Virtual Public Health Conference 2020

Virtual
Public Health Conference

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Relevance • Creativity • Innovation

November 6-7, 2020


Virtual Public Health Conference

Relevance, Creativity and Innovation in Public Health Education and Practice

November 6-7, 2020

Relevance, Creativity, and Innovation in Public Health Education and Practice

St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies invites you to attend its premier Virtual Public Health Conference in recognition and response to the year 2020 being a significant year for public health.  

Uniquely positioned to lead a discussion on the conference theme, “Relevance, Creativity, and Innovation in Public Health Education and Practice”, this two-day conference will be held online on November 6th and 7th.

In this conference, we aim to explore timely public health discussions on:   

  • Addressing public health issues in the global community  
  • Examining COVID-19 and social disparities  
  • COVID and social injustice: Exploring, confronting, resolving 
  • Exploring public health solutions together 
  • Practicing and educating for a healthier world 
  • Research presentations, virtual field trips, career guidance and more


Relevance: Public Health is more relevant now than ever as the principles of public health education and practice have been shared by authorities and experts to manage the response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Our overall goal is to promote health, prevent diseases, and prolong life.



Creativity: Our new normal forces us to be creative about how we live, work, and learn. We invite you to engage with healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers, leading the charge in the fight against COVID-19. 



Innovation: Around the globe, obstacles have transformed into opportunities. Learn how SGU faced these challenges by incorporating innovative technology in its education, research, and service.



Schedule of Events

St. George’s University with its international network of global partners, will bring together experts, educators, scholars, and students, to explore how we continue to navigate through our present-day public health challenges.

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Day 1: Friday November 6, 2020

Relevance, Creativity, and Innovation in Public Health Education & Practice (COVID-19 Pandemic & Social Justice)
Time Activity Speaker Moderator
12.30-1.00 Entrance & Troubleshooting John Swope
1:00-1:30 Greetings & Official Opening of the Conference Dr. Glen Jacobs – Provost, St. George’s University

Dr. Christine Richards – Chair, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Dr. G. Richard Olds – President, St. George’s University

Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
1:30 – 2.00 Keynote Speaker Dr. Julietta Rodríguez Guzmán – Regional Advisor in Workers’ and Consumers’ Health for the Americas, Pan American Health Organization /World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Dr. Tonia Frame
2.00 – 2.10 Question and Answer Session Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
2:10 – 2:30 Ground Breaking Research in the COVID-19 Pandemic Dr. Calum Macpherson – Founding Director and Vice President, Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF) Dr. Hem-Lee-Forsyth
2.30 – 2.45 Government of Grenada’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Dr. Francis Martin – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Grenada Dr. Lindonne Glasgow
2:45-3.00 Special Presentation – SGU’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Dr. Marios Loukas – Dean of Basic Sciences, St. George’s University School of Medicine Mr. Gerard St. Cyr
3.00-3:15 Innovation in Teaching Public Health Online John Swope & Jonathan Modica – Office of Online Innovation, St. George’s University School of Medicine Dr. Giselle Cumming
3.15 – 3.30 Questions Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
3.30 – 3.45 Showcase: Creativity in Public Health Education Dr. Maia Smith
3.45 – 4.30 Panel Discussion – COVID-19, social justice, equity – Perspectives on creative and innovative approaches Dr. Shanti Singh (Knowledge Management Coordinator, Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS)

Dr. Carlene Radix (Head, Human and Social Division at the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States)

Mrs. Laurie Moise-Sears (Director of Community Health Integration at ONE Neighborhood Builders in Providence, Rhode Island)

Dr. Brian Butler – Professor, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University

Dr. Kerry Mitchell
4.30-4.50 Question and Answer Session Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
4:50-4:55 Special Presentation – Speed Mentoring & Meet the Employers Presentation Mr. Neil Sirota – Professional Careers Program Manager, St. George’s University
4:55 – 5:00 Day 1 Presentation Close Mrs. Tessa St. Cyr  Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Mrs. Tessa St. Cyr
5:00-6:00 Speed Mentoring & Meet the Employers Mr. Neil Sirota – Professional Careers Program Manager, St. George’s University

Day 2: Saturday November 7, 2020

Relevance, Creativity, and Innovation in Public Health Education & Practice (COVID-19 Pandemic & Social Justice)
Time Activity Speaker  Moderator
9:45-10:00 Entrance & Troubleshooting John Swope
10:00-10:55 Research presentations w/ Q&A:

Sessions 1- 3

Dr. Martin Forde
10:55-11:50 Research presentations w/ Q&A:

Sessions 4- 6

Dr. Angela Gomez
11:50-12:20 International Collaboration for Achieving Health Co-Benefits Through Innovative Climate Action Dr. Daniel Buss – Advisor on Climate Change and Health (WHO/PAHO)

Dr. Jonathan Drewry – Regional Advisor, Climate Change and Health

Dr. Joseph V. Spadaro – Environmental Impact Analysis, WHO Consultant

Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
12:20-12:30 Question and Answer Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
12:30-1:00 Break
1.00 – 1.30 Keynote Speaker Dr. Joy St. John – Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (Caribbean Public Health Agency) Dr. Prakash Ramdass
1.30-1.45 Question and Answer Session Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
1.45 – 2.30 Panel Discussion – Intersections between COVID-19 pandemic, social justice, and equity.

Dr. Ahmad Firas Khalid (Lecturer & Researcher, Center for Global Health Emergencies, School of Population and Global Health, McGill University)

Dr. Lisa Indar (Director

Surveillance, Disease Prevention & Control Division, Caribbean Public Health Agency)

Dr. Chris Oura (Veterinary Virology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of the West Indies)

Dr. Rozena Maart (School of Social Science, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)

Mr. Kennedy Roberts
2.30 – 3.00 Question and Answer Session Dr. Satesh Bidaisee
3:00-3.10 Closing Remarks Dr. Emmanuel Keku, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Dr. Emmanuel Keku
3:10-3.50 Virtual Field Trip Environmental Health Field Trip Ms. Sabrina Compton

2020 Keynote Speakers

Dr. G. Richard Olds, MD, MACP

An educator, physician, and administrator during a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years, Dr. G. Richard Olds became president of St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies on August 28, 2015. Prior to joining SGU, he was the vice chancellor for Health Affairs and the founding dean of the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). In 2010, Dr. G. Richard Olds joined UCR to lead the creation of a new school of medicine – the first LCME-accredited medical school in California in more than four decades.

Dr. G. Richard Olds is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was an infectious disease fellow and one of the nation’s first geographic medicine fellows at University Hospitals of Cleveland, where he also served as medical chief resident and faculty member. He served as a full professor of medicine, pediatrics, molecular, cell, and development biology at Brown University.  He was also the founding director of Brown’s International Health Institute. He was professor and chairman of medicine at the MetroHealth Campus of Case Western Reserve University in the 1990s. His role at UCR was preceded by a decade long stint as professor and chair of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In addition to his academic background, Dr. G. Richard Olds is a tropical disease specialist with extensive experience working in Asia and Africa. He has over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters primarily on international health topics. He was the foreign principal investigator of an NIH funded Tropical Disease Research Center in the Philippines. He currently serves on a WHO expert panel and was chairman of the board of a large Gates Foundation project to deworm children in Sub Saharan Africa.

Dr. Julietta Rodriguez-Guzman, MD SOH MSc OH

Coming from Colombia, she received an MD degree from the Pontific Xaveriana University, a specialty degree in occupational health from El Bosque University, and a Master of Science (MSc) applied degree in occupational health sciences from McGill University in Canada. Holding several diplomas in social security, occupational epidemiology, distance education, and labor medicine and rehabilitation, she was awarded a policy research fellowship from the McGill University Institute of Health and Social Policy.

Her work during the past 32 years focused on assessing occupational health and workers’ compensation systems, policies, and programs. Her international research focused on working populations in Colombia and Latin America and she is the author of multiple articles, book chapters, and has edited several books.

Since 2011, she has been the regional advisor in Workers’ and Consumers’ Health for the Americas, at the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), where she leads the implementation of the Plan of Action on Workers’ Health 2015–2025 for the Americas. Her flagship projects are the surveys on work, equity, and health in LAC, the initiative to prevent occupational cancer, prevention of the epidemics of Non-Traditional Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDnT), enforcement of workers’ health promotion and wellbeing, and strengthening diagnosis of occupational diseases.

Dr. Joy St. John

Dr. Joy St. John is dedicated and reliable, with a track record of achievements in public health systems management and development and health diplomacy. Her firm but fair style has assured her a place in networks of practise across the world.

Since July 2019, she has been the executive director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), providing leadership and direction to CARPHA in executing the functions laid out in the Inter-Governmental Agreement.

Along with the CARPHA team, Dr. St John has led the public health response in the CARICOM region.

From October 2017 to April 2019, Dr. St. John was the assistant director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), with direct responsibility at the WHO for Climate and other Determinants of Health (CED). She was the first Barbadian to be the assistant director-general.

Dr. St. John was the former chief medical officer of Barbados for more than 12 years–the first Barbadian to hold that office. She was also the top public health advisor to the Minister of Health and responsible for the oversight of the management of the health sector. From 2012–2013, she was also the first Caribbean person to become the chairman of the executive board of the WHO.

Panelists

Carlene Radix, MD

Dr. Carlene Radix is the head of health and the head of the Human and Social Division at the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The Human and Social Cluster encompasses health, education, social protection, and procurement of essential medicines and medical supplies for the region. As head of health, she provides strategic oversight of the OECS Health Agenda in keeping with the Fort de France Declaration on Health.

Dr. Carlene Radix is a public health physician and health administration leader in the Caribbean. She previously held the position of medical director at St. Jude Hospital in St. Lucia. She completed medical school at St George’s University in Grenada and completed a combined internal medicine and pediatric residency at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn and Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. This was followed by an Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health Fellowship at Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute (EOHSI) in Piscataway, NJ, during which she completed her master’s degree in public health. She was board certified in the three specialties of internal medicine, pediatrics, and occupational medicine by the respective boards.

Dr. Radix is a dual citizen of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. She returned to the Caribbean and has held various positions in clinical medicine, academia, public health, and administration while continuing some aspect of volunteer practice. She has been an assistant dean and an associate professor at St George’s University, as well as served as the chief medical officer of Grenada and the county medical officer of Tobago. She has consulted for regional and international public health agencies including the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Ahmad Firas Khalid, MD, PhD

Ahmad Firas Khalid is a medical doctor, a health policy researcher, and a lecturer on health systems and policy. He completed his Ph.D. in health policy at McMaster University with a focus on supporting the use of research evidence to inform decision-making in crisis zones. Previously, Dr. Khalid worked as a health policy researcher at the Research Unit on Humanitarian Stakes and Practices (UREPH) at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Geneva, Switzerland. He also worked in the Department of Child and Maternal Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Khalid has expertise in medicine, education, health policy, knowledge translation, and health emergencies working with relief and intergovernmental organizations.

Dr. Khalid attended St. George’s University School of Medicine in 2005 where he graduated with an MD with research distinction. He also holds a Master of Management (IMHL) from McGill University (2014), and both a Master of Health in professions education (2014) and a Graduate Certificate in population health risk assessment and management (2012) from the University of Ottawa.

Shanti Singh-Anthony MD, MPH

Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony worked with the Guyana Health Care system for 20 years. As a medical doctor, she delivered clinical management to patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation–Guyana’s only tertiary hospital and provided primary health care services in rural communities along Guyana’s coastland. After completing her studies in public health in 2004, she took up leadership positions at the national level. She served as the director of the National Tuberculosis Control Program and program manager for the National Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in Guyana.

In 2006, she was assigned to Guyana’s HIV Program as the director of the country’s largest HIV treatment, and provided comprehensive treatment to people living with HIV. One year later, in 2007, as the head of Guyana’s National HIV response, she coordinated multiple partners–US President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Pan American Health Organization, United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and other UN agencies. She successfully led policy initiatives, mobilized donor resources, and established guidelines and protocols for the delivery of quality HIV services. She represented Guyana and participated in policy formulation at the regional (Executive Board of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS) and international levels (UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board and the Board of the Global Fund). Dr. Singh-Anthony also served as a member of the planning committee of the 19th International AIDS Conference held in Washington, DC.

In 2016, Dr. Singh-Anthony joined the Caribbean’s HIV response. Funded by USAID, she commenced working as the knowledge management coordinator for the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS. Collaboratively with Johns Hopkins University, Centers for Communication Programs, she created synthesized, repurposed, and shared up-to-date local and international knowledge and experiences with national HIV responses across the Caribbean. To date, she continues to lead knowledge management for HIV in the Caribbean.

Brian Phillip Butler, DVM, MPH, PhD

Dr. Butler is an associate professor in the Department of Pathobiology at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. After graduating from SGU in 2005, Dr. Butler entered small animal practice for two years and then completed a PhD in comparative pathology at UC-Davis. He is currently teaching pathology in the DVM curriculum at SGU and serving as a mentor to graduate students. In addition to teaching, Dr. Butler is the director of the diagnostic anatomic pathology service and participates in collaborative research.

Prior to his current position at SGU, he received his residency training in veterinary anatomic pathology at Cornell University, School of Veterinary Medicine. In 2015, Dr.Butler obtained board certification by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Diplomate ACVP). During that time he worked at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, which is a regional full-service multidisciplinary animal disease diagnostic facility that fosters relationships between research scientists and diagnostic pathologists.

Laurie Moïse Sears, MPH

Laurie Moïse Sears is the director of Community Health Integration at ONE Neighborhood Builders in Providence, Rhode Island. Her primary focus is expanding the impact of the Central Providence Health Equity Zone and other community-building efforts aimed at eliminating barriers set by social determinants of health.

Prior to joining ONE Neighborhood Builders, Ms. Sears worked for the Boston Public Health Commission’s (BPHC) Homeless Services Bureau as the Serving Ourselves Career Center manager. She has also held management positions at the Recovery Services Bureau at BPHC and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Addiction Recovery Management Services Program (ARMS), as well as served as an adjunct professor of health economics at various colleges in Boston.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in health policy and management from Providence College and a master’s in public health from St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies.

As a woman of Haitian descent, Ms. Sears has a history of advocacy. She continues to establish relationships with local organizations dedicated to serving those who have immigrated to the United States.

Rozena Maart PhD

Professor Rozena Maart was born in Cape Town, South Africa. At 24, she was nominated for the Woman of the Year award in South Africa for her work in the area of gender-based violence and for co-founding the first Black feminist organization in South Africa: Women Against Repression [W.A.R.]. Prof. Maart completed her undergraduate education at the University of the Western Cape, her master’s degree at the University of York in the UK, and her Ph.D. at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her work examines the intersections among political philosophy, Black consciousness, Derridean deconstruction, and psychoanalysis, all of which address questions of race, gender, and identity.

Prof. Maart is a member of the Caribbean Philosophy Association, having completed a five-year term as Black Consciousness and Psychoanalysis Secretary; Philosophy Born of Struggle, and the International Assembly of Women in Philosophy [UNESCO]. She also wrote the race chapter for South Africa’s first sociology textbook. She has supervised students in fine arts, sociology, philosophy, English, politics, international relations, law, and gender studies. In 2016, she received the William R. Jones lifetime achievement award from Philosophy Born of Struggle for her work in philosophy, especially her groundbreaking work in Philosophy Born of Massacres. In 2017, Prof. Maart won an award for research excellence from UKZN and a student mentorship award. In January 2019, she was appointed as an International Research Ambassador to the University of Bremen in Germany.

Chris Oura, DVM, PhD

Dr. Chris Oura is currently a professor in veterinary virology in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of the West Indies (UWI). He is a qualified veterinary surgeon, has a Ph.D. in viral immunopathology, and has many years of research experience working predominantly on vector-borne viral and protozoal diseases. Dr. Oura has worked in many countries around the world including Mexico, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

He took up his post at UWI in Trinidad and Tobago in early 2012 and is currently running a One Health-based research program. Dr. Oura is presently supervising 7 Ph.D. and MPhil students and received the UWI Vice Chancellor award for research in 2017. He is also a member of the UWI Covid-19 taskforce.

Joseph Spadaro, PhD

An environmental research scientist (PhD École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, France), Dr Spadaro specializes in software development for integrated health and economic impact assessment models. His work contributes to research use and policy analysis for the World Health Organization (WHO) offices in Europe as well as the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Previously, he worked at Princeton University, NJ, Argonne National Labs, Chicago, ILand various research centers in Europe for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where he carried out basic research on energy analysis, pollutant transport modeling and assessments on health risks, heatwave mortality and carbon emissions and interventions.

Dr Spadaro has contributed to development of the AirQ+ model on health impact assessment of air quality in collaboration with the Global Burden of Disease Community. He is also a co-author of several books and major technical works such as “How Much is Clean Air Worth? Calculating the Benefits of Pollution Control”, Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Jonathan Drewry, MPH, RS, DrPH

Dr. Jonathan Drewry is a regional climate change and health advisor with the Pan American Health Organization, based in Barbados. Dr Drewry provides technical cooperation to address the environmental determinants of health and supports the implementation of the EU/CARIFORUM Project to strengthen climate-resilient health systems in the Caribbean.

Prior to this position, he was a director for the US Peace Corps in Colombia and Regional Health Impact Assessment Advisor with PAHO/WHO based in Peru. He worked in public health leadership, programming, and training for more than 25 years throughout the Americas. He has a master’s degree in public health and environmental health as well as a doctorate in public health with a focus on maternal and child health. He has been a registered environmental health specialist through the National Environmental Health Association since 2004.

Dr. Daniel Buss

Advisor on Climate Change and Health of the Pan American Health Organization – Regional office of the World Health Organization – based in Washington DC. Dr Buss coordinates PAHO’s technical cooperation to 35 countries and 18 territories of the Americas on topics related to climate change, green spaces, biodiversity, public health and environmental health.

Guest Speakers

E. Francis Martin, MD

Dr. E. Francis Martin has worked as an emergency medicine physician at the General Hospital in Grenada for 10 years. He is a graduate of St. George’s University, School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, and also holds a master’s degree in health policy and management. He is the current permanent secretary and former chief medical officer of the Ministry of Health, Grenada. Dr. Martin was the past president of the Junior Doctors Association, the Grenada Medical Association, and the SGU School of Medicine Alumni Association – Grenada Chapter. He is also a guest lecturer at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SGU and the T.A. Marryshow Community College.

Dr. Martin has co-authored several publications including, Prevalence of sickle cell disease among Grenadian Newborns (The Journal of Medical Screening), Public Health Response and Lessons Learn from the 2014 Chickungunya Epidemic – Grenada and Sahara dust, Climate variability, Asthma in Grenada, the Caribbean (International Journal of Biometeorology).

Calum Macpherson, PhD, DIC, MEVPC, FRSPH, FRSB, FRSTMH

Dr. Calum Macpherson completed his PhD at Imperial College, London, joined the African Medical Research and Education Foundation (AMREF) in Nairobi, and then moved to the Swiss Tropical Institute in Tanzania. He then spent a year at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, before moving to Trinidad to serve as professor of veterinary parasitology at the University of the West Indies.

He joined St George’s University in 1993 as professor of parasitology and director of research in the School of Medicine. He assisted with the creation of the Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Graduate Studies. Today he lectures in all four schools at SGU and has been an invited speaker and conducted research in more than 50 countries. He serves on many internal and international committees and is the founding director and vice president of the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), a 501 c 3 charitable trust registered in New York, the UK, and as an NGO in Grenada.

Over the course of his career, he has supervised more than 80 master’s degree and Ph.D. students in Kenya, Tanzania, India, the UK, Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada. In 2014, he was appointed to the Research Advisory Committee of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and elected as a Global Football Ambassador by the Grenada Football Association.  He has served on many World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization advisory committees published more than140 peer-reviewed international journal articles and written or edited five books and more than 30 book chapters.  He has a wide diversity of research interests but focuses on zoonoses and vector-borne diseases.

Conference Registration Information

  • Conference is FREE!
  • Continuing education credits can be obtained for a fee.

Improving Lives Around the World

The vision of SGU’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program is “to be a dynamic regional and international centre of excellence in Public Health education, service, research and scholarly activities; attracting students, faculty and partners of diverse background who contribute to the strengthening and empowerment of communities, in an ever-changing environment.”

  • SGU’s MPH degree produces leading public health practitioners and researchers on a global scale
  • The MPH program was accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in 2010 and was awarded an additional 7-year accreditation by CEPH in 2015.

Make a Global Impact With a Masters of Public Health Degree 

Become a Global Health Professional in the field of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. Train for your calling in public policy and global health with our innovative, world-class MPH program. Available 100% online and on-campus.

Apply for the MPH Program Today


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FAQS

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How much does it cost?

The conference is FREE to attend, and attendees have access to all sessions and content. Attendees who wish to receive continuing education CEPH credit may elect to pay a nominal fee.

Who can attend the Virtual MPH Conference?

Anyone can attend the conference. Public Health professionals, educators, recent grads, students, and prospective students are all welcome.

Do I need a laptop?

A laptop is recommended but not required. All content can be accessed from an iOS or Android device.

Is Internet required?

Yes, internet is required to view the conference content. We recommend consistent speeds of at least 2.5 Mbps upload/download.

Where can I download the App?

The app will be available in the Apple and Google Play app stores starting in mid-October. Search for and download the ‘SGU Public Health Conference’ app.  

When will I get the confirmation of my registration?

You should receive confirmation instantly via email.

Will continuing education credits be offered?

Yes. Four (4) continuing education credits will be offered by CEPH (Council for Education for Public Health). Participants who elect to receive continuing education credits will have their attendance verified and be required to pay a nominal fee.  

Where can I pay?

You can indicate interest in receiving continuing education credits when you register. After the conference, attendees who opted into credit will have their attendance verified and be billed.

If I have any technical issues, whom do I contact?

  • Before the meeting, you can email any questions to phconference@sgu.edu.
  • During the meeting, chat support will be available on the website and the app.

I don’t see my question, who should I contact?

You can email phconference@sgu.edu.

Will the conference be recorded for future reference?

Yes, sessions will be recorded and available to attendees after the conference is over. You must register to attend the conference in order to view recorded content.

Sixth-Term Students Get Proper Sendoff in SVM Virtual Awards Ceremony

On Saturday, May 16, the School of Veterinary Medicine held its semiannual awards ceremony, welcoming students across all terms to a virtual event celebrating the highest-achieving veterinary students and faculty members.

The ceremony has long been a customary sendoff of sorts for Term 6 students, a final farewell before they advance to their fourth-year clinical studies. However, with students participating in distance education curriculum as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the SVM held the ceremony online.

“We are so proud of the strides that these students have made toward their careers and the way they have responded to challenges that have arisen,” said Dr. Neil Olson, dean of the SVM. “It was only right that we came together to acknowledge their achievements and wish them the best of luck as they enter their clinical year.”

To honor the exiting class, Dr. Olson, Dr. Anne Marie Corrigan, associate dean of academics and professor; Dr. Tara Paterson, associate professor and president of the school’s alumni association; and Dr. Inga Karasek, assistant professor, addressed the online crowd, which averaged about 150 attendees. In addition to a wide range of traditional awards acknowledging the best students in all classes, student organizations were welcome to nominate one outstanding sixth-term student for an award.

“Term 6 is really an important time for faculty and students,” said Dr. Paterson, a 2003 SGU graduate herself. “It’s always a little sad because we form these strong connections with our students, but at the same time, it’s exciting to see them move on. They’re one step closer to becoming a veterinarian.”

In addition, the SVM acknowledged two retiring faculty members—Drs. Diana Stone and Ulrike Zieger—with SVM Recognition of Service Awards. Dr. Stone has been a professor in the Department of Pathobiology since 2006, with a stint as its chair from 2014-2017, while Dr. Zieger has served the Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology in several capacities since 2000, including most recently as a professor of veterinary physiology and coordinator of the DVM/MSc Wildlife Conservation Medicine program.

They, like all SVM faculty members, have formed a strong bond with each class of students who calls Grenada home for the first three years of study, a bond that lasts into their time as practicing veterinarians.

“One of the advantages of being at SGU that we have a relatively small faculty, and it’s a very family-oriented type of feel when you’re a member of the vet school,” Dr. Paterson said. “It’s a tight-knit community. The students obviously make very close connections with each other, and they also make connections with the faculty.

“Term 6 is exciting and terrifying at the same time,” she continued. “They’ve finally finished their three years of studies in Grenada and are moving on to their clinical year. For a faculty member, it’s almost like a mama bird watching a baby bird fly away from the nest.”

  • 180 students graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine on Saturday, June 6.

  • The Class of 2020 joins a network of more than 1,800 veterinarians who have earned their degree at St. George’s University

  • The PAWS Team

  • Outstanding Colleague Awards: Term 1 – Perry Jacob

  • Outstanding Colleague Awards: Term 2 – Ireny Barsoum

  • Outstanding Colleague Awards: Term 4 – Maria Coppola

  • Outstanding Colleague Awards: Term 5 – Jennifer Kirk

  • Zoetis Revolution Awards: Small Animal Surgery – Kelsey Atamanchuk

  • Zoetis Revolution Awards: Small Animal Internal Medicine – Teresa Monroe

  • Zoetis Revolution Awards: Student Research – Arielle Bierman

  • Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative: WVLDI Warrior – Kaylene Passione

  • Feral Cat Project: Most Valuable Trapper – Erin Pedone

  • SGA: SGU SVM Outstanding Staff – Liz Peach

  • SGU SVM Outstanding Faculty: Dr. Arno Werners (Terms 1-3) and Dr. Talia Guttin (Terms 4-6)

 

SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE SPRING 2020 AWARDS

Outstanding Colleague Awards

Term 1: Perry Jacobs

Term 2: Ireny Barsoum

Term 3: Adriana Kalaska

Term 4: Maria Coppola

Term 5: Jennifer Kirk

Term 6: Carley Jones, Jaclyn Gremley

 

Adrienne Lotton Memorial Award: Carley Jones

 

Zoetis Revolution Awards

Small Animal Internal Medicine: Teresa Munro

Small Animal Surgery: Kelsey Atamanchuk

Equine Medicine: Kari Schultz

Large Animal Internal Medicine: Tiffany McElroy

Scholarship of Service: Carley Jones

Student Research: Arielle Bierman

 

SVM Alumni Scholarship award: Brittnee Frizzol

SVM Alumni Award: Michael Gonzales

GPGH Hercules Award: Marissa Turner

 

PAWS Recognition – 6th Term Facilitators

Kailah Buchanan, Collin Hummel, Sibel Catto, Amanda James, AJ Fruges, Cate Wadman, Maria Barandica, Carley Jones, Kelly Larabee

 

SCAVMA: Student Chapter of the AVMA

SAVMA Award: Carley Jones, Sloane Hoffman, Ashley Schimshock

 

Feral Cat Project                                                    

Most Valuable Trapper: Erin Pedone

 

Veterinary Public Health Committee                   

One Health One Medicine Community Leader Award: Mariana Reyes

 

SGUSVM Large Animal Society                             

Most Valuable LAS Member: Katie Murray

 

IVSA: International Veterinary Student Association             

Officer Extraordinaire: Kayla Mochizuki

 

SVM Wellness Committee                                    

Wellness MVP Award: Rebekah DesMarteau, Alexis Garbarino

 

SCACVIM: Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine      

Internal Medicine MVP Award: Jaclyn Turturro

 

SVECCS: Student Chapter of the Emergency and Critical Care Society         

Outstanding 6th Termer: Marissa Turner

 

SCASV: Student Chapter of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians          

Shelter Scholar: Lauren Kiebler

 

SCACVP: Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists      

The MVP (Most Valuable Pathologist): Maria Barahona

 

EWS: Exotics and Wildlife Society                        

Most Valuable Primate Award: Kaitlynn Samborsky

 

WVLDI: Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative   

WVLDI Warrior: Kaylene Passione

 

VBMA: Veterinary Business Management Association        

Impact Award: Rachel Painter

 

Green Consortium                                                 

Green Medal Award: Deborah Murphy

 

SGA: Student Government Association                

George B. Daniel Award: Jaclyn Gremley

SGU SVM Outstanding Faculty Term 1-3: Dr. Arno Werners

SGU SVM Outstanding Faculty Term 4-6: Dr. Talia Guttin

SGU SVM Outstanding Staff: Elizabeth Peach

Diana Stone Public Health Award: May Yu Wang

 

SGUSVM Recognition of Service
Diana Stone, Ulrike Zieger

 

More Than 1,025 Future Physicians Secure US Residency Positions on Match Day 2020

With the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, St. George’s University students and graduates who will be called on to assist in the fight against the virus received much awaited news on Match Day 2020. On Friday, 1,027 soon-to-be physicians learned of where they will begin their residencies in the United States this summer, the news coming down from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) as the clock struck noon. The residency match number is expected to climb even higher in the coming weeks and months.

Positions were secured across a wide range of specialties—including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, orthopedic surgery, pathology, and many more—and spanned 43 of the United States. The newest class of residents join a proud network of SGU physicians who are making a difference in healthcare throughout hospitals around the world.

“It is especially in times like these that we, as physicians, are turned to in order to provide valuable, high-quality care in communities around the world, for individuals who desperately need it,” said Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of St. George’s University. “With the skills and knowledge with which they have been equipped, I am confident that our students are prepared to meet this challenge head-on.”

 

 

In the place of in-person celebrations, SGU students and graduates utilized technology to celebrate Match Day with their colleagues. For Nick Mulchan, MD ’20 (expected), he and his medical school friends connected via video chat, each opening up their emails from the NRMP simultaneously to simulate SGU’s annual Match Day Luncheon in New York City, which was canceled for the safety of all attendees.

Mr. Mulchan’s excitement was evident on the call, having matched into a neurology residency at New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

“It was helpful to experience it with everyone who I went to med school with,” he said. “We all looked out for each other. It was great to see and hear from everyone. A lot of us got our top choices. We all did really well and I’m so proud of everyone.”

“We all worked hard, and SGU prepared us really well,” he added. “SGU went above and beyond my expectations, which allowed us to excel.”

Mr. Mulchan was a biological engineering major at Cornell University before going on to earn a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at Columbia. He then enrolled in the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four-Year MD Program (formerly the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program), where he built a strong bond with his fellow students. Through studying in the United Kingdom, Grenada, and the United States, he built a strong foundation for his medical career. It set him up to go on “15 or 16” interviews, primarily in the northeast US, but he felt especially at home in NYU, citing its reputation, wealth of resources and fellowship opportunities, as well as the proximity to his roots on Long Island.

 

“A lot of us got our top choices. We all did really well and I’m so proud of everyone.”

 

Another native New Yorker—Raven Crusco, MD ’20 (expected)­—will be headed south this summer, having matched into a combined pediatrics/emergency medicine residency program at University of Maryland Medical Center. It is one of fewer than 10 such positions in the entire US.

“Between the hardships, the stress, and the studying, it has been quite a journey, but it’s all been worth it,” she said. “It all paid off. I’m so happy to say that I got my first choice. I have had the program on my radar for a while. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Ms. Crusco came directly to SGU after obtaining a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from Binghamton University. Early on, her affinity for pediatrics was clear, and throughout her experience in the hospitals and with the Emergency Medicine Club at SGU, she was drawn to both.

She finished her final clinical rotation earlier in the month, and she waited anxiously ever since for the residency news to arrive. That she matched into a combined residency will allow her to become board certified in both pediatrics and emergency medicine after five years.

“Going to SGU is clearly a good path to medicine, and I’m just really happy to be a part of it,” she said.

 

“It all paid off. I’m so happy to say that I got my first choice. I have had the program on my radar for a while. I couldn’t be more excited.”

 

Her close friend, Evan Maisel, MD ’20 (expected), will complete his intern year in internal medicine at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY, before going on to an anesthesiology residency at Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami, FL. It’s not far from where he did his undergraduate studies (University of Miami) and where his parents expect to retire.

“When you’re in the trenches during medical school, it feels like it’s going so slowly, but looking back, I feel like I blinked my eyes and it was over,” he said. “It was all worth it. I got the field and the place that I wanted, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

Mr. Maisel grew up around medicine—his dad a cardiologist on Long Island, his uncle specializing in anesthesiology. In going through his coursework and clinical training, he felt more drawn to the latter.

“I’ve always been interested in pharmacology, and I did well in it too,” he said. “When I got to my clinical years and found myself in the OR, I liked being hands-on with the patients and caring for them during a vulnerable time, as well as there being a mixture of continuity of care perioperatively with acuity of care intraoperatively.”

 

“It was all worth it. I got the field and the place that I wanted, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

 

The Match Day news comes three weeks after 13 St. George’s University students secured residency in Canada through the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS). For a complete list of 2020 residency appointments, visit our website.

In the US, Canada, and around the world, this year’s class of residents join the medical profession officially this summer, in a time when new doctors are especially welcome to assist. Currently, more than 10,000 St. George’s University physicians are practicing in the United States alone.

“With the number of people being impacted by the coronavirus and without knowing how long it’s going to go on, I’m thankful to be a part of the task force that’s going to help to beat this virus,” Mr. Mulchan said. “There’s more of a need now than ever.”

– Brett Mauser

St. George’s University Students Form a Line of Pride in Support of Grenada

TRUE BLUE, Grenada, March 14, 2020 — St. George’s University (SGU) has been continuing to follow the global outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and has been working collaboratively with the leaders of the Government of Grenada to address the Coronavirus pandemic.

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff and the larger Grenadian community continue to be of paramount importance to SGU. At this time, we continue to encourage students to leave the island to lessen the burden on Grenada, and a significant portion has chosen to do so. To facilitate these efforts, SGU has chartered aircrafts that have already made a number of flights to major U.S. hubs.

“The measures we are taking are in line with best practice and guidelines being encouraged by global health organizations and followed by universities throughout the world,” said Richard Liebowitz, MD, Vice Chancellor of St. George’s University. “Our goal is to ensure our students and faculty help reduce density on campus and on the island of Grenada to reduce any potential future spread of the virus and free up resources on the island for those who may need them most. Our actions were not related to any specific medical situation on the island, but to achieve the goal of lessening the spread of disease in the future.”

SGU is working collaboratively with key stakeholders in the Grenadian community, including the Ministries of Health and Education, as well as the Grenada Airport Authority to help manage the situation and facilitate a smooth process. SGU will not direct students to return to Grenada until it is safe to do so for all and will be transitioning to online learning activities for all students, including the School of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Arts and Sciences, over the next week.

While SGU continues to facilitate students, who want to leave the island, some have chosen to remain in Grenada, both on and off campus. The campus will remain operational, and SGU intends to maintain full staff pay and benefits during this pandemic. SGU is continuing to assess the situation and is actively communicating with those on campus.

SGU is also continuing to work closely with the Government of Grenada to assist with preparations for enhancing the public health infrastructure on the island.

“As in past crises, SGU stands with the people and Government of Grenada to address any challenges and provide appropriate support as we face this challenge together,” Dr. Charles Modica, Chancellor of SGU, stated. “Our students lined up at the airport represent a line of pride for their medical education in Grenada and their commitment as future physicians to unburden the Grenadian health care system during this unprecedented pandemic.”

Chancellor Modica added: “We are actively in the process of assisting in procuring and providing medical equipment to the Grenada General Hospital and laboratory, as well as professional assistance to support both local needs and those of students and best prepare the island’s health care system for the potential threat.”

To date, no member of the university community has contracted COVID-19. SGU remains vigilant and will continue to coordinate with Grenada’s Ministry of Health, and our international partners.

SGU Welcomes Back Familiar Faces at Beyond Spice Family Weekend

SGU Family Weekend - January 2020

When Alex Gantz found out her husband, Benjamin, was accepted to St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine, she was thrilled. Even though she was pregnant with their youngest child at the time and would be leaving their New Hampshire home for the move to Grenada, she was still excited about joining her husband on his new journey to becoming a veterinarian.

“Like most of us in the veterinary medical profession, I wanted to become a vet since I was a child,” shared Mr. Gantz, a Term 3 SVM student. “Then life happened. I got married and had two kids. But as I got older and wiser, I decided to go for it. Now I’m in my second year in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. I’m thankful to SGU for giving me the opportunity to fulfill my childhood dream.”

This year the couple was joined once again by his parents, who made SGU’s Beyond Spice Family Weekend their family getaway for the second year in a row.

“At first, it took a little getting used to a new country and culture,” said Ms. Gantz. “But now we love it here and so do Ben’s parents. They’ve had so much fun on the sea excursion and at the sunset barbecue that they just keep coming back. For them, family vacation means SGU’s Family Weekend.”

The Gantz family weren’t the only repeat visitors this year. The University also welcomed much of its alumni, coming back and bringing with them many additions to the incoming class. Francis Rienzo, MD ’88, and his brother, Peter Rienzo, MD ’85, returned to coat their children, Emily and Jake Rienzo, at the Spring 2020 School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony, as did Abayomi Odubela, MD ’83, who also shared in that honor by coating his daughter, Ibironke. Altogether, this spring’s incoming SOM and SVM class welcomed backed five SGU graduates, including members of the Class of 1983, 1985, and 1988 to join in the special privilege of coating their children.

Now celebrating its 12th year since the inception of Family Weekend, SGU continually looks forward to opening its doors to host students’ families who’ve come to visit the country and campus that their students now call home. The bi-annual festivities include guided campus tours; the historical sightseeing tour of Fort Frederick, the famous Grand Etang Lake, and the 30-foot Annandale Waterfalls; and lunch at Belmont Estate, a fully functional and historic plantation, among other activities.

“Family Weekend serves as more than an occasion to bring families together; it is a chance to celebrate the University’s growth and success by now welcoming the children of our graduates to continue their legacy,” stated Colin Dowe, associate dean of admissions. “Additionally, our goal is to also provide an atmosphere where our visitors can explore all that the University and Grenada have to offer and be converted into lifelong visitors to our beautiful tri-island state.”

Family Weekend Fall 2020 is set for August 26- 30. Learn more about the festivities by visiting the Family Weekend webpage or by emailing familyweekend@sgu.edu.

–Ray-Donna Peters

Newest Class of Nursing Students Encouraged to Communicate and Collaborate

SGU's newest class of nursing students

It had been three years since St. George’s University alumnus and keynote speaker, Tahira Adams, BSN ’19, attended her own spring nursing induction ceremony, signifying her entrance into the nursing profession. Three years since she had sat in those very same seats at Bourne Lecture Hall and felt the excitement of being one step closer to fulfilling her dream of becoming a nurse. Yet, she remembers the words of her mentor Dr. Jennifer Solomon, chair and director of the Nursing Department, as if it were yesterday: “Stay on the train. Do not allow it to leave without you.”

Nurse Adams took those words to heart. As the semesters passed by, the workload got heavier and more challenging, some passengers got off the train. But for those who stayed on, they became each other’s keeper. They learned how to take care of each other and, by extension, how to take care of their patients.

“There are days when the train ride will feel overwhelming and endless, and you’ll feel like getting off,” shared Nurse Adams. “There will be days when the train itself malfunctions, but through good communication and collaboration, you will overcome these adversities.”

Quoting author Corrie ten Boom, “when the train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away your ticket and jump off. You sit there and trust the engineer,” Nurse Adams urged the incoming class to trust their engineers—the remarkable faculty at SGU—their greatest resource. She encouraged the future nurses to use them, for they will help them reach their full potential, just as they had done for her and her cohort.

“Our journey had not only prepared us academically for the world of work,” said Nurse Adams. “It molded us into strong, mature, efficient, independent, confident, young women. Therefore, please do enjoy your ride. Have a little fun but let self-discipline be your guide, perseverance your compass, and a strong support network to keep you motivated.”

A highlight of the evening’s ceremony was the presentation of the Outstanding Service Award to Ann Hopkin, OBE by St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds. The award recognizes people who contribute to and shape nursing education and inspire others to promote health wherever they go. Mrs. Hopkin, a tireless advocate of health, had built a 62-year career in health professions, a career so highly regarded that she was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in June 2014.

“She is a woman of substance, one who strives to empower patients and their healthcare workers, taking great pride in the next generation of nurses who will care for the nation,” praised Dr. Olds. “It is an honor to present  Mrs. Ann Hopkin with this award.”

Graciously accepting her award at the podium, Mrs. Hopkin implored the new nursing inductees to be compassionate, have integrity, follow instructions, and to not just be an “okay” nurse but to be an excellent nurse.

Upon being presented with lamps, a symbol of the care and devotion administered by nurses, and reciting the International Council of Nurses Pledge along with the practicing nurses in the audience, Dr. Solomon left the future nurses with a few last words of wisdom.

“We have witnessed the transfer of nursing education to universities,” said Dr. Solomon. “We have seen nurses extend and expand in their role to meet the challenges in delivery of healthcare in a continuously changing world.

“In 1881 Florence Nightingale wrote, ‘let us value our training, not that it makes us cleverer or superior to others but insomuch as it enables us to be more useful and helpful to our fellow creatures—the sick, those who need us most. Let it be our ambition, good nurses, and let us never feel ashamed of the name nurse.’”

St. George’s University School of Arts and Sciences Nursing Program features many aspects of interdisciplinary learning and teaching. Uniquely structured, it allows the students to be taught by professors from both the Schools of Medicine and Arts and Sciences, as well as visiting professors from outside of Grenada. Their training experience will include working at the General Hospital, lab work at SGU’s Simulation Center, and community work. At the end of their training and with the completion of their regional and international licensing exams, the students will become fully fledged Registered Nurses as approved by the Caribbean Nursing Council.

–Ray-Donna Peters

Future Veterinarians Encouraged to Move Mountains at Spring 2020 White Coat Ceremony

As parents, Jan and Sean Kane always knew that their daughter Sara was destined to accomplish great things. Yet, when the day arrived for her to profess her commitment to the study and practice of veterinary medicine, they were surprised as well as proud. Visiting Grenada for the first time, the couple left their home in Washington State to attend the Spring 2020 SVM White Coat Ceremony, sitting front and center to share in their daughter’s special moment.

“I can’t even express in words how proud I am of Sara right now,” shared Jan. “It has been an amazing three years leading up to this moment and it couldn’t get any better.”

“The campus is gorgeous,” added Sean. “And I know you’re not supposed to be jealous of your kid, but this is definitely an awesome place to spend the next few years.”

According to the Kanes, much of the credit for their daughter’s decision to enter into the veterinary medical profession must go to her grandmother, Dr. Eileen Rowan, a practicing veterinarian for more than 30 years. In addition to giving some gentle prodding, Dr. Rowan took her granddaughter to an animal hospital one day for a behind-the-scenes look into a vet’s world, and since then she’s never looked back.

“I’m so overjoyed that my granddaughter is going to be following in my footsteps,” said Dr. Rowan. “Going up on that stage and coating her, I had to concentrate very hard not to cry. Growing up, Sara’s always loved animals, but she had never considered pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. I’m glad I gave her that push she needed because she’s very talented. She has a real gift that she didn’t even know she had.”

During the ceremony, Dr. Rowan joined her husband on stage, SGU’s own dean of admission, Robert Ryan, to share in the privilege of coating their granddaughter along with five SGU graduates who returned for this spring’s SOM and SVM White Coat Ceremonies.

“I must say that this was one of the best experiences of my life since being at St. George’s,” said Mr. Ryan. “I’ve been here for 25 years and I absolutely love this island. I also love the faculty, staff, and most importantly, my interactions with the students. And now to see my granddaughter become a student here is just phenomenal. After completing three years in the preveterinary medical program to now witness her entry into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, as well as have the honor of coating her along with my wife is just amazing. It’s one of the happiest days of my life.”

“Originally I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” admitted Sara. “But I’ve always been that kid who brought home stray animals and I was constantly interested in my pets’ health. I thank my grandmother for getting me into gear. She told me to give it a try, and the second I did, I fell in love. Later, when I saw my first surgery, that’s exactly when I knew I needed to be a veterinarian. It was my calling.”

Ms. Kane began her journey toward joining the ranks of nearly 1,700 graduates of the School of Veterinary Medicine who have gone on to practice in 49 states in the United States and 16 other countries around the world. The SVM also maintains partnerships with 31 universities and clinical facilities in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, and Australia, where fourth-year students spend a year of clinical training at an affiliated veterinary school.

THE  STONES OF SUCCESS

According to alumnus and master of ceremonies, Thomas Hanson, MD ‘11, getting into veterinary medical school was easy, the hard part was getting out.

“Now that you’ve gotten into vet school, what do you do with this mountain that’s before you?” asked Dr. Hanson. “My favorite Chinese proverb says, ‘those who move mountains start by carrying away small stones.’”

The first stone Dr. Hanson described was dedication, reminding the veterinarians-in-training that they already carried that one; otherwise they wouldn’t have enrolled. Next came organization, which had two stones—the first meant to get organized for class and study, and the second meant to get involved in joining various organizations and clubs. Another small stone to carry was their fellow classmates. He suggested getting to know them because they would always be there for them. Teachers was the next stone he mentioned, commending the SGU faculty which was made up of world-class professors from across the globe. Another small stone to be carried was open-mindedness. Dr. Hanson reminded them that vet school, like any other university, was challenging. The final small stone was recreation. He encouraged them to take full advantage of living on an island and to get out there and enjoy it.

“Four years are going to pass in the blink of an eye,” stated Dr. Hanson. “This group will then reconvene in New York and you’ll look at that first handful of small stones that you’ve carried; determination, organization, classmates, teachers, open-mindedness, and recreation and realize that the letters of those first stones spell out what you’ve grown to become—a DOCTOR.”

This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Sara Baillie, emeritus professor at the University of Bristol in the UK, gave a lively presentation detailing her passion for developing new approaches in clinical skills teaching. Dr. Baillie also has a PhD in computer science, developing and validating virtual reality simulators for training veterinary students and is responsible for opening the clinical skills center at Bristol.

“I’ve had a wonderful career with so many opportunities,” said Dr. Baillie. “I absolutely loved being a clinician and I really enjoyed working with people and animals. Then I was able to go on and become an educational researcher and through that I can actually affect change and improve the ways we teach you. At the heart of me, I’ve always loved being a teacher and working with students and I know the faculty that will be teaching you here are very much of that same mindset.”

She finished her speech with a quote from Aleen Cust, the first female veterinarian who graduated in 1897: “My wish for you is that you may all feel as I do after a lifetime—that the profession you’ve chosen is the best profession in the world.”

Now in its 20th year, the School of Veterinary Medicine continues to add to its list of accolades with its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program recently receiving full accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). SGU’s DVM graduates who have completed the Global Veterinary Health Track will now be eligible to register as members of the RCVS and practice in the UK without further examination.

As a result of the accreditation, St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine is now one of the few schools in the world to be accredited by both the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE) in the United States and Canada, as well as the RCVS in the UK.

– Ray-Donna Peters

Continuing the Legacy: Class of 2024 Welcomed to Medical Profession at School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony

Cousins Jake and Emily Rienzo join their fathers and proud SGU graduates to accept their white coats at the Spring 2020 School of Medicine White Coat CeremonyFor the Rienzo family, practicing medicine seemed to run in their blood. Thus, it came as no surprise when cousins Jake and Emily Rienzo also decided to join the family business, taking their first steps into the medical profession at the Spring 2020 School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony.

Sharing the stage with them were their fathers and proud SGU graduates, Francis Rienzo, MD ’88, and his brother, Peter Rienzo, MD ’85, who had the honor of coating them. Emily, a CityDoctors Scholarship recipient, will also be the first female physician continuing the legacy in their family. Both she and Jake grew up being regaled with stories of SGU by their dads, who even carry their old SGU ID cards with them still to this day.

“I’m just so proud of my daughter; words can’t even express it,” said Dr. F. Rienzo, now an internist practicing in New Jersey. “Jake and Emily are going to be fourth-generation physicians following in both their father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, and I couldn’t be more excited to be back in Grenada for their White Coat Ceremony.”

“I’m elated that they chose to follow in our footsteps and attend SGU,” added Dr. P Rienzo, an anesthesiologist also practicing in New Jersey. “It’s great to be back and see how far the University has come and how it continues to provide opportunities for success for so many people from different countries all over the world.”

The Rienzos weren’t the only alumni coming back to SGU to coat their loved ones. Altogether, this spring’s incoming SOM and SVM class welcomed backed five SGU graduates, including members of the Class of 1983, 1985, and 1988 to join in the special privilege of coating their children.

Among them was alumnus Abayomi Odubela, MD ’83, who also shared in that honor by coating his daughter, Ibironke. Since graduating over three decades ago, Dr. Odubela has been back to Grenada three times to visit the place where he began his medical career.

“Today I am so happy to see the tremendous growth and expansion of SGU,” praised Dr. Odubela. “I am extremely proud that she has chosen to take the same path as I did. SGU’s success rate and the high caliber of its faculty makes me feel confident that she’s in good hands.”

The 2024 Grenada class joined its fellow students from St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four- and Five-Year Program, who began their journey two weeks earlier at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. This spring, SGU also welcomed 277 Caribbean students, 94 of whom are aspiring physicians in the School of Medicine. The students represent 10 countries, including Grenada, Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, Dominica, Trinidad, British Virgin Islands, St. Lucia, Cayman Islands, and Guyana.

In his keynote address, current president and CEO of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, Dr. Richard Levin shared the reason behind the creation of the White Coat Ceremony, explaining that it was a “modern invention to correct a modern problem.” The Ceremony was devised after recognizing a shift during the late ’70s and early ’80s of students being taught to move further away from the patients, both literally and figuratively. According to Dr. Levin, rounds moved from the bedside to the hallway and now to the screen. Doctors were spending more time with data than with their patients and it had become harder to remember that illness affected a family and a community as well as the patient in the bed.

“The White Coat Ceremony is designed to remind you, your faculty, and everyone who loves you that fundamentally medicine is a human interaction,” stated Dr. Levin. “Today’s ceremony is intended to emphasize the importance of that connection right from the beginning of your training.”

A highlight of Dr. Levin’s address was his endorsement of this year’s master of ceremonies and alumnus Cholene Espinoza, MD ’15. He called on Dr. Espinoza to share the podium with him as he completed his speech.

“An extraordinary example of humanistic practice is our master of ceremonies today, Dr. Cholene Espinoza,” extoled Dr. Levin.  “She has led a life that has put her in harm’s way: as a pilot in the US Air Force she has been shot at, she was an embedded radio journalist in the Iraq war, and she is now an OB/GYN who believes that humanistic practice is as important as scientific excellence. If any of us are an example for you as you start out on this pathway, I think it is Cholene Espinoza.”

After a resounding round of applause, Dr. Espinoza shared a few words of wisdom of her own with the Class of 2024.

“I want you to really focus today on what it means to be here—to enter this profession which I call a tribe, to wear this white coat, and the immense privilege it is to be able to be a part of this institution and enter into your patients’ lives,” she said. “It is also very important to acknowledge what you have achieved to this point. I know you’re probably nervous about whether or not you’ll make it to the end, but this is an enormous achievement and you need to do a victory lap with your family, who got you here.”

Additionally, the School of Medicine White Coat Ceremonies kicked off the first full day of activities of the University’s Beyond Spice Family Weekend. A customary element to each term in Grenada, students and family members soaked up nature and culture prior to attending the special ceremony that serves as a rite of passage for aspiring physicians. 

– Ray-Donna Peters

 

 

2020 SGU/NU Entering Class Begins on Path Toward Unique Role in Society

Thirty-eight students commit themselves to the medical profession with last month’s White Coat Ceremony in the UK, part of St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four-Year MD Program. With last month’s White Coat Ceremony, the 38 students in the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four-Year MD Program not only committed themselves to the medical profession but, through their training, putting themselves in a unique position in society.

“You will develop the skills for close and intimate contact with patients during some of their most difficult times,” said Dr. David Heymann, director of the Center of Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, the evening’s keynote speaker. “You will have their full trust. From your interaction with them and their families, you will see the world in a way that many others cannot. If you take advantage of this special gift of trust, you will gain insight that only the medical profession can provide.”

This year’s class joined a network of more than 1,800 SGU students who began their studies at NU’s campus in Newcastle, United Kingdom. The class includes 37 students from countries such as the United States, Canada, the UK, Uganda, Thailand, and Australia. The students were robed in their white physicians’ coats – symbolizing their entry into the medical profession—and took an oath of commitment to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards of “duty and trust.”

“The next four years will help mold you into the doctor you will become,” said Jonathan Ashcroft, MD/MSc ’10, deputy lead microbiologist for the UK’s Public Health Rapid Support Team, who emceed the ceremony. Dr. Ashcroft began his own studies at SGU as part of the program, then the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program. “While the lectures, practical labs, and clinical skills workshops will provide you with the critical and indispensable knowledge and skills, it is the lessons you learn from interactions with your patients that will always remain with you and truly shape what sort of physician you will be.”

Dr. Richard Liebowitz, vice chancellor of St. George’s University, harkened back to his own medical school journey, and spoke of how the experience changed his life. Like the 2020 entering class will do, Dr. Liebowitz spent the first two years learning the basic sciences, but it wasn’t until his clinical rotations that he fully grasped the connection that physicians make with patients and their families.

“I learned that being a physician was much more than being somebody who knew how the body operated,” he said. “I was exposed to a number of people from varying backgrounds, which helped me understand that you are granted access that no other profession has. You’re there at the happiest times—with birth—and also at the most trying times—with death. It’s important to be professional. Being given the opportunity to partake in this part of people’s lives puts a responsibility and a demand on us, and being professional as a physician is critical as you go through training and your practice.”

The SGU/Northumbria joint program, formerly the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program, was founded in 2007 to create a pathway for highly qualified international students to pursue a medical education by spending the first year of their physician training with SGU at Northumbria, before going to Grenada to continue their studies.

“Today is a very special occasion as we recognize the start of our new students’ learning journey on the way to becoming qualified doctors,” said Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice Chancellor of Northumbria University. “Our partnership with St. George’s University is a clear example of both institutions’ global perspective in action, and our shared vision for building on our international reputations for academic excellence.”

Photos by Caed Parker, Class4studios.com

 

Giving Back in 2019: SGU Student Organizations Contributed Valuable Funds and Expertise to Host Country

Since St. George’s University opened more than 40 years ago, Grenada has been a second home for SGU students who have descended upon the True Blue peninsula from countries all over the world. Collectively, through the more than 60 student organizations on campus, these students have given back to the country that has welcomed them warmly.

The connection between a student body and the community was clear in 2019. In addition to promoting and developing their specific club interests, these organizations were extensively involved in more than 1,100 events and volunteering over 9,000 hours of their time, benefitting the people and animals of Grenada through the donation of funds, supplies, and services, according to SGU’s 2019 Student Organization Report.

“Grenada and its people have been very kind to us as the host island of our institution so there’s a very strong bond between the students of the University and the community at large,” said Dr. C.V. Rao, dean of students at SGU. “Whether it’s raising funds for the Grenada General Hospital or donating to the elderly and orphanages on the island, students have an overwhelming desire to give back to the country helping them to receive their medical and veterinary education.”

Among the wide range of active student groups was Women in Medicine, which advocates for the interests of women physicians-in-training and promotes women’s health. Over the course of the year, the organization raised approximately EC$18,000 for the Grenada Cancer Society and contributed more than 900 service hours through health fairs and pap smear clinics on the island.

Tropical showers couldn’t stop the more than 100 participants who came out for WiM’s annual 5k Pink Run and fundraiser in November, where students, faculty, staff—and pets—ran, jogged, and walked to raise money for the Grenada Cancer Society. In addition, after the run, WiM faculty and students provided cervical cancer screenings at the University clinic—all part of an ongoing effort to enhance the quality of care for women battling reproductive cancers in Grenada.

 

“Students have an overwhelming desire to give back to the country helping them to receive their medical and veterinary education.”

 

The School of Medicine Surgery Club raised and donated a total of EC$6,000 to various organizations, including the Grenada General Hospital, Mt. Gay Psychiatric Hospital, and the Fund for the Orphans and Elderly. The organization, which provides students an opportunity to learn suturing techniques as well as observing surgeries in the local hospital, counts nearly 500 students as part of its constituency.

“We are extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to come to a country that has opened their arms to us to learn medicine, and we want to give back as much as we can,” said Juxhesta Cakrani, vice president of finance for SOM’s Surgery Club and a fifth-term medical student.

With more than 800 members, SGU’s chapter of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), promotes active improvement in medical education, world healthcare delivery, and the enhancement of social, moral, and ethical obligations of the medical profession. Each semester, the chapter hosts health fairs, including its annual One Health One Medicine Health Fair, where student members visit the island’s communities to provide free healthcare to those in need, including check-ups and diagnostic health services, as well as education on mental health and healthy eating. In total, the group donated in excess of 2,300 of community service hours in 2019 to benefit the Grenadian people, the report noted.

Given the drastic need for life-saving blood donations on the island, SGU’s AMSA chapter also organized two on-campus blood drives this fall to benefit Grenada General Hospital. And through its Valentine’s Day Date Auction, its biggest and popular annual fundraising event, the chapter was able to donate proceeds of EC$16,000 to the Grenada Heart Foundation, which provides lifesaving interventional cardiac care to those in need, especially children.

“Grenada is very underserved—not everyone has access to transportation or the finances to be able to get the healthcare they need,” said Tasha Phillips-Wilson, SGU AMSA’s chapter president for the fall 2019 semester and a third-year med student. “We go out into the community—we set up tents and tables—and students are able to treat patients. The communities are quite grateful and appreciative for that.”

For the students partaking in activities, they are able to apply classroom-learned concepts to real medical situations. “Students get to practice clinical skills and these events are a great opportunity to work on the patient-physician interaction,” added Mrs. Phillips-Wilson.

The report noted several other student organizations that volunteered significant amounts of time in 2019, including:

  • The Significant Others Organization put in nearly 2,500 of service hours through various outreach and aid activities at the Grenada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Dorothy Hopkins Home for the Disabled, and Queen Elizabeth Home for Children.
  • The Orphanage Students Organization spent more than 750 hours with children in need from the Bel Air Children’s Home and the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children, taking them to the beach and other enjoying other activities with the children.
  • The Pediatrics Club clocked over 600 volunteer hours through health fairs and clinic days at the Bel Air Children’s Home and the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children.

Students also raised funds for and dedicated their services to the animals on the island of Grenada.

  • Organizations including SGU’s Angels in Armor (AAARF), Feral Cat Project (FCP), and Spay Neuter Pot Hounds (SNP) raised more than EC$30,000 for SGU’s Small Animal Clinic (SAC), which serves the people of Grenada and their pets. These organizations utilized a range of fundraising activities such as sales, raffles, cocktails, and trivia nights.
  • Student members of the American Veterinary Medical Association chapter volunteered nearly 1,500 hours to various veterinary outreach initiatives and SGU’s One Health One Medicine Clinics.
  • SGU’s Exotic and Wildlife Society volunteered more than 2,300 hours to various marine and terrestrial wildlife protection activities around Grenada.

Being a part of these organizations not only helps students hone their clinical skills but teaches many of those who become officers the value of leadership, how to budget, and other managerial skills, added Dr. Rao.

“Some organizations have a budget and it is our expectation that they generate funds for their own organization, and they do it,” he said. “These are additional skills learned that will come in handy as they climb the ladder of their careers.”

Added Dr. Rao: “We are proud of our student organizations and all they have accomplished in 2019. We are looking forward to another year of strong community service and participation from our student groups.”

– Laurie Chartorynsky