The Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) is looking to hire more local faculty and staff members at its Virgin Islands (VI) campus. Photo: Facebook

Dr Jose D. Pérez, MD, MSC, MPH, Executive Dean and Vice-President of Operations of PHSU BVI, revealed that the university employs 70% of its administrative staff from the VI, while 25% of faculty are locals. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands

PHSU BVI welcomed its first cohort of medical students in the VI on Thursday, July 10. 2025. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands

PHSU BVI welcomed its first cohort of medical students in the VI on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Elieene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Paraquita Bay.

Two Virgin Islanders, Deshoy Ivan Ward and Koiya Rymer, formed part of the university’s inaugural cohort. 

VIslanders encouraged to apply for jobs

Speaking with Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) on Monday, January 26, 2026, Dr Jose D. Pérez, MD, MSC, MPH, Executive Dean and Vice-President of Operations of PHSU BVI, revealed that the university employs 70% of its administrative staff from the VI, while 25% of faculty are locals. 

“I think, also, it is important for all professionals in the BVI who have careers related to health sciences to feel free to reach out, because we always prefer to hire local faculty who already live on the island.”

Hiring locally, Dr Pérez explained, is easier because Labour and Immigration Department processes are not as complex.

“They can apply for the positions that we are going to open in the next month. We need faculty from Biochemistry to Clinical correlations, so there are plenty of opportunities, [and] our salaries are really competitive with benefits.”

Dr Pérez said the administration staff is largely local, as it is easier to source local employees for these positions as compared to faculty members. 

“Because of the experience, and this is the first medical school in the BVI, so it’s a little bit harder to find faculty or people that have everything that is required to teach according to what our accreditors [want].”

The university, he said, is also looking to hire more staff members. 

“We follow all labour rules, so if anybody wants to check out any of the positions, they will be posted in February. They can apply freely to all of those positions.”

Dr Pérez said by June 2026, the university hopes to have 25 to 30 people employed at the school.