Kathleen Sered, MD ’22, is an emergency medicine resident at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY, and a graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine. Originally from San Diego, CA, Dr. Sered is training in a fast-paced specialty that reflects her adaptability, independence, and commitment to caring for diverse patient populations.
Dr. Sered’s introduction to SGU came during her post-baccalaureate studies, as she explored her medical school options. “The idea of studying medicine in the Caribbean felt exciting and different, and I liked the thought of being somewhere that allowed me to really focus. Being away from family and friends felt like an opportunity to focus on my studies while still having a really unique experience,” she explained.
Receiving her acceptance to SGU marked a pivotal moment in Dr. Sered’s journey. “When I got accepted into SGU, I was very excited because I knew this was the beginning of the path I’ve always wanted to be on,” she said. “This was the beginning of making my dream a reality.”
That excitement continued when she arrived on campus in Grenada. “The first things that hit me were the heat and the humidity, but also how stunning everything looked,” Dr. Sered recalled. “I was immediately blown away by the ocean, the brightness of the buildings, and the sheer number of study spaces facing the water.”
SGU News spoke with Dr. Sered to learn more about her path to medicine, her experience at SGU, and her journey to residency in emergency medicine.
SGU: What led you to become a doctor? When did that dream first begin?
Dr. Sered: My dream of becoming a doctor started very early on in life, about seven years old. I’m an only child, and my father was in the Navy, so he was often deployed. Most of the time, it was just my mom and me.
There were times when she would fall ill and we would have to go to the emergency room. I remember being so scared because it was just her and me, and she was my lifeline. If something bad were to happen to her, it would have been very traumatic for me. Being surrounded by helpful and supportive hospital staff and seeing how the doctors treated my mom made everything feel better almost magically. That really stayed with me. I knew there was something in me that wanted to be that person—the one who could handle the situation, make people feel better, and help them come home safely.
SGU: What experiences have shaped you into the doctor you are today?
Dr. Sered: Growing up with a father in the Navy, I was used to moving around and not always having one home base. Because of that, going to SGU, even though it was a big jump geographically, felt like something I could adapt to fairly easily. I was already used to being independent and adjusting to new environments.
SGU really helped foster that independence even more. Being there encourages you to make the experience what you want it to be. You truly get what you put in. There are resources available if you seek them out, but you have to be proactive and self-disciplined. Being in such a beautiful place forces you to focus, to choose studying over distractions, and to take responsibility for your own success. That sense of independence and self-discipline is a big part of what shaped me into the doctor I am today.
SGU: What was the community like at SGU?
Dr. Sered: The community at SGU was very welcoming and very friendly. I felt comfortable going up to my professors after class, asking questions, and getting the answers I needed to really feel confident in the knowledge I was taking in after each lecture.
Even though SGU is a large school with a large class size, it didn’t feel that way. Being placed in dorms made it easy to find your people, whether that was your roommates or the study groups you naturally formed. You were able to study with people who learned similarly to you and create a smaller community within the larger class, which made the experience feel much more manageable and supportive.
SGU: How did SGU prepare you for clinicals?
Dr. Sered: SGU prepared me well for clinicals. During our preclinical sessions on campus, we were fortunate to have local Grenadians serve as stand-in patients. That gave us the chance to interact with people, work through prompts and scenarios, and build confidence before going into real clinical settings. Those experiences were really valuable in helping me prepare for clinical work here in the States.
SGU: Let’s talk about Match Day—what was it like when you opened that email?
Dr. Sered: The morning I opened the email and saw that I matched at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, I cried tears of happiness. It was such an emotional moment, because all the work I had put in finally felt worth it. My dream of becoming a physician was now real. It was incredibly exciting—goosebumps, for sure.
SGU: How did SGU help prepare you for residency?
Dr. Sered: SGU prepared me very well for residency. It made me a more competent and confident candidate because of the experiences and responsibilities I had during both preclinical and clinical years. I feel equipped to handle the challenges of residency, and that foundation has made me a more confident resident today.
SGU: How did SGU help you achieve your dream of becoming a doctor?
Dr. Sered: SGU helped me achieve my dream of becoming a physician by providing me with the resources to make the dream a reality.
SGU: If you had to describe SGU in one word, what would it be and why?
Dr. Sered: If I had to describe SGU in one word, I would say rewarding. Everything really starts with the work that you put in and what you get out of it. At the end of it all, I’m finally where I want to be, and I definitely feel that I am where I am today because of SGU.
