SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds Publishes Op-ed on IMGs Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

/in , , /by

An op-ed by SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds was recently featured in The Orange County Register.

The article, “Physicians educated abroad can fill COVID-induced doctor shortage,” outlines how the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the country’s looming shortage of physicians. Many doctors are choosing to retire early, either out of concern for their health or financial struggles. This disproportionately harms rural areas, many of which already face provider shortages. Dr. Olds explains that internationally trained doctors can help meet these communities’ healthcare needs.

“International graduates also have a history of practicing in high-need areas,” he said. “Compared to doctors trained at US schools, IMGs are typically ‘more likely to look after underserved populations and to live and work in rural areas.'”

He argues that graduates of St. George’s are playing a particularly significant role in meeting the country’s current—and future—healthcare needs.

“Thousands of promising students graduate from international medical schools each year,” Dr. Olds said. “More than 1,100 graduates of the school I lead, St. George’s University in Grenada, began residencies in the United States this past summer.”

Read the full article

The Importance of Clinical Skills Training: Faculty Spotlight on Department Deputy Chair Dr. Anna Cyrus-Murden

/in , /by

Dr. Anna Cyrus-Murden

Successful physicians are not only strong diagnosticians and skillful when it comes to offering solutions to their patients’ ailments and illnesses, but they are also exceptional communicators.

This month’s faculty spotlight is on Dr. Anna Cyrus-Murden, the deputy chair and assistant professor of the School of Medicine’s Department of Clinical Skills. She is also the director of the Simulation Center. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Cyrus-Murden has been responsible for organizing and implementing online clinical skills solutions for all terms.

She discussed with SGU News the importance of medical students learning to be proficient in clinical skills, so they are aptly prepared for their clinical rotations.

St. George’s University: What are some key clinical skills that are taught to SGU students?

Dr. Cyrus-Murden: Competency in clinical skills best occurs as an integrated and longitudinal educational process, meaning that clinical skills development must occupy a central position in medical education. As students obtain exposure to an incrementally challenging skills curriculum, they have the opportunity to progressively master that set of skills.

SGU emphasizes a patient-centered approach to patient care. As the name indicates, most of the student experiences are designed to be hands-on, including via small groups and hospital SIM lab visits, to offer students the opportunity to develop and become competent of their clinical skills.

In Clinical Skills (CS), students are taught to:

  • Develop their communication and interpersonal skills with patients, families, and other members of the care team, and examine patients;
  • Develop clinical reasoning skills;
  • Document findings from a patient encounter; and
  • Understand the important role of the doctor-patient relationship in patient care.

SGU: Why is it important to learn these soft skills before students start clinical rotations?

Dr. Cyrus-Murden: It is of the utmost importance for students to learn an effective communication skillset so that they can establish a strong patient-provider relationship that can positively influence patient satisfaction, cooperation, and health outcomes.

SGU: What are some best practices when it comes to speaking with patients?

Dr. Cyrus-Murden: Students should be able to:

  • Communicate and engage with patients to build a physician-patient relationship for the purposes of information gathering, guidance, education and support;
  • Demonstrate empathy and professional behavior throughout the encounter;
  • Consider the determinants of health when obtaining an appropriate history;
  • Use effective and empathic verbal and nonverbal communication (and avoid the use of medical jargon);
  • Verify the patient’s understanding and validate the patient’s concerns; and finally,
  • Summarize the clinical information and intended plan of action.

SGU: How have these skills been taught/measured in a virtual setting?

Dr. Cyrus-Murden: Creating online solutions for learning clinical skills as well as developing an online alternative for in-person OSCEs (objective structured clinical examinations) took primary importance in the early days of the pandemic. I was among the clinical skills team at SGU who successfully developed and implemented the Online Clinical Evaluation Exercise (OCEX) at SGU— an online alternative to OSCE.

We are using telemedicine cases as an alternative to the hospital/clinic visits, where students can interview real patients in real time—similar to virtual rounds—and virtually “shadow” physicians to perform their patient encounters. From this experience, they are able to gather enough information to develop a preliminary differential diagnosis and a diagnostic workup plan, as well as begin to develop an effective physician-patient relationship.

SGU: With the emergence of COVID-19, how has telemedicine become an important aspect of clinical skills training? 

Dr. Cyrus-Murden: The unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a host of challenges for physicians. As a result, telemedicine, in many cases, is now conducted in lieu of hospital or doctor visits. Learning effective telemedicine strategies will provide students with the confidence to utilize this tool in their future practices and permits students to go beyond geographic and socioeconomic boundaries to deliver high-quality care to in-need patients. Telemedicine has become a necessary alternative to conventional acute, chronic, and preventive care.

 

 

–Laurie Chartorynsky

SGU President and Graduate Discuss Caribbean Medical Schools on Forbes.com

/in , , , /by

In the article “5 Things to Consider Before Selecting a Caribbean Medical School” on Forbes.com, St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds and alumna Gaelle Antoine, MD ’19, were shared why SGU offers an excellent “alternative pathway for US students to study medicine.”

The article, written by college counselor Kristen Moon, explains that schools like SGU provide fantastic opportunities and support to their students. She also highlights an interview she conducted earlier this summer with Dr. Antoine, a 2019 graduate of St. George’s.

“According to Moon Prep’s interview with Dr. Gaelle Antoine, SGU graduate and current anesthesiology resident at Brown University, St. George’s University provides endless research opportunities for students … She even took advantage of a six-week study abroad program in Europe to see how healthcare worked in a foreign country.”

Read the Full Story on Forbes

SGU Vice Chancellor Dr. Richard Liebowitz Featured in KevinMD

/in , , , , /by

An op-ed by SGU Vice Chancellor Dr. Richard Liebowitz about the importance of internationally trained doctors within the U.S. physician workforce was recently featured in KevinMD.

In the article, “We need more doctors. International medical schools can provide them,” Dr. Liebowitz outlines the increasingly competitive nature of U.S. medical schools. He explains that although our country’s doctor shortage is growing rapidly, these institutions have been unable to respond to the increase in demand. U.S. schools received almost 900,000 applications in the 2019-2020 cycle, but enrolled less than 22,000 new students.

“Consequently, thousands of promising U.S. students who would make excellent doctors are victims of a cruel numbers game,” he writes. “According to a 2019 survey from U.S. News and World Report, the average acceptance rate at 122 U.S. medical schools was just 6.7 percent. And the odds of admission could grow even longer, as the pandemic motivates people to consider careers in medicine.”

Dr. Liebowitz outlines how top-tier international medical schools are resolving this educational bottleneck — and producing the doctors of the future.

“Already, thousands of U.S. citizens head abroad for their medical training. And that number has been growing in recent years. Three-quarters of students at the school I lead are U.S. citizens. Most of them return home to the United States to practice; more than 1,000 started residencies in the United States this summer.”

For a full list of the 2020 residency matches, visit our residency archive. More information about SGU’s admissions deadlines and scholarship programs can be found here.

Read the full KevinMD article

SGU Instagram Takeover: Emergency Resident Says “Be Willing to Be Open, Take Risks, and Invest in Yourself”

/in , , , /by

Chris Reilly, MD '20

What’s it like to be an emergency medicine resident?

In a recent takeover of St. George’s University’s Instagram page, Chris Reilly, MD ’20, unveiled what life is like as a PGY-1 in emergency medicine at HCA’s Brandon Regional Hospital in Brandon, FL.

 

View Dr. Reilly’s Instagram takeover

 

Dr. Reilly also answered viewers’ questions in a follow-up live Q&A for which he addressed topics like:

  • Why he chose emergency medicine as a specialty;
  • Tips to help students secure an EM residency;
  • How to study and be successful in med school; and
  • Opportunities for personal and professional growth in emergency medicine.

His biggest piece of advice for students? Keeping an open mind about what specialty to enter.

“You’re going to have so many different experiences from first year through fourth year,” Dr. Reilly said. “Really try to enjoy every rotation you are on and try to really envision yourself being in that specialty because that will give you perspective. If you can have an appreciation for and perspective for that specialty, then it was a successful rotation.”

The Instagram Q&A has been viewed by more than 2,300 people as of early December.

 

View Dr. Reilly's Live Q&A

VOICE: Championing Diversity in the Veterinary Profession at the Student Level

/in , , /by

VOICE SGU chapter

It’s no secret that Black and Hispanic Americans are underrepresented in the veterinary profession. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 104,000 veterinarians in the US in 2019, 89.8 percent were white, 6.1 percent were Asian, while just 1.6 percent were Hispanic or Latino, and virtually none were Black or African American.

Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment, or VOICE, seeks to increase “awareness, respect, and sensitivity to differences among all individuals and communities in the field of veterinary medicine.” The national organization has nearly two dozen student chapters across US and Caribbean veterinary schools.

Veterinary students at St. George’s University created the VOICE SGU chapter in 2018 and currently has more than 280 members, according to its Facebook group.

SGU News reached out the VOICE SGU’s current president, Antonia Nickleberry, MBA, a Term 2 student in the School of Veterinary Medicine, to hear more about why diversity in the field matters and how SVM students can get involved.VOICE SGU 2020-2021 president, Antonia Nickleberry, MBA, a Term 2 student in the School of Veterinary Medicine

St. George’s University: What is the overall mission of VOICE SGU?

Antonia Nickleberry: The overall mission of VOICE can be best described by the following excerpt on the national website: The organization aims to “celebrate diversity within our profession, to encourage campus environments that embrace diversity and promote the success of all students, and to emphasize the importance of cross-cultural awareness in veterinary medicine in order to meet the needs of our diversifying clientele. Lastly, in order to ensure a more diverse future for veterinary medicine, VOICE chapters provide leadership and mentorship to youth, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, who are interested in careers as veterinarians.”

SGU: Why is it important to raise awareness of and encourage diversity in vet medicine?

Antonia Nickleberry: The world around is us diversifying rapidly. Veterinary medicine seems to have a delayed response to this diversification and therefore, those within the profession are not as aware as they should be. This can lead to major sensitivity issues between classmates and colleagues that can be avoided by educating and empowering those in this profession, starting with the students.

SGU: How does the organization champion equality and diversity in veterinary medicine at the student level?

Antonia Nickleberry: The organization brings awareness to our classmates. It is important that we begin, and continue to understand, that diversity is more than just race; it is also age, gender, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc. These differences commonly separate us. However, by acknowledging and being aware of those differences, we can make a large impact not only within veterinary medicine, but across the world.

SGU: What kinds of activities/events are you holding, especially as students are virtual, to bring the group together?

Antonia Nickleberry: The pandemic has made it fairly difficult to host events, but we hosted our first virtual diversity trivia night via Zoom on November 17. It was a huge success! We had about 22 attendees and we were able to have fun and open dialogue about overall diversity as well as diversity specific to veterinary medicine. There were first, second, and third place winners who won $100, $60, $30 electronic visa gift cards, respectively.

Additionally, every month, we feature a “DVM of the Month” on our Facebook page, which highlights veterinarians of all backgrounds to shatter the image of who and what a veterinarian looks like. Being that the field was dominated by white men for many years before shifting to white women, we believe it is important to display those who can identify in different genders, races, nationalities, etc. Diversity is cloaked in this profession and this is our way of removing that cloak.

In addition, when we are on campus, we also visit children at the orphanages in Grenada. While visiting, we spend time with the children and teach them how to handle animals as well as inform them on what veterinarians do and what the field of veterinary medicine consists of. This event allows us to impact these children and hopefully influence the future racial demographic of veterinary medicine.

SGU: How has SGU’s overall student/faculty diversity contributed to the mission of VOICE SGU? And how will it help students in their overall careers as veterinarians?

Antonia Nickleberry: The diverse student and faculty population encourages diverse relationships and fosters an environment that is comfortable for students from all walks of life. This will better prepare students to interact with diverse clientele once they begin practicing.

SGU: Who should join VOICE SGU? How can they join?

Antonia Nickleberry: Anyone who desires a diverse, aware, educated, and empowering experience in veterinary medicine should join VOICE SGU—no matter what race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status they represent. Being that VOICE is a sub-organization of Student American Veterinary Medical Association, there are no dues and students are able to join by attending our general body meetings, following us on Facebook, and participating in our events.

SGU: What are your personal career aspirations and why did you choose vet medicine as your career?

Antonia Nickleberry: I am originally from Texarkana, TX. I am interested in specializing in radiology, surgery, or emergency medicine, and starting my own private practice. Additionally, I aspire to continue to give back to the veterinary community by providing resources, scholarships, and mentorship to Black pre-veterinary and veterinary students through my newly founded online resource platform, TwoPointOne.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

SAS grad: Don’t miss out on “the entire experience” at SGU

/in , , , , /by

2020 graduate Dominic Gaspard has used his degree to earn a teaching position at Anglican High School in St. George’s.

From his time as a student at St. George’s University, Dominic Gaspard values the people he met and the adventures he went on as much as foundation it provided for his career

“If you come to SGU with the mindset of obtaining a degree as fast as possible, you would have missed the entire experience,” said the 2020 School of Arts and Sciences alum who earned degrees in international business as well as accounting and finance.

Currently a teacher at the Anglican High School in Grenada, Mr. Gaspard is also a full-time entrepreneur involved in two business ventures, one of which started as a project for the SAS Principles of Marketing course in which they were tasked with creating a marketing plan for a new product. Their product of choice: insect repellent candles.

SAS grad Dominic Gaspard encourages students to take advantage of the “entire experience” at SGU

After receiving positive reviews, he encouraged his classmates to join him in pursuing the concept further. They later took the idea to the Grenada Industrial Development Corporation’s Young Innovators Challenge where similar sentiments were echoed.

“Most of my time at SGU was actually spent with the SGU community and forming relationships. I’ve learned so much more outside the classroom thanks to the network I’ve built,” said Mr. Gaspard. “The level of student support and student engagement greatly enhanced my studies, especially given the additional responsibilities at home with my mom.”

The highlight of his time was the opportunity to participate in the 2018 Global X-Culture Conference and Symposium held at the University of Macerata in Italy. There he competed among 140 students from 29 countries, and he and his team captured one of only four company challenge trophies. In addition, the international experience provided him with the opportunity to learn about various cultures, interact with different nationalities and understand the importance of global perspectives.

“To SGU, I would say thank you—it’s the most enlightening experience I have ever had is my university experience,” he said. “That slogan ‘Think Beyond’ is something that has been branded into me and I don’t see the world the same way as I used to. I’m always looking at the bigger picture.”

It was not only a reward for him and his colleagues, but when he was faced with personal challenges leading up the Symposium—prompting him to second-guess his participation—he was instead buoyed by the enormous outpouring of support from his fellow classmates, as well as faculty and staff alike.

“I have been involved with another universities, and when I assess the level of student support systems SGU has in place, I can tell there is a conscious effort to take care of both students and staff,” he said.

During his time at SGU, Mr. Gaspard was also named president of the Business Students Association and served as a key member of the orientation team.  For those who aspire to pursue any number of careers locally, regionally, or around the world, he would implore them weigh all their options but also to know that “being a product of St. George’s University, including the quality of the education, the level of student support, and the extensive ability to network, prepares you for life.”

– Tornia Charles

Then a student, Dominic Gaspard (left), aided by his team of international students, was presented with one of the four company challenge trophies at the 2018 Global X-Culture Conference and Symposium held in Italy.

4 Generations of Nurses: The Solomon Legacy Continues at SGU

/in , , , /by

Nursing student Molly Solomon (left) with her mother, Dr. Jennifer Solomon, who are part of a long line of nurses in the family.

On Jennifer Solomon’s bookshelf sits “The Complete System of Nursing”, a book passed down from through the generations of nurses in her family. The book’s inside front cover includes handwritten notes from her now deceased mother and grandmother, pearls of wisdom and inspiration that she holds dear.

Dr. Solomon, the chair of nursing and allied health science at St. George’s University, beams with pride when talking about her predecessors in the field, and especially so when discussing the fourth-generation nurse to be—her daughter, now a first-term student at SGU this fall.

“It’s such a proud feeling to be part of this family of nurses as I’ve gained all the principles passed on through the years,” according to Dr. Solomon.

As a soon-to-be nurse herself, her daughter, Molly, feels she has benefitted immensely from the values passed down through the generations. “I feel that being a fourth-generation nurse has given me a chance to pass on and learn the amazing and life changing skills nurses have,” she said. “It has helped me as a nursing student by seeing the bigger picture, how my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother have impacted their world, and the fact that I have a chance to help and change my generation as a nurse pushes me to be the best I can.”

 

Learn more about the nursing program at SGU

 

“Nursing teaches you communication skills, critical thinking, people management, cultural nuances, and other life skills that you need,” Dr. Solomon added. “You are there at people’s most vulnerable moments. It is such an honor and privilege to be there when someone needs you.”

Although she was never “urged” to enter nursing, Dr. Solomon recalls aspiring to be like her mom, who was well respected in the community and worked long hours, yet still managed to attend all her extracurricular activities. Her grandmother attended nursing school in the late 1950s in Manchester, England, a time when there was little psychological support to nurses experiencing trauma from patient ordeals.

Dr. Solomon, too, studied nursing in England, a certification that has allowed her to travel extensively while working, and opened the door to a new life in Grenada. She and her husband visited the island while sailing throughout the Caribbean from England, and enjoyed it so much that they decided to make it their home.

Although the first three generations of nurses were trained in England, her daughter, Molly, will learn in a vastly different environment—Grenada. Nurse Solomon praises St. George’s University’s nursing program as it equips students with the tools and support needed to manage any traumatic experiences had while training.

 

“You are there at people’s most vulnerable moments. It is such an honor and privilege to be there when someone needs you.”

 

“I had the opportunity to send my daughter to the UK to study nursing, but I honestly believe in this program,” said Doctor Solomon.

The three-year nursing program leads to graduates being eligible to sit the Regional Exam for Nursing Registration (RENR) exam which, upon successful completion, allows students to for acquire licensure to work as registered nurses in the CARICOM member states.

“As a first-year nursing student, I am excited and intrigued as to what the nursing program can offer for me,” said Molly Solomon. “Thus far, looking at the courses I will be taking, I am ready for the challenge.”

For more information on the St. George’s University degree in General Nursing, please visit the website or register for a virtual information session delivered by the School of Arts and Sciences where your most important questions will be answered.

– Tornia Charles

A First of its Kind: SGU Launches Center for Integrative Medicine

/in , , /by

 

Amid a global pandemic, St. George’s University’s School of Medicine recently launched the Center for Integrative Medicine—the first of its kind for the University and the island of Grenada. The virtual center aims to broaden patient-care training for SOM clinical students by teaching them non-traditional methods of care.

Officially launched on September 14, clinical students can learn non-surgical, non-pharmacological, alternative therapies like tai chi, qigong, yoga and meditation for chronic healthcare concerns including cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, osteoarthritis, and musculoskeletal ailments such as back pain.

While SGU has always offered courses on non-traditional medicines as selectives, the establishment of the Center for Integrative Medicine provides a look at all alternative methods of patient care.

“Our mission is to teach medical students how to offer alternative therapies to patients who are ill or want to stay healthy,” according to Dr. Stephen Weitzman, dean of the School of Medicine. “It is important for our students to know and understand how to use all different kinds of therapy and that integrative medicine exists in order to best treat and care for their patients.”

Instrumental to the establishment of the Center is Mr. Michael Weitzman, director of Thai Services, and Dr. Robert Hage, a senior professor of anatomy, who also is the Center’s director. Both lectured integrative medicine selectives to clinical students in the past.

“Our mission is to teach medical students how to offer alternative therapies to patients who are ill or want to stay healthy.”

– Dr. Stephen Weitzman

 

“The Center was created to ensure that students can receive training in a group of therapies that are essential today,” said Mr. Weitzman. “The biggest health issues of our times can have these eastern self-care healing therapies as part of the treatment process—from stress, obesity, back pain, and cardiovascular disease to lowering one’s risk of dying from COVID. The four modalities I teach in my selectives should be an essential aspect of any medical students training.”

Students have demonstrated significant interest in non-traditional patient care methods. “This past summer, I taught two online selectives—Tai  Chi and Qigong, and Yoga and Meditation as Integrative Medicine,” said Mr. Weitzman. “Over a period of six weeks, there were approximately 200 students who registered and participated in the Yoga and Meditation selective alone.”

To learn more about the SGU’s Center for Integrative Medicine, register for a virtual information session, which features a live question-and-answer segment featuring current students and alumni.

– Tornia Charles

World Health Organization redesignates collaborating center at SGU

/in , , , , , /by

As public health has become even more of a focus with the emergence of COVID-19 worldwide, St. George’s University continues to be a beacon for education, research, and service collaboration in the Caribbean. The World Health Organization (WHO), together with its regional representative, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), recently re-designated SGU’s Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPHPM) as a Collaborating Center (WHO CC) on Environmental and Occupational Health through August 2023.

Such centers are established to support global health initiatives implemented by the WHO, for the benefit of all member countries. The designation provides a foundation for collaborating centers to develop partnerships with national and international authorities, as well as to generate resources from funding partners.

Dr. Christine Richards

“The continued efforts by faculty and students as well as civil society, governmental and international partnerships demonstrate the benefit of collaboration in public health, which the WHO CC symbolizes,” said Dr. Christine Richards, DPHPM interim chair, who leads the Collaborating Center with SGU faculty member Odran Nigel Edwards.

The WHO CC was originally established on the SGU campus in 2012. The DPHPM, together with the Windward Island Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), also located on SGU’s campus, are uniquely positioned to lend support, having collaborated on several environmental research programs that addressed occupational health among nutmeg workers and health care workers, renewable energy, land degradation, food and water borne diseases, and zoonotic diseases and presently the response to COVID-19.

SGU’s DPHPM, along with WINDREF, also serves as the Caribbean’s only United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaborating Centre (RCC) since 2013. The UNFCCC RCC’s primary goal is to work with public and private sector organizations, as well as government agencies, to enhance the implementation of clear technology activities for the Caribbean the region in order to achieve carbon reduction targets to mitigate climate change.

– Brett Mauser

Interested in public health? Learn more about the MPH program at SGU