Lux Shah, MD ’21, was looking for an adventure when he applied to St. George’s University School of Medicine. Moving to the Caribbean is an adventure itself, but Dr. Shah would also find adventure in the diversity of patient experiences he would encounter at a few of SGU’s 85+ clinical sites.
“I was looking for a medical school that had a proven track record of residency success and one that could provide me with a sense of adventure,” the Houston, TX-native said. “Moving to the Caribbean was always on my radar, and it definitely provided that sense of adventure. I also felt like I would get a sense of adventure rotating through different hospitals in SGU’s clinical network.”
His decision to pursue SGU was solidified after seeing the success of a family member who had graduated from the School of Medicine and was completing a fellowship in pulmonary critical care.
Today Dr. Shah is a general surgery resident at University of Texas Southwestern/Parkland Health in Dallas. Following residency, Dr. Shah hopes to complete fellowships that will further hone his skills so that he can ultimately practice in a Burn/Trauma Center at a large academic institution.
“To me, the most important thing to a human is their health,” he said. “It is truly an honor to help people reclaim their health and take control over their health decisions. It’s a challenging field, but nothing is more satisfying than knowing I have been part of a team that has helped thousands of people feel better and go home to their families.”
Read more about Dr. Shah’s path to surgery residency and his advice to the next generation of SGU medical students.
SGU: What did it feel like to match in a residency position?
Dr. Shah: validation, security, and most of all, comfort. There’s no way to explain the feeling you get from reaping the rewards from four years of hard work. To this day, it’s surreal that I get to do what I do, and that wouldn’t have been possible without SGU.
SGU: What was your experience like during the Match application process? How did the Office of Career Guidance help you optimize your residency applications?
Dr. Shah: I would say that my experience with my clinical coordinators was really great. Overall, they were helpful to guide me into beneficial rotations throughout my clinical years. They were also able to help me stay on track for the application timeline and requirements.
As for how to make yourself a good applicant, OCG was very helpful. In addition, I received guidance on my study habits early in Term 1, which carried me through the rest of the didactic years. When I reached clinical rotations, the clinical coordinators and senior students were invaluable to helping me shine in my rotations.
SGU: How did SGU help you prepare for the USMLE exams?
Dr. Shah: Repetition is the hallmark of adult learning and that is something that SGU instills right from the beginning. Really nothing on Step 1 or 2 was a surprise for me. It was all a variation of questions I had effectively seen before.
SGU: How did SGU prepare you for residency and your career in general?
Dr. Shah: I think one of the biggest benefits of SGU is their vast clinical network. Because I chose to rotate at many hospitals and meet many people, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by being in a large medical system like UTSW/Parkland. Additionally, I was exposed to a lot of diversity in my patients and coworkers very early on in my medical career.
SGU: What advice would you give to aspiring med students about coming to Grenada for the first time?
Dr. Shah: Enjoy the island. Truly. While campus is beautiful, safe, and accessible, leave campus sometimes. There is an entire beautiful island of wonderful people, beaches, food, and adventures. It is safe and isn’t inundated by tourists. Take advantage of your time there—after making sure your schoolwork is taken care of, of course.
SGU: What advice would you give to SGU med students just starting clinicals?
Dr. Shah: Have a goal and tailor your clinical rotations to help you achieve that goal. I always knew I wanted to work in a large academic center, so I only rotated and made connections with people at large academic centers. That paid off. Also, learn and retain information and skills from all of your rotations. A good doctor is a well-rounded doctor, so even in surgery, I recall information I learned in other specialties.
SGU: Can you share a memorable professional accomplishment you have had since graduation?
Dr. Shah: I’m very early in my career, yet my hard work at SGU has led to me being at a top general surgery residency program. Additionally, thanks to my training at SGU and UTSW, I’ve written three review chapters on recent data/recommendations for patient care about burns and trauma that will be read and used by other surgeons for clinical decision making.
SGU: Any final thoughts about SGU or advice to med students?
Dr. Shah: At the end of the day, medical school is a steppingstone on your path to becoming an attending doctor. Make sure you’re able to be on a fun and sturdy stone that gives you the best chance to reach the next stone. For me, SGU was exactly that. It was some of the best years of my life, and I’m ecstatic with my end result.
