SGU Graduates Joining Front Lines in Brooklyn

/in , , /by

Patch.com recently published a news story titled “Doctors Trained Outside US Making an Impact in Brooklyn,” in which it outlined how SGU alumni are helping to address the borough’s healthcare disparities and fight COVID-19 on the front lines.

In the story, writer Jeff Arnold spoke with SGU Vice Chancellor Richard Liebowitz about the growing role of St. George’s graduates—and all IMGs—in New York City.

“International schools such as St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies are sending medical school graduates back to the United States to begin residencies and ultimately begin full-time work. Over the past four years, St. George’s has placed 454 graduates into residency programs across nine hospitals in Brooklyn with medical professionals filling roles as emergency medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, and pediatrics. This year alone, 126 graduates of the school will be placed in Brooklyn-based residency programs.”

Dr. Liebowitz also shed light on how international medical schools offer aspiring US doctors a clear path to medicine: “International schools fill a huge void, and I think the key thing is finding the international school that has the quality of the US school.”

SGU Preclinical Student Collaborates With Local Police to Encourage Social Distancing

/in , , /by

St. George’s University preclinical student Hiranya S recently collaborated with the police department in Tamil Nadu, India, on a song that preached social distancing.

According to the World Health Organization’s most recent report, India’s swift measures to prevent virus transmission have resulted in just over 16,000 positive tests, in a country of more than 1.3 billion people. Ms. Hiranya’s message encourages citizens to continue to take precaution.

Translated into English, the song reads …

There are possible ways to escape from corona virus attack, please listen.
government instructions will help us and doctors’ advice will guide us to face the virus infection
as individual by facing alone without fear. chase out the virus infection from our society
it is a deadly virus and dangerous, but if we are cautious, we can win.
it is important to wash your hands, and wear a mask
keep the distance
if you have cough, cold and fever, immediately do testing
if anybody have symptoms, you should inform
stay home, stay home, stay home.

stay at home and obey the law
if you roam around, you will get virus infection
we (the police) are protecting you and you must realize that
even though we know we will get infected, we are doing our duties to protect you
the police is your friend
the whole world is worrying about this situation
we have to save our lives; we have to save the mankind
stay home, stay home, stay home.

On the Front Lines of COVID-19: SGU Grad Shares Experiences Inside Psychiatric Hospital

/in , , , /by

Ryan Salahi, MD '04, ER Physician at San Diego Psychiatric Hospital

Ryan Salahi, MD ’04, lead ER physician and chief of medical staff for the San Diego Psychiatric Hospital, describes the strong connection with his team that has made caring for their patients, many of whom are now COVID-19 positive, a little easier.

“Finding a balance during these stressful times can be difficult, but I work with great colleagues, administrators, nurses, social workers, and other staff, and we’re like a family—which helps immensely. I’m grateful for them,” Dr. Salahi said.

While a number of patients having been diagnosed with COVID-19, the hospital faces unique challenges due to the nature of his patient cohorts: it’s difficult for many of them to follow instructions, such as social distancing; and they are not allowed to be given masks for fear of wearing them inappropriately or risk of hurting themselves.

To help staff, the hospital has implemented new protective measures, including: the building of entry COVID-19 screening tents; the creation of a decontamination room/ante-room in the entrance to its quarantine/isolation unit where all staff are required to don full PPE and remove properly to decontaminate upon exiting the unit; separating patients who are positive COVID-19 from those who are not; temporary suspension of family visitations; and other changes. In addition, the hospital is able to get direct access to prioritized testing and PPE distributions from San Diego County’s Emergency Operations Center, and other helpful resources.

Dr. Salahi and team have been using extra lengths to educate their patients about the coronavirus. “Interestingly, our psychiatric patients, while often times difficult and argumentative, were extremely open to learning about COVID-19 and we were able to successfully test 100 percent of our inpatients with no refusals,” he added.

Many St. George’s University graduates like Dr. Salahi are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, using their expertise to treat those who are critically ill, joining teams searching for short- and long-term solutions, and contributing in many other ways to help patients in need. SGU is sharing a number of these stories, with the hope that by hearing the experiences of others who are making a difference around the world, we can help reaffirm our students and doctors’ commitment to the medical profession.

“I’ve always known I wanted to be a doctor. As doctors, we care for sick people. It’s what we’re trained to do,” he said.

How are our doctors helping during the COVID pandemic? Send us your story ideas. You can also share your story with us on social media by tagging SGU or using the hashtag #WeAreSGU and #SGUAlumni. 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

Ryan Salahi, MD '04, ER Physician at San Diego Psychiatric Hospital

First-Year IM Resident Shares How Coronavirus Pandemic Has Impacted His Training

/in , , , /by

Matt Heckroth, MD '19, IM resident

Matt Heckroth, MD ’19, a first-year internal medicine resident at University of Louisville, was interviewed by his hometown local paper, the Tallahassee Democrat, on what its like to be a resident during COVID-19 pandemic.

“The things I am sure I am going to see over the next couple of weeks and the next couple of months are going to be helpful,” Heckroth told the newspaper. “We are learning about this virus and about how it affects people.”

Dr. Heckroth had a nontraditional path to medicine. The aspiring gastroenterologist originally wanted to become a professional baseball player. He was a highly touted pitching prospect before suffering a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing past his sophomore year in college.

He credited his strong relationship with his orthopedic surgeon for helping him decide on medicine.

Read Dr. Heckroth's Story

Former International Athlete Addressing COVID “Head-On” in Canada

/in , , /by

Dan Devlin, family medicine resident, Kelowna General Hospital, BC

Aspiring physicians from Canada have long used St. George’s University School of Medicine as a springboard to a career in medicine, and for SGU graduate Daniel Devlin, MD ’19, his journey was no exception. Now a first-year family medicine resident at the Kelowna General Hospital, in rural British Columbia, Dr. Devlin serves one of the largest medical centers between Calgary and Vancouver, Canada.

Now more than ever with the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, physicians like Dr. Devlin are being called to the frontlines to help fight against the virus. His vacation plans along with him competing in his first-ever triathlon this spring and summer have all been put on hold with the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.

“Everyone at our hospital—from housekeeping and maintenance to nurses and physicians—has all been working very hard to face this challenge head-on,” said Dr. Devlin. “Things like vacation plans are inconsequential when you look at the bigger picture. I feel like we all got into this job to help people in need, and we will continue to do that now and for the rest of our careers.”

His path back to Canada began when he enrolled in the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four- and Five-Year Program, for which students spend the first year of basic sciences in the United Kingdom. He called the program “a perfect fit.”

“Since I knew I was going to be a mature student, and didn’t want to waste any time in getting started, this program allowed me to begin in January, learn a new healthcare system, enjoy smaller class sizes and most importantly get the opportunity to secure a residency position back home in Canada,” he said.

However, before Dr. Devlin began his pursuit of a career in medicine, another career path opened up for him at age 15 when he joined his high school handball team. As a gifted athlete, he then progressed to the provincial level before eventually making it all the way to the Canadian national handball team in 2007.

“As an athlete on the national team, I got the opportunity to travel all throughout Europe and South America playing in international tournaments,” said Dr. Devlin. “I even met my fiancée, Kate, who was also a professional handball player with the Women’s Canadian team at the time.

The highlight of his career was his three trips to the Pan American Games—in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2007; Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2015. He played one year professionally in France.

Although a successful athlete, Dr. Devlin always knew he would one day become a physician. At school, he excelled in the health sciences and could be seen after school soaking up information at the hospital where his mom worked as an x-ray technician. After graduating from university, he then became a nurse for nine years before entering medical school once things started to settle down in his athletic career.

“After reaching the pinnacle of my athletic career, it just seemed like the right time to retire and so, I decided to move on to pursue my childhood dream,” said Dr. Devlin. “After doing my research and checking out their information sessions, SGU was just the right call. In terms of timing, attending SGU worked out perfectly with my schedule—allowing me to play in my final Pan-Am Games during my summer break after my first semester.”

Today, Dr. Devlin is settling into his role as a first-year resident, splitting his time between practicing at the hospital and his family medicine clinic. He is also currently working on a quality improvement project analyzing the clinic to make sure it meets the national standard of guidelines set across Canada. The scholarly project would then strive to implement any changes or make improvements found in his research.

“As an international grad, I get asked by prospective students in information sessions all the time, ‘would I do it again’?” said Dr. Devlin. “And my answer would be ‘yes’ because my goal was to come back and be a physician in Canada, and SGU helped me to do that. It was my pathway to getting to where I wanted to be.”

That place is Kelowna, where he and his colleagues are working hard—and together—to address the ongoing pandemic.

“We will get through this at some point, and we have definitely felt the love and support from the city of Kelowna as we work to keep everyone safe and healthy,” he said.

–Ray-Donna Peters

More Than 1,025 Future Physicians Secure US Residency Positions on Match Day 2020

/in , , , /by

With the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, St. George’s University students and graduates who will be called on to assist in the fight against the virus received much awaited news on Match Day 2020. On Friday, 1,027 soon-to-be physicians learned of where they will begin their residencies in the United States this summer, the news coming down from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) as the clock struck noon. The residency match number is expected to climb even higher in the coming weeks and months.

Positions were secured across a wide range of specialties—including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, orthopedic surgery, pathology, and many more—and spanned 43 of the United States. The newest class of residents join a proud network of SGU physicians who are making a difference in healthcare throughout hospitals around the world.

“It is especially in times like these that we, as physicians, are turned to in order to provide valuable, high-quality care in communities around the world, for individuals who desperately need it,” said Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of St. George’s University. “With the skills and knowledge with which they have been equipped, I am confident that our students are prepared to meet this challenge head-on.”

 

Click for Complete Coverage of Match Day 2020

 

In the place of in-person celebrations, SGU students and graduates utilized technology to celebrate Match Day with their colleagues. For Nick Mulchan, MD ’20 (expected), he and his medical school friends connected via video chat, each opening up their emails from the NRMP simultaneously to simulate SGU’s annual Match Day Luncheon in New York City, which was canceled for the safety of all attendees.

Mr. Mulchan’s excitement was evident on the call, having matched into a neurology residency at New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

“It was helpful to experience it with everyone who I went to med school with,” he said. “We all looked out for each other. It was great to see and hear from everyone. A lot of us got our top choices. We all did really well and I’m so proud of everyone.”

“We all worked hard, and SGU prepared us really well,” he added. “SGU went above and beyond my expectations, which allowed us to excel.”

Mr. Mulchan was a biological engineering major at Cornell University before going on to earn a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at Columbia. He then enrolled in the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four-Year MD Program (formerly the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program), where he built a strong bond with his fellow students. Through studying in the United Kingdom, Grenada, and the United States, he built a strong foundation for his medical career. It set him up to go on “15 or 16” interviews, primarily in the northeast US, but he felt especially at home in NYU, citing its reputation, wealth of resources and fellowship opportunities, as well as the proximity to his roots on Long Island.

 

“A lot of us got our top choices. We all did really well and I’m so proud of everyone.”

 

Another native New Yorker—Raven Crusco, MD ’20 (expected)­—will be headed south this summer, having matched into a combined pediatrics/emergency medicine residency program at University of Maryland Medical Center. It is one of fewer than 10 such positions in the entire US.

“Between the hardships, the stress, and the studying, it has been quite a journey, but it’s all been worth it,” she said. “It all paid off. I’m so happy to say that I got my first choice. I have had the program on my radar for a while. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Ms. Crusco came directly to SGU after obtaining a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from Binghamton University. Early on, her affinity for pediatrics was clear, and throughout her experience in the hospitals and with the Emergency Medicine Club at SGU, she was drawn to both.

She finished her final clinical rotation earlier in the month, and she waited anxiously ever since for the residency news to arrive. That she matched into a combined residency will allow her to become board certified in both pediatrics and emergency medicine after five years.

“Going to SGU is clearly a good path to medicine, and I’m just really happy to be a part of it,” she said.

 

“It all paid off. I’m so happy to say that I got my first choice. I have had the program on my radar for a while. I couldn’t be more excited.”

 

Her close friend, Evan Maisel, MD ’20 (expected), will complete his intern year in internal medicine at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY, before going on to an anesthesiology residency at Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami, FL. It’s not far from where he did his undergraduate studies (University of Miami) and where his parents expect to retire.

“When you’re in the trenches during medical school, it feels like it’s going so slowly, but looking back, I feel like I blinked my eyes and it was over,” he said. “It was all worth it. I got the field and the place that I wanted, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

Mr. Maisel grew up around medicine—his dad a cardiologist on Long Island, his uncle specializing in anesthesiology. In going through his coursework and clinical training, he felt more drawn to the latter.

“I’ve always been interested in pharmacology, and I did well in it too,” he said. “When I got to my clinical years and found myself in the OR, I liked being hands-on with the patients and caring for them during a vulnerable time, as well as there being a mixture of continuity of care perioperatively with acuity of care intraoperatively.”

 

“It was all worth it. I got the field and the place that I wanted, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

 

The Match Day news comes three weeks after 13 St. George’s University students secured residency in Canada through the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS). For a complete list of 2020 residency appointments, visit our website.

In the US, Canada, and around the world, this year’s class of residents join the medical profession officially this summer, in a time when new doctors are especially welcome to assist. Currently, more than 10,000 St. George’s University physicians are practicing in the United States alone.

“With the number of people being impacted by the coronavirus and without knowing how long it’s going to go on, I’m thankful to be a part of the task force that’s going to help to beat this virus,” Mr. Mulchan said. “There’s more of a need now than ever.”

– Brett Mauser

SOM Alumni Association Advances the Art of Medicine at Annual CME

/in , , /by

Designed to provide physicians with an overview of changes in the diagnosis, treatment and management plans in today’s changing health care environment, this year’s School of Medicine Alumni Association (SOMAA) continuing medical education conference was especially beneficial in light of the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic—as physicians are turned to in order to provide valuable, high-quality care in communities around the world, for individuals who desperately need it.

“The benefits of our alumni returning to campus to attend the CME conference is that they experience the momentum of the University while connecting with the energy and accomplishments of our current students—the future physicians who will follow in their footsteps,” said Robert Alig, vice president of alumni affairs at St. George’s University. “With the increasing number of people being impacted by the coronavirus, it will be St. George’s University students and graduates who will be called on to assist in the fight against the virus.”

Titled “The Art of Medicine,” the four-day conference was held once again in association with the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). It featured prominent SOM alumni and faculty presenters such as:

    • Hematology and medical oncology specialist Shannon O’Connor, MD ’05, whose topics included, “Unlocking the Mystery of Hereditary Cancer Genetics” and “Five Things to Know About – Hematologic Disease in Older People”
    • Paul Mathew, MD ’05, currently an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and expert in headache medicine discussed “Headache: It’s All in Your Head…Or is it?” – accurately classifying headaches and formulating effective treatment plans and interventions
    • Pulmonary and critical care expert Nirav Shah, MD ’02, who discussed the highly relevant topics of “Decoding the Alphabet Soup of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)” and “ARDS: Where are we now?” – defining acute respiratory disease syndrome, how the definition has changed over the last few years and the treatment strategies to help improve outcomes.

In attendance at these presentations were two familiar faces among the SOM alumni, Jack Davidoff, MD ’88, and his wife Tracey Davidoff neé Quail, MD ’90. They were returning for the fourth time in a row to attend the CME conference in Grenada since earning their medical degrees at St. George’s University three decades ago. After attending the first CME in 2017, held as part of SGU’s 40th anniversary celebrations, the couple was so impressed with the advances made by the University, they felt compelled to return and to keep returning year after year with no plans of stopping. The Davidoffs’ love for the Grenadian people and the country that allowed them to receive their medical education has inspired them to plan a next trip to provide clinical services to the Grenadian community in the near future.

“We received an excellent education at SGU and were able to get invaluable hands-on experience,” said Dr. Tracey Davidoff, vice president of the College of Urgent Care Medicine. “I would do it all over again because SGU made me into the physician I am today, and I have no regrets.”

“We had outstanding instructors and professors, some of whom were the actual authors of the medical textbooks we were currently using,” commented Dr. Jack Davidoff, an emergency medicine physician and president of the Air Medical Physicians Association. “During my time here, I got the opportunity to gain real-life experience and it has made me a much better doctor today. Every day that I go to work, I use the knowledge and skills that I learned at SGU.”

The fourth annual SOMAA CME grew in participation since last year, with 74 attendees, 32 of whom were SGU alumni, as well as 17 Grenadian physicians who practice locally. Additionally, their time in Grenada wasn’t only about lectures and education. The SOMAA provided plenty of opportunities to experience a taste of culture and hospitality on the island many called home during their studies. The group enjoyed a sightseeing tour of Grenada’s natural beauty; lunch at Belmont Estate, a fully functional and historic plantation; a shopping tour of Grenada’s capital, St. George’s; and a catamaran sunset cruise, which included snorkeling and a visit to the Underwater Sculpture Park and Hog Island.

“This CME doesn’t just give us, practicing physicians an opportunity to earn 16 continuing medical education credits and a chance to learn new innovations and advances in our respective fields,” stated SOMAA President Bruce Bonanno, MD ’83. “It also enables our alumni to come back and visit and see the progress the University has made, interact with the students, and have a great time. This level of camaraderie is not found anywhere else.”

– Ray-Donna Peters

St. George’s University Students Form a Line of Pride in Support of Grenada

/in , , , , , , /by

TRUE BLUE, Grenada, March 14, 2020 — St. George’s University (SGU) has been continuing to follow the global outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and has been working collaboratively with the leaders of the Government of Grenada to address the Coronavirus pandemic.

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff and the larger Grenadian community continue to be of paramount importance to SGU. At this time, we continue to encourage students to leave the island to lessen the burden on Grenada, and a significant portion has chosen to do so. To facilitate these efforts, SGU has chartered aircrafts that have already made a number of flights to major U.S. hubs.

“The measures we are taking are in line with best practice and guidelines being encouraged by global health organizations and followed by universities throughout the world,” said Richard Liebowitz, MD, Vice Chancellor of St. George’s University. “Our goal is to ensure our students and faculty help reduce density on campus and on the island of Grenada to reduce any potential future spread of the virus and free up resources on the island for those who may need them most. Our actions were not related to any specific medical situation on the island, but to achieve the goal of lessening the spread of disease in the future.”

SGU is working collaboratively with key stakeholders in the Grenadian community, including the Ministries of Health and Education, as well as the Grenada Airport Authority to help manage the situation and facilitate a smooth process. SGU will not direct students to return to Grenada until it is safe to do so for all and will be transitioning to online learning activities for all students, including the School of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Arts and Sciences, over the next week.

While SGU continues to facilitate students, who want to leave the island, some have chosen to remain in Grenada, both on and off campus. The campus will remain operational, and SGU intends to maintain full staff pay and benefits during this pandemic. SGU is continuing to assess the situation and is actively communicating with those on campus.

SGU is also continuing to work closely with the Government of Grenada to assist with preparations for enhancing the public health infrastructure on the island.

“As in past crises, SGU stands with the people and Government of Grenada to address any challenges and provide appropriate support as we face this challenge together,” Dr. Charles Modica, Chancellor of SGU, stated. “Our students lined up at the airport represent a line of pride for their medical education in Grenada and their commitment as future physicians to unburden the Grenadian health care system during this unprecedented pandemic.”

Chancellor Modica added: “We are actively in the process of assisting in procuring and providing medical equipment to the Grenada General Hospital and laboratory, as well as professional assistance to support both local needs and those of students and best prepare the island’s health care system for the potential threat.”

To date, no member of the university community has contracted COVID-19. SGU remains vigilant and will continue to coordinate with Grenada’s Ministry of Health, and our international partners.

St. George’s University Students Match into Competitive Residency Programs in Canada

/in , , /by

SGU clinical rotations

Fourteen St. George’s University students will be joining the healthcare system in Canada as physicians this summer, having matched into highly competitive residency programs through the first iteration of the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) R-1 Main Residency Match on Tuesday.

Students matched into residency programs in three Canadian provinces, in fields such as family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry. More are expected to earn residency positions in the second Canadian match iteration on April 15. The United States match will take place on March 20.

“These students follow in the footsteps of the hundreds of SGU graduates who have returned to Canada to continue their medical careers,” said Sandra Banner, SGU’s director of admissions for Canada and the former director of CaRMS. “I commend them for their aptitude in the classroom as well as in a clinical setting and am certain that their future patients will greatly benefit from their well-rounded care.”

Marissa Solow, MD ’20 (expected), said she “could not be more excited” to have secured an internal medicine residency position at the University of Toronto.

“I got exactly what I wanted,” said Ms. Solow, who grew up 10 minutes from downtown Toronto. “I had high hopes, and I couldn’t have been happier to find out that I was going back to Canada and to my top-choice program.”

She came to SGU as a non-traditional student, having sung opera professionally before setting her sights on medicine. Both of her parents are physicians, and her brother, Max, is an SGU graduate who is a first-year anesthesiology resident at the University of Minnesota.

Like her brother and many Canadian students, her medical school studies began as part of the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University Four-Year MD Program (formerly the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program), a unique educational experience in the United Kingdom that she would “recommend for anyone who was going to SGU.”

Ms. Solow felt confident going into the CaRMS match, having built her resume with a strong  international medical school experience, by participating in an array of clubs and events such as diabetes clinics and the Palliative Care Society in Grenada, and diverse clinical rotations that included a two-week elective with the clinical teaching unit at the University of Western Ontario. She is strongly considering specializing in hematology and oncology or medical oncology after residency.

Meagan Kaye, MD ’20 (expected), shares her excitement. Ms. Kaye waited anxiously for the 12pm release Tuesday and rejoiced upon learning that she had matched into the pediatrics residency program at McMaster University, a little over an hour from her hometown, Richmond Hill, ON.

In addition to its proximity to family, Ms. Kaye had completed an elective at McMaster last fall. When it came time to apply for residency, the camaraderie at McMaster made it stand out.

“It’s an amazing program and hospital,” she said. “All of the residents and faculty made me feel very welcome. Getting the results was pretty exciting. I’m thrilled to be able to go back and be with my family.”

She came to SGU after earning her Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. Her volunteer time and research at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto solidified her determination to pursue a career in pediatrics. Her medical studies began as a member of the SGU/NU program in the UK.

“It’s been a long journey and it’s required a lot of hard work,” she said. “I loved my time in the UK as well as in Grenada and in Brooklyn, NY for clerkships. Overall, my experience at SGU was very positive, and that I matched back to the program I really wanted to be with made everything worth it for sure.”

Emma Metivier, MD ’20 (expected), distracted herself on the morning of the match – “my apartment has never been so clean,” she said. When noon struck, she celebrated alongside her mom, having discovered she had landed a pediatrics residency position at Western University in Ontario.

“Matching in Canada was beyond my wildest dreams,” said Ms. Metivier. “It’s where I initially learned to love medicine. As a Canadian, it’s exciting for me to go to back to the Canadian healthcare system that I grew up with, and to be with many of my mentors.”

Like Ms. Kaye, the 2013 University of Guelph graduate came to SGU after volunteering and conducting research at the Sick Kids Toronto. She joined the popular Canadian Student Association (CanSA) on campus, as well as the Iota Epsilon Alpha Honor Medical Society.

For residency, Ms. Metivier interviewed throughout the United States as well as Ontario. She is excited to become a part of the Western team, working just two hours from home and in the  field she set out to join.

“Pediatrics gives you the biggest opportunity to change someone’s life for the better at the very beginning,” she said. “There is nothing better than getting to work with kids.”

The newly matched residents join the more than 140 St. George’s University students who have secured postgraduate positions in Canada over the last 10 years.

– Brett Mauser

Intensivist “Dr. House” Grooms Aspiring Doctors for Future Success

/in , , /by

Pierre Kory, critical care and pulmonary medicine specialist at UW Health in Madison, WI

Pierre Kory, MD ’02, a critical care and pulmonary medicine specialist at UW Health in Madison, WI, the academic medical center for the University of Wisconsin, is living his dream. Each day brings a new challenge, and a new opportunity to make an impact on his patients’ lives.

“What I love about my specialty is that every day is a little different and I have a wide footprint,” Dr. Kory said.

His expertise is relied on throughout the UW network. As a critical care and lung disease specialist, Dr. Kory serves as the medical director for the Trauma and Life Support Center—the main medical-surgical intensive care unit at UW—and also as the critical care service chief of the hospital’s medical intensivist service, where he sees patients who are often in critical condition due to severe, acute respiratory illnesses.

Dr. Kory also works in the University hospital’s outpatient pulmonary medicine clinic, where he diagnoses patients with acute and chronic symptoms and also manages many chronic lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), and bronchiectasis. He attends the inpatient pulmonary consultation service, consulting with and managing patients with a variety of acute lung injuries, and also performs bronchoscopic and pleural procedures in UW’s bronchoscopy suite.

The breadth of cases in which he is involved speaks volumes about the importance of pulmonary health.

“Lungs are the most common organ that fails in the ICU and in the context of many diseases,” Dr. Kory said. “During my clinicals and in my training, I thought that the pulmonary critical care physicians were hands down the best doctors in the hospital. They were the most widely skilled, and the most knowledgeable and experienced in all facets of disease and all levels of severity to the extent that no other doctor came close. I wanted to be like them.”

USING THE MODERN STETHOSCOPE

Dr. Kory is a recognized expert in critical care ultrasonography, a tool he considers “the modern stethoscope.” He is the senior editor of the award-winning e-textbook titled, “Point of Care Ultrasound,” the first comprehensive textbook on all point-of-care ultrasound applications for health care providers. Now in its second edition, the textbook was selected for the British Medical Association’s 2015 President’s Choice award for medical textbooks. He is also a former director of the advanced courses on critical care ultrasonography sponsored by the American College of Chest Physicians.

“In my opinion, the best doctors are by definition the best diagnosticians because no treatment works unless you get the diagnosis right,” Dr. Kory said. “Good doctors listen hard to what patients are saying and are meticulous and thoughtful in their consideration and evaluation of the causes of any problem being presented to them.”

He added: “When I have really sick patients, it’s really important to assess compromised organs and try to figure out why someone is deteriorating or dying in front of me. With modern technology, we have immediate access to compact and mobile machines that produce high-quality ultrasound images of critical internal organs. This allows us to identify life-threatening abnormalities in seconds at the bedside.”

A REAL-LIFE DR. HOUSE

Dr. Kory’s favorite aspect of his career is teaching both aspiring and junior physicians. UW Health is considered a teaching hospital and Dr. Kory can often be seen with medical students, residents, and fellows in the ICU as he sees patients. He has won multiple department and hospital teaching awards.

“I love the enthusiasm of young doctors,” he said. “I consider everything a teaching moment, and I try to share my experiences accumulated over years spent in a multitude of clinical situations and emergencies. As I round on service, there are usually eight to 10 people following me of varying disciplines and seniority. I am like ‘Dr. House’ followed by a large group of ducklings.”

 

“The best doctors are by definition the best diagnosticians because no treatment works unless you get the diagnosis right.”

 

Dr. Anthony Saleh, a 1985 SGU graduate, is the program director of pulmonary/critical care fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. He oversaw Dr. Kory during clinical rotations and keeps in contact with him to this day.

“Dr. Kory is brilliant, he has an incredible mind, and he is passionate.” Dr. Saleh said. “He really cares about his patients and about those he is educating, and he does everything at the highest level. Take those things—that’s plenty—but what he’s done for ICU sonography, he has literally become the go-to person probably in the country on critical care sonography.”

Added Dr. Saleh: “Pulmonary/critical care is an all-encompassing specialty. Dr. Kory is able to assimilate vast amounts of data and integrate it into patient care. ICU physicians have to communicate with multiple subspecialists, and Dr. Kory seamlessly does this, relentlessly pursuing optimal patient outcomes.”

MATCHMAKING THROUGH SGU

Since his days at St. George’s University, Dr. Kory reflected on the opportunity he received through the school, noting that his greatest achievement was meeting his wife, fellow graduate Dr. Amy Malik, while both were at Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York City—he in his clinical rotations while she was a resident.

“We were the same age, despite her being ahead of me in her training, and we just hit it off,” he said. “The most courageous act I have ever done was asking out a third-year medical resident while I was a fourth-year medical student.”

While Dr. Kory was born and raised in New York City, Dr. Malik is from Wisconsin. And while both doctors are pulmonary and critical care specialists, Dr. Malik focuses more on pulmonary disease where she is an expert in diagnosing and managing patients with interstitial lung disease. They married in 2003 and have three daughters together—Ella, Eve, and Violet. After both completed their residencies, fellowships, and junior faculty careers at hospitals in New York City, they moved their family to Madison, WI, when both were recruited by the University of Wisconsin.

“It’s great to be married to another doctor in the same challenging specialty,” Dr. Kory said. “We both know what we go through; we get to share a lot of our experiences each day; and because we intimately know what each other does, it becomes a stimulating conversation with the person whom you love most. We get to go home to each other and share our successes, our failures, and our challenges, and it’s nice to be able to do that.”

–Laurie Chartorynsky