Originally from Kenya, Njambi Mathenge, MD ’14, is now a cardiovascular disease fellow at the Heart Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, a program run by Harvard Medical School.

Upon earning her Doctor of Medicine from SGU, Dr. Mathenge went on to complete an internal medicine residency at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where she also obtained a Master of Public Health.

She recently explained how her clinical training within SGU’s network of hospital and clinical centers prepared her for residency and beyond.

Published January 2021

What’s it like to be an emergency medicine resident?

In a 2020 takeover of St. George’s University’s Instagram page, Chris Reilly, MD ’20, unveiled what life is like as a PGY-1 in emergency medicine at HCA’s Brandon Regional Hospital in Brandon, FL.

Dr. Reilly also answered viewers’ questions in a follow-up live Q&A for which he addressed topics like:

• Why he chose emergency medicine as a specialty;
• Tips to help students secure an EM residency;
• How to study and be successful in med school; and
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth in emergency medicine.

His biggest piece of advice for students? Keeping an open mind about what specialty to enter.

“You’re going to have so many different experiences from first year through fourth year,” Dr. Reilly said. “Really try to enjoy every rotation you are on and try to really envision yourself being in that specialty because that will give you perspective. If you can have an appreciation for and perspective for that specialty, then it was a successful rotation.”

The Instagram Q&A has been viewed by more than 2,300 people as of early December.

Born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Souzan El-Chazli, MD ‘19, was always intrigued by the “sheer complexity” of the human body and its healing processes. When her family moved to Canada in 2011, Dr. El-Chazli, then an undergraduate student at the American University of Beirut, transferred to Brock University in Ontario, Canada, to be closer to her parents and five siblings. There she earned her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. After graduating from St. George’s University in 2019, Dr. El-Chazli is currently a family medicine resident at Health Quest Medical Practice in Rhinebeck, NY.

St. George’s University: Why did you choose family medicine as your specialty?

Souzan El-Chazli: During my first two undergraduate years at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a medical center in an underprivileged area where healthcare access was challenging. During this time, I shadowed a primary care doctor who was serving there. I was impressed with how the doctor focused not only on acute care and treatment, but that he also forged strong relationships with his patients, offering suggestions on how to live healthy lifestyles for the better. We worked in clinics, hospitals, and also did home visits. I loved the versatility and diversity of family practice.

SGU: What is it about the specialty that appeals to you?

Dr. El-Chazli: There are a lot of aspects to family medicine that other specialties don’t really offer. I love that it allows me to see patients from the beginning to the end. You can see children, you can see adults, and you can see women who are pregnant and follow them throughout their pregnancy. It is impressive to have a role that can extend far beyond the practice of physical healing for patients.

SGU: What is your favorite part about being a doctor? What is the most challenging part?

Dr. El-Chazli: My most favorite part of being a physician is making a deep impactful difference in someone else’s life. I love it when I have the ability to significantly improve the quality of life of my patients, as this can be a tremendously satisfying experience. Also having a deep personal connection with patients is hard to match in any other profession. It’s truly an honor to be trusted with another human being’s health and well-being, and it requires a deep level of trust.

As a physician, I am there for my patients during their challenging times. I recall conversations with a patient when their family member was terminally ill, or when a patient needed an invasive procedure. While it was not easy for these patients, I felt honored to be able to help them in such a moment of vulnerability and to help them navigate these frightening situations. Their demonstrations of gratitude are tremendously powerful and leave an impact on me every day.

SGU: How did SGU prepare you for a career as a primary care doctor?

Dr. El-Chazli: SGU opened the road for me to become the primary care physician I really wanted to be. I like to say it was the best years of my life and making the transition to Grenada was never a problem for me. When I went to Grenada, I felt like it was where I was meant to be. Despite the different backgrounds/cultures/countries of other students and faculty, you are around people who are just as motivated as you are. I met a great group of friends who became practically my second family. We tend to easily miss how important such factors are in your medical career.

In addition, SGU guided us really well and made sure we had all the academic support along with studying strategies, time management sessions, even DES classes for lecture reviews. I had the opportunity to participate in Grenadian healthcare so that gave me the international medical experience. It is also worth mentioning the valuable experience in US clinical rotations. I rotated with many physicians and residents who were willing to share their knowledge, which helped in shaping my passion for family medicine.

I am currently in my last term of the Master of Public Health/preventative medicine track, which is helping me tremendously to learn how to address health issues that are community specific. For example, I learned about how a patient’s zip code can define the environment the patient is living in and what risks he or she gets exposed to. In Rhinebeck, NY right now, if a patient comes in with flu-like symptoms, they could have a tick-borne illness. Learning about human diseases, animal diseases, and occupational and environmental health are all areas that contribute to my treating of patients.

SGU: On a personal level, any hobbies or organizations that you are passionate about?

Dr. El-Chazli:  My personal interests include tutoring, event planning, and traveling for volunteer work. During my free time, I like to be active and stay fit, so I jog and walk outside. I also enjoy hiking with my friends, watching movies in the cinema, or even simply going to a restaurant together. During the COVID pandemic, I have been learning how to play guitar during my free time, but I am still a beginner!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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