5 Stories that Chronicled the School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021

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From students matching into highly competitive postgraduate positions to alumni from all different backgrounds making a difference in their patients’ lives worldwide, St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine students, faculty, and alumni made their mark in 2021.

In a year full of exciting news, these stories made our top highlights:

  • 2021 SVM graduates showed their resiliency and determination as they completed their studies during a global health crisis, joining SGU’s network of more than 2,100 Doctors of Veterinary Medicine around the world.Read: 2021 class of new veterinarians recognized for their resilience and perseverance
  • Many of these graduates took the next step in their careers by matching into residency and internship positions such as diagnostic imaging, oncology, emergency medicine, neurology/neurosurgery, and others.Read: SGU vets rank high in VIRMP match
  • Earlier this year, Maria Coppola became only the second-ever SVM student to assume presidency of SGU’s Student Government Association. Her aspirations while in the position were to “influence other SGA representatives to have a strong voice and to continue to work for positive change on campus.”
    Read: Coppola becomes second-ever vet student serves as SGA president
  • When it comes to the ongoing COVID pandemic, the School of Veterinary Medicine sprang into action last year becoming Grenada’s national testing site at the onset of the pandemic. SGU furthered that initiative by developing a state-of-the-art diagnostic molecular facility on campus that will provide timely and appropriate diagnostic services for the University and potentially the region and serve as a research facility for emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases and other infections.Read: On-campus lab strengthens diagnostics, education, and research in Grenada
  • Minorities have been historically underrepresented in the veterinary profession. To that end, three graduates of the School of Veterinary Medicine shared their perspectives on the issue of diversity in the field and how they plan to make a difference by paying it forward.Read: SGU grads changing the face of veterinary medicine

     

These and other stories defined the School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021, underscoring the University’s aim to enhance student success and grow the number of animal health professionals around the world.

To read more SVM news stories of 2021, visit the SGU website.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

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SVMAA raffle spurs vet grad’s long-overdue return to campus

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What does it feel like to return to Grenada for the first time in 10 years? Just ask Preston Smith, DVM ’12, who recently returned to the island courtesy of the School of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association

As winner of the SVMAA’s 20th anniversary raffle, which took place in 2019, Dr. Smith was awarded a one-week stay at the University Club as well as $1,500 USD toward flights. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t until October of this year that Dr. Smith and his wife were able to travel to Grenada.

“I know that I have wanted to come back for some time,” said Dr. Smith, an associate veterinarian and assistant medical director at Veterinary Surgical and Referral Hospital in Cary, NC. “I just didn’t know how much I had missed Grenada until I walked off the plane at Maurice Bishop Airport. My wife laughed at me a fair bit for my excitement to be walking around the island again. It gets into your soul and changes you for the better for the rest of your life.”

Among the activities the couple took part in while visiting were sightseeing and scuba diving (the graduate was certified as a student), visiting campus (and being amazed at the transformation, he said), and connecting with several former professors, including Drs. CV Rao and Tara Paterson.

Two years ago, the SVMAA ran the contest to commemorate the school’s 20th anniversary. Raffle tickets were sold to more than 160 SVM alumni. The drawing took place that summer at an SVMAA alumni reception in conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s annual convention. Since then, proceeds from the raffle have funded a scholarship award, which the SVMAA gives to a deserving sixth-term vet student twice each year.

SGU News caught up with Dr. Smith while he was on island.

St. George’s University: What have you missed the most since leaving Grenada?

Dr. Smith: As strange as it sounds, I just wanted to be back. I really love it in Grenada. I’ve missed the people and culture. There is just something about it here that makes it feel like home. I’ve missed waking up to the sounds of the waves and the smell of the ocean. I’ve missed chatting with all the friendly people. I’ve missed the food. There is really nothing that I haven’t missed.

I’ve wanted to take a trip for some time, but between two internships, a residency, and two kids, there wasn’t the ability to do so. I have mentioned diving so often that my wife got her scuba certification prior to coming. We spent several mornings diving. We went on several hikes and trips to the waterfalls. I was disappointed that we couldn’t make it to Fish Friday in Gouyave.

SGU: How did it feel to connect with former professors?

Dr. Smith: There is something about getting to see the people from 10 years ago that, while things were different, they were still very much familiar. Knowing that a lot of the people who made it what it was for me while I was in school are still there, made me miss Grenada just that much more.

SGU: How was your SGU experience when you were a student?

Dr. Smith: My overall experience at SGU was amazing. I went into my clinical year at Louisiana State University as prepared, if not more so, than the students from that school. I think it is because we had so many more technical and hands-on labs.

I loved that the vet school as a whole felt like family. Everyone was willing to help anyone who needed it, professors included. That sense of family was very necessary being so far away from home. In addition, Grenada itself is a beautiful country, and it was awesome getting to spend so much time there and take in the culture and activities the island has to provide. There was always something going on, which really helped to mitigate the stress from school. I loved that time of my life.

SGU:  You are currently an assistant medical director for the clinic you work at, but you actually specialized in anesthesia. What is it about the specialty that appeals to you?

Dr. Smith: I was lucky enough to have a great professor—Dr. Jill Price—for anesthesia while I was at SGU. In addition, the anesthesia department at LSU was very friendly and easy-going. They made learning a lot of fun. Now, there is something I really enjoy about educating and trying to elevate the analgesia practices in the clinics around me.

SGU: Advice for current or incoming SVM students?

Dr. Smith: My advice for students:

  • Make friends with everyone from professors to the local vendors. There is so much information to be found from everyone, and they are friendships and bonds that can help you for the rest of your life.
  • Study hard. Even the most basic information will help in the long run.
  • Take the time to relax. There are not many people that get to spend three years on an island in the Caribbean.
  • Take in the culture. Go to Fish Friday, go on a catamaran, and try the different food and drinks. It will make the experience even more memorable and open your eyes to new things you may have never guessed you would enjoy.
  • But most of all, cherish your time. While it seems like the hardest and most stressful time of your life—and it certainly could be at the time—you may find that it is also the best.

 

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

 

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Infectious disease doctor sees similarities between COVID, HIV pandemics

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As an infectious disease fellow at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Lewis Musoke, MD ’16, is combating two pandemics at once—COVID-19, which the world has grappled with for nearly two years, and the still prevalent human immunodeficiency virus, better known as HIV.

Growing up in Kenya, Dr. Musoke was all too familiar with HIV. It was not only in the community but in his household and his circle of friends. That’s why he has committed his career to not only caring for patients afflicted with such diseases but making sure that his community is equipped with the information and resources they need to prevent it.

The St. George’s University graduate shared what he sees as similarities between the two pandemics, and the role he thinks the greater community can play to assist in the fight.

SGU: What do you think is the biggest issue in the HIV community?

Dr. Musoke: There’s a lot of stigma when it comes to HIV, and while we’ve come up with good medications to treat and suppress the virus, we still haven’t gotten to the point where we can sit down and talk about it the way we talk about diabetes or high blood pressure without feeling ashamed. And if you’re not talking about it, then in all likelihood you’re not thinking about it.

This percolates even to the physician level where people are not even testing for it as frequently as they should. We’ve become good in screening for things like colon cancer and breast cancer, but we’re still falling way short of the mark for screening for HIV, and it shows in high prevalent areas where we’re still having a lot of new infections.

SGU: What parallels do you see between the HIV/AIDS crisis and the ongoing COVID pandemic?

Dr. Musoke: The viruses are different but the principles are the same. One of the things that we can learn from HIV is the importance of getting the community engaged and educated. I think a problem that we have in this country and in the world is there’s a lot of misinformation, even at the provider level. It’s affecting our ability to be able to respond.

Back in the 1980s, the lack of education and desire to talk about HIV was what inhibited the progress of treating HIV. But the government shifted and now basically any HIV positive patient in the country, whether or not they have a job or access to healthcare, has pretty much subsidized healthcare through federal funding. My hope is that—as providers, physicians, patients, and the community—everybody understands the seriousness of these pandemics, and that we’re better equipped to tackle it as a whole. You can’t really isolate them to one part of the country. Everyone has to get involved, from all age groups or from all walks of life.

 

“SGU has a special place in my heart. I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”

SGU: What drew you to specializing in infectious disease?

Dr. Musoke: Growing up in East Africa, you’re exposed to HIV from a very young age. HIV was—and still is—a prevalent issue not just in the community but within your household and circle of friends. What was inspiring to me was how, as drug development and treatment options improved, I started to appreciate the role that community outreach played. Some of the clinical trial data and outreach strategies that were implemented in East Africa ended up being used in the United States and around the world.

What solidified this career path for me was a public health field practicum through Boston University that turned out to be in Kenya. It was in a beautiful area right at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. I had never lived there, but I had probably driven past it as a child. The purview of the project was to evaluate public health interventions that had been placed in regard to improving access to water. Doing that made me realize the importance of public health, and also that a lot of those health issues were infectious disease related

SGU: How well did you fit in at SGU?

Dr. Musoke: It was clear very early on that SGU was the perfect fit. I went there and knew six or seven people from Kenya, but then you got to meet people from different parts of the world. It was beautiful to learn about their experiences and the different paths they were on. It was a strange sense of almost feeling like I was home.

I made a lot of close friends, and I even met my wife (Chandula Seneviratne, MD ’16). For those reasons and more, SGU has a special place in my heart. I wouldn’t have done anything differently.

SGU: As an international student, did you have the support you needed?

Dr. Musoke: The basic sciences training was rigorous, but you have a lot of support from the Department of Educational Services. If you’re struggling with something, you have a good support system to help you get back on track. And SGU doesn’t create this illusion that it’s going to be easy. They make you work for it, and I think that’s key. In my clinical rotations, a lot of the physicians were very impressed with how hard-working and diligent we all were, and I think that came from training at SGU. I think that if you put the work in and network, you’re going to make it far, if not further than any US school graduate.

– Brett Mauser

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Intern of the Year’s advice for future physicians: “Don’t give up and don’t take no for an answer”

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What does it take to be a urology resident?

“You must be extremely hard working and empathetic at the same time,” said Devon Thomas, MD ’20, a second-year resident at The University of Florida College of Medicine—Jacksonville in the Department of Urology. “We are often taking care of patients in their most vulnerable state, which requires a lot of compassion and maturity.”

In urology, one of most competitive medical fields to get into, Dr. Thomas said her training varies day-to-day. “It includes both inpatient and outpatient responsibilities with the majority of my training focusing on surgical skills and surgical training for the genitourinary system,” she said.

Dr. Thomas shared what’s most exciting about the specialty for her, her plans post-residency, and the essential advice she has for aspiring physicians.

St. George’s University: Why did you choose this career path/specialty? Did you always want to become a doctor?

Dr. Thomas: I always wanted to become a doctor. I truly can’t remember a time I didn’t want to be a doctor and I grew up telling people I was going to be a surgeon. I had some medical conditions as a child, so I actually became very familiar with hospitals and being around doctors, and I was always intrigued by the medical field. I also really like working with my hands and helping people, so I felt surgery was my true calling.

SGU: What excites you most about the work that you do? 

Dr. Thomas: The most exciting part of my job is definitely the surgical aspect. I love getting new cases and trying to analyze the best avenues for treatment and patient care. Each patient is different and requires a slightly different surgical approach, which requires using some creativity when devising a surgery plan.

SGU: What was your reaction when you found out where you were headed for residency?

Dr. Thomas: I was ecstatic when I got my residency match. Urology is one of the most competitive specialties in medicine so I was very anxious that I wouldn’t match into it. When I got the email that I not only matched into the specialty of my dreams but also was getting to go back to my home state, I truly could not have been happier.

SGU: How well do you feel that SGU prepared you for this next step in your journey?

Dr. Thomas: I think SGU prepared me extremely well for residency. SGU gave me the foundation to be an excellent basic sciences student, which helped me excel on the USMLE exams. In my clinical rotations, I was constantly pushed to be the best clinical student I could be, which in turn made me a hard-working resident. I wouldn’t be where I am today without SGU.

SGU: You were recently named “Intern of the Year” by the hospital where you work. Describe how that made you feel.

Dr. Thomas: It was great to see that all of my hard work throughout the year was recognized by my mentors and made me want to continue to strive for even more excellence.

SGU: What insights would you share to future PGY-1 residents about what residency is like?

Dr. Thomas: Future PGY-1s should know that residency is unlike anything they’ve ever done before. They will have more responsibility than they ever have. At first, it can feel very overwhelming, but in the end it is worth it. In addition, you will always have people to learn from and support you, which makes things easier.

SGU: What advice would you give to someone on a similar journey to becoming a physician?

Dr. Thomas: My advice for future physicians is—don’t give up and don’t take no for an answer. There were multiple times along my journey that I heard “you won’t match into urology,” but I refused to believe that and worked even harder when someone doubted me.

SGU: What’s next after residency?  

Dr. Thomas: I’m looking at fellowships for when I finish residency. I am interested in becoming a reconstructive urologist and am trying to begin preparing my applications for that.

 

 

– Ray-Donna Peters and Laurie Chartorynsky

 

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Research Day returns to SGU

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After a two-year hiatus since a record-breaking turnout in 2019, the True Blue campus was once again buzzing with excitement as faculty, students, and local and regional visitors arrived at Open and Upper Modica Hall for the 19th SGU Research Day and Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day on October 23.

For the first time, the event featured both in-person and virtual presentations. A faculty panel made up of judges from SGU and outside of the University reviewed the presentations and chose winners for each category based on originality, scientific merit, and level of involvement. All winners (complete list below) was presented with a plaque at an awards ceremony held on November 9 at Open Modica Hall.

“This year’s Research Day/Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day was unique in its hybrid delivery, which facilitated participation by faculty and students around the world,” said Dr. Calum Macpherson, director of research at St. George’s University. “Many thanks to all who presented, attended, or assisted with this year’s Research Day and made the event such a success.”

All told, 135 individuals attended Research Day on campus while 67 registered online. Faculty and students from all four schools at SGU contributed 55 oral presentations—21 of which were virtual—and 51 poster presentations, with 25 presenting online.

Highlights included Grenada’s chief medical officer, Shawn Charles, MD ’17, MIB ’07, MBA ’08, who was accompanied by the Ministry of Health’s senior medical officer, Myanna Charles, MD ’16, MPH ’21, in delivering the first of over a dozen presentations on the COVID-19 experience in Grenada. Other COVID-related topics included SGU’s contribution to screening and surveillance, vaccination and vaccine administration in Grenada, as well as reasons for vaccine hesitancy.

Best Faculty Oral Presentation

  1. Anne Marie Corrigan – SVM
  2. Shaniza Haniff – SOM

Best Student Oral Presentation

  1. Madison Kucinick – SVM
  2. Daniel Francis – SAS
  3. Caitlyn Hatcher – SOM

Best Faculty Poster Presentation

  1. Firdous Khan – SVM
  2. Karla Farmer-Diaz – SOM

Best Student Poster Presentation

  1. Ireny Barsoum – SVM
  2. Melissa Joseph – SOM

Best Psychological Services Center Presentation: Dr. Cecilia Rougier

Best Department of Educational Services Presentation: Oluwatosin Omobolanle Arubuolawe

Best WINDREF Presentation: Tania Khan

– Ray-Donna Peters

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Family medicine resident wins prestigious AAFP award

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Sydney Asselstine, a 2019 graduate of St. George’s University’s School of Medicine, was one of 12 family medicine residents to receive this year’s American Academy of Family Physicians award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education.

The prestigious award honors a “select number of commendable residents for their outstanding leadership, civic involvement, exemplary patient care, and aptitude for and interest in family medicine.” The awardees were chosen from 4,665 eligible family medicine residents according to the AAFP’s website.

Dr. Asselstine is third-year resident completing her family medicine residency through the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School family medicine program at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, NJ. As co-chief resident, she counts receiving the AAFP award as one of her top professional accomplishments to date.

St. George’s University: How does it feel to win this award?

Dr. Asselstine: I am honored to receive such a recognition from the AAFP and to be named alongside residents who have accomplished such great things so early in their careers. I feel fortunate to have found my passion in life through my career in medicine, and while none of what I do is for the purpose of awards, I do try to strive for excellence every day for the interest of my patients and community.

SGU: What do you love about family medicine?

Dr. Asselstine: Family medicine resonates strongly with my core values—teamwork, community, and relationships. It is also where I feel I am able to be the most connected to my community and serve as a leader. I love being able to form relationships with my patients, and anytime one of them identifies me as “their doctor,” I can’t help but have a smile on my face. It has also been wonderful meeting such a wide spectrum of people from diverse backgrounds, with varying life experiences. I am honored to serve as an advisor and an advocate for my patients and community members.

SGU: What are your plans after you complete your residency?

Dr. Asselstine: Following my family medicine residency, I plan to complete a fellowship in sports medicine. As a lifelong athlete—I especially love hockey and golf—the fellowship will allow me to combine my passions for athletics while maintaining my primary care roots and staying involved in the community. I would also like to pursue academic medicine eventually, which will give me a well-rounded background in the different facets of medicine—patient care, teaching, scholarly activity, and advocacy—to help contribute whatever I can to the ever-changing world of medicine.

SGU: How will this award help you in your career?

Dr. Asselstine: I hope that it will help open new avenues to grow as a physician and help lead others towards investing in pursuits that they are passionate about.

SGU: How did SGU help you in your medical training?

Dr. Asselstine: Completing medical school at SGU has helped me to have a diverse training experience and maintain a holistic view of the patient. The variety of experiences provided during both basic sciences and clinical clerkships allowed me to develop a solid medical foundation, and also introduced me to a range of experiences outside of clinical practice.

For example, while working with the IEA Honors Society while in Grenada, I created and implemented community-based projects such as bringing school supplies to local schools. During my clerkships, I was able to take a research elective and learn the requirements for designing a research protocol. I was also given various opportunities to teach and mentor other students over the course of medical school, which sparked my interest in potentially pursuing a faculty position following my training.

SGU: What was your SGU experience like?

Dr. Asselstine: I felt that my education and experience through SGU was exactly what I needed to get me to the place that I am today. I enjoyed the variety of professors with diverse backgrounds available for teaching basic science courses, and the experience on the island meeting people from a wide range of backgrounds was second to none. I formed lasting relationships there, and lasting memories from both inside and outside the classroom.

Since AAFP’s founding in 1952, more than 990 second-year residents have received the distinguished honor. In addition to unique and respectable recognition, recipients will receive a $1,000 scholarship and complimentary registration to the AAFP’s virtual 2021 Family Medicine Experience.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

 

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Hospitalist Serves as “Gatekeeper” for Patient Care at Premier Medical Centers

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Philip Manners, MD ’11, calls hospitalists the “gatekeepers to the hospital,” and as an attending physician at three acclaimed hospitals in the United States, he’s in a unique position to assess and implement the strengths of each department in each location.

“It’s like you’re a project manager for the patient. You really have to know how each hospital department works,” said Dr. Manners, who splits his time between UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Johns Hopkins Medicine. “You have to look at the entire picture and view the patient as a whole. A sub-specialist can provide invaluable input very specific to their field of practice, but it’s up to the hospitalist to collect and assess all the available information, problem-solve conflicting recommendations, and unify the plan. Then the hospitalist can implement a cohesive plan that ultimately provides the most benefit to the patient.”

And in addition to his clinical duties, Dr. Manners is on faculty at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and is a major in the US Army Reserve.

The native Brit shared how he juggles his responsibilities and how his role emphasizes adaptability and communication, no matter where he’s seeing patients.

SGU: What about being a hospitalist have you enjoyed most?

Dr. Manners: I like helping sicker patients. That’s not to say that I like people to be sicker, but I like taking care of people with a higher acuity that require more complex management and a higher level of care. The challenges are greater, but that’s what makes it more rewarding when you have a successful outcome and make a positive difference to a patient’s life.

Even though I trained in full-spectrum family medicine, I find the inpatient side more satisfying. You can really see the difference you make unfold in front of you. It affords you more time with the patient, whereas in primary care, there’s always a battle of time and not having enough of it. With hospital medicine, you have more breathing room to really get your teeth into the patient’s problems.

 

“Being able to see the difference between the three hospitals is also intriguing. In a lot of ways, the job is fundamentally the same. The medicine is the same. But the systems and processes can vary widely.”

SGU: What kind of person is best fit for a hospitalist role?

Dr. Manners: To be a hospitalist, you have to be comfortable with patients who do have that higher acuity. If they’re sick enough to be in the hospital, there’s usually a complicated mix of problems and comorbidities. Also, you must be able to adapt to situations that can change quickly. One minute you can be dealing with a patient who is stable and ready for discharge, and the next you can be walking into a rapid response or a code. There are two ends of the spectrum there. Emergency medicine is similar to this, but the main difference with hospital medicine is you get follow the patient’s journey and see the progress they make. If you like the higher acuity, and the continuity of care, then hospital medicine is probably a better fit for you.

SGU: You were at Massachusetts General Hospital when the COVID-19 pandemic began. What was your role there?

Dr. Manners: I was in the middle of my disaster medicine fellowship at that time so, on the one hand, it was great because I could practice what I was training for, but on the other, the reality of a global pandemic was terrifying. Most hospitals have a small set of rooms that can accommodate airborne isolation, and we started off using those. We were implementing similar isolation procedures like we did for SARS and MERS. With COVID though, it soon became apparent that the isolation rooms were going to run out quickly, as did the PPE.

It’s a huge undertaking to upend a hospital’s entire standard operating procedures. The hospital incident command system kicked in and we essentially had to rewrite how the hospital was going to function. The hospitalists were at the forefront of this because we were the ones who were getting the COVID patients. We ended up converting entire medical and surgical floors into COVID-only floors, and oncology rooms were converted to make COVID ICU rooms. It was fascinating to see it evolve and to be on the front line of that. It was something that you read about, and try to prepare for, but hope you never have to actually experience.

SGU: You work at three locations on two coasts in the US. How is that experience unique?

Dr. Manners: One reason that I like working in large academic medical institutions is that you have access to a large range of sub-specialty care and resources—things that are on the cutting edge of medicine. I’m humbled to be learning from leaders in their respective fields. Being able to see the difference between the three hospitals is also intriguing. In a lot of ways, the job is fundamentally the same. The medicine is the same. But the systems and processes can vary widely. By identifying the things that work well—and don’t work well—at each hospital, I can use that information to refine and improve the care I give.

SGU: How was your experience as an SGU student?

Dr. Manners: I absolutely loved my time on the island. One major benefit of going to Grenada is that medical school became your whole world. You live and breathe SGU. Your classmates become your family. You forge close friendships by going through it together, and I don’t think you would develop those types of bonds and relationships in a US or UK medical school setting.

And then in clinicals, we had the opportunity to experience a large variety of clinical settings, in a range of geographical locations, where we had different resources, different patient populations, and learned different ways to practice medicine. It enabled me to become a very adaptable and open-minded physician.

I always tell people that medical school was the best experience of my life. I would go back and do it all again in a heartbeat.

– Brett Mauser

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Residency success 101: How to ace your application, interview, and first day on the job

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With residency application season in full swing, it’s both an exciting and nervous time for medical students. There’s so much to do to plan your next step, and all that has to get done while finishing up medical school.

Three St. George’s University graduates who, as residency directors at their respective hospitals, know the ins and outs of the entire process. They shared some helpful tips on how students can stand out—from their application all the way through their residency years.

The panel:

  • Dorian Alexander, MD ’10, residency director, Department of Critical Care Emergency Medicine, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
  • Amber Billet, MD ’12, residency director, Department of Emergency Medicine, WellSpan Health, York, PA
  • Panagiota Korenis, MD ’08, residency director, Department of Psychiatry, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, NY

St. George’s University: What is the most important thing that students should know or do during the application process?

Dr. Korenis: Time management is critical. If you get your CV or personal statement done early on, it will save you a lot of headaches during the summertime when you’re very busy studying for your Step 2 exam or trying to get letters of recommendation sorted out.

Students also need to find letters of recommendation writers during their rotations. Faculty, especially teaching faculty, are very used to having students ask them for LORs, so don’t be shy during your rotations when they know you the best and you’re doing your best work with them. If you wait until the last minute or after some time passes, that can sometimes lead to less descriptive letters.

Dr. Billet: Metrics often drive the application process. By the sheer volume of applications that they get, a lot of program directors will just simply filter applicants out by a numeric score. We don’t do that—I have three assistant program directors and we look at every single application without applying any filters. But a lot of program directors do it just for the sake of time. So first and foremost, to really stand out, you have to maintain an exceptional GPA during your preclinical years, and secondly, score above average on the USMLE Step 1.

Dr. Alexander: Represent yourself on paper in such a way that programs are interested in pulling out your application from the hundreds or thousands of applications they receive. That prioritization starts well before the application season. It starts with preparation for your boards. You must have competitive board exam scores for specialty for which you’re applying. That doesn’t mean in the 280s or 290s, but I recommend that you score 240 or above to stand out. You must also emphasize your letters of recommendation, which helps us know who you are as a student based on the eyes on the ground in your electives or core rotations.

SGU: What’s your best tip for acing residency interviews?

Dr. Alexander: The interview is probably the largest weighted factor of the entire application process because it really helps us identify who you are and where you want to go in this specialty. Seeing that you’ve taken the time to learn who you are going to be caring for and learning from over the course of your residency, that is a really good impression to make. It lets us know that the person is serious about us because they care about what we care about.

Dr. Korenis: You’re interviewing for a job, so you’ve got to do your homework. It’s critical that you look at the program’s website and see what their mission statement is, do a PubMed search on the faculty you’ll be interviewing with to see if they’ve published papers, and go into each interview with questions. Also, with virtual interviews, you really need to do your best to ensure that you have good lighting, a good background, and that you have a camera-ready presence. Videotape yourself ahead of time and have a colleague or a friend look it over to see how you’re doing.

Dr. Billet: In addition to being prepared, I like to see an applicant who has demonstrated resilience. The personal statement gives us a glimpse into who the person is. Every applicant has a different background personally, academically, and professionally. Those who have overcome challenges show a quality of resilience that oftentimes in residency is essential.

“Every applicant has a different background personally, academically, and professionally. Those who have overcome challenges shows a quality of resilience that oftentimes in residency is essential.”

SGU: What qualities are you looking for in a residency candidate?

Dr. Billet: The residents who will excel in our program or any program are the ones who are self-motivated and driven to push themselves to their highest potential, and have demonstrated that.

Dr. Alexander: We want people who have qualities of excellent work, are hardworking, and demonstrate consistency. Residency is not a sprint. To have that sustainable consistency of excellent work, it takes effort. Understanding that effort and identifying individuals who are willing to put in that effort is extremely important.

Dr. Korenis: Curiosity, flexibility, and the understanding that residency is like an apprenticeship that’s going to involve a lot of individual learning. You’re getting a lot of experiential training and you also have to have the aptitude to study while you work. For us, it’s critical to see a paper trail that shows genuine interest in the field and program that you’re applying as well as a paper trail of scholarly activity.

SGU: What should a new resident do on day one?

Dr. Alexander: Everyone thinks that on the first day on the job, you need to have all the answers and see a lot of patients. That’s not what we expect from you. All we expect is enthusiasm, someone who’s willing to learn, who’s interested in getting to know the environment that they’re working in, and loves what they’re doing. We want people who will engross themselves into this environment system and make it their home.

Dr. Korenis: Nobody in any program is expecting you to know how to be an internist, a psychiatrist, or a surgeon on your first day. Our job is to help you on this journey. Just do your best to get to work early to get a lay of the land, to eat breakfast, and to calm some of your nerves. Also, take time during that day to communicate with a loved one or a friend to check in and give yourself a little bit of a break.

Dr. Billet: Greet everybody with a smile and introduce yourself to everyone on the staff. In our department, there are nurses, nursing techs, patient care advocates, social workers, physical therapists, and many others. The residents who do are true team players and go out of their way to establish those strong working relationships early.

SGU: From your perspective, what makes a good resident?

Dr. Billet: The residents who are most successful are those who aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it. Asking for help and recognizing when you need help is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. The other thing is communication. Residency can be a roller coaster. It is extremely rewarding but also very challenging. That’s why communication with your attendings, your residency leadership team, and even your friends and family, to help support you and get you through this process is very important.

Dr. Korenis: A good resident is a team player, someone who is highly ethical and professional, and shows up every day with a positive attitude. A good resident doesn’t cut corners, they do their job thoroughly, and take their time to get to know their patients. And lastly, in times of stress, they rise to action and come up with solutions for their unique situation.

Dr. Alexander: A good resident is a person you want to work with every day. They care for their patients, they have a strong work ethic, they have a good drive, they are teachable, and they make a positive impact in the clinical environment. There are also the intangibles. Is this person nice? Is this person funny? Is this person caring? Is this someone who, when it’s three am, someone I could sit down with and have a conversation. Is this person someone who I want to have by my side when things go awry? Those are the intangibles that are all-encompassing of a person’s character, worth, and personality.

– Brett Mauser

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Vet Cardiologist Inspired to Strengthen Animal and Human Bond

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During a typical day at the office, Amanda LaRose, DVM ’15, a cardiology resident at The Animal Medical Center in New York City, sees an array of different animals. While she mainly treats dogs and cats, technology within the field of vet cardiology has allowed Dr. LaRose to diagnose and care for other small animals, including ferrets, guinea pigs, birds, and even a tegu, that may have heart conditions.

“Growing up as a horseback rider helped me realize how valuable the human animal bond is to a person’s health and mental stability,” Dr. LaRose said. “I wanted to become a vet to enhance that bond through general wellness and client education.”

Dr. LaRose shared what it means to be a vet cardiologist, why she chose the specialty, and her advice to School of Veterinary Medicine students.

SGU: Why did you choose to specialize in cardiology?

Dr. LaRose: It is the one specialty where you can be a jack of all trades. I not only get to diagnose a disease through echocardiograms but I can manage it with medications or potentially fix it with minimally invasive surgery (if it’s a congenital lesion). I also enjoy the long-term follow-up care that’s required with many patients and being able to provide adequate education for their owners. Finally, through our services we’re able to provide quality time for our terminally ill patients. I can’t begin to explain the feeling of being able to give an owner more time with their pet and provide those last days or weeks to come to terms with their pet’s condition.

I also became a specialist to continue to educate owners, referring veterinarians, post-grads, and students. I don’t think there’s anything more important than understanding and setting expectations when it comes to certain diseases and being able to provide support for the referral veterinary community and future veterinarians.

 

“As human medicine advances, so does vet med. I’m excited about the prospects of minimally invasive medical devices and investigative new drugs that could potentially help our patients, especially those where treatments are quite limited.”

 

SGU: As a vet cardiology resident, how long is the program and what are you learning?

Dr. LaRose: I started my third year in July and will complete the residency July 2022. As part of the residency program and becoming a specialist, we are required to be well versed in the basic anatomy, physiology, and sciences of the cardiovascular system and how they can be used to diagnose and manage cardiomyopathy in domestic animals.

Some of the procedures and activities we do include:

  • Diagnosis and management of various acquired cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias, and congenital diseases of the heart
  • Diagnosis often occurs through various imaging modalities, the most common of which is echocardiography, but we also become more proficient in reading chest x-rays, CT scans, and angiography studies.
  • A requirement of the program is also to learn minimally invasive management and treatment of congenital diseases such as transvenous closure of patent ductus arteriosus and balloon valvuloplasty for the treatment of pulmonic stenosis.

SGU: What gets you up in the morning when it comes to your job?

Dr. LaRose: The unknown of the day. What congenital case will we see? What animal we save today? What cool cardiomyopathy might we come across? What will today’s teaching point be?

SGU: What new technology or procedures are there that excites you when it comes to the specialty?

Dr. LaRose: As human medicine advances, so does vet med. I’m excited about the prospects of minimally invasive medical devices and investigative new drugs that could potentially help our patients, especially those where treatments are quite limited, as in our feline patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

SGU: Why did you choose SGU?

Dr. LaRose: SGU provided an opportunity for me to gain an education in veterinary medicine and offered a unique life experience. The thought of moving to another country was daunting; however, all of the students and graduates that I had spoken with were happy with their experience and education.

SGU: What was the best part of your SGU experience?

Dr. LaRose: The people and the island by far. As a student, I truly took advantage of what SGU and the island had to offer. This included participating in things like world vets, wet labs, school clubs, and class fundraisers (even if I was just attending). I also really tried to enjoy the island by taking advantage of the tourism and local events. I loved that after a rough test or midterms, we could go to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world to unwind. I was even fortunate enough to spend one Easter weekend sailing the Tobago Cays. It was an incredible experience that I would highly recommend to every student. There was always something new to experience.

SGU: If you had to give SVM students one piece of advice, what would it be?

Dr. LaRose: Take advantage of everything the island and the school have to offer. Get close with your classmates and enjoy your time as a student. The veterinary community is small—make friends, meet people, and keep a positive attitude. These attributes will help you go far!

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

 

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SGU alumni rally around Grenada amid COVID pandemic

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When the COVID-19 pandemic put Grenada back on its heels, St. George’s University alumni put their best foot forward, bringing hope to their one-time home and setting the country on a promising path.

In the span of mere weeks, more than 200 School of Medicine alumni have volunteered their medical services, helped to procure all-important supplies, and contributed more than $70,000 through its newly created Grenada Medical Assistance GoFundMe page.

The Grenada COVID Crisis Group (GCCG), led by SGU graduates Michele Friday, MD ’88, Dwight Matthias, MD ’92, and Lisa Radix, MD ’97, has spearheaded the campaign—facilitating in-person and online patient care and crowdsourcing both funds and supplies that will help healthcare workers on the ground treat those who have contracted the virus. In addition, they aspire to educate the Grenadian community about the benefits of adhering to health protocols and, above all else, they support the COVID-19 vaccine in the population to flatten the curve, lessen the effects of recurring COVID infections, and lessen the burden of long COVID syndrome in recovering patients.

While addressing COVID-19, Dr. Friday hopes that the support received in recent weeks is the start of a long-term healthcare solution in Grenada.

“This pandemic has given us an opportunity to impact the healthcare of our fellowmen and families on the island and has imparted in us the vision to continue with the existing momentum to grow a stellar medical environment in Grenada,” said Dr. Friday, an interventional cardiologist based in Kentucky. “We hope that this medical ideal that we are striving towards, is something that each and every one of our Grenada-trained doctors—who have been educated at SGU, live in Grenada, or who work off island but are Grenadian in heart—would be proud of.”

Raised in Richmond Hill, St. George’s, Dr. Friday is one of more than 60 Grenada-born physicians who have rallied to support their home country. Three grads—Philip Bonaparte, MD ’89, Molara Alexis, MD ’05, and Carina David, MD ’16—arrived on island last week to begin working with local doctors, nurses, and staff.

VIDEO: Dr. Alexis and Dr. David speak about COVID-19 vaccines in Grenada

“I felt that it was important to help in a meaningful way, with the reduction in the workforce as some members contacted COVID-19, the likely possibility of fatigue due to an increased volume of work related to the surge, and the opportunity to provide moral support to frontline workers,” said Dr. Alexis. “As an infectious disease physician, I was keen to share any knowledge and experience with my colleagues in Grenada and to continue to educate the general population regarding the importance of vaccination.”

They’ll also work on building up the telemedicine infrastructure so that hundreds of SGU graduates can provide personal care from afar. The network of volunteers spans a variety of specialties, including infectious disease, pulmonology, pediatrics, cardiology, and emergency medicine.

Supplies in demand

The wide alumni network has procured hospital supplies that specifically address needs in Grenada General Hospital and other clinics. These supplies—which began arriving in late September—include much-needed personal protection equipment (PPE) and oxygenation equipment, as well as pharmaceutical support such as monoclonal antibodies, antibiotics, and steroids.

The GCCG GoFundMe page has secured donations from more than 400 alumni and friends of SGU. These funds will be used to secure additional medications, supplies, and equipment to be sent to Grenada. GCCG is working closely with the Ministry of Health to monitor existing supply levels and secure fortifications as needed.

“You feel like you’re connected to a bigger thing that’s about to surround Grenada with all the love and help they can think of providing,” said Dr. Radix, a nephrologist who was born and raised in St. George and attended Anglican High School. “It’s great to be part of a group that has such an innate love for Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique.”

 

“As an infectious disease physician, I was keen to share any knowledge and experience with my colleagues in Grenada and to continue to educate the general population regarding the importance of vaccination.”

Dr. Matthias, who was raised in Belmont, St. George’s, added: “My colleagues, Dr. Friday and Dr. Radix, clearly epitomize the SGU alumni and have illuminated the spirit of Grenada national anthem—’we pledge ourselves… heads, hearts, and hands in unity…  As one people, one family.’ I’m so appreciative of the fellow alumni who have extended helping hands and made generous donations.”

Graduate contributions are part of a larger effort from the entire SGU community to provide care, spread information, and limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Working with the Government of Grenada, SGU faculty members have stepped up to volunteer in the Government’s most recent initiative—hosting mobile testing and vaccination clinics throughout the island. Students have also mobilized in response to the call for help, volunteering at testing and vaccination sites hosted by the Ministry of Health.

– Brett Mauser

 

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Dr. Carina David