What does research have to do with treating ER patients? Everything

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For Nicholas D. Caputo, MD ’08, the associate chief of emergency medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx, investigating diseases like COVID-19 to learn more about their origins and health effects has allowed his team to more effectively care for critically ill patients that come through the busy hospital’s emergency room.

Dr. Caputo, along with colleagues, have published multiple articles in various medical journals and based on their experiences and patient encounters within the ER, including several related to findings about the COVID-19 disease.

For instance, in the spring of 2020, the team published the first study on awake self-proning for COVID-positive patients as a means to stave off intubation, according to Dr. Caputo. The study was published in Academic Emergency Medicine (the official publication of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine) and cited in The New York Times.

Earlier this year, his team published the only reported outcomes data for the New York City public hospital system in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, which had some “gut-wrenching findings in regard to inequities and disparities in COVID outcomes,” he said.

Sharing the correlation between research and emergency medicine, and specifically how it helps him approach his job every day, were among the topics that Dr. Caputo spoke with SGU News about in a recent interview.

SGU: How do you apply findings from your research to your role as an EM doctor?

Dr. Caputo: Research allows me to go into each shift with a different perspective. On the one hand, it allows me to deliver care to patients with the mindset of treating their individual situation based on what we know from previous research findings. On the other hand, it also allows me to take those patient interactions and formulate hypotheses about broader issues that other ER doctors may encounter and ultimately help advance the emergency medicine specialty.

 

“A good scientist always keeps an open mind in the pursuit of truth. Keeping an open mind allows one to critically think outside-the-box which may lead to a better solution to treatment—and a positive outcome for the patient.”

 

SGU: What lessons have you learned from the global health crisis that can be applied to ongoing patient care?

Dr. Caputo: The most important lesson I learned is that a good scientist always keeps an open mind in the pursuit of truth. Keeping an open mind allows one to critically think outside the box, which may lead to a better solution to treatment—and a positive outcome for the patient.

SGU: What appeals to you about emergency medicine?

Dr. Caputo: The biggest appeal to me in emergency medicine is that on any given shift—no matter where you are working—you have the potential to see anything across the spectrum of medical pathology. That’s the great thing about emergency medicine—we truly see it all.

SGU: What responsibilities do you have as associate chief of emergency medicine?

Dr. Caputo: In this position, I help coordinate the daily operations of the emergency department, and oversee the quality review process, performance improvement, and research, among other necessary roles to help ensure the department runs smoothly so we can deliver the highest quality of care, safely to our community.

SGU: You are also an Army Reservist—how does your medical background help you when you are called up for service?

Dr. Caputo: My working in a Level 1 Trauma Center in one of the busiest single-site emergency departments in the country has provided me the experience I need to treat our soldiers on the battlefield who have similar if not even more devastating traumatic injuries. That’s one of the things I am most grateful for in working where I work.

SGU: How did SGU help prepare you for your current hospital role?

Dr. Caputo: SGU gave me the drive to want to do more—to stand out by showing up early, leaving late, and doing research on my own time in order to better myself.

SGU: What was the moment that you realized you’d made the right decision to come to SGU?

Dr. Caputo: When I matched in the specialty I wanted at the place I wanted for residency and where I still work today.

SGU: What if you hadn’t said yes to SGU?

Dr. Caputo: I don’t really want to think about that!

– Laurie Chartorynsky

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Thai alum cites “fast-paced nature” as major appeal to emergency medicine

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Although Natcha Rummaneethorn, MD ’20, will continue her career amid the hustle and bustle of New York City, her passion for medicine began during medical mission trips to the rural villages outside of her native Bangkok, Thailand. While the two areas look almost nothing alike, she said there are similarities when it comes to healthcare.

“Ever since those mission trips, I’ve wanted to work in underserved areas where people need the most help and don’t have adequate healthcare access,” said Dr. Rummaneethorn, who is a first-year emergency medicine resident at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan.

Dr. Rummaneethorn shared what she looks forward to most in her residency and how prepared she feels for the next step in her career.

SGU: What led you to go into medicine?

Dr. Rummaneethorn: My father is a dermatologist, and my mom is an ICU nurse. They influenced me to go into medicine to a certain point, but what really drove me was a medical mission in Thailand through my church. We provided medical care and supplies to rural areas in Thailand, such as villages in the mountains or hills where there’s difficult access to healthcare and hospitals. They are without basic equipment and simple medications like aspirin or ibuprofen that we have commonly, and for them, it’s two to three hours to the nearest hospital.

SGU: Why did you choose to enter emergency medicine?

Dr. Rummaneethorn: I enjoy the fast-paced nature of an emergency department. In general, I try to do things as efficiently as possible, and I like that kind of nature in emergency medicine. Also, there’s always something new for you to see, and we have to have at least basic knowledge for every specialty because we receive patients with a wide array of problems. I’m looking forward to practicing in New York City because of the diverse patient population and the level of training I’ll obtain to handle the most severe situations.

SGU: How would you describe your time at SGU?

Dr. Rummaneethorn: My academic experience at SGU was great due to the rigorous curriculum as well as a number of excellent faculties that provided superb education, such as the biochemistry and pharmacology professors in particular. Also, being on the island of Grenada, the location gave me numerous opportunities to have hands-on experiences with local Grenadians. These experiences allowed me to grow my clinical knowledge and skills as an aspiring physician. On top of that, I had a chance to learn about the Caribbean culture, enabling me to be equipped for taking care of my patients who are of diverse backgrounds during my clinical rotations in Brooklyn.

SGU: How often did you come across an SGU grad during your clinical rotations?

Dr. Rummaneethorn: One of the major benefits of SGU is its large alumni network. If utilized appropriately and effectively, this will turn into a very useful tool in preparing for a residency application. During my clinical rotations, I was extremely surprised at how many attendings I met who turned out to be SGU alumni. They were ready to help me as well as other SGU students rotating with them.

SGU: What advice would you have for a Thai student who was entering medical school?

Dr. Rummaneethorn: Students should also reach out for help early. I prepared myself for my residency application from day one. In my first semester, I attended a lecture with Dr. [John] Madden, who’s an SGU grad and former emergency physician, about emergency medicine, and from there I tried to attend all the seminars that I could. I feel like they really paid off because each helped prepare me for the application process.

– Brett Mauser

 

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SGU President Addresses Physician Shortage on Good Day Chicago

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St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds joined “Good Day Chicago” on Fox 32 News to discuss the nation’s growing doctor shortage.

New projections estimate that the United States will be short up to 124,000 physicians by 2034. U.S. medical schools aren’t training enough doctors to close this gap.

“We have to start doing something about it because it’s impacting the care of patients,” Dr. Olds urged during the July 1 interview.

He went on to examine possible solutions for the shortage, such as building more medical schools and funding more residency positions. Dr. Olds believes it’s also imperative that we look to international medical schools like SGU to train the nation’s physician workforce.

“As a result of international schools filling in that gap, St. George’s University is actually the largest supplier of doctors in the United States,” he said.

View the full conversation

SGU Welcomes Inaugural April Class

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Siblings Stephan and Beatrice Attilus began their medical studies together at SGU this April.

Last week, St. George’s University welcomed its inaugural April class of aspiring doctors with a virtual White Coat Ceremony. Each term, the ceremony is held for first-term students, representing an important milestone marking their entry into the medical profession.

“I want to welcome the students from the first April start for the School of Medicine,” said Dr. Charles R. Modica, chancellor of SGU. “Forty-five years after our first charter class—and in the middle of a pandemic—you’ve decided to take upon yourselves the rigorous studies to pursue a medical degree. We’re here to help you succeed in any way we can, and if you’re anything like your predecessors, I think you’ll do just fine. We’re excited to have you as the newest charter class of the University.”

The 2025 April class joined its fellow incoming students from the August 2020 and January 2021 classes from St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four- and Five-Year Program and the School of Medicine, who had their White Coat Ceremonies in March. The April class welcomed students from 22 countries, including the United States, Ecuador, Canada, Argentina, India, Algeria, China, Grenada, Jamaica, Nigeria, Cuba, Guyana, Haiti, Fiji, Republic of South Korea, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Ghana, Rwanda, and Ukraine.

In his welcome remarks to the latest incoming class, Dr. Marios Loukas, the dean of the School of Medicine, encouraged the medical students to strive for excellence in their pursuit of knowledge and to heed the oath they were about to pledge.

“As you don your white physician’s coats, you pledge an oath of professionalism and service,” said Dr. Loukas. “Professionalism is a commitment to integrity, altruism, competence, and ethics in the service of others. We must endeavor to honor the sacred trust and privilege society places on medical professionals—cognizant that the standard is an ideal that we must continuously aim to achieve. I welcome you to the noble profession of medicine.”

In his keynote address, Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of SGU and a tropical disease specialist, shared his knowledge and expertise about the fight against COVID-19. He focused on the history of the white coat and the place physicians held in society.

“We have an opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic to reestablish what’s important in physicians,” said Dr. Olds. “By taking on great personal risk and sometimes becoming surrogate loved ones while caring for patients, this global health crisis has shined a light on healthcare professionals on the frontlines and created a new opportunity for all healthcare workers to be appreciated by greater society.”

After sharing a touching story on what it means to be a good physician, Dr. Olds left the newest class of future doctors with a few additional words of wisdom.

“You will learn a lot of medical facts from your faculty—facts about the body and how it breaks down in disease,” he said. “You’ll learn how to diagnose difficult illnesses and how to treat them. But if you’re open to it, you’ll learn how to become a better doctor largely from your patients. So, as you don your white coat today, welcome to the noble profession of medicine.” 

– Ray-Donna Peters

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SGU Announces Partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University

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St. George’s University announced a new direct admission partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, Canada.  

Each student admitted to the new 4+4 program will receive a $10,000 scholarship to begin studies in medicine or veterinary medicine at SGU following completion of their undergraduate degree at KPU. 

“We’re proud to team up with Kwantlen Polytechnic University to provide a direct pathway for students to pursue careers in medicine,” said Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of St. George’s University. “With US and Canadian medical school admissions more competitive than ever, this partnership can relieve students of the stress of the standard application process.”

Students can gain provisional acceptance any time during their first three years at KPU. They learn if they’re accepted to the KPU/SGU program in the fall of their fourth year. All applicants must complete a degree in health sciences. To qualify, medical school applicants must maintain a 3.4 grade point average and record a competitive score on the MCAT. Veterinary applicants must maintain a 3.2 grade point average and post a score of at least 300 on the GRE.  

Upon graduation, successful applicants may enroll immediately at SGU. Medical students have the opportunity to spend one year at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. 

Admitted students are eligible for merit and need-based financial aid, in addition to the $10,000 grant from St. George’s. Graduates of St. George’s can pursue residencies throughout the United States and Canada.

“Canada is facing acute shortages of both doctors and veterinarians,” said Sandra Banner, SGU’s director of admission for Canada. “Partnerships like this one can boost the number of skilled professionals working in these fields—and help people make their dream of becoming a physician or veterinarian a reality.” 

“We are very excited about this new partnership with St. George’s University in Grenada. It has been years in the making,” said Carole St. Laurent, associate vice president, KPU International. “This partnership will not only provide the opportunity for our health science students to achieve their goals to become doctors, it will also make KPU an attractive destination for local and international students to more readily access a graduate level education in medicine by beginning their educational journey at KPU.” 

“This partnership is welcome news to our students who will now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams to become doctors,” said Dr. Elizabeth Worobec, dean of the Faculty of Science and Horticulture at KPU. “The seats for medical schools in the lower mainland are highly competitive, so for many of our students, a chance like this to study abroad to fulfill their goals is a welcome opportunity.” 

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90 Aspiring Physicians Inducted Into Gold Humanism Honor Society

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Ninety aspiring physicians were inducted this month into St. George’s University’s chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society for the 2020-2021 academic year. The prestigious award recognizes students, residents, and faculty who exemplify compassionate patient care and serve as role models, mentors, and leaders in medicine.

“Being inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society is a testament to the character of our medical students when it comes to treating and caring for patients with the utmost care and compassion,” said Dr. Stephen Weitzman, dean emeritus of the School of Medicine. “It is a recognition of them as finest exemplars of the best ideals of medicine—characteristics that are especially critical to portray during the global healthcare crisis.”

The School of Medicine held a virtual ceremony on June 2 to celebrate the latest inductees.  Clinical students from the 2019-2020 class also attended the event as their induction was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“Being inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society is a testament to the character of our medical students when it comes to treating and caring for patients with the utmost care and compassion. It is a recognition of them as finest exemplars of the best ideals of medicine—characteristics that are especially critical to portray during the global healthcare crisis.”

 

Inductees were chosen from approximately 400 peer nominations. Students were invited to nominate their clinical peers who demonstrated exemplary patient care, devotion to the community and the underprivileged, trustworthiness, and strong listening skills reflective of the ideal SGU medical student. In addition, students must be in good academic standing. New members were chosen from among the nominees by a committee of SOM faculty and administration.

“It is a great honor to become a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society—only a small portion of each class receive this well-respected accolade,” said Dr. Cheryl Cox-Macpherson, SGU GHHS chapter advisor, and chair of the bioethics division of SOM’s Department of Clinical Skills. “We are so proud of these students and know these qualities will guide them in their careers as compassionate and caring physicians.”

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation established the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) in 2002 out of a desire to foster and acknowledge humanism during medical education. Since its inception, the GHHS has been established at more than 160 medical schools, awarding thousands of students with honors. The SGU chapter was established in 2004.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky 

How to Boost Diversity in Medical School: SGU President Featured in RealClear Health

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SGU Students Take Altruistic Initiative During COVID-19 Pandemic; Reaffirm Their Commitment To Becoming Doctors

An article by SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds was recently featured in RealClearHealth.

The piece, “How to boost diversity in medical school,” details the importance of diverse representation in medical education. Dr. Olds reasoned that by making diversity a bigger recruiting priority, today’s medical schools can “cultivate a more diverse physician network” and bring about a “more accessible, more equitable healthcare system.”

He also detailed some of the measures that SGU is taking to open doors for underrepresented students:

“Making medical school more affordable is another way to attract and enroll a more diverse group of students. More than 75 percent of students at St. George’s University, the school I lead, receive scholarships. Dozens of students have benefited from our CityDoctors scholarship program, which provides aid to students from the New York metropolitan area who commit to working in the city’s public hospital system upon graduation,” Dr. Olds wrote.

He added that international medical schools are a key source of diversity to the U.S. physician workforce. SGU’s student body represents 49 U.S. states and more than 100 countries.

Read the full article

 

Learn more about SGU’s commitment to diversity on our website. 

How to lead a healthy life? Grad says to start with a good night’s sleep

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Mixed in with classes, exams, studying, and time to unwind, medical students have to squeeze in all-important sleep. Getting enough sleep, and implementing bedtime habits to do so, is a challenge not only for aspiring physicians but for everyone, this according to Sam Al-Saadi, MD ’05, the sleep medicine director at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Carlisle location, and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry for Penn State Health in Hershey.

According to the American Sleep Association, more than 50 million US adults have a sleep disorder, most notably insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Al-Saadi shared his perspective on what people can do to improve their sleep, and also the journey he took to lead the discussion in addressing the oft-ignored health crisis.

St. George’s University: How important is sleep to a person’s health?

Dr. Sam Al-Saadi: Sleep medicine is the secret of all secrets to good health. People have no idea how influential sleep is to the quality of their lives. To compensate, they pick up bad sleep habits, and they don’t believe that they need to fix them. The fact is that when they’re younger they can compensate, but when they get older, it just gets worse and they aren’t able to.

Sleep disorders are associated with each other. If you have one, you likely have another, whether it’s snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, or something else. The quality and quantity of sleep impact diabetes, cardiac disease, cerebral circulation, cognitive function, blood pressure, and other systems.

Sleep medicine is a subspecialty that has evolved from multiple specialties. It is a relatively new and evolving field. It started in psychiatry, moved to pulmonology and now includes neurology, ENT pediatrics, family medicine, and internal medicine.

SGU: What are some ways that people can improve their sleep?

Dr. Al-Saadi: Everyone can start by making a few minor adjustments that will make a big difference.

  1. Your bed should be for sleeping and intimacy only. Many people use an iPad or phone in bed or watch TV, but these are bad habits that can disrupt your sleep. If you don’t fall asleep within 10 minutes, you should get out of bed and come back later.
  2. A fixed wakeup time. Yes, it’s difficult for medical students and residents, but it’s good to have the same wakeup time, which will then dictate when you go to sleep.
  3. Be careful with caffeine intake. This can be cultural—you have people drinking tea at night, an energy drink to keep up with studying, coffee, or something with caffeine. The thing is, if you drink caffeine six hours before you go to bed, you still have half that caffeine in your body when you’re trying to sleep. Because of that, you’re more likely to have arousals—when you wake up for less than 30 seconds—that you aren’t even aware of. You may not be aware of these, but you’re likely to be more tired the next day.
  4. Limit long naps. Some people take long naps, but then you’re not going to be able to fall asleep later that night. Naps need to be just to catch up and keep you going for that day—no more than 30 minutes.

SGU: How did you make the journey from the UAE to the US and finally Grenada?

Dr. Al-Saadi: I was born and raised in the UAE. My dad was a microwave communications engineer, and my mom worked at the library, so I didn’t have any medical background in my family. When I came to the US at 17, I was on my own, had no money, and my English wasn’t very good. But I worked hard. I was taking courses to take the MCAT while working and supporting my family the entire time I was doing it.

I was a chemical engineering major at the University of South Florida, but when I got out, I just didn’t feel like I was using the skills I had learned. I was more fine-tuning things that were already set up. So I went and got a master’s in biomedical engineering and then when it came time to decide whether to go for an DO or MD, I went for an MD. I chose SGU because it had a lot of rotations in Florida and New York.

SGU: How was your experience in Grenada?

Dr. Al-Saadi: My experience was great. The campus was phenomenal, and I felt safe both on and off campus. We had a good time, and I think the students who came after me had it even better.

SGU: What advice would you give to a student entering medical school?

Dr. Al-Saadi: It’s important to have a plan for what you’re going to do after you graduate. It could change of course, but where you do your rotations will influence your path to residency, not only in terms of location of the residency but the individuals who you get your letters of recommendation from. I recommend that you have a plan, a backup plan, and overall a clear image in your mind of where you want to go with your career and how to get there.

– Brett Mauser

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2021 MD class overcomes obstacles on way to residency

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Their journey may have been different than the classes before them, but the St. George’s University School of Medicine Class of 2021’s commitment to excellence and their future profession was very much the same.

In a virtual ceremony held on June 6, SGU conferred Doctor of Medicine degrees to graduates from 47 US states and territories, as well as 35 other countries around the world. The SOM’s newest alumni forged ahead despite hurdles and wrinkles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and emerged on the other side with a bright future in front of them.

“With your new MD degree, you join the ranks of thousands of physicians, including our proud SGU alumni, and other healthcare workers fighting this pandemic,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the School of Medicine, in his address. “In joining this fight, you will need to call upon the same perseverance and commitment that carried you through four years of medical school.

“Go forth and do good by taking care of millions of people who will look toward your humanism in science to keep them safe and healthy,” he continued. “Remember that your positive attitude and determination have brought you this far, and life is as much about living the journey as much as it is about eventually reaching your destination.”

This summer, more than 1,080 newly minted SGU physicians will enter residency at hospitals across the US. These positions span 21 specialties, including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, urology, and more.

“I’m sure many of you have been dreaming of this moment for many years, and I do hope that you’re all taking a moment to stop and reflect and celebrate your success,” said Dr. Lucy Clunes, dean of students at SGU. “As you transition from student to physician, and embark on the next phase of your career, I encourage you to reflect on the values and experiences throughout your tenure at SGU that have led to the success we are celebrating today.”

SGU is the largest source of physicians for the entire United States workforce, with more than 11,600 alumni licensed to practice in the US in 2019 according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

 

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Faculty members honored

Dr. Charles Modica, chancellor and co-founder of SGU, also bestowed the St. George’s University Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Stephen Weitzman, former dean of the School of Medicine, and Dr. Vishnu Rao, longtime dean of students and the current dean of university alumni affairs.

Dr. Weitzman joined SGU in 1978 as a visiting professor and remained on the faculty as a professor, chair of medicine, dean of clinical studies, and dean of the SOM.

“Dr. Weitzman really is a special person, but I think the most special thing about him is that his name is on the diplomas of more physicians in the US—having signed them—than any other person in the world,” Dr. Modica said. “He helped set up the clinical programs, he nurtured them, and he became involved with each and every student’s education through them.”

Dr. Rao started at the University at its inception, joining as a professor of anatomy before serving as the University’s Dean of Students for more than three decades. He will stay on as a member of SGU’s alumni affairs department.

“I’m so proud to be able to work with him in the future to make sure we are involved with and look after the thousands of graduates of the University, in all fields,” Dr. Modica said.

 

– Brett Mauser

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