SGU Announces Partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University

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St. George’s University announced a new direct admission partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, Canada.  

Each student admitted to the new 4+4 program will receive a $10,000 scholarship to begin studies in medicine or veterinary medicine at SGU following completion of their undergraduate degree at KPU. 

“We’re proud to team up with Kwantlen Polytechnic University to provide a direct pathway for students to pursue careers in medicine,” said Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of St. George’s University. “With US and Canadian medical school admissions more competitive than ever, this partnership can relieve students of the stress of the standard application process.”

Students can gain provisional acceptance any time during their first three years at KPU. They learn if they’re accepted to the KPU/SGU program in the fall of their fourth year. All applicants must complete a degree in health sciences. To qualify, medical school applicants must maintain a 3.4 grade point average and record a competitive score on the MCAT. Veterinary applicants must maintain a 3.2 grade point average and post a score of at least 300 on the GRE.  

Upon graduation, successful applicants may enroll immediately at SGU. Medical students have the opportunity to spend one year at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. 

Admitted students are eligible for merit and need-based financial aid, in addition to the $10,000 grant from St. George’s. Graduates of St. George’s can pursue residencies throughout the United States and Canada.

“Canada is facing acute shortages of both doctors and veterinarians,” said Sandra Banner, SGU’s director of admission for Canada. “Partnerships like this one can boost the number of skilled professionals working in these fields—and help people make their dream of becoming a physician or veterinarian a reality.” 

“We are very excited about this new partnership with St. George’s University in Grenada. It has been years in the making,” said Carole St. Laurent, associate vice president, KPU International. “This partnership will not only provide the opportunity for our health science students to achieve their goals to become doctors, it will also make KPU an attractive destination for local and international students to more readily access a graduate level education in medicine by beginning their educational journey at KPU.” 

“This partnership is welcome news to our students who will now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams to become doctors,” said Dr. Elizabeth Worobec, dean of the Faculty of Science and Horticulture at KPU. “The seats for medical schools in the lower mainland are highly competitive, so for many of our students, a chance like this to study abroad to fulfill their goals is a welcome opportunity.” 

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90 Aspiring Physicians Inducted Into Gold Humanism Honor Society

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Ninety aspiring physicians were inducted this month into St. George’s University’s chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society for the 2020-2021 academic year. The prestigious award recognizes students, residents, and faculty who exemplify compassionate patient care and serve as role models, mentors, and leaders in medicine.

“Being inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society is a testament to the character of our medical students when it comes to treating and caring for patients with the utmost care and compassion,” said Dr. Stephen Weitzman, dean emeritus of the School of Medicine. “It is a recognition of them as finest exemplars of the best ideals of medicine—characteristics that are especially critical to portray during the global healthcare crisis.”

The School of Medicine held a virtual ceremony on June 2 to celebrate the latest inductees.  Clinical students from the 2019-2020 class also attended the event as their induction was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“Being inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society is a testament to the character of our medical students when it comes to treating and caring for patients with the utmost care and compassion. It is a recognition of them as finest exemplars of the best ideals of medicine—characteristics that are especially critical to portray during the global healthcare crisis.”

 

Inductees were chosen from approximately 400 peer nominations. Students were invited to nominate their clinical peers who demonstrated exemplary patient care, devotion to the community and the underprivileged, trustworthiness, and strong listening skills reflective of the ideal SGU medical student. In addition, students must be in good academic standing. New members were chosen from among the nominees by a committee of SOM faculty and administration.

“It is a great honor to become a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society—only a small portion of each class receive this well-respected accolade,” said Dr. Cheryl Cox-Macpherson, SGU GHHS chapter advisor, and chair of the bioethics division of SOM’s Department of Clinical Skills. “We are so proud of these students and know these qualities will guide them in their careers as compassionate and caring physicians.”

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation established the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) in 2002 out of a desire to foster and acknowledge humanism during medical education. Since its inception, the GHHS has been established at more than 160 medical schools, awarding thousands of students with honors. The SGU chapter was established in 2004.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky 

How to Boost Diversity in Medical School: SGU President Featured in RealClear Health

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SGU Students Take Altruistic Initiative During COVID-19 Pandemic; Reaffirm Their Commitment To Becoming Doctors

An article by SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds was recently featured in RealClearHealth.

The piece, “How to boost diversity in medical school,” details the importance of diverse representation in medical education. Dr. Olds reasoned that by making diversity a bigger recruiting priority, today’s medical schools can “cultivate a more diverse physician network” and bring about a “more accessible, more equitable healthcare system.”

He also detailed some of the measures that SGU is taking to open doors for underrepresented students:

“Making medical school more affordable is another way to attract and enroll a more diverse group of students. More than 75 percent of students at St. George’s University, the school I lead, receive scholarships. Dozens of students have benefited from our CityDoctors scholarship program, which provides aid to students from the New York metropolitan area who commit to working in the city’s public hospital system upon graduation,” Dr. Olds wrote.

He added that international medical schools are a key source of diversity to the U.S. physician workforce. SGU’s student body represents 49 U.S. states and more than 100 countries.

Read the full article

 

Learn more about SGU’s commitment to diversity on our website. 

How to lead a healthy life? Grad says to start with a good night’s sleep

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Mixed in with classes, exams, studying, and time to unwind, medical students have to squeeze in all-important sleep. Getting enough sleep, and implementing bedtime habits to do so, is a challenge not only for aspiring physicians but for everyone, this according to Sam Al-Saadi, MD ’05, the sleep medicine director at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Carlisle location, and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry for Penn State Health in Hershey.

According to the American Sleep Association, more than 50 million US adults have a sleep disorder, most notably insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Al-Saadi shared his perspective on what people can do to improve their sleep, and also the journey he took to lead the discussion in addressing the oft-ignored health crisis.

St. George’s University: How important is sleep to a person’s health?

Dr. Sam Al-Saadi: Sleep medicine is the secret of all secrets to good health. People have no idea how influential sleep is to the quality of their lives. To compensate, they pick up bad sleep habits, and they don’t believe that they need to fix them. The fact is that when they’re younger they can compensate, but when they get older, it just gets worse and they aren’t able to.

Sleep disorders are associated with each other. If you have one, you likely have another, whether it’s snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, or something else. The quality and quantity of sleep impact diabetes, cardiac disease, cerebral circulation, cognitive function, blood pressure, and other systems.

Sleep medicine is a subspecialty that has evolved from multiple specialties. It is a relatively new and evolving field. It started in psychiatry, moved to pulmonology and now includes neurology, ENT pediatrics, family medicine, and internal medicine.

SGU: What are some ways that people can improve their sleep?

Dr. Al-Saadi: Everyone can start by making a few minor adjustments that will make a big difference.

  1. Your bed should be for sleeping and intimacy only. Many people use an iPad or phone in bed or watch TV, but these are bad habits that can disrupt your sleep. If you don’t fall asleep within 10 minutes, you should get out of bed and come back later.
  2. A fixed wakeup time. Yes, it’s difficult for medical students and residents, but it’s good to have the same wakeup time, which will then dictate when you go to sleep.
  3. Be careful with caffeine intake. This can be cultural—you have people drinking tea at night, an energy drink to keep up with studying, coffee, or something with caffeine. The thing is, if you drink caffeine six hours before you go to bed, you still have half that caffeine in your body when you’re trying to sleep. Because of that, you’re more likely to have arousals—when you wake up for less than 30 seconds—that you aren’t even aware of. You may not be aware of these, but you’re likely to be more tired the next day.
  4. Limit long naps. Some people take long naps, but then you’re not going to be able to fall asleep later that night. Naps need to be just to catch up and keep you going for that day—no more than 30 minutes.

SGU: How did you make the journey from the UAE to the US and finally Grenada?

Dr. Al-Saadi: I was born and raised in the UAE. My dad was a microwave communications engineer, and my mom worked at the library, so I didn’t have any medical background in my family. When I came to the US at 17, I was on my own, had no money, and my English wasn’t very good. But I worked hard. I was taking courses to take the MCAT while working and supporting my family the entire time I was doing it.

I was a chemical engineering major at the University of South Florida, but when I got out, I just didn’t feel like I was using the skills I had learned. I was more fine-tuning things that were already set up. So I went and got a master’s in biomedical engineering and then when it came time to decide whether to go for an DO or MD, I went for an MD. I chose SGU because it had a lot of rotations in Florida and New York.

SGU: How was your experience in Grenada?

Dr. Al-Saadi: My experience was great. The campus was phenomenal, and I felt safe both on and off campus. We had a good time, and I think the students who came after me had it even better.

SGU: What advice would you give to a student entering medical school?

Dr. Al-Saadi: It’s important to have a plan for what you’re going to do after you graduate. It could change of course, but where you do your rotations will influence your path to residency, not only in terms of location of the residency but the individuals who you get your letters of recommendation from. I recommend that you have a plan, a backup plan, and overall a clear image in your mind of where you want to go with your career and how to get there.

– Brett Mauser

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2021 MD class overcomes obstacles on way to residency

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Their journey may have been different than the classes before them, but the St. George’s University School of Medicine Class of 2021’s commitment to excellence and their future profession was very much the same.

In a virtual ceremony held on June 6, SGU conferred Doctor of Medicine degrees to graduates from 47 US states and territories, as well as 35 other countries around the world. The SOM’s newest alumni forged ahead despite hurdles and wrinkles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and emerged on the other side with a bright future in front of them.

“With your new MD degree, you join the ranks of thousands of physicians, including our proud SGU alumni, and other healthcare workers fighting this pandemic,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the School of Medicine, in his address. “In joining this fight, you will need to call upon the same perseverance and commitment that carried you through four years of medical school.

“Go forth and do good by taking care of millions of people who will look toward your humanism in science to keep them safe and healthy,” he continued. “Remember that your positive attitude and determination have brought you this far, and life is as much about living the journey as much as it is about eventually reaching your destination.”

This summer, more than 1,080 newly minted SGU physicians will enter residency at hospitals across the US. These positions span 21 specialties, including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, urology, and more.

“I’m sure many of you have been dreaming of this moment for many years, and I do hope that you’re all taking a moment to stop and reflect and celebrate your success,” said Dr. Lucy Clunes, dean of students at SGU. “As you transition from student to physician, and embark on the next phase of your career, I encourage you to reflect on the values and experiences throughout your tenure at SGU that have led to the success we are celebrating today.”

SGU is the largest source of physicians for the entire United States workforce, with more than 11,600 alumni licensed to practice in the US in 2019 according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

 

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Faculty members honored

Dr. Charles Modica, chancellor and co-founder of SGU, also bestowed the St. George’s University Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Stephen Weitzman, former dean of the School of Medicine, and Dr. Vishnu Rao, longtime dean of students and the current dean of university alumni affairs.

Dr. Weitzman joined SGU in 1978 as a visiting professor and remained on the faculty as a professor, chair of medicine, dean of clinical studies, and dean of the SOM.

“Dr. Weitzman really is a special person, but I think the most special thing about him is that his name is on the diplomas of more physicians in the US—having signed them—than any other person in the world,” Dr. Modica said. “He helped set up the clinical programs, he nurtured them, and he became involved with each and every student’s education through them.”

Dr. Rao started at the University at its inception, joining as a professor of anatomy before serving as the University’s Dean of Students for more than three decades. He will stay on as a member of SGU’s alumni affairs department.

“I’m so proud to be able to work with him in the future to make sure we are involved with and look after the thousands of graduates of the University, in all fields,” Dr. Modica said.

 

– Brett Mauser

2021 Class of New Veterinarians Recognized for Their Resilience and Perseverance

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Although the St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021’s commencement ceremony was virtual, as were some of their classes, their incredible achievements were very much real.

On June 5, SGU faculty as well as students’ friends and family members applauded the School’s newest graduates for persevering through challenging coursework and rigorous clinical training, all during a global health crisis. With the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees in hand, they’re now equipped to successfully embark upon their professional careers as the world’s newest veterinarians.

“What I want you to remember is this: No matter where you are in the world today, no matter what the format of your graduation ceremony, the importance, the magnitude and the relevance of your achievement are in no way minimized,” said Tara Paterson, DVM ’03, president of the School of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association.

Dr. Paterson, a charter class alumna and associate professor of small animal medicine and surgery at SGU, welcomed the 184 graduates from six different countries who tuned in with faculty, staff, family, and friends from around the world for the celebration, as they each received their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

“What makes the Class of 2021 so exceptional is its resilience to persevere in the face of a global pandemic,” said Dr. Paterson. “They did what all SGU students do—they persevered, they did not give up, and made the best of what was offered to them. They are resilient and truly incredible.”

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In her address, keynote speaker Carley Jones, DVM ’21, challenged the students to remember the joy, passion, and perseverance that got them to their graduation day. She also shared two lessons that she and her classmates had learned during their time at SGU—the value of community and adaptability.

“The sense of community that you have bestowed upon each other is the perfect reflection of the type of doctors that you have become,” commended Dr. Jones. “Our ability to adapt to the obstacles we face will make us better doctors, better leaders, and better members of every community we become a part of.”

St. George’s University graduates shined in the recent Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program cycle, achieving a match rate of 72.1 percent, highest among Caribbean veterinary schools.  It also compared favorably to the 53.5 percent match rate for all schools—including US schools—according to the VIRMP, a program sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC).

With the addition of these graduates, the SVM has now produced more than 1,900 veterinarians since the charter class graduated in 2003. Dr. Charles R. Modica, chancellor of SGU, congratulated and praised the new vets for pressing forward despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are proud that the country of Grenada has been part of your lives for a few years,” said Dr. Modica. “With the pandemic having impacted all of us, you have shown that you have the resolve, fortitude, and dedication to complete your studies no matter what.”

 

– Ray-Donna Peters

High-Achieving SVM Students and Faculty Honored at Spring Virtual Awards Ceremony

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Screen shot courtesy of SVM student Briana Kinsey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The School of Veterinary Medicine recognized students and faculty who exhibited academic excellence, outstanding work ethic, and a strong commitment to the field during last month’s SVM Spring 2021 awards ceremony.

“Students who were named during the awards ceremony are the best of the best when it comes to exemplifying the qualities needed to become exceptional veterinarians,” said Dr. Neil Olson, dean of the SVM. “With the added challenge of learning during a global pandemic, the honorees have especially excelled, and we are so proud of their accomplishments at SGU.”

Dr. Olson, Mr. Brendon LaGrenade, SGU’s vice provost for institutional advancement, and Dr. Anne Marie Corrigan, associate dean of academics, addressed the online crowd. In addition to a wide range of traditional awards acknowledging the best students in all classes, student organizations could nominate students and faculty/staff for an award.

Two new awards were presented this semester:

  • Dean Olson’s Award for Academic Excellence, given to Term 3 students with the highest GPA (as of the end of Term 2) and who embodies professionalism. The award has a combined value of $2,000 EC, split among the nominees.
  • SGA SGU Awards of Excellence is a new award given by the Student Government Association recognizing SGU faculty and staff members who play an integral part in vet students’ success.

During the virtual event, the SVM also held its Phi Zeta Honor Society inductions as well as the traditional Term 6 student slideshow sendoff, a compilation of photos taken to highlight students’ time at SGU before they head into their clinical year. It was the first time that all three events were held together.

Dr. Rhonda Pinckney will retire on June 30 after 17 years at SGU.

The awards event also acknowledged retiring faculty member Dr. Rhonda Pinckney, a professor of veterinary parasitology within the Department of Pathobiology, and one of the longest serving SVM faculty members. Dr. Pinckney has been with SGU since 2004 and will retire on June 30.

The SVM hopes to be able to resume the award ceremony in person for the fall term.

Zoetis Awards

Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholars Award: April Perez, Sonali Desai, Pricilla Leinberger

Zoetis Revolution Awards
Small Animal Surgery Award: Kristie Armas

Small Animal Internal Medicine: Montana Loveday

Equine Medicine Award: Amanda Broeder

Production Animal Medicine Award: Haley Embleton

Scholarship of Service Award: Elizabeth McGarvey

Student Research Award: Glenna Raycroft Maur

Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award: Dr. Nicki Wise

Outstanding Colleague Awards

Term 1: Stephanie Nickerson

Term 2: Maureen Kruhlak

Term 3: Leandra Margolies

Term 4: Sheridan Nichols

Term 5: Adriana Kalaska

Term 6: Krystal Mendoza

Dean Olson’s Award for Academic Excellence Recipients for Spring 2021

Letty Bonilla, Daria Ehrenberg, Melissa Ferguson, Lauren Fleming, Acacia Johnson, Jennifer Memleb, Teylor Nealy, Cristians Rivas Morales, Aleeka Roberts, Samuel Ruch, Valerie Savino

Adrienne Lotton Memorial Award

Nakia Sweetman

SVM Alumni Scholarship Award

Cody Cragnolin

Giant Paws Giant Hearts Foundation “Hercules” Award

Cody Cragnolin

PAWS Recognition for Term 6 Facilitators

Krystal Mendoza, Collin Leisz, Camille Ogden, Anna Ritz, Elizabeth McGarvey, Amanda Broeder

Veterinary Public Health Committee “One Health One Medicine” Community Leader Award

Caitlin Nay

Student Organization Awards                   

SGUSVM Large Animal Society Most Valuable Sixth Term LAS Member Award

Maggie Pratt Isgren

Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists Most Valuable Pathologist Award

Taryn Paquet

Wellness Committee MVP Award

Chandler Case

TherioHERO Award (faculty award)
Dr. Firdous Khan

Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Awards

Student Winner: Vittoria Lipari
Faculty Winner: Dr. Anne Corrigan

Student Chapter of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society

Student Winner:  Tasha Faletti
Faculty Award: Dr.  Anne Corrigan

Student Government Association Awards

SGUSVM Outstanding Faculty Award Recipients

Term 1-3: Dr. Rhonda Pinckney
Term 4-6: Dr. Firdous Khan

**NEW** SGA SGU Awards of Excellence (faculty award)

Terms 1-3: Ms. Tandy James
Terms 4-6: Ms. Naudia Dundas

George B. Daniel Award

Maria Coppola

The Pinckney Parasitology Award

Brianna Shepke, Lance Shen Kenny

Alpha Delta Chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta

Spring 2021 Inductees

Term 5 Inductees

Alexa Albam, Richard Brown, Devin Curtsinger. Briana Howard, Adriana Kalaska, Nadine Pearsall, Elizabeth Russell. Dawson Ruschkowski Tess Talmage, Kiersten Yndestad

Term 6 Inductees

Taylor Adams, Marisa Curro, Erica Foster, Annelise Godau, Krystal Mendoza, Hannah Narburgh, Camille Ogdon, Alexa Pensabene, Sarah Quinlan, Anna Ritz, Jaren Rodier, Sofija Todorovic, Katherine Williams

Term 6 Students Inducted Last Term

Jacqueline Compta, Cody Cragnolin, Molinaro Goode, Kyra Gore, William Holl, Cullen Kurgan, Abigail Kenly, Vittoria Lipari, Taryn Mooney, Romina Morgan, Kelly Ramos, Jaimie Remillard, Yu Wang

Phi Zeta Specialty Faculty Recognition for Their Work in Promoting Research and Scholarship

Dr. Firdous Khan, Dr. Heidi Janicke

 

Screen shot courtesy of SVM student Briana Kinsey.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

Op-Ed: SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds Featured on KevinMD

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St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds recently penned an article on KevinMD.

The article, “Here’s how we can rebuild health care post-pandemic,” outlines the critical role that international medical graduates (IMGs) will play in the future physician workforce. Thousands of new doctors will soon begin residency programs at hospitals across the country. That includes 7,500 IMGs—more than 1,000 of which are SGU alumni.

“These newly minted doctors, many of whom are U.S. citizens who chose to study abroad, will play an outsized role in treating the underserved communities hit hardest by the pandemic,” Dr. Olds wrote.

He goes on to argue that internationally trained physicians are uniquely suited to address our country’s growing doctor shortage. They have a history of working in underserved areas, including rural regions and majority-minority communities.

“Internationally trained doctors are also more likely to treat people from historically marginalized groups. In areas where the population is 75 percent non-white, IMGs account for nearly 40 percent of the physician workforce. And according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, IMGs often care for Medicare beneficiaries with more complicated needs than their domestically trained counterparts,” he wrote.

View the full article on KevinMd

Campus enhancements await students returning to Grenada

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St. George’s University’s campus is ready for students to return by making several enhancements, and it will have a new look when they arrive.

SGU has continued to support its growing campus community with several expansion and redevelopment projects to be completed in the 2021-2022 academic year. When construction is complete, the campus will feature greater capacity for individual and group study spaces as well as new technologically advanced clinical skills laboratories.

“We are extremely excited to make these improvements to our campus, and truly believe that they will greatly contribute to our students’ success,” said Charles Modica, chancellor at St. George’s University. “We eagerly await their return and, with it, the return of our vibrant campus.”

Enhancements include:

  • New Eric Gairy Pavilion: Outside of Eric Gairy Hall, this open-air pavilion welcomes up to 282 students to convene for outdoor study, a tried-and-true setting to further absorb coursework. Scheduled to be completed by August 2021.
  • New Beachfront Pavilion: On the hill connecting upper and lower campus, this new pavilion will have the capacity for 324 students to conduct group study, all with backdrop of True Blue Bay. Scheduled to be completed by early fall.
  • Renovated indoor study spaces campus-wide: Students can really stretch their legs with 52 percent more individual study spaces thanks to new carrels in Founders Library, Lower Modica Hall, Lower Taylor Hall, St. David’s Hall, St. Andrew’s Hall, and St. John’s Hall. Scheduled to be completed by August 2021.
  • Additional clinical skills labs: After recently updating the existing 56 clinical skills rooms with the newest technology, SGU is also adding another 28 rooms as well as a new control center that will help provide an optimal simulation experience with standardized patients. Scheduled to be completed in early 2022.

The improvements were put in place as SGU prepares to welcome back fully vaccinated students, faculty, staff, and administrators later this month, with in-person classes back in session this August.

“When our students, faculty, and staff are all on campus together, it truly is a magical place to learn, study, and to enjoy each other’s company,” said Glen Jacobs, provost at SGU. “These additions and renovations only add to the unique and enriching student experience here in True Blue.”

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St. George’s University’s campus is ready for students to return by making several enhancements.

 

 

– Brett Mauser

SVM Term 6 students travel to Las Vegas for clinical skills training

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Term 6 students Amanda Broeder, Shannon Millikin, and Nakia Sweetman at the Oquendo campus in Las Vegas, NV. Photo courtesy of Nakia Sweetman.

When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented School of Veterinary Medicine students from participating in hands-on training in Grenada, St. George’s University coordinated a unique alternative under the bright lights and glitz in Las Vegas, NV.

This semester, a total of 98 Term 6 students attended clinical skills workshops at the Viticus Center – Oquendo Campus in Las Vegas. The center is a venue for many medical and veterinary medicine continuing education sessions; however, it welcomed SGU students as part of its mission to “enhance animal and human health worldwide by providing the highest quality year-round continuing education to veterinary and human healthcare professionals.”

“Typically, during Terms 5 and 6, students learn critical clinical skills at both our Large Animal Resource Facility and Small Animal Clinic in Grenada. It is during this time that students experience their first surgeries, learn to administer anesthesia, and perform much-needed spay and neutering services,” said Dr. Neil Olson, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “Because of COVID, this group of students was not able to have the normal Term 5 or Term 6 experience. However, we felt very strongly that in order for the students to be prepared to head off to their clinical year we wanted to make sure they had exceptional hands-on training.”

SVM students Brianna Viglietta and Jasmyn Fearon during a workshop at Oquendo Campus in Las Vegas, NV.

During the spring term, students touched down in Las Vegas to attend a two-week workshop where they acquired a variety of large and small animal clinical skills through workshops taught by licensed veterinarians, vet specialists, and technicians.

 

“I am so grateful for this experience. I truly feel more prepared and ready to take on clinical year.”

 

In addition, two SVM faculty were on site to support students—Dr. Rodolfo Bruhl-Day, chair of the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, and Dr. Flavia Restitutti, associate professor of small animal medicine and surgery. The last of the groups completed the workshop at the end of April.

“The Oquendo Center is the premier, state-of-the-art facility for veterinary continuing education in the US and an ideal learning environment,” said Dr. Lauren Nicki Wise, assistant dean of fourth-year clinical training for the SVM and professor in the department. “It was a wonderful opportunity to have that facility and staff available to our students.”

Specifically, students practiced handling and performing physical exams on large animals, including cows and horses. One group even got to treat a neonatal goat that was born, Dr. Wise said. On the small animal side, each student performed surgical anesthesia, and then performed spay/neuter surgery as part of a community service program with local shelters and animal rescues. The students spayed and neutered close to 200 dogs while there.

Photo courtesy of the Viticus Center.

Nakia Sweetman, a Class of 2022 DVM candidate, attended the workshops in late February.

“I am so grateful for this experience,” said Ms. Sweetman, who begins her clinical year at Texas A&M University this month. “I truly feel more prepared and ready to take on clinical year. The experience showed us how clinical year will be set up, with doctors there to help guide us and teach us, while also giving us the opportunity to be doctors as well.”

SVM student Nakia Sweetman at the Oquendo Campus in Las Vegas, NV. Photo courtesy of Nakia Sweetman.

Another added plus to the experience: being able to see her classmates again after a year of being home.

“At the end of our workshop, I was able to explore Las Vegas. A couple of my friends and I actually decided to stay through the weekend, so we rented a car and went to the Hoover Dam, hiked the Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire. We also went to the Linq High Roller, which is a large ferris wheel, and we were able to see all of Vegas from up there,” Ms. Sweetman said.

This was the Viticus Center’s first foray into a training event specifically geared to help veterinary students prepare for their clinical year.

“When SGU came to us with the opportunity to help train veterinary students to give them hands-on training, it was our privilege and honor to help,” said Dr. Tony Pease, the chief veterinary medical officer of Viticus Group.

SVM student Erica Foster exams a horse at the Oquendo Campus.

Dr. Pease added that the not only were the students eager to learn, but “exceptionally prepared.”

“Our instructors and technician team were truly impressed with their skill and enthusiasm to learn and be taught,” he said. “I think our instructors and technicians were just as excited as the students to get to work every day and help these young veterinarians-in-training hone their skills. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to provide this experience, and we look forward to seeing the students again as doctors, coming to further hone their hands-on skills during their careers.”

Added Dean Olson: “This experience, while out-of-the-box, is representative of the commitment we have to making sure students are prepared for their clinical year. It’s an excellent example of how, with a little creativity, we were able to collaborate with the industry to ensure our students stay on track with their vet educations.”

Students witnessed the birth of a neonatal goat while at the Oquendo Campus.

 

– Laurie Chartorynsky

 

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