THE
Vol 7 - Issue No 1 - February 2017
XAVIER
TIMES
IN THIS ISSUE
White Coat Ceremony - Spring 2017
White Coat Ceremony.............1 Guest Lecture..........................2 From The Editors.....................2 New Loan Program..................3 USMLE Recent Passes.............3 Orientation - Spring 2017........4 Health Fair...............................5 Interview: Dr. Gopikumar........6 Visiting Faculty Spotlight........6 Act of Kindness Walk..............7 East and West.........................7 Movie Activitiy........................7
On Friday, January 20th, Xavier University School of Medicine hosted the White Coat Ceremony and Welcome Dinner to kick off the Spring 2017 semester to welcome the new medical students in MD1 and honor various academic achievements. Studentswatched the proceedings with nervousness and anxiousness as they waited for their name to be called to receive their white coat. It was emphasized that those who areprepared to undertake this journey must be focused, determined, hard-working and willing to make sacrifices. First, speakers such as Ms. Karla Simmonds and Mr. Christopher Iordanou welcomed the new students, returning students, faculty, and students’ families.
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Accreditation & Recognition
Guest Lecture Series - Dr. Gustavo Del Toro Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Wyckoff Heights Medical Center - Brooklyn, New York
*
On Friday the 13th of January, Dr. Gustavo Del Toro visited XUSOM as a Guest Faculty and held an interactive lesson with MD3, MD5 and MD6 students.Dr. Del Toro has held various positions at several institutes such as the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.
Ireland *CAAMP-HP accreditation provisional. **ACCM accreditation provisional.
Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine
Approved by the: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Continued on page 2 X A V I E R
U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S
O F F I C I A L
N E W S
P U B L I C A T I O N
White Coat
Congrats to XUSOM Students Recently Passing USMLE Step 1 Natasha Sebastian David Martinez Biju Kallumkal Manpreet Kaur Andrea Hernandez Rami Sakaan Junaid Sargana Roopak Sekhon Aletha Mathias Arian Ayromloo Michael Arroyo Nabil Ahmed Shabnam Zahedi Parshotam Kundan Justin McNett Utsav Aiya Vishal Ganta 2
Continued from page 1 Dr. Dubey, Dean of Basic Sciences, Dr. Barton, Dean of Pre-Medical Sciences and Dr. Gil, Dean of Student Affairs, addressed the students about the unique teaching and learning methods and the expectations of each professor. They explained that while medical school requires dedication and sacrifice, students and faculty will worktogether to get through the hurdles. Dr. Barton was one who shared valuable advice during his speech. “Never let a day go by without reviewing or studying because while someone is going out and having the time of their lives, someone else is studying hard to pass the Step,” he said. As a role model to other students, Ms. Natasha Sebastian, a student that successfully passed the Basic Sciences and recently took the United States Medical License Exam (USMLE) Step 1 and passed with a high score, shared her journey with new students. Additionally, the ceremony also recognized students who have taken on extra-curricular responsibilities despite of their intense schedules. Overall, students report that their experience at the White Coat Ceremony has made them feel moreat ease and ready for the tough but rewarding journey that lies ahead. Ms. Komathini Jothikumar – Student Editor (MD 3) & Ms. Kahmalia-Kalee Sada –MD3
Guest Lecture Series
Continued from page 1
Dr. Del Toro has been given numerous awards, which includes the 2003 Pediatric Oncologist/ BMT Attending Physician of the Year Award, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, the 2006-2007 Horace L. Hodes Pediatric Attending Physician of the Year Award and the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, 2009 at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, to name a few. During the interactive session, Dr. Del Toro discussed Sickle cell disease at the XUSOM auditorium where he both taught and challenged students by testing their knowledge. On behalf of XUSOM, we would like to thank Dr. Gustavo Del Toro for taking the time out to visit! We enjoyed the presentation and learned a lot. Dr Surekha Bhat, Managing Editor www.xusom.com
Xavier Times team
New Loan Program for XUSOM Students It is with great pleasure that we announce a new student loan program for XUSOM students. This ED MED loan program covers the full cost of attendance including tuition and living expenses.
Faculty Editor: Dr. P Ravi Shankar
This loan program is for all of Basic Science and Clinical Science years and students can borrow up to $60,000 per year.
Managing Editor: Dr. Surekha Bhat
This loan program is available immediately to All US Citizens and Permanent Residents
Student Editor: Ms. Komathini Jothikumar
For more information students should contact Financial Aid at financialaid@xusom.com
2017 Graduation Ceremony
From the Editors
The 2017 Graduation Ceremony will be held at: St. John’s University D’Angelo Center Ballroom
• The Ceremony will be held on May 20th 2017 at 5PM • The Keynote Speaker will be Barry Smith, M.D. - President and CEO of Rogosin Institute
The D’Angelo Center Ballroom St. John’s University
Contributors: Ms. Adebola Adegbite Ms. Atisha Patel Ms. Azia Karjikar Ms. Fatima ElMedkhar Ms. Justina Babu
Associate Student Editor: Ms. Riddhiben Patel
Daniel Moses, Director of Student Finance
8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, New York
Copy Editor: Dr. Gareth Davey Ms. Kendra Parson
Dear Readers, We would like to wish you a happy 2017. As usual, we have a wealth of reading material for you in this issue of Xavier Times. Students from the Student Ambassador Organization (SAO) participated in the Act of Kindness walk last semester. We also organized a successful health fair at the school premises with the active involvement of students and faculty. We are excited to share the impressions of our first semester students from Jordan about the island and the school in this issue. In the first week of this semester, Dr Gustavo del Toro, Chief Medical Officer at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, visited Aruba and facilitated an interactive session on sickle cell disease for the students. During the second week of January, Mr. Daniel Moses, Director of Student Finances, interacted with students and explained the new loan program to them. During the third week of this semester, Dr. McLaughlin conducted sessions on renal pathology for the MD5 students. The orientation program, white coat ceremony and welcome dinner are also described. This issue also features an interview with Dr. Gopikumar and also covers a movie activity. Enjoy! Xavier Times Editors
www.xusom.com
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Orientation of New XUSOM Students - Spring 2017 Anticipation and eagerness filled the room as we sat down in the auditorium of Xavier University School of Medicine on our first day of orientation. Incoming pre-medical students, MD1, and transfer students all arrived on the clear and bright Monday morning of January 9th, in Oranjestad, Aruba, all of whom were ready to embark on the common goal and mission to become great medical students and future physicians. The returning students, Mr. Harshil Parekh and Mr. Sean Kim were the keynote speakers for the event. The proceedings commenced with Dr. Barton, Dean of Pre-Medical Sciences, who encouraged us in a way that made us feel apart of the XUSOM community immediately. Dr Ravi, Assistant Dean for Medical Education, provided is with an overview of the Basic Sciences MD curriculum. Dr. Gil Apacible, Dean of Student affairs, also welcomed us warmly into the program. Dr. Dubey, The Dean of Basic Sciences, introduced himself and the rest of the faculty members that we will be working with during the next couple of years. He congratulated us on our admission into the pre-medical/medical programs. Our prior accomplishments and perseverance that led us to this position were commended. At the same time, they made us very aware that our work ethic and enthusiasm for medicine is what will help us succeed. We are here for the study of medicine and it will be the most grueling yet rewarding next few years of our lives. We will struggle, we will feel exhausted and worn out at times, but we must remember to stay positive. We learned about the importance of health and well-being in medical school. Many students may feel anxious or depressed at some point down the road. This is perfectly normal, and we are so grateful to have options to seek help if we need it. Dr. Davey incorporated some very helpful insider suggestions in terms of staying safe on the island. We felt much more comfortable upon hearing this sound advice. We learned that medicine is not only a discipline of healthcare, but an art form as well. The humanitarian aspect of medicine must remain intact in order to become the best and most empathetic doctors possible. We were introduced to Medical Humanities, which is very unique to Xavier although many U.S. medical schools also offer this course to students. Every week we will evaluate literature and art to sustain the emotional spirit and connection to human life since medical school can sometimes become solely focused on the scientific aspect, which could stray away from the real motive to study medicine - to save lives and keep others healthy and safe. Throughout the next three days, we learned about the curriculum, and the unique integrated structure of learning. Dr. Ravi showed us the principles behind this method and how we would grow as individuals and future doctors who know how to work together in a team setting. There was an enormous emphasis on the importance of unity and teamwork in medicine. The first bonding and team-building exercise was led by Dr. Laura which allowed us to use nonverbal cues to build understanding and trust in each other. This was hilarious as well, for we competed against other teams. Everyone was blindfolded except the team leader, and the main goal was to find an object as we stayed in a united line, holding our hands on our teammates’shoulders as we marched around the room. As long as we practice medicine, we will remain students and we will continue studying and learning. With sacrifice comes great reward. The administrative staff helped us complete our immigration and registration requirements. We are fascinated by the early clinical exposure the University offers. Dr. Neelam explained how we will be working with Standardized Patients and will have many opportunities to practice our clinical skills and history-taking abilities prior to being tested. This is the most satisfying and enjoyable part of medicine after all - interacting with our patients! Dr. Ramdass’s keen understanding of the USMLE motivated us to stay focused on the end goal—to do well on the USMLE examinations. The test-taking and study strategies were very helpful in addition to Dr. Helmy’s presentation. The information presented enables us to be more prepared to start our programs at XUSOM with confidence and determination, but we also felt humbled by the honesty and care of the professors and faculty. We know this will be challenging but worth it. The small school environment certainly makes us feel like we can conquer anything TOGETHER. Our common goal is to become wise, sound and compassionate physicians. There is a long road ahead of us, but with dedication, time management skills, and relentless determination, we are confident that our journey to becoming MDs will be a successful one. Good luck to everyone. Ms. Fatima ElMedkhar, MD1
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www.xusom.com
New Faculty and Staff
Dr. Gopi Kumar
Ms. Yvetta Aal
Ms. Holly Maillard Ms. Raquel Lacle
Assistant Professor of Physiology (Aruba Campus)
Assistant Registrar (Aruba Campus)
Receptionist / Administrative Assistant (New York Office)
Receptionist / Administrative Assistant (Aruba Campus)
Ms. Jeane-Betsy Irausquin-Mackintosh Immigration / Housing (Aruba Campus)
Health Fair: A Method of Giving Back It had been almost a year since the local community of Aruba came together with the staff and students of Xavier University School of Medicine to administer the health fair. It was a win-win phenomenon: XUSOM students gained real life experience in a hands-on setting with patients by performing a routine health checkup. The health fair was a combined effort from those at XUSOM who administered the fair along with the local patients who participated and thus played a role in making this event successful. It was both an educational and insightful event organized by some of the senior students who are members of the Family Medicine Interest Group, members of other XUSOM organizations, and various faculty members from the University. Everyone who coordinated the event deserves a “thank you” from us students as well as the local Aruban community for all their hard work, assistance, patience and cooperative nature. The halls of our school were filled with smiles from both patients and students. There were close to 250 patients, all of whom were tested to check for a variety of parameters including cholesterol, blood glucose, BMI, blood pressure, hearing and vision - the students were still ready for more. The rooms we worked in and the many others we visited enabled us to see just how cooperative and appreciating the local people were towards the effort we had put in. To create the right balance between excellence in patient care and hospitality, we also provided refreshments for the patients. This balance did help the patients appreciate the fact that we at XUSOM were highly grateful to them for coming out and being a medium through which we could apply our gained knowledge while also benefiting them. True to the natural tendency of any medical student, initially some of us would have thought, “Well we are not doctors yet, so why should we have to focus on anything elsebut studying?” However, despite these thoughts and opinions, every student attended and carried out their assigned duties with enthusiasm. As the health fair progressed and as we came across many different patients, we were able to see just how much we were learning even when we were not sitting in front of books, classrooms and PowerPoint presentations. This health fair was an excellent way to put our acquired knowledge and communication skills to work. Communication is a highly essential tool that all good doctors should possess. Communication does not necessarily mean one must be fluent in spoken English to get the message across. This was witnessed by quite a few of us as we were helping many local patients who were not able to communicate in English. We would say it was a two way street - we communicated in English, the patients communicated in Papiamento, and when neither of us understood each other, we skipped to sign language. Much to our surprise, language did not seem as big a barrier as one would anticipate, since we discovered other ways to get our message across. Of course there were times when we really needed to provide an explanation through words to the patients who did not understand English, and thanks to some of our staff and students who were able to speak Papiamento, they bridged that gap by translating. Talking to some of the first year students - us being among them – we all agree that we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to give back to the community. It was a good time to practice some of the skills we had learned thus far. Overall, it was a great way for all students to get to know each other, work together as a team, and realize how important it is to work collaboratively in medicine. We hope this project continues moving forward and expanding its outreach. It will continue to provide a positive view of the University to the community, and allow for University-community relationships to keep growing. Also, the clinical and interpersonal experiences that the students received were invaluable and will be remembered for a long time. Ms. Riddhi Patel MD 2 www.xusom.com
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Interview with Dr. Gopikumar, Associate Professor of Physiology •
Where are you from, and what educational institution(s) have you attended? I am from Bengaluru, South India, and in 2006, I obtained my MBBS from Bangalore Medical College after which I worked for a pharmaceutical company called Novartis. Then in 2014 I obtained my MD degree from Raja Rajeshwari Medical College.
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What or who inspired you to become a physician? Well, I did not want to become a physician but my father forced me to pursue medicine. Initialy I wanted to become a physicist. Physics and math were my favorite subjects.
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Why did you choose Aruba as a place to teach? I have never been away from India, and I wanted to explore situations away from home. Also, by living in Aruba I will get to experience Western culture and the world.
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Have you conducted any research in the past? How do you plan on carrying that forward? I have done a lot of research on critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) but have not yet had any publications. I do have a lot of papers pending for publications, and during my time here in Aruba I wish to carry that forward.
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Can you provide our students here at Xavier with some tips/tricks on how to study physiology? To study physiology you need to understand the concepts. If that is understood, then physiology is so easy. If you try to memorize, it will seem complicated.
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How do you like your lectures to be? Highly interactive lectures are enjoyable and professional questions arealways welcome.
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If not a doctor, then what profession would you have chosen and why? In that case I would have been a software engineer. I had opted for a seat in a leading engineering college in Mangalore, which I had to quit to pursue medicine.
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What advice would you like to give to XUSOM’s future physicians? Always be updated about the situations around you. Put adequate efforts and don’t worry about the results. Leave the rest to God.
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How would you describe the medical profession as? It is one of the noblest professions in the world which many people aspire to pursue. God has given me this opportunity and I will try my best to be the best physician possible.
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Nowadays many doctors are forced to see a greater number of patients per day and in turn the quality of treatment they are able to provide as well as the amount of time they can allocate to their patients has decreased. What are your thoughts on that? Since I come from a country with a very high population, there were many situations in which I had to see many patients in a single day. Of course that limited the amount of time I could allocate to each patient but sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Also, the ratio of doctors to patients is very low and to improve that, I feel the government should work to increase the number of doctors so that this problem can be taken care of.
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What do you expect from students during your lectures and what is that one behavior of students that you dislike during lectures? Be attentive and listen to the lectures. Be frank. A student coming late to class is something that I really don’t like. This I feel will distract my flow of teaching.
Interviewed by: Ms. Riddhi Patel, MD 2
Visiting Faculty Spotlight - Dr. Hugh McLaughlin, MD Professor of Pathology Westminster Medical School, London (MD-Pathology)
On January 23, 2017, Dr. Hugh McLaughlin visited XUSOM as a visiting Pathology Professor for the Renal system. Dr McLaughlin’s lecture at XUSOM included basic mechanisms of glomerular damage and nephrotic syndrome, nephritic syndrome and interstitial renal disease as well as vascular, cystic diseases, nephrolithiasis and renal tumors. Dr. McLaughlin received his primary medical degree from the National University of Ireland and moved to London where he completed postgraduate training in pathology at The Royal Post Graduate Medical School / Hammersmith Hospital and at Westminster Medical School. Dr. McLaughlin has been a part of the medical faculty at University College, Dublin and at St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada. In 1999, Dr. McLaughlin relocated to the United States (US) to teach medical school in New York State and Boston. In recent years, he has also developed a pathology review course for students preparing for the USMLE examination, which he has taught at medical schools in both the US and the Caribbean Dr Surekha Bhat, Managing Editor
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www.xusom.com
Act of Kindness Walk
The Student Ambassador Organization (SAO) of the Xavier University School of Medicine advocates school spirit and community outreach efforts through fundraising events and volunteer work. SAO decided to give back to the community of Aruba through a fundraising event called “The Act of Kindness Walk.” Students and local residents walked for five kilometers on Saturday, November 19, 2016, starting at 5 pm at the Fisherman Huts. The cost of the event was 15 florins which included a t-shirt and the eligibility to be included in a raffle. It was a sunny and breezy day and everyone was glad the weather was favorable. Participants checked in at around 4pm. The event began with welcoming and showing gratitude to, as well as showing recognition to, all sponsors for their contribution to the event. Before the walk, Zumba was scheduled. Everyone danced and was excited for the choreography and music. It was a way to get everyone to warm up before the walk started. IBiSA (Instituto Biba Saludabel y Activo), an Aruban government organization that encourages healthy living, helped to coordinate the walk. After the 5K walk, there were several raffle prizes and plenty of pictures were taken. Fruits, water and juice were provided. Proceeds from the event went to Fundacion Ban Papia (also known as Fundacion Sea Bunita Sea Bo Mes), and Fundacion C.R.A.F.T. The first is a foundation supporting those affected by Down Syndrome and the latter is a foundation which provides free art classes to school children in San Nicolas. In addition, some of the proceeds went to sponsoring ten children for the Red Cross Aruba FACT Camp 2017. The event ended around 6.45pm. The SAO team showed their gratitude to all the participants and wished them a safe journey home. As prospective physicians studying at Xavier University, we are taught the importance of saving lives and being leaders in the community, as well as recognizing areas of need and creating avenues for improvement. Our goal at SAO is to contribute to the lives of children through collaborative efforts of Fundacion Ban Papia (also known as Fundacion Sea Bunita Sea Bo Mes), and Fundacion C.R.A.F.T. SAO would like to thank XUSOM, our university, Walden University, and our sponsors for their support throughout the preparation for and participation in this event. Ms. Adebola Adegbite SAO President, MD5
Movie Activity: “And The Band Played On” At XUSOM, during our movie screening, each group explored an issue that was depicted in the film. Students met together in their assigned groups to discuss ideas and present them to faculty and other students. Many groups presented power point slides, skits and even flow charts. Some of the issues that were explored included: how politics and the government can have a drastic effect on medicine, how doctors are dramatically influenced by their colleagues and peers, and how recognition for new research on diseases was looked down upon especially when it was related to the gay community.
Oh, East is East and West is West, and the twain shall meet in XUSOM! From a semi-arid, almost landlocked country in the eastern half of the globe on the East bank of the Jordan River, to a semi-arid, water-surrounded island on the western half of the globe in the southern Caribbean Sea a journey has just begun for two prospective doctors, Mousa and Saleh. Both are new MD1 students at XUSOM that just enrolled for the Spring 2017 semester. With a genuine smile of contentment, Mousa mentions, “What first caught my eye in Aruba was the beautiful island and the amount of greenery, which is more than I have seen in Jordan.” He continues, “The tropical weather here is so different from my country and I love it. I also love the diversity here with a lot of languages, friendly people, and amazing faculty who make sure you understand every single word they say.” True to the natural instinct of any male his age, he says with a naughty twinkle in his eye, “...and the girls here are very pretty too!” Saleh describes Aruba as being, “A home away from home.” She says, “Indeed, I am homesick and miss my family, but people in Aruba are very welcoming and make you feel at home. The food here is tasty and I am loving the experience while also having the opportunity to be surrounded by friendly people and great doctors. I am not used to the hot weather but once I get used to it, it’s all good. There’s a lot to study but it’s worth it because the doctors/teachers here give all they have so that you get the best.” Both students report that they are happy with the great housing, which is also close to the beach but find the currency very different and confusing being it is new to them. With much excitement; however, they further explained that with the extraordinary curriculum offered here at XUSOM, their dreams of becoming successful doctors will one day become a reality. Overall, Jordan to Aruba seems to be a memory to cherish for Mousa and Saleh. XUSOM extends a warm and heartful welcome to these two gentleman from the “safest of Arab countries in the Middle East” to the “safest of the Caribbean Islands” and wishes them good luck on their endeavor to becoming successful doctors! Dr MS Bhat, Ms. Riddhi Patel, MD2, Ms. Justina Babu, MD 2
Ms. Atisha Patel, MD3 www.xusom.com
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Aruba Campus
Pre-Med Campuses
North American Admissions Office 1000 Woodbury Road, Suite 109 Woodbury, New York 11797 USA TEL: 516-333-2224 FAX: 516-921-1070 info@xusom.com | www.xusom.com 8
Aruba Campus Santa Helenastraat #23 Oranjestad, Aruba Dutch Caribbean TEL: 297-588-7766 Fax: 297-588-6222
Jordan Admissions Office Al Husseini Building Office 614 Zahran Street between 7th & 8th Circle Amman, Jordan 11183 TEL: 962 (61) 586 1313 | FAX: 962 (61) 586 1317 info@xusom.com | www.xusom.com/jordan www.xusom.com