High-Achieving SVM Students and Faculty Honored at Spring Virtual Awards Ceremony

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Screen shot courtesy of SVM student Briana Kinsey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The School of Veterinary Medicine recognized students and faculty who exhibited academic excellence, outstanding work ethic, and a strong commitment to the field during last month’s SVM Spring 2021 awards ceremony.

“Students who were named during the awards ceremony are the best of the best when it comes to exemplifying the qualities needed to become exceptional veterinarians,” said Dr. Neil Olson, dean of the SVM. “With the added challenge of learning during a global pandemic, the honorees have especially excelled, and we are so proud of their accomplishments at SGU.”

Dr. Olson, Mr. Brendon LaGrenade, SGU’s vice provost for institutional advancement, and Dr. Anne Marie Corrigan, associate dean of academics, addressed the online crowd. In addition to a wide range of traditional awards acknowledging the best students in all classes, student organizations could nominate students and faculty/staff for an award.

Two new awards were presented this semester:

  • Dean Olson’s Award for Academic Excellence, given to Term 3 students with the highest GPA (as of the end of Term 2) and who embodies professionalism. The award has a combined value of $2,000 EC, split among the nominees.
  • SGA SGU Awards of Excellence is a new award given by the Student Government Association recognizing SGU faculty and staff members who play an integral part in vet students’ success.

During the virtual event, the SVM also held its Phi Zeta Honor Society inductions as well as the traditional Term 6 student slideshow sendoff, a compilation of photos taken to highlight students’ time at SGU before they head into their clinical year. It was the first time that all three events were held together.

Dr. Rhonda Pinckney will retire on June 30 after 17 years at SGU.

The awards event also acknowledged retiring faculty member Dr. Rhonda Pinckney, a professor of veterinary parasitology within the Department of Pathobiology, and one of the longest serving SVM faculty members. Dr. Pinckney has been with SGU since 2004 and will retire on June 30.

The SVM hopes to be able to resume the award ceremony in person for the fall term.

Zoetis Awards

Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholars Award: April Perez, Sonali Desai, Pricilla Leinberger

Zoetis Revolution Awards
Small Animal Surgery Award: Kristie Armas

Small Animal Internal Medicine: Montana Loveday

Equine Medicine Award: Amanda Broeder

Production Animal Medicine Award: Haley Embleton

Scholarship of Service Award: Elizabeth McGarvey

Student Research Award: Glenna Raycroft Maur

Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award: Dr. Nicki Wise

Outstanding Colleague Awards

Term 1: Stephanie Nickerson

Term 2: Maureen Kruhlak

Term 3: Leandra Margolies

Term 4: Sheridan Nichols

Term 5: Adriana Kalaska

Term 6: Krystal Mendoza

Dean Olson’s Award for Academic Excellence Recipients for Spring 2021

Letty Bonilla, Daria Ehrenberg, Melissa Ferguson, Lauren Fleming, Acacia Johnson, Jennifer Memleb, Teylor Nealy, Cristians Rivas Morales, Aleeka Roberts, Samuel Ruch, Valerie Savino

Adrienne Lotton Memorial Award

Nakia Sweetman

SVM Alumni Scholarship Award

Cody Cragnolin

Giant Paws Giant Hearts Foundation “Hercules” Award

Cody Cragnolin

PAWS Recognition for Term 6 Facilitators

Krystal Mendoza, Collin Leisz, Camille Ogden, Anna Ritz, Elizabeth McGarvey, Amanda Broeder

Veterinary Public Health Committee “One Health One Medicine” Community Leader Award

Caitlin Nay

Student Organization Awards                   

SGUSVM Large Animal Society Most Valuable Sixth Term LAS Member Award

Maggie Pratt Isgren

Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists Most Valuable Pathologist Award

Taryn Paquet

Wellness Committee MVP Award

Chandler Case

TherioHERO Award (faculty award)
Dr. Firdous Khan

Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Awards

Student Winner: Vittoria Lipari
Faculty Winner: Dr. Anne Corrigan

Student Chapter of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society

Student Winner:  Tasha Faletti
Faculty Award: Dr.  Anne Corrigan

Student Government Association Awards

SGUSVM Outstanding Faculty Award Recipients

Term 1-3: Dr. Rhonda Pinckney
Term 4-6: Dr. Firdous Khan

**NEW** SGA SGU Awards of Excellence (faculty award)

Terms 1-3: Ms. Tandy James
Terms 4-6: Ms. Naudia Dundas

George B. Daniel Award

Maria Coppola

The Pinckney Parasitology Award

Brianna Shepke, Lance Shen Kenny

Alpha Delta Chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta

Spring 2021 Inductees

Term 5 Inductees

Alexa Albam, Richard Brown, Devin Curtsinger. Briana Howard, Adriana Kalaska, Nadine Pearsall, Elizabeth Russell. Dawson Ruschkowski Tess Talmage, Kiersten Yndestad

Term 6 Inductees

Taylor Adams, Marisa Curro, Erica Foster, Annelise Godau, Krystal Mendoza, Hannah Narburgh, Camille Ogdon, Alexa Pensabene, Sarah Quinlan, Anna Ritz, Jaren Rodier, Sofija Todorovic, Katherine Williams

Term 6 Students Inducted Last Term

Jacqueline Compta, Cody Cragnolin, Molinaro Goode, Kyra Gore, William Holl, Cullen Kurgan, Abigail Kenly, Vittoria Lipari, Taryn Mooney, Romina Morgan, Kelly Ramos, Jaimie Remillard, Yu Wang

Phi Zeta Specialty Faculty Recognition for Their Work in Promoting Research and Scholarship

Dr. Firdous Khan, Dr. Heidi Janicke

 

Screen shot courtesy of SVM student Briana Kinsey.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

Op-Ed: SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds Featured on KevinMD

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St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds recently penned an article on KevinMD.

The article, “Here’s how we can rebuild health care post-pandemic,” outlines the critical role that international medical graduates (IMGs) will play in the future physician workforce. Thousands of new doctors will soon begin residency programs at hospitals across the country. That includes 7,500 IMGs—more than 1,000 of which are SGU alumni.

“These newly minted doctors, many of whom are U.S. citizens who chose to study abroad, will play an outsized role in treating the underserved communities hit hardest by the pandemic,” Dr. Olds wrote.

He goes on to argue that internationally trained physicians are uniquely suited to address our country’s growing doctor shortage. They have a history of working in underserved areas, including rural regions and majority-minority communities.

“Internationally trained doctors are also more likely to treat people from historically marginalized groups. In areas where the population is 75 percent non-white, IMGs account for nearly 40 percent of the physician workforce. And according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, IMGs often care for Medicare beneficiaries with more complicated needs than their domestically trained counterparts,” he wrote.

View the full article on KevinMd

Campus enhancements await students returning to Grenada

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St. George’s University’s campus is ready for students to return by making several enhancements, and it will have a new look when they arrive.

SGU has continued to support its growing campus community with several expansion and redevelopment projects to be completed in the 2021-2022 academic year. When construction is complete, the campus will feature greater capacity for individual and group study spaces as well as new technologically advanced clinical skills laboratories.

“We are extremely excited to make these improvements to our campus, and truly believe that they will greatly contribute to our students’ success,” said Charles Modica, chancellor at St. George’s University. “We eagerly await their return and, with it, the return of our vibrant campus.”

Enhancements include:

  • New Eric Gairy Pavilion: Outside of Eric Gairy Hall, this open-air pavilion welcomes up to 282 students to convene for outdoor study, a tried-and-true setting to further absorb coursework. Scheduled to be completed by August 2021.
  • New Beachfront Pavilion: On the hill connecting upper and lower campus, this new pavilion will have the capacity for 324 students to conduct group study, all with backdrop of True Blue Bay. Scheduled to be completed by early fall.
  • Renovated indoor study spaces campus-wide: Students can really stretch their legs with 52 percent more individual study spaces thanks to new carrels in Founders Library, Lower Modica Hall, Lower Taylor Hall, St. David’s Hall, St. Andrew’s Hall, and St. John’s Hall. Scheduled to be completed by August 2021.
  • Additional clinical skills labs: After recently updating the existing 56 clinical skills rooms with the newest technology, SGU is also adding another 28 rooms as well as a new control center that will help provide an optimal simulation experience with standardized patients. Scheduled to be completed in early 2022.

The improvements were put in place as SGU prepares to welcome back fully vaccinated students, faculty, staff, and administrators later this month, with in-person classes back in session this August.

“When our students, faculty, and staff are all on campus together, it truly is a magical place to learn, study, and to enjoy each other’s company,” said Glen Jacobs, provost at SGU. “These additions and renovations only add to the unique and enriching student experience here in True Blue.”

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St. George’s University’s campus is ready for students to return by making several enhancements.

 

 

– Brett Mauser

SVM Term 6 students travel to Las Vegas for clinical skills training

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Term 6 students Amanda Broeder, Shannon Millikin, and Nakia Sweetman at the Oquendo campus in Las Vegas, NV. Photo courtesy of Nakia Sweetman.

When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented School of Veterinary Medicine students from participating in hands-on training in Grenada, St. George’s University coordinated a unique alternative under the bright lights and glitz in Las Vegas, NV.

This semester, a total of 98 Term 6 students attended clinical skills workshops at the Viticus Center – Oquendo Campus in Las Vegas. The center is a venue for many medical and veterinary medicine continuing education sessions; however, it welcomed SGU students as part of its mission to “enhance animal and human health worldwide by providing the highest quality year-round continuing education to veterinary and human healthcare professionals.”

“Typically, during Terms 5 and 6, students learn critical clinical skills at both our Large Animal Resource Facility and Small Animal Clinic in Grenada. It is during this time that students experience their first surgeries, learn to administer anesthesia, and perform much-needed spay and neutering services,” said Dr. Neil Olson, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “Because of COVID, this group of students was not able to have the normal Term 5 or Term 6 experience. However, we felt very strongly that in order for the students to be prepared to head off to their clinical year we wanted to make sure they had exceptional hands-on training.”

SVM students Brianna Viglietta and Jasmyn Fearon during a workshop at Oquendo Campus in Las Vegas, NV.

During the spring term, students touched down in Las Vegas to attend a two-week workshop where they acquired a variety of large and small animal clinical skills through workshops taught by licensed veterinarians, vet specialists, and technicians.

 

“I am so grateful for this experience. I truly feel more prepared and ready to take on clinical year.”

 

In addition, two SVM faculty were on site to support students—Dr. Rodolfo Bruhl-Day, chair of the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, and Dr. Flavia Restitutti, associate professor of small animal medicine and surgery. The last of the groups completed the workshop at the end of April.

“The Oquendo Center is the premier, state-of-the-art facility for veterinary continuing education in the US and an ideal learning environment,” said Dr. Lauren Nicki Wise, assistant dean of fourth-year clinical training for the SVM and professor in the department. “It was a wonderful opportunity to have that facility and staff available to our students.”

Specifically, students practiced handling and performing physical exams on large animals, including cows and horses. One group even got to treat a neonatal goat that was born, Dr. Wise said. On the small animal side, each student performed surgical anesthesia, and then performed spay/neuter surgery as part of a community service program with local shelters and animal rescues. The students spayed and neutered close to 200 dogs while there.

Photo courtesy of the Viticus Center.

Nakia Sweetman, a Class of 2022 DVM candidate, attended the workshops in late February.

“I am so grateful for this experience,” said Ms. Sweetman, who begins her clinical year at Texas A&M University this month. “I truly feel more prepared and ready to take on clinical year. The experience showed us how clinical year will be set up, with doctors there to help guide us and teach us, while also giving us the opportunity to be doctors as well.”

SVM student Nakia Sweetman at the Oquendo Campus in Las Vegas, NV. Photo courtesy of Nakia Sweetman.

Another added plus to the experience: being able to see her classmates again after a year of being home.

“At the end of our workshop, I was able to explore Las Vegas. A couple of my friends and I actually decided to stay through the weekend, so we rented a car and went to the Hoover Dam, hiked the Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire. We also went to the Linq High Roller, which is a large ferris wheel, and we were able to see all of Vegas from up there,” Ms. Sweetman said.

This was the Viticus Center’s first foray into a training event specifically geared to help veterinary students prepare for their clinical year.

“When SGU came to us with the opportunity to help train veterinary students to give them hands-on training, it was our privilege and honor to help,” said Dr. Tony Pease, the chief veterinary medical officer of Viticus Group.

SVM student Erica Foster exams a horse at the Oquendo Campus.

Dr. Pease added that the not only were the students eager to learn, but “exceptionally prepared.”

“Our instructors and technician team were truly impressed with their skill and enthusiasm to learn and be taught,” he said. “I think our instructors and technicians were just as excited as the students to get to work every day and help these young veterinarians-in-training hone their skills. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to provide this experience, and we look forward to seeing the students again as doctors, coming to further hone their hands-on skills during their careers.”

Added Dean Olson: “This experience, while out-of-the-box, is representative of the commitment we have to making sure students are prepared for their clinical year. It’s an excellent example of how, with a little creativity, we were able to collaborate with the industry to ensure our students stay on track with their vet educations.”

Students witnessed the birth of a neonatal goat while at the Oquendo Campus.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

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South Korean Grad Provides Critical Care at a Critical Time

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Responsibility has followed and increased throughout Ki (Steve) Lee’s time as an internal medicine resident at Newark Beth Israel Hospital in New Jersey. A year after helping the department through the COVID-19 pandemic as an intern, the St. George’s University graduate is now in a managerial role, overseeing a team of medical staff and full ward of patients. This spring, Dr. Lee will become one of four chief residents in the department, helping to supervise and train its more than 40 residents.

The South Korea native looks back on the path that led him to one of the state’s most high-traffic, high-impact critical care units.

St. George’s University: What has it been like supervising such a critical element to healthcare at Newark Beth Israel?

Dr. Steve Lee: In your first year of residency, you’re learning how to help and figuring out how things work. In my second year, you’re asked to do a lot more. In my case, I’m managing a team that is overseeing the 16 patients on our floor. It’s been a great experience, I have a lot of autonomy, and it has allowed me to grow as a team leader and a decision maker.

SGU: What’s the best part about doing residency at NBI?

Dr. Lee: It’s amazing how much clinical experience we get here. We’re the only lung transplant hospital in New Jersey and the only heart transplant facility too. The most critically ill patients get transferred here, and it’s up to us in the ICU and critical care unit to take care of them. We get a lot of hands-on experience, use all these state-of-the-art devices, and I feel like we learn a lot. If you do residency here at NBI, you can go anywhere else and be comfortable.

 

“You go to Grenada and meet all these new people on day one, and you’re all there to help each other out.”

SGU: You were a first-year resident during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in and around New York City. What was that like?

Dr. Lee: COVID was very difficult. We typically have a maximum of 16 patients on our list, but at that time we were managing 30-40. Our department was running the entire hospital, and there were so many different teams on the floor—pediatricians, radiologists, and many, many others—helping out in any way that they could. What was so difficult was that patients’ outcomes could change in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, for our staff, we all had each other to lean on. We were able to talk through things and we covered each others’ shifts when needed.

SGU: How would you describe your experience at SGU?

Dr. Lee: You go to Grenada and meet all these new people on day one, and you’re all there to help each other out. The education was great, and many of my classmates are now attendings at these major hospitals. They’re doing amazing, and I feel like everyone has done great.

– Brett Mauser

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Grad Reflects on Role in World’s First Successful Face and Double Hand Transplant

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Zoe Berman, MD ’17

More than a year of preparation came down to one day for one patient and the surgical team that was about to change his life. Joseph DiMeo, a 22-year-old man from New Jersey, had been severely injured in a motor vehicle accident, and in an effort to regain his independence, he turned to NYU Langone Health to perform the world’s first-ever successful face and double hand transplant.

Over the 23-hour operation last August, Zoe Berman, MD ’17, stood alongside the surgeons, confirming each critical step as the hands and face were detached from both the donor and Mr. DiMeo, and then the donor hands and face were carefully affixed to the recipient. For Dr. Berman, a reconstructive plastic surgery research fellow under world-renowned doctor Eduardo D. Rodriguez at NYU, the “groundbreaking” operation was a culmination of in-depth research and planning that she and her colleagues had contributed to in order to ensure its success.

After finishing up her fellowship at NYU, Dr. Berman will return to Maimonides Medical Center to complete a surgery residency this July, not without an experience she deemed “life-changing” just as it was for the patient. She shared what it was like to participate in the planning and execution of such an intricate procedure.

St. George’s University: How unique of an undertaking was this for Dr. Rodriguez and his team?

Dr. Berman: This was the first-ever hand transplant to be performed at NYU. There have been two face transplants done at the institution—one in 2015 and another in 2018—but NYU physicians had never done a hand transplant. Only 150 or so have been performed worldwide, and the combined face and double hand transplant procedure had never been done before successfully.

SGU: What was your role prior to and during the operation?

Dr. Berman: I was a part of the four-person research team that helped procured the necessary information to build the foundation for this procedure to happen. We started with a review of the peer-reviewed literature on hand transplant and other combined transplants, where we evaluated more than 1,800 articles and ended up critically appraising 93 of those articles to see how we could use that information to inform what our procedural steps were going to be, and how to execute the surgery safely and successfully. We were looking for what elements contributed to the successes of past surgeries, and perhaps even more importantly so, where the unsuccessful operations fell short—whether they were too ambitious in terms of the amount of skin that they took, the blood supply wasn’t adequate, or the patient simply wasn’t the best candidate. We then centralized all of this information and presented it to the surgical team.

Our research team also worked with the surgeons over a series of monthly rehearsals to develop the procedural steps for the hand transplant element. We created a surgical checklist to ensure adherence to every single agreed-upon step of the donor procurement, the recipient operation, and the re-attachment of the hands. Each operative sequence had between 30 and 50 steps and it took all the guesswork out of it.

SGU: Describe what it was like the day of the operation.

Dr. Berman: We had two adjacent operating rooms functioning simultaneously. Our team physically stood alongside the surgeons during all the cadaver rehearsals as well as the actual transplant to ensure that everyone was adhering to the procedural steps. When you’re talking about connecting multiple blood vessels, tendons, bones, and lot of different structures that meld together, it can make it a very complicated procedure.

  • Dr. Berman working with Dr. Rodriguez in the cadaver lab.

  • The NYU plastic surgery team

  • The research team

  • SGU grads Matthew and Zoe Berman, with father Peter

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SGU: How has Mr. DiMeo fared since the procedure?

Dr. Berman: Joe is a very motivated young man. It was important to him to get back to work, get back to the gym, to be independent, and to really get back to the life that he was living before his accident. I think it’s the most remarkable thing about him and part of the reason why Dr. Rodriguez and the team thought he was an exceptional candidate for this surgery.

Since the operation, he’s done very well with his rehabilitation and continues to improve functionally every day. He has been monitored very closely for any signs of rejection and he continues to heal and to accept all three of his allografts (face and both hands).

SGU: What prompted you to pursue this fellowship at NYU?

Dr. Berman: My father is a head and neck surgeon, so I think I’ve always had that influence me to a degree. There’s something about the symmetry and the intricacies of that part of the body that I find extremely fascinating. I’ve always had an appreciation for the face and what it represents for a human being in terms of providing a sense of identity and an outlet to communicate verbally and emotionally. To help restore that identity is very meaningful in somebody’s life. When I learned about the remarkable things Dr. Rodriguez and his team were doing at NYU, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of it. Face transplant is the ultimate reconstructive surgery.

SGU: How has being part of this procedure changed your life?

Dr. Berman: It has been an extremely unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I feel so fortunate to be able to partake in this incredible experience that has truly pushed the field of reconstructive surgery forward. To be a part of this patient’s journey, to see him continue to be so motivated and so beautifully supported by his parents has really been a privilege.

More so than anything, I’ve been so fortunate to have had the mentorship of Dr. Rodriguez, who is a real visionary. He put trust in me to be a part of this, and to be able to contribute to changing somebody’s life—that’s why I went into medicine in the first place—to give someone the opportunity to live a better life, a more fulfilling life, and to have a second chance.

SGU: Why did you choose to go to SGU, and how has it set you up for success in your career?

Dr. Berman: I would have never had the opportunity to do anything I’m doing if I hadn’t first made the decision to go to SGU to get my MD. At the time, I was ready to go to medical school, and I didn’t want to wait for another US application cycle.

The foundation that the education at SGU provided me has allowed me to grow beyond what I ever imagined to be possible. I think coming from SGU gives you a sense of humility that will serve anybody well in the medical field. I have never felt entitled to anything. For me, I’ve always considered being a doctor and working with vulnerable patients to be an unbelievable privilege.

There’s also something sacred and beautiful about the island. I met my husband there (Matthew Bushman, MD ’16), who’s now an anesthesiologist, and my brother (Matthew Berman, MD ’17) also followed me to the island a semester later, who met his wife there (Taylor Dodds, MD ’19), and they’re both in residency now and doing well. We all had an incredible time at SGU, and considering where we all are now, I would never change my decision to go there.

– Brett Mauser

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Basic Sciences Dean: Energized community and student success at the heart of campus return

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Why is learning the basic sciences so crucial to the study of medicine?

“In the basic sciences, we set the framework for all of the foundational requirements of clinical knowledge, skills, and behaviors” needed to apply to hospital medicine, according to Mark Clunes, PhD, the new senior associate dean of basic sciences at St. George’s University. He took on his new role when Dr. Marios Loukas was appointed dean of the School of Medicine earlier this year.

As dean of basic sciences, Dr. Clunes is tasked with ensuring that first- and second-year MD students are well-prepared to enter their clinical years. He knows the terrain well, having been a professor of physiology within the School of Medicine since 2008 and most recently serving as the associate dean of basic sciences. His wife, Dr. Lucy Clunes, also an SOM professor, was recently named the school’s dean of students.

Dr. Clunes shared his perspective on why mastering the basic sciences curriculum is crucial to clinical learning, the future of the virtual learning environment at SGU, and what he is most excited for when students return to campus.

St. George’s University: When students complete their basic science curriculum, how will they be prepared for the clinical years?

Dr. Clunes: Essentially, in the basic sciences, we set the framework for all of the foundational requirements of clinical skills; then in their clinical years they have to apply that knowledge to real patients with all the complexity of real patient presentation.

 

“Campus is more than a location; it’s a place of study, a place where students relax, and a place where they interact and gather and share academic and extracurricular life. It’s a dynamic community and a space we share together. I am very much looking forward to regaining our community.”

 

SGU: How can students prepare for the transition from virtual back to in-person learning? What is the advantage to being back on campus?

Dr. Clunes: Although our curriculum has been delivered remotely during the COVID pandemic, we have continued to provide live interactive sessions, so the time management and study skills required to be successful in the remote program are very similar to those required for the on-campus environment.

However, the advantages of being back on campus are that this is a center of academic activity. The learning environment here on campus is tailored for study, either as individuals or in groups, whereas home is not always equivalent. So for the most part, the return to campus will provide an opportunity to re-establish study communities and provide a stable supportive learning environment for success.

SGU: Will there be aspects of virtual learning that remain a part of the curriculum, even when students are on campus? In what ways?

Dr. Clunes: Certain elements have undoubtedly been advantageous virtually.

For instance, virtual “office hours” have allowed faculty to substantially increase the volume of students we can meet with, and these sessions have been appreciated by faculty as well as the students.

In terms of the core curriculum, we still think that community and engagement are vital, so the core elements of the curriculum will be delivered on site, but flexibility around supplemental activity will undoubtedly be increased.

Some examples include:

  • Patient interviews using remote technology—this won’t be retained as an exclusive modality for patient encounters but targeted sessions for remote technology use with patients will be incorporated
  • The advisory services will very likely offer both live or online options for students.
  • Many of the supplemental learning sessions that run in the evenings on campus can now also be offered online, so that students can choose to remain on campus or participate from their home or dorm.

SGU: From an academic standpoint, what are students’ biggest concerns when they enter their first term?

Dr. Clunes: There is often apprehension about medical school and the demands of studying medicine. It is of course an academically challenging course of study. However, there is a wealth of support from the faculty, the course directors, University administration, and all of the advisory and support services. Everyone at SGU is here for one outcome—student success.

Students will return to campus for the August 2021 term.

SGU: Is the study of COVID-19 now a part of the curriculum?

Dr. Clunes: Infectious disease, immunology, and public health have always been an important part of the curriculum. Our experience over the last 12 months demonstrated why it was so important to learn.

Moving forward, the faculty of the Departments of Microbiology, Immunology and Pharmacology, and Public Health will undoubtedly use the COVID pandemic and the wealth of research garnered as valuable educational tools.

SGU: What are you most excited about when students return to campus?

Dr. Clunes: Seeing campus return to the busy, energized place that it was when the students were present. Campus is more than a location; it’s a place of study, a place where students relax, and a place where they interact and gather and share academic and extracurricular life. It’s a dynamic community and a space we share together. I am very much looking forward to regaining our community.

To learn more about the School of Medicine’s MD curriculum, visit the SGU website.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

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SAS Grad Serves as Grenada’s Guardian of Official Etiquette

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As Adrian Joseph, BSc ’10, sees it, every day is an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to serve his home country. Today he directs and coordinates the activities as head of the Protocol Division in Grenada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a position he’s held for nearly a decade.

Mr. Joseph shares why he went into public service, as well as how SGU afforded him the opportunity to remain close to home and family while furthering his education.

St. George’s University: What are your responsibilities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Adrian Joseph: As chief of protocol, I oversee the security, logistics, and etiquette in diplomatic and national events or functions. In this role, I am also responsible for all consular matters and for serving the diplomatic corps/regional and international organizations accredited to Grenada in accordance with the Vienna Convention.

SGU: Did you always want to work in public service?

AJ: I’ve always wanted to serve my country in some way or another. However, it was while serving as the vice president of the SGU Model United Nations that in many ways piqued my interest in the field of modern diplomacy. That experience provided a wonderful opportunity to interact and learn from different cultures.

I chose this field because, in my opinion, it is quite extraordinary given that its main objective is to achieve a sense of harmony in the world. I find the work that I do very fulfilling as it allows for facilitation in communication and knowledge exchange and in promoting peace. I am also working on further strengthening my business acumen by earning a doctorate in business administration with a specialization in global business at Keiser University in Florida.

SGU: How have you been affected by the events of this past year?

AJ: This pandemic has been tough on many of us, but despite the adversities, it has also shown us the importance of family and friends and how grateful we should be for our health. For me personally, it has given me a new insight on issues such as food security and self-reliance. As a result, I have been dabbling in farming, which has turned out to be quite interesting and rewarding. I hope to expand on it because, apart from providing an additional source of food, it’s also a great form of exercise and I find it very relaxing.

SGU: What advice would you give to someone pursuing a similar path as you at SGU?

AJ: I will always be grateful to SGU for affording me the opportunity to earn a degree that has helped me in so many ways in becoming a well-rounded individual. The University is fully equipped with all the essential instruments for learning and for preparing its students for the professional environment. I am proud to be an alumnus of an esteemed institution that continues to produce distinguished graduates who are thriving in their respective fields.

 

— Ray-Donna Peters

SGU Donates 8,000+ Meals to St. Vincent Relief Efforts

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SGU campus officials collaborated with the Ministry of Health Grenada and officials from the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) to deliver meals to St. Vincent families affected by the volcano eruption. Image courtesy of Terrence Franklyn.

In solidarity with the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and its people, St. George’s University has donated more than 8,000 meals to those affected by the recent eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano.

“SGU’s origins are tied to St. Vincent,” said SGU Chancellor and University Co-founder Charles R. Modica. “Our connection to the island spans far and deep and we hope to assist our St. Vincent brethren in any way we can. The meals will help families affected by the volcano, which continues to erupt and cause uncertainty for the people who live and work on the island.”

SGU’s Department of Public Safety officials collaborated with the Ministry of Health Grenada and officials from the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) to coordinate the effort. SGU’s Department of Public Safety delivered the meals to NaDMA for shipment to St. Vincent.

SGU has also pledged to offer beds for evacuated residents, if needed. In addition, the School of Medicine Alumni Association has started a charity drive to help St. Vincent families, which includes SGU alumni who live and work there. All individuals are encouraged to donate.

 

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A Rich History Together

Just as Grenada and St. Vincent share close ties, the island and its people are dear to many in the SGU community, as it was a co-partner of the University from its inception. For more than 25 years, SOM medical students completed a semester of their basic sciences on the island. When the volcano last erupted in 1979, some SGU students were studying on the island and instrumental in helping island recovery efforts, even as medical students. SGU also lent a hand by donating much-needed supplies.

Similarly, when Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in 2004, St. Vincent offered assistance during the country’s recovery.

“We are thinking of our Vincentian neighbors during this challenging time and stand ready to further assist in their recovery,” said SGU Provost Glen Jacobs. “We are working closely with the Government of Grenada and disaster preparedness agencies to continue offering support in any way we can, including food and shelter for our St. Vincent brethren.”

Students, faculty, and staff in Grenada wishing to drop off donations may contact NaDMA.

 

— Laurie Chartorynsky

 

 

 

SGU, WINDREF co-host climate intervention webinar with UN, WHO, and PAHO

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Continuing its longstanding collaboration with national, regional, and global organizations that drive discussion and improvements related to climate change, St. George’s University co-hosted an interactive webinar to address the importance of climate intervention in the Caribbean and how the region can benefit from increased data collection.

The webinar, titled “Calculating the Health Co-Benefits of Climate Interventions Using the CaRBonH tool in the Caribbean,” was co-organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre at St. George’s, SGU’s Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPHPM), the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Small Island Developing States, which include the islands in the Caribbean, have a high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change despite the region’s low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions,” said Dr. Calum Macpherson, SGU’s dean of the School of Graduate Studies and director and vice president of WINDREF. “These impacts include more frequent and increasingly severe storms; unpredictable weather patterns, which impact agriculture and the incidence of vector borne diseases; increasing sea levels; and increasing temperatures, all of which adversely affect human and animal health.”

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The April 28 webinar introduced the current status of the data collection process in the Caribbean and explored the potential advantages of adapting the WHO’s Carbon Reductions Benefits on Health Tool (CarbonH) tool to assist in calculating the health benefits of climate interventions.

“Ultimately the data collected in the region will be part of the discussions at the Global Climate Change, COP26 meeting to be held in Glasgow in November 2021,” Dr. Macpherson said.

The CaRBonH tool was initially developed by WHO to quantify the potential health and economic benefits that could be achieved by climate policy implementation in Europe. RCC St. George’s, WINDREF, PAHO, WHO, and SGU have been working in collaboration to apply the CaRBonH tool in the Caribbean by conducting a preliminary analysis of data availability in the region.

 

“Small Island Developing States, which include the islands in the Caribbean, have a high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change despite the region’s low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.”

 

Webinar participants included 24 representatives of the UNFCCC National Focal Points, and chief environmental health officers and national statistical officers from 16 Caribbean countries. The session was moderated by Dr. Lindonne Glasgow, SGU’s deputy chair and assistant professor of the DPHPM.

Presenters included Dr. Vintura Silva, regional lead of UNFCCC RCC St. George’s; Jonell Benjamin, consultant of UNFCCC RCC St. George’s; and Dr. Daniel Buss, advisor for climate change and health in PAHO, with opening remarks given by Dr. Macpherson,

St. George’s University hosts the UNFCCC RCC in the DPHPM, one of six global Research Collaborating Centers in the world. In an effort to assist in the development of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in the region, the UNFCCC secretariat created a partnership agreement with WINDREF, which is based on the SGU campus, as well as St. George’s University to establish a regional collaboration center in St. George’s, Grenada. The RCC St. George’s is available to support countries interested in applying the CaRBonH tool to calculate the health co-benefits of climate interventions.

The group plans to reconvene on June 1 and 2 for a virtual conference titled, “Making the Case for Health Co-Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation in the Caribbean.”