Darren Cuthbert, MD, MPH

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With each hurdle that he cleared, Darren Cuthbert, MD, MPH, turned his sights toward another higher one in the distance.

The 2016 graduate of St. George’s University is currently assistant professor of emergency medicine at Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School and an emergency room physician at Jersey City Medical Center.

But his passion lies in using his skills to help humanitarian missions. That’s why he created the non-government organzation he created, EmergencyProject.org.

The organization uses “emergency medicine to make change regarding the greatest concerns confronting humanity,” he said, including climate change, ecological devastation, famine, conflict.

Several projects he has been involved in include flood relief in Pakistan, refugee camps in Jordan, civilian evacuation in Ukraine, humanitarian missions in Zimbabwe, and trauma care assistance in Dominican Republic/Haiti, he said.

Following graduation, he accepted a highly competitive emergency medicine residency at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He rejoiced not only for the opportunity to continue his training at a state-of-the-art institution but for taking the final step in his long journey toward becoming a physician.

“Emergency medicine broadly encompasses the exciting aspects across all specialties,” Dr. Cuthbert said. “To me, the emergency department is a fun place, free of judgment.  It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from—it’s your right to be cared for in the ER; which also shows the humanistic side of medicine.  It just felt like a perfect fit early on.”

Matching with such a competitive field validates the hard work and dedication put in by Dr. Cuthbert, who admits to having faced a difficult upbringing while growing up in New Jersey. After being confronted with academic failure following the loss of his father and two battles with cancer fought by his mother, Dr. Cuthbert took to heart the incredible work ethic displayed by his parents. Seeing his mother work three jobs while overcoming cancer helped steer him in the right direction, eventually prompting him to enlist in the United States Army.

While serving in the Army Reserves, he pursued his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, and also began working as a Unit Clerk at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ. The introduction to medicine only increased his appetite to care for members of his community. Over his five years at SBMC, Dr. Cuthbert graduated to other roles, including transporter, emergency department technician, and burn technician. He was also a volunteer EMT at Ironbound EMS and UMDNJ-University Hospital, both in Newark, until his acceptance to St. George’s University.

Dr. Cuthbert’s journey to Grenada began after several emergency medicine residents whom he worked alongside spoke highly of their experiences at SGU. He enrolled in SGU’s Master of Public Health program, with a focus on health policy and administration. With the help of the University’s award-winning student support services, he graduated magna cum laude and became a member of the Delta Omega Honors Society in Public Health. Dr. Cuthbert earned a spot in the Fall 2012 MD class. A foundation in public health helped him then just as it does now.

“SGU’s MPH program opened the door of opportunity for myself and many others,” he said. “One of the things I love about medicine today is the increased stress placed on evidence-based medicine; public health is the backbone to this practice. Not only does having an MPH make you stick out as a leader amongst your peers, but it broadens your horizon of the world and medicine—eventually creating a better doctor and scientist.”

Throughout his clerkship with SGU, Dr. Cuthbert earned multiple publications relevant to both emergency medicine and anesthesiology. His projects won SGU’s Medical Student Research Competition, and he was runner-up at SJRMC research day. Dr. Cuthbert attributes such successes to the knowledge gained from his mentors within the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, led by Dr. Satesh Bidaisee.

At SGU, Dr. Cuthbert believes he gained an international education, with both its curriculum and its student body. “Going to SGU gives you a different mindset. You assimilate to a different culture, and learn from a diverse array of top professors while attaining relationships throughout the world. I can’t imagine getting a better academic experience elsewhere.”

Dr. Cuthbert continues to take on new challenges. He is in the process of becoming a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, and hopes his story resonates with the children he meets as a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in Newark, NJ. He cherishes the responsibilities that have been handed to him as a mentor and a physician.

“When you treat patients, you see something you love in those people—the good traits, the human characteristics,” he said. “It’s not really a patient; it’s someone’s mom, someone’s child; brother or sister. You want to treat them like you would want your loved ones to be treated. It reminds you to be careful, diligent, compassionate, and most importantly appreciative of the great gift we’ve been given.”

 

 

Originally published August 2016; The profile has been updated as of March 2024.

Chauncey Thuss Jr., MD

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For Dr. Chauncey Thuss, occupational medicine has been in his family for nearly a century—first his grandfather, then his father and uncle, and now he carries the torch as medical director at St. Vincent’s Occupational Health Clinic, the largest provider of occupational medicine in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.

“What I like that you really get a good feeling of what’s going on in the city because I’m talking to and treating all these different people,” Dr. Thuss said.

Thuss’s grandfather, William G. Thuss, started Thuss Clinic in 1924, one of only three industrial medicine clinics in the southeastern United States, and the family ran the business through 2008. Dr. Thuss served as the physician, medical director and partner for Thuss Clinic and Thuss Medical Group for more than two decades before joining Gadsden Regional Medical Center’s Occupational Health Center beginning in September 2008. In July 2012, he was appointed to the medical director position at St. Vincent’s.

Dr. Thuss classifies occupational medicine, which relates to workplace injuries, a cross between internal and emergency medicine. He treats injuries that occur in the workplace, anything from strains and lacerations to broken bones.

“You never know what’s going to come at you,” Dr. Thuss said. “It isn’t quite as hectic as an emergency room but it’s right up there with it.”

In addition, he has owned and operated Absolute Drug Detection Services, a third-party drug test administrator with multiple terminals around the US, for more than two decades. He had long performed such tests at Thuss Clinic, and business boomed when the Drug Free Workplace Act made them a requirement for certain federal organizations in 1988 in an effort to create a drug-free environment.

Dr. Thuss was also one of the first 75 certified medical review officers (MROs) in the country and has co-chaired the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) and is a Board Member of the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association (SAPAA) and certified by, and a member of, the American Association of Medical Review Officers (AAMRO). He was also one of the first Certified Medical Examiners under the newly created National Registry for Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME), a registry of medical providers that administers mandated Department of Transportation physical examinations.

Although he grew up in Birmingham, Dr. Thuss obtained his Bachelor of Arts in biology from Boston University in 1978, and he went on to complete postgraduate training in natural sciences and mathematics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham before enrolling at SGU. After two years in Grenada and two more at Kent and Canterbury Hospital in the UK, Dr. Thuss earned his MD before completing his internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH. He treasures the opportunity to have studied in a variety of locations in the US and UK.

“Some people join the Navy to see the world,” Thuss said. “I say go to medical school to see the world.”

The basic science years tested his mettle, with many long nights put in, but in between study time, Dr. Thuss still managed to enjoy all that the island had to offer.

“One time I wanted to go out on the beach so badly but I couldn’t because I was getting ready for a test that was coming up, and I remember a guy told me ‘don’t worry about it, it’s going to be beautiful tomorrow too,’ ” said Dr. Thuss. “And that was true. Every day was another day in paradise.”

Published April 2013

Brian Butler, DVM, MPH

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Brian Butler’s early career is a true testament to the opportunities and impact made available with a dual DVM/MPH degree from St. George’s University. Brian has recently returned from a second visit to Africa, a world away from Missouri where he was born, raised and attended undergraduate school.

He was first introduced to the people of Western Uganda through a grant funded by the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), an independent research and education institution based at St. George’s University’s True Blue campus.  As part of a project set up by WINDREF Director Dr. Calum Macpherson, Brian spent ten weeks among the Bsongoro people researching the effects of cystic echinococcosis (CE), a global zoonotic parasitic disease with human and livestock incidence.

CE is common in many East African pastoral peoples, but has never been investigated in the specific Bsongoro community.  It is transmitted most commonly from dogs, but is thought that wild carnivores play a significant role in the transmission of the disease as well.  Brian worked with a local wildlife veterinarian, tagging and tracking lions and hyenas, and documenting the relationship between wildlife and the local people.

As a result of his work, which satisfied the practicum for the MPH degree, Brian received funding from the National Institutes of Health to continue his study of the physiological and pathological similarities and differences between diseases in humans and animals as he pursues his PhD in Comparative Pathology at the University of California, Davis.

Brian returned to Uganda this past summer to attend a one-month course where he studied and worked along side African colleagues in an effort to uncover solutions to Africa’s most challenging infectious diseases, most specifically pediatric malaria.  After he completes his PhD, he hopes his career pursuit in tropical medicine and tropical diseases will continue to offer opportunities to visit many more wonderful and exciting places.

Brian credits St. George’s University for offering the unique opportunity to attain both his DVM and MPH simultaneously, an opportunity which broadened his exposure to the field of research and its global application in public health and guided his current path, of which he is most proud.   He looks forward to one day returning to Grenada and making a contribution to the research and veterinary public health programs at St. George’s University.

Published October 2009

Asif Ghauri, MD

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Growing up in Essex, England, Dr. Asif Ghauri always had the ambition to study medicine. Competition to gain acceptance into medical schools in the United Kingdom is very intense, regardless of the strength of one’s grades, and so Dr. Ghauri decided to become a pharmacist. This was “the closest thing to medicine” that he had the opportunity to study in the UK, he said.

Though an accomplished pharmacist, Dr. Ghauri headed to the United States for a new challenge and started taking classes toward an MSc in Biology at the University of Texas, Arlington. While he was enrolled in classes, he had a chance meeting with a preclinical advisor who suggested he apply to St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) if he was still interested in pursuing his dream of becoming a physician. He was accepted to SGUSOM in 1998 and so began his journey.

Dr. Ghauri received excellent grades in medical school and was a top scorer on many of the medical exams, including the USMLE and the PLAB. One would think that getting a job after graduation would not be too difficult for this former pharmacist; however, in the early 2000’s in the UK, for every spare internship job not filled by a UK medical graduate, there were hundreds of applicants. This situation made it rather difficult to obtain an interview.

“I got myself an interview at the Eastern Deanery and started to promote myself, talking about my excellent medical education and how well I had done academically and professionally,” Dr. Ghauri recalled. “Somehow the conversation turned to old cars and their restoration, which happens to be a hobby of mine, and we must have talked about cars for more than two hours!” After this interview Dr. Ghauri had a medical internship job specially created for him and funded by the Eastern Deanery so that he could become a registered UK physician in one of the toughest markets in existence—something that had never been done before for an international medical graduate. With his foot finally in the door, Dr. Ghauri worked very hard, using his medical knowledge to care for patients at Basildon University Teaching Hospital and working long hours to prove that he was motivated and determined. He is currently chief resident in family practice at Laindon Health Center in the UK and he credits St. George’s University for giving him the tools he needed in order achieve.

Dr. Ghauri’s experience at SGU was a great one: “The training I received during the basic science years was very good,” he said. “In hindsight, looking at the education I received, it was excellent. The SGU administration and faculty set high standards for medical students. SGU prepared students for clinical training just as well as any UK medical school. They made us go that extra mile and achieve that much more.”

“One of the things I especially liked about SGU was the combination of training opportunities in the US and the UK,” he continued. “It is very unique for someone with my background to be able to learn about the two different systems of medicine at one school.”

Dr. Ghauri did his clinical rotations in Jersey City and some electives in UK teaching hospitals. After graduation, he considered furthering his training in the US but, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, he decided he should return to the UK to be with his family. He commenced his postgraduate training program in 2003, and was the highest scoring applicant in family practice at the Eastern Deanery for that year. Now that he is settled and enjoying his work, Dr. Ghauri tells his story about the way he secured his position in the UK. His experience has led him to start a consulting company where he helps foreign medical graduates figure out the best way to negotiate the UK system and become successful, practicing physicians. Dr. Ghauri is and will always be very thankful for his years at SGUSOM: “St. George’s University provides opportunities for those who really, really want to study medicine,” he said. “If you are totally determined to become a doctor, come hell or high water, then this is the place to be.”

The future looks bright, and he is quick to once again express his gratitude for SGUSOM as he concludes: “As of August 2008 I will be joining my father’s practice as a full GP principal and partner. I am still extensively involved in the training of doctors and nurse practitioners. Hopefully our practice will be taking on final year residents in family practice in the not-too-distant future. Also quite soon, I will be undertaking a senior position for the local drug and therapeutics committee that ties in with my pharmaceutical background. Once again I cannot thank SGUSOM enough for making all of these dreams possible.”

Published September 2008

Amie Dmytryshyn, MD

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Dr. Amie Dmytryshyn grew up in a close-knit family in Vancouver where she always knew she wanted to study medicine. She recalled, “My father is a physician, so dinner time conversations about surgery was the impetus to my desire for medicine, then surrounding myself volunteering and working in health care solidified it.” In 2002, Amie earned her Bachelors of Human Kinetics with honors from the University of British Columbia.

She heard about St. George’s through a fellow Canadian and good family friend who had a great experience as a former student at the University. Like many students who might be fearful of medical school in the Caribbean, Amie explained, “I thought I was going to a third world country, but the facilities were first-rate, top-of-the-line with superior equipment.” Of island life, she explained, “My first impression was that it was breathtaking. I loved the beaches and the tropical rainforests.”

Still, Amie was nervous about leaving her family and long-time boyfriend, but their frequent visits to Grenada helped ease the transition. Additionally, her boyfriend moved to be with her, completing his degree online. The couple was very active during their time in Grenada, participating in annual dodge ball tournaments, weekly beach volleyball, running clubs, and more.

Initially Amie believed it might be a challenging process to return to Canada; she was pleasantly surprised it turned out not to be the case at all! “It’s a difficult process no matter what because it’s a competitive field, but I think I was well equipped to come back. St. George’s University prepared me extremely well for my board exams—Canadian and American. I did fantastic and it’s not because of memorizing—because I can’t! The school shows you how to study and how to learn for your own needs. I feel indebted to the school for what they did for me.”

Amie admitted that for most people medical school in the Caribbean might not be their intended route. She believes St. George’s University compares favorably to other medical universities because “there is passion that comes with having to travel around the world to get your medical education.” In regard to the faculty she says, “We had the best of the best!” The greatest advantage of studying in Grenada was her early hands-on experience with the local population. “Clinical experience blends into your first two years—at least one session a week of practice really prepares you for your third and fourth clinical years.”

Amie graduated St. George’s University in 2008. She was married to her long-term boyfriend in Summer 2010 and is currently practicing pediatric medicine in Vancouver. Although she would love to return to Grenada, Amie is busy finishing her last two years of residency. In December 2010, she was promoted to Chief Resident of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital in British Columbia. What does Amie love the most about her job now? “Sounds cheesy, but working with children and learning how to put a smile on their face is a skill I have started to learn and it is a lifelong purpose. Watching children heal is a joy.”

Dr. Dmytryshyn hopes to continue this lifelong learning process practicing pediatric medicine in Canada. She and her husband hope to travel the world and continue their global education. “I have friends to visit throughout the States, UK, Australia, and New Zealand!”

She is most proud that she had the courage to leave her home, adapt to different cultures, and learn about medicine in different environments. She advises prospective students, “Do not be afraid. It is common to be apprehensive about not knowing what will happen after medical school. If medicine is your dream, let go of your fears because St. George’s University will prepare you well. Your dreams will be fulfilled.”

Alicia Chilito, MD

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When it came time to choose the path down which she would travel, Dr. Alicia Chilito, MD ’94, weighed her options, and chose the field that offered the most variety—family medicine. More than a decade into owning and operating a successful practice in Miami, she is more than pleased with her choice.

“I thought about going into surgery, but I like that I can visit with patients of all ages and backgrounds, and also treat different diseases and conditions,” she said. “In family medicine, you have to know a little bit about a lot of different areas of medicine.”

Born and raised in Colombia, Dr. Chilito immigrated to the United States at 17, residing with her grandmother in Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1987. Dr. Chilito was admitted to a US medical school, but when that ceased operation during her first semester, she met with a past professor, John Cush, MD ’81, the director of clinical rheumatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, who spoke highly of his alma mater.

She welcomed the opportunity to experience a new country and culture, and professes that the diverse student body and faculty at SGU has helped her in her current practice, which sits in one of the US’s most diverse cities.

“At SGU, you meet people from all over the world, and I really liked that,” Dr. Chilito said. “You learn to respect people’s different religions and different beliefs. It was very rewarding to learn about these different points of view.”

When it came time to apply for residency, Dr. Chilito focused solely on family medicine. “I didn’t want to specialize in one thing because I didn’t want to get bored,” she said. “Family medicine is very broad, so you always have to study and you’re always learning.”

Dr. Chilito completed her residency at Allegheny Family Physicians in Altoona, PA, and after working at Miami-based clinics in the late 1990s, she opened her own practice in 2002. Outside her practice, she is the medical manager for the Miami-Dade Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue unit. She also volunteers on numerous medical missions, treating underserved patients at clinics throughout the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Africa and the Middle East. A recent trip took her to Haiti, where she worked to address the country’s outbreak of cholera.

“It’s wonderful to provide medical care for people who need it and are very appreciative,” Dr. Chilito said. “To change someone’s life like that is very rewarding.”

Dr. Chilito has served in the United States Army Reserves since 2000, ascending to her current rank of lieutenant colonel. In October 2013, her active-duty commitment took her to a clinic in Afghanistan, where she helped treat military personnel and contractors.

Published October 2013

Zachary Klaassen, MD

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Medical research started as a curiosity when Zachary Klaassen was a student at St. George’s University. It soon blossomed into a hobby, and then a passion, and it’s now an integral part of the 2010 graduate’s future in medicine. A urologic oncology fellow at the University of Toronto, Dr. Klaassen is also working toward a Master of Science in clinical epidemiology and health care research at the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation.

“I love taking care of the patient, and I equally love trying to figure out how to make care better,” said Dr. Klaassen, who will join the faculty at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) following his fellowship. “Ten years ago, I might have said that research would make up less than 10 percent of what I would do. It’s probably greater than 50 percent now, and if you asked me what my dream job was, I would say 50 percent clinical and 50 percent research.”

His fondness for research began when he launched and directed SGU’s Medical Student Research Institute (MSRI) with Dr. Marios Loukas, then Dean of Research, and Dr. Ronald Chamberlain, Chairman, St. Barnabas Health in New Jersey. Dr. Klaassen soon discovered that he both enjoyed conducting research and was efficient at it. He earned the Senior Medical Student Research Competition Award and graduated magna cum laude with research distinction. Dr. Klaassen has since co-written four book chapters, been published in more than 65 peer-reviewed journals, and presented his research at over 35 regional and national conferences.

Research complements the clinical training he’s receiving at U of T. The first year of fellowship has been spent predominantly in research, allowing Dr. Klaassen and his colleagues to present cases at renal tumor and multidisciplinary bladder cancer conferences. In year two, however, fellows dedicate their time to patient care and surgery and move into junior faculty positions.

“It’s a great program, and so far it’s been excellent,” Dr. Klaassen said. “In urologic oncology, you have to enjoy the big, six- to 12-hour surgeries, which I do, and I’m also able to talk to the patients and their families, rather than just treat the cancer. I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

Like research, urology wasn’t always the primary goal. Dr. Klaassen had expected to specialize in vascular surgery until he was invited to shadow a family friend who practiced urology in New Jersey, a three-day experience that changed the course of his career.

“The beauty of urology is it’s very specialized, but within the specialty, it’s huge,” Dr. Klaassen said. “I loved the breadth of the procedures and the patient population, and I found that, generally, the urologists’ personality fit with mine.”

Despite being one of the most competitive fields in medicine, Dr. Klaassen matched into a urology residency at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University (now Augusta University). He was named urology chief resident, and ultimately Resident of the Year, for 2015-16 at MCG and looks forward to joining its faculty following his two years of fellowship.

Dr. Klaassen has also served as a visiting professor for SGU, to which he arrived after obtaining Bachelor of Science degrees in molecular biology and biochemistry in 2005. In Canada, he experienced both rural and city life, having been born in Main Centre, a town of 12 people in the prairie province of Saskatchewan, before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia. Dr. Klaassen had been turned down by highly competitive Canadian medical schools and instead entered a vibrant and diverse community of students in Grenada. In addition to his MSRI tenure, he participated in the Surgery and Anatomy Dissection Clubs.

“It was an amazing, multicultural experience that you never would know you were missing if you haven’t experienced it,” Dr. Klaassen said. “Academically, it was second to none; I went down there and received excellent training. I was able to funnel my energy toward really learning the basic sciences and doing well on my boards.

“Between the academic experience and the life experience, I couldn’t see doing it any other way,” he continued. “I would never have experienced all that SGU had to offer if I had stayed in Vancouver, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to get out of the box, to experience other places, and gain the perspective that I did.”

Yousra Hawli, MD

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Dr. Hawli specializes in endocrinology and metabolism, osteoporosis, obesity-related problems, and internal medicine for adult patients.

She completed a degree in biology at the American University of Beirut (AUB) before enrolling at St. George’s University School of Medicine, from which she graduated in 2004, having scored in the 99 percentile on her medical exams. Her exceptional performance led to a coveted residency at the University of Connecticut Health Center, where she specialized in internal medicine. She returned to Lebanon in 2007 for a two-year endocrinology and metabolism fellowship at AUB.

Dr. Hawli currently runs a medical practice specializing in diabetes care, osteoporosis, internal medicine and obesity-related problems in Tripoli, the second largest city in Lebanon. The center focuses on prevention as well as treatment for diseases, including diabetes, which includes delivering education programs for adults and children living in and around the city.

Dr. Hawli is a published researcher and her 2009 joint paper on insulin pump therapy during the Ramadan fast was awarded Best Research Paper from AUB’s medical school.

You started your academic career studying biology at the American University of Beirut. Did you always hope to become doctor?

“I’d always dreamt of becoming a doctor. I did well at school and enjoyed studying the sciences, which was a good base on which to build a medical career. My father had diabetes and I was involved in his care, which led me to following a career in endocrinology.”

Was it a challenge to leave your home country to study at St. George’s University?

“It was a daunting decision to make but SGU had a great reputation, not just for its teaching, but as a medical school that could provide opportunities for training in the UK and USA.

“The first semester at SGU was actually quite difficult for me—not least because it was challenging to focus on studying when I was based in such a beautiful country. I found it hard to be so far from home and my family, but this pushed me to work hard and excel. I wanted to make the most of my opportunities there and prove myself. I also wanted to have my own career and not have to depend on anyone else financially. In the end, being away from home was a good learning experience and I soon began to enjoy it and thrive academically.

“The teachers at SGU were all wonderful. They would arrange for international speakers to visit us and contribute to our curriculum and lectures. The material was challenging, but we loved it. The medical school was small enough for us to receive dedicated teaching as well as forging strong friendships. I still have friends from my time at SGU, and it’s great to see that they’re all extremely successful. It was definitely a group of high achievers.”

After completing a residency at the University of Connecticut, you decided to return to Lebanon. What prompted that decision?

“I always thought I would return to Lebanon to be near my family again. It was wonderful to be welcomed back to the American University of Beirut, my alma mater and where I studied for my biology degree before enrolling at SGU.

“During my residency at the University of Connecticut, I had worked in the University’s St. Francis Diabetes Care Center, which inspired me to bring a similar full-service, outpatient clinic for diabetes to Lebanon.

“I was eager to establish a center that would provide a wide range of specialized care in a more accessible environment to people in Lebanon because I recognized the desperate need for development in this area of healthcare.

“Diabetes is just as big a problem in Lebanon as it is in the UK and US, but education about the condition is not as well resourced and the health sector in Lebanon is poorly financed, which makes it challenging. Medication is not covered by individual health insurance so people with limited incomes don’t always take the medicines they need. Because of this, patients with diabetes often become hospitalized, which ends up costing more financially as well as increasing mortality rates and long-term associated conditions.

“On top of this, I’m seeing children suffering from diabetes-related conditions such as kidney disease or blindness. This is particularly horrific because diabetes is often avoidable with lifestyle changes. It’s a huge problem and makes preventative education all the more crucial.

“The clinical care and education provided by my clinic helps to raise awareness of diabetes as well as promote prevention and treatment options available.”

What are your hopes for the future of the clinic?

“I’m looking forward to the clinic expanding and providing treatment to more people as there are very few medical centers in Lebanon that are specifically designed to meet the needs of people with diabetes and other hormonal or obesity-related problems. The clinic now has a dietician and psychologist, and we work together to encourage people to make healthy lifestyle changes. We have plans to recruit a cardiologist and ophthalmologist in the near future.

“I hope to do more for the public sector in Lebanon in terms of educating people as well as supporting other medical professionals by continuing to research this area and providing mentoring support and talks in public hospitals.”

When you look back on your education and career, are you pleased with the route you’ve taken?

“Definitely. I’ve had such a varied education and I’m so proud that I have brought something important and vital to Lebanon. The clinic is providing outreach support to members of the community who would otherwise not have access to this much-needed health care and education. It has been worth all the hard work to achieve what I have so far.”

Published October 2017

Vincent Lam, MD

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For Dr. Vincent Lam, his affinity for ophthalmology is all about quality of life for his patients. As an ophthalmologist at North Toronto Eye Care and cornea and refractive surgeon at North York General Hospital, he’s practicing an aspect of medicine that he thoroughly enjoys while also seeing the distinct difference he’s making with his patients.

“It’s incredible how ophthalmologists can drastically improve a person’s quality of life,” said Dr. Lam, whose responsibilities range from corneal transplants and cataract surgeries to resident training. “It’s great because the amount of technology in the field is tremendous, and I enjoy the breadth of patients that we see on any given day.”

Born in Winnipeg and raised in various cities in western Canada, Dr. Lam began his undergraduate training at the University of British Columbia. He received an early admission into optometry school, attaining a Bachelor of Science in visual sciences in 2003 and a Doctor of Optometry in 2004, both degrees from the New England College of Optometry (NECO) in Boston, Massachusetts. However, it wasn’t until a fourth-year externship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute that ophthalmology developed as his preferred career path. He called it a “life-changing” decision and jumped on an opportunity to pursue his Doctor of Medicine at SGU.

“I was waitlisted at a Canadian med school, but in retrospect, SGU is probably why I am where I am today,” he said. “By going to SGU, you learn so many life lessons and learn to work that much harder, and that stays with you for the rest of your life.”

He also praises the University’s award-winning Department of Educational Services (DES), which provides students with academic development and support services. The course material review sessions, testing, and study skills programs contributed to his strong performance on his step exams.

Dr. Lam’s clinical training included a fourth-year ophthalmology elective at Medical College of Virginia/VCU Medical Center, which paved the way for other SGU students to do the same. He later obtained his residency in the Department of Ophthalmology at the same institution, a program directed by another SGU graduate, Joseph Iuorno, MD ’00.

“We weren’t any different than students from US schools,” Dr. Lam said. “If anything, I think we worked harder and went the extra mile on many occasions. The attendings would tell us that. What it comes down to it, no matter whether you’re in Grenada, the US, or Canada, it’s the same thing—you’re provided with information, and it’s up to the student to run with it.”

Furthermore, Dr. Lam followed up residency with a one-year fellowship in uveitis at the University of California at San Francisco’s Francis I. Proctor Foundation. Dr. Lam went on to complete a fellowship in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at Columbia University’s Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute in New York City.

Dr. Lam hopes to continue to give back to SGU as a member of its Alumni Admission Mentor Program (AAMP), for which graduates take part in a variety of recruitment efforts. Since graduating, he has conducted admission interviews as well as partaken in University information sessions and webinars.

Published April 2014

Tendani Gaolathe, MD

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A 1996 graduate from St. George’s University School of Medicine, Ms. Gaolathe is the director of the master training program at Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership (BHP), spearheading the organization’s HIV research, treatment, and education efforts. She travels the country to train health care workers and upgrade health facilities.

In addition to her role at BHP, Ms. Gaolathe sits on the Botswana Ministry of Health’s National HIV/AIDS Treatment Committee and advises a number of technical working groups.
Past positions in her native country include two stints at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, first as a hospital specialist in internal medicine and then as interim director of the facility’s anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) clinic, the first of its kind in Botswana.

Her professional success not only stems from her time in Grenada, also a developing country, but also her residencies at St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, NJ, one of the most HIV-wrought cities in the United States. The experiences have allowed her to effectively raise awareness about HIV and care for those afflicted with the disease.

As a young girl, Dr. Gaolathe had a child’s normal curiosity about Princess Marina, but the idea of medicine as her life’s work did not take hold until she spent one year of national service in a bush settlement in the Kalahari Desert.

“A nurse would visit once a month, and I would do whatever I could to help the sick between her visits, but if there was an emergency, the patient would have to be sent to the clinic 42 kilometers away,” she said. “I left the settlement feeling that I had to do something for them and others in the same situation.”

After two years at the University of Botswana, where she studied biology, she transferred to George Washington University in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Science in zoology in 1992.

Dr. Gaolathe knew the road to a medical degree would be difficult. “There were no medical school in Botswana, and I did not find opportunities in the United States,” she said. A preclinical advisor gave her information about the School of Medicine at St. George’s University. She applied and was accepted into the August 1992 entering class.

“St. George’s University gave me a lifetime opportunity to become a medical doctor,” said Dr. Gaolathe. “I am very grateful for my education and for the chance to give to my country.”

Published April 2013