Xavier Times Spring 2020

THE XAVIER TIMES

A Medical School Experience on an Island unlike any other in the region!

JANUARY 2020 Vol. 12:/No.01

White Coat Ceremony XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE SPRING 2020

Thursday January 9th, 2020

Guest Speaker Dr. Walid Michelen On Thursday January 9 th , 2020 Xavier University School of Medicine held its Spring 2020 White Coat Ceremony. The ceremony was held at our campus in Aruba. The White Coat Ceremony is a momentous event in the journey of a medical student as it signifies the beginning of their journey through medical school to become doctors. With fellow Xavier students, Xavier faculty and friends and family in attendance the new Xavier class received and put on the white coat for the first time to the joy of all in attendance at the ceremony and those who were watching via live stream.

At the White Coat Ceremony Dr. Dubey, Xavier’s Chief Academic Officer addressed the audience and spoke about how Xavier is continuing to strive forward to provide our students with the highest quality education possible. Speaking at the Ceremony as well was Guest Speaker Dr. Walid Michelen, SVP for Clinical Planning and Innovation, Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Walid Michelen is an internist in New York. He received his degree from Weil Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Michelen was also, board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

2 WHITE COAT CEREMONY 7 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 8 RURAL HEALTH XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE / ARUBA

14 FACULTY INTERVIEW

(516) 333-2224 • www.xusom.com • admissions@xusom.com Named a “Top 10 Caribbean Medical School” by jçåÉófåÅ.

Xavier White Coat Ceremony Photos

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9 1: The group poses for a photo with family members 2: Dr. Waleed, Manroop Sahota, Dr. Dubey 3: Mushammad Khan 4: Ratheesh Asokan and Yaa Boakye 5: Ali Jaber 6: Sukhmanjit Kaur

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7: Ratheesh Asokan 8: The students take their oath 9: Djoulde Diaw, Olawatomisin Rabiu, Nripangana Saikia with parents 10: Students pose for a photo in their White Coats

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WHITE COAT STUDENT INTERVIEW

Harman Preet Kaur 1. What was your experience at the White Coat Ceremony?

Ever since I decided to become a physician, I have always looked forward to the day I receive my white coat. The White Coat Ceremony is a moment that we often wish to share with our family and loved ones. However, my family couldn't make it but some of the Faculty at Xavier has became so close to me that I still felt like I had people present that truly cared for me, that support me and want to see me do well in my future. The amount of care and love that the faculty has given me is truly a blessing.

2. What was the most memorable moment for?

For me taking the Hippocratic Oath was truly memorable. I had always heard the saying, "Words have power..." but I solemnly believe that now. To actually speak those words into existence felt like nothing less than a spiritual experience.

3. What are looking forward to the most now that you have started your medical journey?

I look forward to obtaining not just knowledge but also experience in how to be a physician that can teach her patients how to understand their body better not just treat it. Also not just limiting my learning to the physical and biological effects of medication, but also gaining a better understanding on how diversity and geographical changes can affect the execution of medicine globally.

4. How did you feel after putting the White Coat on?

It felt like one step closer to achieving my goals and at the same time, metaphorically, it also made me realize I have a new weight on my shoulders to make sure I can be the best physician and strive to excel not just for myself, but for my future patients.

5. What does the coat mean to you?

The white coat itself is a symbol of respect awarded to those with the knowledge of saving lives. It’s not a uniform, however when people see it they are comforted knowing they are in safe hands. This is one of the reasons I have always seen it as more of a medal and armor. Doctors have been helping to fight and protect against diseases while improving longevity of the human race. Hence, physicians are new era warriors so wearing a white coat represents hope, protection, life and respect.

6. Why did you want to pursue a career in medicine?

Everyone has experiences in life that affects them psychologically. In my case y experiences have molded me into the person I am today. I have had loved ones that have been victims of improper healthcare, but so has many people around the world. I honestly feel that the whole outlook on universal healthcare is depicted entirely incorrectly. Although I may not be able to change the entire world’s outlook on the issue I hope to bring about change in the mentality of how humans are supposed to be treated regardless of their external social and economical factors.

IN THIS ISSUE WHITE COAT CLASS 4 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 7

RURAL HEALTH 8 ORPHANAGE 11

CLINICAL STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 13 FACULTY INTERVIEW 14

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

INCOMING CLASS SPRING 2020

Hina Akhter

Roth Allan

P. Simon Apilando

Ratheesh Asokan

Akemdip Basanti

Ritwik Dixit

Ali Jaber

Karthik Kakarala

Imran Khalid

Muhammad Khan

Omar Khan

Sukhmanjit Kaur

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

INCOMING CLASS SPRING 2020

Romae Lloyd

Akshaya Namakkalguruprasad

Chelsea Ndumu

Sumra Shabbir

Wafa Shakil

Manish Sharma

Athifah Shiddheek

Raj Suratwala

Sravyasri Tharlapally

Isaac Thatavarthi

Alicia Virk

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REMEMBERING ORIENTATION Muhammad Ismail Khan

At the start of each academic year, colleges and universities hold an orientation program for their freshmen. At this gathering of the entire freshman class, new students get to meet their classmates for the first time. They are introduced not only to the curriculum but also to the culture within the campus.

Orientation day at XUSOM was divided into three days. The first day included introduction/welcome by the Faculty members. The freshman batch was introduced to the professors as well as University staff members. After a very warm welcome by the Team we were introduced to the curriculum we would be following. Refreshments were arranged as welcome gesture by XUSOM. Day two was a continuing of introduction and standard precautions that the students should take in Aruba. Which was very helpful.

Day three was White Coat Ceremony. As an aspiring doctor it was an honour for me to receive my white coat. White coat ceremony included a guest lecture and students received their white coats by the Dean and the Guest speaker.

SPRING 2020 Semester Oreintation Photos

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1: Dr. Kevin Pawlak speaks to the incoming students 2: Rajan Bhatt 3: Raj Suratwala, P. Simon Apilango, Rateesh ASokan

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4: Incoming students pose for a photo 5: Dr. Gopi orienting the students on XUSOM curriculum 6: Yaa Boakye Rajan Bhatt

student

SPOTLIGHT Yaa Boakye

Student Government Association President

My name is Yaa Boakye and I am Ghanaian-American student here at Xavier Medical University School of Aruba. I am currently an MD 4 student and Student Government Association president.

I have previous degrees in biochemistry and mathematics, as well as my MBA.

Before I decided to attend medical school, I was working at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, New York for about six years.

In my free time I worked with the American Red cross and helped my mentor, Dr. Kaskel. Together, we would reach out to people in low income communities and encourage them to come to our community health fairs where we taught them how to maintain good health and nutrition. We later decided to do an epidemiological study on the racial and ethnic disparities in Renal Disease Incidence & Prevalence. I have done a lot of research on various topics since then.

Now I want to talk about why I decided to become a doctor.

Inspiration is defined as “a sudden brilliant, creative or timely idea”- not exactly things that align with medical school. It’s safe to say that no one launches into the rigors of medical school based on a “sudden” idea. It’s more probable that the idea simmered for decades after you were first inspired by a person, place, or event. This was followed by years of preparation,

Ali Jaber

What was your experience at orientation?

Orientation day was well executed, and allowed me to build many relationships with other new students here. It was very informative and fun. Not only did I get to make new friends, I got the chance to learn about the school, receive tips on how to study properly and efficiently, and how to improve on time management. Moreover, the staff, faculty members and senior students played a very big role in making all of the students feel at home and welcome.

What was the most memorable moment at the white coat ceremony?

The most memorable moment in the whole ceremony was walking across the stage and receiving my white coat. The opportunity to do that in front of my friends and family just made it that much better. Seeing the look of pride and the smile on both of my parents face’s made it extremely memorable.

What are you looking forward to the most now that you have begun your medical journey?

I am really excited to begin my medical journey. Growing up, I always imagined myself embarking the journey to become a doctor. Now that I’ve finally taken the first step in that direction,

studying, testing, and perseverance to make it a reality.

I think becoming a doctor is more in line with what American novelist Jack London said; “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”

Medicine puts me in a position to speak for those who may not otherwise have a voice. I’ve learned many of life’s most profound lessons through the stories, struggles, and triumphs of my teachers and numerous mentors. This makes a career in medicine a journey worth completing. Despite the loneliness, sleep-deprivation, tears, laughter, and adjustment to a completely new way of life as a non-traditional out-of-state student, I am the most happy when I’ve gone out of my way to do something that significantly impacted the treatment course of a potential future patient, and not letting them fall through the cracks of our healthcare system. My goal in the future is to address healthcare disparities at the policy level.

All in all, why do I want to become a doctor? Well, it’s intellectually challenging, I get to meet new people all the time, and I get to (hopefully) make those people feel better when they get hurt. If I was interested in making money I would have chosen something else.

I don’t intend on slowing down anytime soon! I am really looking forward to learning new things, meeting new people, building connections, picking up a possible caffeine addiction, and of course, enjoying the beautiful island of Aruba.

Why did you want to pursue a career in medicine?

Most medical students will give you the same one or two answers for this question. Either they wanted to become doctors since they were young or they hope to help people one day. Well, my answer is not much different. I’ve wanted to become a doctor ever since I was a little boy. Watching my siblings study sciences really played a significant role in developing my love for the field of medicine. I believe my experiences and skills also make me an ideal candidate for the medical field. I truly enjoy putting a smile on the faces of others. The ability to one day treat, heal, and connect with patients is a true dream of mine.

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RURAL HEALTH

GLOBAL HEALTH & ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health sets aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate National Rural Health Day. November 21, 2019 was the first time Xavier University School of Medicine Aruba began to raise awareness of this topic as a part of “XUSOM’s Medical Student Conference.” It was organized by Alim Parhar, an AMSA member and second semester student in the XUSOM MD program at the time. Along with two of his classmates, Dilini Herath and Refat Jayyusi, they told their stores of their experience working in rural and underfunded settings across the world.

SPEAKER: Dilini Herath TOPIC: Accessibility and Quality of Mental Health Services in Sri Lanka

SPEAKER: Alim Parhar TOPIC: Meeting Rural Community Healthcare Needs

SPEAKER: Refat Jayyusi TOPIC: Chronic Pain Management on Subsidized Healthcare

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Dilini Herath started the conference off with her talk on “Accessibility and Quality of Mental Health Services in Sri Lanka.” Sri Lanka has a widespread government-funded public healthcare system that has benefitted the citizens of its country. However, only 1.6 percent of its healthcare budget is invested in mental healthcare. And it is mostly provided by tertiary and secondary-care institutions. More importantly, the shortage of mental healthcare professionals—especially child and adolescent psychiatrists—has considerably affected the quality of care. The associated stigma behind mental illness has, in turn, affected the accessibility to mental healthcare. The armed conflict that lasted over two decades has contributed to an increase in mental illnesses, especially among children that were exposed to the conflict in the northeast. And a majority of the citizens residing in non-urban settings refuse to seek help due to the social stigma and lack of mental health literacy. To maintain quality primary-care services, it is imperative to provide citizens with mental healthcare resources with competent professionals in the field. Therefore, a collaborative effort among stakeholders, policymakers, psychiatrists, and other regulatory bodies is crucial to provide efficient and quality mental healthcare to the citizens of Sri Lanka.

Secondly, Alim Parhar spoke on “Meeting Rural Community Healthcare Needs.” Spending time in rural Zimbabwe allows one to understand to full effect the lackluster healthcare that many communities face worldwide. Many of these communities are faced with the trouble of finding food and clean water before they are able to put a doctor visit on their mind. Due to the governments low effort in improving the healthcare within the country, some of the rural communities must rely on the work of non-profit organizations that come in from Canada and other countries. That way they can help them set up agriculture and plumbing, as well as begin to treat the other healthcare needs of the community. These additional healthcare needs included basic public health monitoring: blood pressure readings, pulse readings, weight, and other vitals. With these organizations, the rural members of the communities are both able to see a physician free of charge as well as receive basic medication to relive themselves of their ails.

Certain members of the community who already had some experience in the healthcare field were able to join the physicians. Both letting the doctors know about the lifestyles and culture of the people so the doctors can offer adequate treatment. Also, these community members are taught by the doctors in order for them to serve their communities when the doctors are not available.

Training the members of rural communities and receiving their input is the best method in treating the entire rural community.

Refat Jayyusi

Dilini Herath

The final talk was done by Refat Jayyusi who spoke on the topic of “Chronic Pain Management on Subsidized Healthcare.” He discussed the difficulties patients face managing their chronic pain while on subsidized healthcare such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Oftentimes insurance companies would not approve therapies/ non-opioid medications that had potential to benefit patients and would instead only approve a continuous supply of narcotic prescriptions. This contributed to the crisis we face today as patients seemed to be encouraged to use a temporary risky fix instead of tackling the root source of their pain. With this came addiction and efforts by some to sell their pills, further exacerbating the opioid epidemic. Someone with chronic pain will also experience chronic anxiety and insomnia, and many patients also were taking benzodiazepines alongside their opioid prescriptions, leading to a higher chance of respiratory distress and overdose. My talk focused on how we as future physicians could focus on treating patients with every viable treatment we can try before ever starting them on any dangerous and addictive pills. In addition to this, safety precautions such as mandatory Naloxone prescriptions are crucial to patient safety.

Alim Parhar

Xavier Students Invite Local Community to Partake in Health Screenings

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Xavier University School of Medicine had the privilege to hold another health fair in the community of Aruba.

On February 12, Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) organized a free wellness screening event at Taco Bell, Oranjestad, Aruba. There were a number of stations where the students offered BMI, hearing exam, blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol check up to the local community. The participants were then able to discuss what their results meant and then consulted on wellness of their health.

The attendees were able to benefit from the medical students’ education as well as an opportunity for the students to give back to the wonderful community of Aruba.

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These health fairs are a great training tool, where the Xavier students get to apply the knowledge they have gained in basic sciences, under supervision. We appreciate Dr. Segie, Dr. Gopi, and Dr. Manisha for supervising the event, Selema and Boyca for all their help, and to all the student volunteers who made the event successful! We would also like to thank Taco Bell for the opportunity they provided Xavier University school of Medicine!

1: Victoria Galli & Navneet Dhaliwal

2: Bliakchhana Basnet & JadeNestor Magsombol 3: Victoria Galli & Navneet Dhaliwal

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XAVIER STUDENTS

HOST STUDENTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ARUBA On February 5th, 2020, Xavier University School of Medicine faculty and students had the privilege of hosting Dr. Ralitza Spassova and her students from the International School of Aruba (ISA) in an introduction and learning session in the anatomy lab.

Dr. William Cobb

Equipped with great specimens as well as a state-of-the-art digital Anatomage virtual anatomy dissection table, students were able to get a preview of what a day in the anatomy lab is like with current medical students. In attendance were anatomy professors Dr. Segie Apacible and Dr. William James Cobb, as well as students Jagraj Dosanjh, Asem Saefan, Jasndeep Kaler, and Elsemari Jacobs. Students from Dr. Spassova’s class were able to further their knowledge by identifying actual structures both on the preserved cadaver and the Anatomage table, and learn about the functions of those structures.

This session assisted the students in their tenth grade anatomy class where their current topic of study is neuroanatomy. Xavier University takes pride giving back to the local community. They have accepted Xavier students with open arms and made them feel welcomed, and like a valued part of the island. Whether it is by participating in local health fares at various locations on the island, or in this instance, teaching local students at our campus to help them gain knowledge from both faculty and students, Xavier University is committed to providing a great learning experience and benefits to both students and residents of this great island.

Jagraj Dosanjh & Asem Saefan

Jasndeep Kaler

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The visiting students pose for a photo outside of Imeldahof Orphanage

PMIG STUDENTS VISIT

IMELDAHOF ORPHANAGE

Jasndeep Kaler MD5 Hailey Pipersburgh

From left to right_ students Bhumika Khanna, Meghanna Ajit, and Galli Victoria

Yaa Boakye

On January 25, medical students from Xavier University School of Medicine visited Imeldahof Orphanage. With the help of Xavier University Alumni, Dr. Stanley Lee, students learned to conduct physical exams, take vitals and check BMI on children.

Dr. Stanley Lee is a pediatric pulmonology fellow at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. The Pediatric Medicine Interest Group (PMIG) of Xavier University had the pleasure to organize and coordinate the visit to a local orphanage. With the assistance and supervision of Dr. Stanley Lee, this allowed the Xavier students to have a more active and integrated role in the community of Aruba along with applying the knowledge they have gained from their medical school classes. Dr. Stanley Lee took the initiative to teach the students how to interact with children, how to asses children, and what to look out for prior to visiting the orphanage. The children at Imeldahof thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the Xavier students and the Xavier students were also very thankful for the opportunity.

We are grateful to Dr. Stanley Lee and Dr. Segie for helping to make this opportunity possible and for helping the students give back to the Aruban community! A special thank you to Dr. Stanley Lee for flying down and providing us with the appropriate techniques to ensure this was a learning experience not only for the students but for the orphanage as well. We would also like to thank Imeldahof for accommodating 15 Xavier students alongside Dr. Stan Lee!

Dr. Stanley

Radha Sundar

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BEACH BASH

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ATTENDED

JAN 31

2020

Rajan Bhatt and P.Simon Apilando

Manroop Sahota, MD1

The transition of relocating to a new place and beginning medical school can feel overwhelming at first. The Beach Bash was a great event to help break the ice between students, and push them to mingle with their peers and professors. The SGA team that organized the event was diligent in their planning, and the agenda included lots of fun activities. Some of the best ones were the obstacles within the splash park, beach volleyball, and of course, the food. The array of activities allowed everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. The event encouraged students to make connections and work together all while having a ton of fun.

We would collectively like to give a big thank you and congratulations to the Student Government Association for setting this all up, and the success of the event!

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Nimish Biswal, Mousa Himmo & Faisal Al Abdally

Jaspreet Dherari, Alicia Virk, Manreet Gill & Amandeep Wadhawan

CLINICAL STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

WYCKOFF HEIGHTS MEDICAL CENTER BROOKLYN, NY

From left to right: Sarah Tahir, Daniela Bennett, Sabastiana Sanz, Aqsa Rao and Kahmalia Sada

The group poses for a photo after discussing their rotation experience so far.

From left to right: Aqsa Rao, Christopher Iordanou (back), Sarah Tahir, Mahmood Ahmad(Back), Kahmalia Sada, Sabastiana Sanz, Jared Stewart (Back), Daniela Bennett, Chulou Penales (Back)

Sabastiana Sanz and Kahmalia Sada who are currently completing their Pediatrics and OBGYN core rotations at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center.

Sarah and Mahmood discuss cases from their Pediatrics rotation at Wyckoff.

The group sits and chats about their exp[eince so far at Wyckoff in Brooklyn, NY. From left to right: Mahmood Ahmad, Jared Stewart, Chulou Penales, Sabastiana Sanz, Daniela Bennet, Kahmalia Sada, and Sarah Tahir.

From Left to right: Aqsa Rao, Christopher Iordanou, Mahmood Ahmad, Jared Stewart, Chulou Penales, Sabastiana Sanz, Daniela Bennett, Kahmalia Sada, Sarah Tahir.

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FACULTY

INTERVIEW Dr. Cobb

Assistant Professor of Anatomy

Where are you from and what educational institution(s) have you attended?

I am from Oxford in the United Kingdom. I have studied at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford University Hospital, Keele University School of Medicine and the University of Medical Sciences.

What or who inspired you to pursue your MD? As a boy, I was inspired by my mother and my father. My mother encouraged my artistic side that would later in life be so incredibly helpful in learning and teaching anatomy. My father inspired me as he had a medical condition known as dupuytren contracture that affected both his hands. I remember looking at his hands as a child and wanting to know why they looked so contorted and unfunctional. I would often try to straighten my father’s fingers to no avail.

This I believe was an early factor that would later develop my interest into the anatomical sciences and particularly the musculoskeletal system. It was when I joined the Royal Army Medical Services, that I knew I wanted to pursue some type of medical career unaware that my experiences as a boy would come back to guide my decisions in career paths within healthcare and medicine. During my time in the military and indeed afterwards, I was very fortunate to have many great mentors, professors and colleagues. I was given the opportunity to work and train in emergency medicine, trauma and rehabilitation in some of the best UK trauma and rehabilitation units. I was particularly interested in orthopedics and rehabilitation and had the privilege to work with wounded soldiers after deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan where at the time I was mainly involved in BIU (Bone Infection Unit) and trauma rehabilitation often as a result of improvised Explosive Devices. It was truly inspirational to see the courage and resilience of the young men and woman that had been wounded in combat regain mobility with the aid of modern prosthetics and physical therapy. This further drove my ambition to pursue rehabilitative medicine and research.

Why did you choose Aruba as a place to teach?

Aruba has a very good reputation among the Caribbean islands as it is safe, well developed and has excellent weather all year round. I am an avid wreck diver and with so many great diving spots and places to explore, felt it was a great choice of location to work.

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What do you love the most about Anatomical science?

I have been fascinated by the Anatomical Sciences from the first day I stepped foot into an Anatomy lab as an undergraduate. I am a strong advocate for using human cadavers in teaching as I feel that dissection and the hands-on approach to learning being key to fully comprehending the subject. I have been incredibly lucky to have had the privilege to study at both undergraduate and postgraduate level using cadaveric material. Keele University School of Medicine really was a turning point in my career as I knew that I wanted to have a role that was both clinical and one in which I could teach human anatomy (Applied Clinical Anatomy).

What countries have you traveled to in the past and which of them are your favorite?I am from Europe so have travelled all over the EU and down into and around Africa. I have lived in America, Spain, France and enjoy all the countries and the individuality of each one. So, all in all, I have to say I like them all.

However, England is incredibly beautiful in the summer months.

What do you prefer to do during your free time?

Diving and flying. I am a licensed rescue diver so very much like going on dive expeditions. When I am not in the sea, I am working on completing my pilots license.

Have you conducted any research in the past? How do you plan on carrying that forward?

Yes, I have been very research active over the last few years. I completed my Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) and Doctor of Science (DSc) looking at imaging methodologies in general medical practice and the cost effectiveness of each in general orthopedic consultation across the UK and US health system in relation to common pathologies of the knee. I have also published several papers looking at variations in the arterial and venous networks of the human brain which was conducted via both autopsy and imaging studies. I have had several of my papers published in the journal of anatomy and physiology and currently am working on a project that I hope to submit to the Royal College of Radiology later this year. I am a member of the British Association of Sports Scientists and have applied for chartered scientist status with the science council of the United Kingdom whereupon I hope to be more involved in research grant proposals.

"ONE THING THAT BRINGS THE WHOLE OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION TOGETHER IS COMPASSION, EMPATHY, AND DOING THE BEST FOR THE PATIENT" Can you provide our students here at Xavier with some tips/tricks on how to study Anatomical science better?

Anatomical science is a very tough subject and one that includes embryology, gross anatomy, clinical anatomy, surgical anatomy and radiology. I feel that this is often forgotten at times and that students often believe that anatomy is only about looking at structures in the human body and not applying it within a clinical context. Anatomy is a foundational subject in medicine and one that I found needs to be constantly revisited not just during ones time at university but also as a graduate. I have found that as a student of the subject and now as a professor, that one needs to use several methodologies to fully comprehend the material. In my opinion, it all starts in the anatomy lab with the cadaver. Once one is able to start to look at normal and abnormal anatomy (Pathology) one is able to comprehend not only form but also function and in the case of pathology abnormal function.

I try to encourage my students to use a broad-spectrum approach to learning the subject and encourage gross texts to guide dissection session with more clinically orientated texts to guide hi yield clinical subject areas. I try to integrate radiology and imaging methodologies into all of my sessions to help integrate the subject with clinical correlation.

How do you like your lectures to be?

I like to merge my lectures with a combination of case studies, Radiology and gross lab dissection. I find that case studies set the tone for the subject and that imaging and gross lab bring the subject area to life. For instance, when I am teaching the anatomy of the thorax, I will start by discussing case scenarios involving the pulmonary system and related conditions, this can then be further developed by integrating imaging and then finally dissection to explore for normal and abnormal anatomy in the cadaver.

Your favorite quote or proverb is?

In Arduis Fidelis (Faithful in Adversity) If not a MD, then what profession would you have chosen and why?

I think I would have probably been a diver and marine biologist although who doesn’t want to be an astronaut?

What advice would you like to give to XUSOM’s future physicians, what would it be?

Firstly I would say that any person whom has chosen a career in medicine or healthcare in general must want to make a positive impact

to human life. One must be open minded, inquisitive, driven, caring and compassionate. Be open minded to what your future career may be. There are so many areas of modern medicine from teaching and research to many many sub specialties. Find an area that you enjoy and are passionate about. Find an area that you want to do and one that you can see yourself doing, and remember that you can always do additional training and take different paths at any point. Try to look for the positive and most of all take care of yourselves. A Doctor that can’t work because of burnout can’t treat his or her patients and that is a tremendous loss to society as a whole.

How would you describe the medical profession as?

The medical profession is incredibly diverse. There are many different types of Doctors all with differing roles across the world. One thing that brings the whole of the medical profession together is that of compassion, empathy and doing the best for the patient. Do No Harm is the moto of the profession and it is one that I hope will be echoed thorough the entirety of the profession.

Now a days 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 and the amount of time they can allocate to their patients has decreased. What are your thoughts on that?

I think that doctors and healthcare professionals in general are vastly overworked in modern practice. I believe that this has a detrimental affect to both doctors and patients. Doctors that can’t dedicate enough time to patients often feel as if they have failed them. This is very unfortunate as although a doctor may want to do more for the patient, the doctor may be constrained by time and therefore only be able to practice a fraction of the skills they have. I think the fast-paced demand on doctors ultimately burns them out and leaves them feeling frustrated with the profession. I strongly believe that more doctors need to be trained and more integration of health systems should be accommodated.

What do you expect from students during your lectures and what is that one thing that you dislike?

I expect students to be on time and engaged in class. There is nothing worse than students arriving late in class and asking questions on material that they have missed either due to being late or not engaging. I think it is of essential professional etiquette in medicine and healthcare to arrive on time and to fully engage in the material that is being taught. My thought is, if you don’t want to be here, why are you here?

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THE XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (XUSOM) CURRICULUM INCLUDES

TRAINING IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES

MEDICAL HUMANITIES EMPHASIZE THE ART OF MEDICINE THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF PAINTING, LITERATURE, FILM, AND MUSIC TO DEVELOP EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING. In February, the MD-2 class participated in a Medical Humanities class that covered Susan Sontag’s book, “Illness as Metaphor.”

This work described how some illnesses can be stigmatizing.

Students reflected on the following Sontag quote: “A disease not understood—in an era in which medicine’s central premise is that all diseases can be cured -- is, by definition, mysterious. Any disease that is treated as a mystery and feared will be felt to be morally, if not literally, contagious.”

SAVE THE DATE

XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE’S

2020 GRADUATION CEREMONY

WILL TAKE PLACE ON:

SUNDAY, MAY 3RD 2020 AT 3 PM IN THE D’ ANGELO CENTER AT ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY IN QUEENS NEW YORK

Two MD-2 students, Gurkirat Kaur and Asem Saefan, teamed up to express their reaction to the Sontag quote with creative representations via drawing and poetry. Their collaboration on the stigmatization of depression is attached.

The Medical Humanities curriculum at XUSOM includes 5 classes in MD-1, 5 classes in MD-2, and movie screenings in MD-3 and MD-4.

Through these sessions, XUSOM students develop the doctoring skills of empathy, genuineness, acceptance, and self-reflection.

Named a “Top 10 Caribbean Medical School” by jçåÉófåÅ.

XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE / ARUBA

FOR MORE INFORMATION https://xusom.com/graduation-2020/

North American Admissions Office 1000 Woodbury Road, Suite 109 Woodbury, New York 11797 USA T: 516-333-2224 F: 516-921-1070 E: Admissions@xusom.com

Aruba Campus Santa Helenastraat #23 Oranjestad, Aruba T: 297-588-7766 F: 297-588-6222

(516) 333-2224 • www.xusom.com • admissions@xusom.com