W I N T E R 2 016
RUSM
Recovering from
Alumni Magazine
TROPICAL STORM ERIKA A TEAM EFFORT
in this issue
RUSM Students Volunteer Their Time on Navy Hospital Ship What a Relief Meet a Dean: Dr. Stanley White
LETTER
from the Dean Dear Alumni, As graduates of our university, you’re probably used to tests. Life is full of them. Learning the basic science of medicine in Dominica, and then clinical study in the United States—that’s a test in itself. Your licensing exams, the patients you saw during clinical rotations and residency, even those you’re caring for now—those were tests, too. You’ll likely face even more as you continue to move forward as a medical professional. On August 28, 2015, Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) students and faculty in Dominica were tested like never before. That was the day Tropical Storm Erika made landfall, dumping about 12 inches of rain on the island over a 12-hour period, resulting in flooding, mudslides, and damage to roads, bridges, and other island infrastructure. Over 30 Dominicans died. Though damage to the RUSM campus was minimal, the storm knocked out telecommunications for days, leaving on-island students with no way of communicating with loved ones back at home or with anyone on campus. Yet our students—all safe and accounted for—persevered, as they always have. And here’s what truly struck me during this experience: In many ways, Erika brought out the best in us all. Mere days after the storm, our students were reaching out to us, offering to help some of the Dominican citizens who were left homeless during the storm. Offering to help the injured, those without power or food or water. Stateside colleagues sent food, supplies, and funds to help with island relief efforts. Our Dominican colleagues were extremely magnanimous as well and worked long hours and did everything imaginable to help our students. It reminded me why I take such great pride in our students, and brings me to the theme of this issue of our alumni magazine—giving back. In this edition, you’ll read stories about how a Navy ship docked at Dominica to give needed healthcare to citizens there, at no cost. You’ll read about how one of our students, in 2013, led a medical mission to South Sudan. And you’ll read about how you, as a RUSM graduate, can give back to your alma mater—to help create more pathways for students to enroll at our school, giving them a chance to realize their dream of practicing medicine. Read on, and thank you for your continued support of RUSM. Best wishes,
Joseph A. Flaherty, MD Dean and Chancellor
W I N T E R 2 0 16
RUSM Alumni Magazine
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RUSM STUDENTS VOLUNTEER TIME ON NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP When RUSM preclinical students were given the opportunity for some real clinical exposure by volunteering on the USNS Comfort hospital ship docked in Dominica this summer, about 900 of them jumped on board.
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RECOVERING FROM TROPICAL STORM ERIKA: A TEAM EFFORT
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MEET YOUR RUSM ADMISSIONS TEAM
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Amidst a natural disaster, the RUSM community pulled together to help students, colleagues, and residents of Dominica.
The RUSM admissions team plays an integral part in aspiring medical students’ lives, helping them transition from applicant to enrolled student—a transition you once made in choosing RUSM for your MD. Here’s a chance to connect with our current admissions team.
WHAT A RELIEF How one RUSM alumnus is putting his medical skills to work at home and abroad.
Joseph A. Flaherty, MD Dean and Chancellor Stephen DeSalvo Director of Institutional Advancement & Alumni Relations A L U M N I R E L AT I O N S
Jennifer LeFebvre James Errico Lynly Jeanlouis SPECIAL E VENTS
Cheryl Schumacher Kenneth Edwards Morgan Lynch M A R K E T I N G & C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
Chris Railey Jennifer Colodney CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/ EDITORS
Jenna Calder Stephen DeSalvo Lynly Jeanlouis Jerry Kimbrough Melissa Kvidahl Rivka Spiro MAGA ZINE PROJECT MANAGER
departments
4 8 BULLETIN BOARD 20 PROFILES ALUMNI EVENTS
Kristine Lester DESIGN
29 32 ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP CLASS NOTES
T H E R U S M A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E is published by the office of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations along with the office of Marketing and Communications. It is distributed twice a year to alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends. For information or to send name/address changes, please contact: RUSMalumni@rossu.edu.
Peter Gialloreto Howard Design Group, Inc. Princeton, NJ
Alumni Magazine |
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Alumni Director’s desk IAAR MISSION The mission of Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations Department is to foster a robust community of active alumni through encouraging lifelong relationships with each other and with RUSM, incorporating alumni in the life of the University, eliciting a sense of institutional pride and enhancing the perceived value of a RUSM degree. We aspire to be the primary provider of the lifelong experience by connecting alumni, students, faculty and staff in valuable and meaningful ways.
Wow, it has been a very busy first year and a half here at Ross University School of Medicine, and I have really enjoyed getting to know the RUSM alumni community. Throughout this particular issue, you are going to see recaps of the wonderful new initiatives and events that have been occurring all over the country and on campus. One common theme that emerged while putting together this publication is how deeply committed RUSM students and alumni are to giving back, how adept they are to overcoming near impossible obstacles, and persevering through just about any situation. It speaks to the basic characteristics that all of you share: resilience, determination, persistence, tenacity and drive! As our alumni family continues to grow and be ever more engaged, all of us at RUSM are working hard to offer you the forums and structure that allow for greater volunteerism and engagement. A great deal of focus has shifted to forming regional chapters across the country, providing more opportunities to assist with enrollment events, new initiatives that allow for interacting with current students, and social events/gatherings all across the country to keep you all connected. We are also initiating specialty alumni chapters for more networking and mentoring opportunities within your specialty fields. We are on the road to greater alumni engagement, but we can always use more alumni chapter leaders, volunteers, and class agents. Please visit our website or alumni social media pages to find out more. You are also welcome to reach out to me directly any time via phone at (732) 509-4667 or by email stephendesalvo@rossu.edu. Hope to see you soon at one of our many upcoming events!
Warm Regards,
Stephen J. DeSalvo Director of Institutional Advancement & Alumni Relations
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ADAM KIRSCHENBAUM, MD ’14 Internal Medicine Resident New York Methodist Hospital
RUSM
ALUMNI AMBASSADOR Do you have some free time to give to your alma mater? Would you like to share the value of your education with prospective students and their families? Are you looking for a meaningful way to volunteer? Become an RUSM Alumni Ambassador today! Alumni activities include, but are not limited to, the following: • Information Seminar Speaker • Student Outreach • On-Campus Panelist • White Coat Ceremony Speaker • Commencement Speaker • Email Ambassador • Social Media Ambassador (Facebook®, LinkedIn®, Twitter®) • Enrollment Webinar Participant
• Prospective Student Outreach • Clinical /Residency Representative • Alumni Mentor Program • Speaker at College Fairs • Transitional Program Speaker • Match Day Event Representative • Regional Chapter Leader • New Student Reception Event • Profile in Marketing Material
• Alumni Association Council Member • Post Internship/Job Opportunities • Class Representative • Conference Speaker/ Presenter And much more…
If you are interested in the Alumni Ambassador program and would like more information please email us at rusmalumni@rossu.edu
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alumni events ANCHORS AWEIGH! On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) had its inaugural Alumni Appreciation Event in Miami, FL. The Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations Team (IAAR) greeted approximately 75 alumni, guests, and faculty members on a red carpet as they boarded the Venetian Lady Yacht, where they were welcomed with drinks to watch the South Florida sunset. Attendees included Dean Flaherty, Dr. Bryan Hayse, Dr. Alison Dobbie, Dr. Sean Gnecco, Gary Belotzerkovsky, RUSM Alumni and their guests, clinical students, and a few Miramar Colleagues. After being seated for the dinner buffet, guests received a delightful gift bag that included a captain’s hat, RUSM Scarf, and the summer 2015 issue of the alumni magazine. During dinner, RUSM colleagues welcomed all guests, thanked the RUSM alumni for their dedication to helping students, and encouraged the local alumni for further participation within the Alumni Association. Dean Flaherty made opening remarks to alumni, and highlighted the many successes throughout the year, including the 2015 Match Rate. Some active alumni also shared testimonials about their involvement with RUSM, and the importance of becoming mentors to students. After dinner, guests enjoyed dancing, cocktails, and picturesque a night view of the Miami skyline, with its lights shining on the water in the distance. n
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RUSM CHICAGO REGIONAL RECEPTION > OCTOBER 2015
RUSM’S FALL WHITE COAT CEREMONY RESCHEDULED AFTER ERIKA > OCTOBER 2015
RUSM’s Regional Reception in Chicago was held at Three Dots and a Dash, a cocktail focused Tiki bar blending both modern and classic beverages. The unique libations and distinctly island décor of Three Dots and a Dash created the perfect setting for an intimate cocktail event. Alumni and guests entered into the Private Event Section where they were greeted by Antonio Ortiz, RUSM senior program coordinator. After receiving a name badge, a photographer snapped individual photos of alumni and their guests. The cocktail waitresses at the venue, dressed in Hawaiian uniforms, had pre-ordered specialty drinks ready in hand to welcome alumni and guests after they had their photos taken. RUSM colleagues had the opportunity had the opportunity to speak about the new changes on campus for graduates that were from classes of 2006–2010. Additionally, she thanked those who had participated in the Mentorship Program and past enrollment events, and encouraged further participation within the Alumni Association. n
After being rescheduled due to the effects of Tropical Storm Erika in late August, RUSM’s White Coat Ceremony was held on Oct. 8, at 2 p.m., in Dominica, welcoming the newest class of medical students. The featured speaker, Anita Lal, MD (’04), is currently staff forensic pathologist at the Provincial Pathology Unit in Toronto, and a lecturer in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lal completed her residency training in anatomical and clinical pathology at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI in 2010, and a fellowship in forensic pathology at the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office in Detroit in 2011. Dean and Chancellor, Joseph A. Flaherty, MD, addressed the participants at the ceremony, and later acknowledged the challenges they were faced with when traveling to the island. “This group, the Class of 2019, traveled an even more circuitous route to get to medical school than their colleagues before them,” he said. “This group had to make its way to campus in the wake of Tropical Storm Erika in late August when the airport was closed. This is the group that said ‘we’re not giving up.’” Dean Flaherty also said these students showed their commitment to medical school. “They showed their ability to take on a challenge and move on. They demonstrated the grit and resilience for which our students our known,” he said. n
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alumni events RUSM DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY AT ACS CONFERENCE > OCTOBER 2015 The first meeting of the surgery specialty alumni chapter was held on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 in conjunction with the national conference for the American College of Surgeons. William Lynn Weaver, MD, FACS, Chair of Surgery at RUSM and the alumni team were able to organize a successful event that gave clinical students the opportunity to network with surgery alumni and program directors from RUSM. The event provided a platform for connecting with former classmates and providing guidance as the students prepare for the upcoming match. n
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WASHINGTON DC REGIONAL RECEPTION > OCTOBER 2015 RUSM’s Washington, DC Regional Reception was successfully held on Oct. 25, 2015 at The City Tap House tasting room, a rustic style American restaurant featuring craft brews from around the country. Alumni, clinical students, and guests were greeted personally at check-in by Ondya Morgan and Jhanay Harris. Once they received their nametags, they were welcomed into the VIP lounge area where they could enjoy passed Hors d’Oeuvres and a variety of beverages. Both Morgan and Harris individually thanked each alumnus for the continued support given to the Alumni Association, and encouraged continued involvement for future events. n
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JOB POSTINGS Looking to fill internships, full-time or part-time positions at your practice? RUSM is happy to work to build relationships between your organization and RUSM alumni. Listing your openings with RUSM will provide you with increased exposure to quality physicians from a variety of specialties. Support the RUSM community of alumni and enhance your organization by recruiting and hiring fellow Rossies. Please email rusmalumni@rossu.edu.
LEND A LEGACY Do you know aspiring physicians looking to apply to medical school? Has a potential RUSM student volunteered at your practice? Help them earn the Alumni Legacy Scholarship — all it takes is a letter of recommendation and a qualified candidate. For more information, please visit: rossu.edu/scholarships.
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KEEP US
= in the =
PICTURE Share your photos, news, awards, promotions, and family news. rusmalumni@ rossu.edu
Interested in sharing your experiences with RUSM prospective students?
January 16 January 23 January 30 January 30
RUSM ENROLLMENT EVENTS We invite you to share your experiences with RUSM prospective students at one of our Information Seminars or Connection Events this fall! Information Seminars are a wonderful way to introduce prospective students to RUSM and the level of education we provide. These seminars also allow us to create a comfortable atmosphere where a wide variety of topics about RUSM can be discussed and many different questions can be answered. Not just a time to discuss academics and curriculum, each Information Seminar is a time for prospective students to learn, firsthand about life in Dominica from you, our alumni! Connection Events are celebratory cocktail receptions for newly enrolled students. These events provide students the opportunity to meet fellow classmates and alumni from their area before beginning their journey as members of the RUSM community.
Your insight and experiences are invaluable to prospective students and they are eager to hear from our living legacies. As alumni, you are essential parts of the RUSM family and vital to our continued success. If you are interested in speaking at any of these events, please email the Alumni team at RUSMalumni@rossu.edu. The team will confirm your participation and provide you with additional information on the information seminar.
Orlando, FL Information Seminar Toronto, Canada Information Seminar Los Angeles, CA Information Seminar Chicago, IL Information Seminar
February 6 New York, NY Information Seminar February 6 Houston, TX Information Seminar February 6 Minneapolis, MN Information Seminar February 13 Vancouver, British Columbia Information Seminar February 20 Kansas City, MO Information Seminar February 27 Edmonton, Alberta Information Seminar February 27 Miramar, FL Special Event: Clinical Experience Open House February 27 Scottsdale, AZ Information Seminar March 5 March 5 March 5 March 5 March 12 March 19 March 19 March 19 March 30 March 31
San Francisco, CA Information Seminar Cleveland, OH Information Seminar Austin, TX Information Seminar Calgary, Alberta Information Seminar Baton Rouge, LA Information Seminar RUSM Match Day Events San Juan, PR Information Seminar San Juan, PR Connection Event Albany, NY Information Seminar Baltimore, MD Information Seminar
April 2 April 2 April 2 April 2 April 2 April 2 April 2 April 3 April 9
Dallas Connection Event Chicago Connection Event Irvine, CA Connection Event New York, NY Connection Event Alumni Appreciation Event in Toronto Alumni Appreciation Event in Chicago Toronto Connection Event Irvine, CA Information Seminar Denver, Information Seminar
May 13 May 20-21
RUSM Whitecoat Ceremony RUSM Commencement Weekend
July 28-20
AAFP National Conference in Kansas City, MO
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RUSM STUDENTS SPEND TIME ON NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP When RUSM preclinical students were given the opportunity for real clinical exposure by joining US navy medical personnel on the USNS Comfort hospital ship docked in Dominica this summer, about 900 of them jumped onboard the initiative.
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he USNS Comfort is an enormous mobile medical vessel equipped with 12 operating rooms and specialized trauma centers. It’s as long as three football fields and as tall as a 10-story building. From July 27 to Aug. 6, the Comfort docked in Roseau, the capital city of Dominica, to provide screenings, patient education, surgical care, and other healthcare services to local residents. It’s all part of Continuing Promise, a six-month Navy medical mission that launched in March 2015 and has included stops in Jamaica, Costa Rica, and other countries on similar initiatives. The Navy carried medical technology and supplies from onboard down to mobile screening clinics in the field, setting everything up in unused classrooms in two Dominican schools. These satellite clinics were geared toward a multitude of specialties—one for women’s health, another for radiology, a third for pediatrics, and so on—and students had the opportunity to shadow physicians both in these clinics and on the ship itself.
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“The most important thing they’re learning is humanitarianism. They’re seeing it in action, and what it means to care for other people. They’re preparing for exams and they’re giving up their time to volunteer—the opportunity to learn is a bonus.”
Though security to the interior of the ship was tight, some RUSM students, like Shoma Sanyal, actually got to board the Comfort itself. Students got to scrub in, observe, and ask questions as surgeons removed tumors, repaired foot injuries, conducted some plastic surgery, and more. “It was really inspiring to me, meeting people who served our country in times of war and in times where they were doing humanitarian missions like this. It was incredible to see them use their skills and years of training for their calling of medicine,” she said. “The students are getting early clinical exposure alongside practicing physicians, and exposure to patients in an underserved healthcare setting,” says RUSM Dean Joseph A. Flaherty, MD.
“These experiences will contribute to the continued development of important traits good physicians need, including empathy, cultural awareness, and a sense of service.” A few students got to experience that sense of service firsthand, when they ended up spotting patients they had seen earlier that week during the prescreenings. One patient, whose surgery was observed by RUSM students Gretell Gomez and Shoma, had a keloid, a type of skin growth made up mostly of collagen. “It’s benign, but the keloid was roughly the size of a fist, and it was right up against the patient’s ear,” Gretell recalls. “The surgeon took it off right there—we were able to get really close up. We saw everything.”
“I’d seen him come in [for a prescreening], and I thought it was really cool to see these cases from start to finish,” adds Shoma. Both students agreed that they came away from the Comfort campaign with an understanding of medicine that they couldn’t necessarily learn from books. “We have the medical mission field literally in our own backyard,” Gretell says. “First-year medical school students don’t get this clinical exposure, but we’re in a place that, thankfully, makes a big deal about it. Volunteering for this was a thousand percent worth it. ”I don’t think you would get this at any other medical school, anywhere else,” Shoma adds. “It truly is the international experience.” n
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Recovering from Tropical Storm Erika:
A TEAM EFFORT
Amidst a natural disaster, the RUSM community pulled together to help students, colleagues, and residents of Dominica.
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n Aug. 27, 2015, with the start of classes just days away, Tropical Storm Erika swept through Dominica, dumping massive amounts of rain and causing severe flooding, landslides, and devastation in many parts of the island. Though the RUSM campus was physically unaffected, disasters elsewhere on the island had far-reaching consequences. The northern section of the island, including the Portsmouth campus, lost all communications — internet, television, cell phones, and landlines—leaving just satellite phones as the only form of communication to and from campus. Rising rivers, collapsed bridges, and landslides also made it impossible to traverse the roads to and from campus.
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Elsewhere on the island, loss of communications represented the least of it. The massive scale of devastation to Dominica included the loss of lives and homes, and extensive damage to telecommunication, electrical, water, and other utility infrastructure. Businesses struggled to reopen, and many residents were trapped by landslides, collapsed bridges, and flooded roads. Douglas Charles airport suffered major damage, making travel for the roughly 1,000 students to the island seem impossible. But with the clock ticking toward New Student Orientation, Continuing Student Orientation, and the beginning of classes, the RUSM team pulled together to get students to campus, operations up and running, and even give back to the Dominican communities affected by this natural disaster. IN GUADELOUPE Because of extensive damage to Dominica’s Douglas Charles airport, students traveling to campus needed to find another way—mostly, by way of neighboring island Guadeloupe. Carey James, RUSM’s associate dean of operations, analysis, and admissions, Nicole Shillingford, RUSM’s chief of staff, and four other colleagues traveled to Guadeloupe to receive students en route to Dominica and lead coordination efforts. They served as RUSM representatives at the airport, ferry terminal, and a number of hotels where students would be staying overnight. To bridge the communication gap — residents of Guadeloupe speak French —a fluent colleague from New Jersey flew in, easing conversations with airport officials and allowing colleague access to the immigration and customs hall. This team, joined a day later by four additional RUSM colleagues from Dominica via boat, ushered over 1,000 students and their families traveling from throughout the US and neighboring islands (a result of thwarted travel plans). Thanks to the dedication of the RUSM family, students’ fears of being rerouted to a non-English speaking island, trepidations surrounding what to expect when they reached Dominica, and concerns about resuming their medical studies on time were assuaged. They all made it safely to Dominica by ferry before the semester’s start, with just three first semester students unable to overcome travel challenges. “The work of our colleagues making this journey as comfortable and efficient as possible was nothing short of fantastic,” said Joseph A. Flaherty, MD, dean and chancellor, in a statement. “Faculty and colleagues were there at the dock in Portsmouth to greet the arrivals with friendly smiles and a bottle of cold water. Transportation was there to take everyone to their lodgings. It was striking to witness the resilience, optimism, and upbeat mood of people working together to overcome challenges.”
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ON DOMINICA On Dominica, colleagues pulled together like never before. Ryan Didier, the incident commander and campus administrator on Dominica, was able to secure a water taxi service — one of the few boat operators on the island with a capacity for over 50 people —in the days leading up to class start. This proved indispensable, especially since many roads were closed not just to students but also to parents who needed help getting off the island. Faculty members like Dr. Patrick Edsall stepped up to make multiple boat trips every morning and evening; Dr. Edsall was on duty from sunrise to sundown and, on many occasions, started duty at 4 a.m. It was a team effort to ensure the boat schedules were executed and that passengers and cargo arrived safely. Curt Vidal, transportation coordinator, convened a small team to make sure that more than 100 pieces of student luggage daily were transported to campus from a small airport in Canfield where they had been diverted. Despite the chaos, not one piece of luggage was lost. “The dedication of our colleagues, some of whom had flooding in their own homes, was nothing short of amazing,” said Shillingford. “It was all hands on deck, and it didn’t matter what your job or your title was.”
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IN ROSEAU Dominica’s capital of Roseau suffered damage of its own, but was one of the few parts of the island that had relatively uninterrupted telecommunications after the storm. Didier used the local radio station there to reach colleagues living in the southern part of the island, and directed them to convene at Princess Margaret Hospital, if possible. Unexpectedly, and despite challenges, Didier was met the following day by a room filled with colleagues who had made it to the hospital to organize care packages of food and supplies, spur recovery efforts, and handle administrative duties. For example, Senior Accountant Shern Thomas transported computers from campus to the hospital, so that a functioning accounts department could be established in Roseau. These efforts ensured that payroll was manually completed and deposited into the bank accounts of employees who would be relying on their paychecks for food and supplies, especially poststorm. In the end, more than 300 employees had access to their funds after the disaster.
AID FOR DOMINICA
THE STUDENTS Students arriving on Dominica so soon after a natural disaster were overwhelmed. Add to this the fact that many of these students were beginning their first semester, and the result could have been chaotic. Instead, colleagues like Housing Director Francisca Knight conveyed a capable team to ensure that housekeepers, drivers, and maintenance colleagues got the students settled in each day they arrived by ferry from Guadeloupe. The housing team also prepared each day, long before students’ arrival, to be sure there was food ready and that landlords were alerted to arrivals. A Google document was created to organize faculty volunteers, who met the ferries when they arrived decked out in RUSM blues and welcome signs, to hand out water and direct students and faculty to their residences. “Students were in a holding pattern waiting to find out if classes would start on time, or hadn’t yet started their journey because of the weather,” said Shillingford. “But, even in those circumstances, what I saw was very characteristic of the resilience of a RUSM student. One night when I was in Guadeloupe, we had to ask about 15 students to take the ferry the next day. They were fine with it—as long as we could get them converter plugs to charge their laptops so they could study! That is the resilience and focus of our students, even in the face of not knowing what’s to come.” n
Various relief efforts are underway in Dominica, thanks to the generosity of RUSM faculty, colleagues, and administration. The DeVry Education Group Caring Fund was established several years ago, based on feedback from employees who wanted a way to support each other in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency. Every donation is matched by DeVry Group. This year, colleagues in Dominica affected by Tropical Storm Erika will benefit from this fund’s financial aid as they work to rebuild their homes and property. Additionally, RUSM presented a donation of $100,000 EC ($37,037 USD) to the Dominica Red Cross Society to help alleviate the struggles of communities affected by the storm. The Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), located in St. Kitts, also stepped up to help in the relief effort. Immediately following the storm, RUSVM colleagues came to Dominica by boat — a 13 hour journey — bringing additional satellite phones, supplies, and water. “The additional supplies that we received from RUSVM were in part used to create care packages and deliver them to families that were impacted,” said Shillingford, “even if they weren’t related to the RUSM family.” n
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ADVOCACY UPDATE The Government relations team wanted to take the opportunity to update the RUSM alumni community on how alumni can help drive our legislative advocacy efforts. The beginning of Congressional and state legislative sessions presents our organization with new opportunities to influence public policy impacting RUSM. As your advocacy team, we continue to commit ourselves to providing aid and support to achieve our shared mission of empowering students to achieve their educational and career goals. We provide assistance by developing and maintaining relationships with elected and appointed officials across all levels of government in support of the public policy priorities of our students, alumni, and institutions. As we enter a new year we face several public policy challenges across the country. In Washington, DC pending legislation seeks to eliminate federal student aid for certain international medical school students including RUSM. Although the legislation remains in committee, advocates for this measure wage an ongoing campaign to discredit international medical schools and, by extension, our alumni. Critics of international medical schools erroneously suggest that our graduates have Residency Match and USMLE pass rates far lower than the facts support, while implying a lower quality of medical education. In Nevada, a measure passed last year that generally prohibits international medical school students from participating in third and fourth year clinical rotations.
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Our team intends to continue efforts to reverse this law in the next Nevada legislative session in 2017. The State of Texas imposed similar prohibitions in 2013. To combat these efforts and correct misinformation, we must educate decision-makers, advisors, and education advocates about the important work of our institutions and the success of our students. Grassroots engagement remains a critical tool in delivering our message. Success requires collective actions from our students, alumni, faculty, and administrators. Events like White Coat Days at a state or the federal Capitol go a long way in helping showcase who you are, what you have achieved, and why it is critical to the community you serve. This includes encouraging and organizing alumni to join our government relations team to meet with legislators and staff to advocate on behalf of our graduates and students. These visits lack the necessary impact without alumni participation. It allows policy makers the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of career achievements of alumni. It allows alumni to discuss the rigor of coursework and clinical rotation. The participation of established alumni physicians leaves a strong
impression on elected officials, regulators and staff. Your personal and career success speaks to the talents and the resolve of our graduates and to the professional health care training received at RUSM. Many of you have participated in these kinds of events in the past. We welcome new and ongoing participation. Please consider joining us in supporting your alma mater through elected advocacy engagement. Share your experiences and success at an event, like a White Coat Day, where it can make the greatest impact on current and future students seeking to make similar contributions to their communities. If you are interested in participating in a grassroots event, or simply would like to be kept apprised of legislative issues when they arise, please contact engage@devrygroup.com and provide your contact information. If you are unable to attend an event but are interested in supporting our advocacy campaign, please contact us and we will provide you with other opportunities to get involved that accommodate your busy schedules. Thank you for your service to the health care needs of your community and for upholding the reputation of our institutions through your great work. n
“
This scholarship gives me a boost of confidence, bringing me that much closer to my dream, and motivates me to keep pushing myself to reach higher. Moreover, the award is a huge help for me financially, in easing the debt load of medical school.
”
Nimerta Burmhi Scholarship Recipient Ross University School of Medicine
For a hardworking student, your support can make all the difference! As a graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, you know what it’s like. Working hard to get into school and twice as hard to graduate, striving year after year to balance academic challenges and financial obligations. But the truth is that financial aid and institutional scholarships aren’t always enough.
The impact of the Scholarship Fund continues to expand because of the generous support of our alumni, colleagues, corporate partners and friends. The Scholarship Fund will award $1 million in scholarships to more than 600 students this year alone.
That’s why there’s the Ross University School of Medicine Scholarship.
And with your support, we can do even more!
Ross University School of Medicine Scholarships are a part of the DeVry Education Group Scholarship Fund — a 501c3 organization that strives to help keep education within reach by providing financial support in the form of scholarships to students. The Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to continuing students, especially those with the greatest need and who have established a successful academic track record. The Scholarship Fund operates in concert with Ross University School of Medicine and the other DeVry Education Group Colleges and Universities, but as a separate entity supporting student success. Gifts for Ross University School of Medicine Scholarships are restricted to Ross University School of Medicine students.
To make a donation in support of Ross University School of Medicine Scholarships, text the word RUSM to 41444 on your mobile phone. To learn more about Ross University School of Medicine Scholarships, go to www.rossmedscholarshipfund.org.
Thank you for considering a gift to the Ross University School of Medicine Scholarship, and for supporting student success!
Ross University School of Medicine Scholarships are a part of the DeVry Education Group Scholarship Fund. Established in 2000, The Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to continuing students, especially those with the greatest need and who have established a successful academic track record. The DeVry Education Group Scholarship Fund is a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization, is incorporated and registered in Illinois and operates in concert with the DeVry Education Group Colleges and Universities but as a separate entity. Contributions to the DeVry Education Group Alumni Magazine | 17 Scholarship Fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consult with a tax advisor to determine whether your donation is tax deductible in whole or in part.
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YOUR RUSM ADMISSIONS TEAM
The RUSM admissions team plays an integral part in aspiring medical students’ lives, helping them transition from applicant to enrolled student—a transition you once made in choosing RUSM for your MD. Here’s a chance to connect with our current admissions team. REMEMBER ME? MILENA V. GARCIA Associate Director of Admissions, Mountain Region Years with RUSM: 10 Loves working at RUSM because: It is a great pleasure to meet the prospective students and advisors who are so passionate about helping others. The students are so determined to pursue their dream! I am happy to be a part of this opportunity for them to achieve their goals. Email: mgarcia@rossu.edu TOM HARKNESS Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Canada/ International Years with RUSM: 7+ Loves working at RUSM because: I enjoy working with students towards achieving their dream of becoming a physician. Email: tharkness@rossu.edu TOM HUELLER Associate Director of Admissions, West Region Years with RUSM: 10 Loves working at RUSM because: I am privileged to be part of a process that helps educate future physicians. Presenting RUSM to prospective students on campus and at information seminars is extremely gratifying and rewarding. My position allows me to work with remarkable students and alumni that are focused improving the health of our communities. Email: thueller@rossu.edu
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LORI MURAMOTO Senior Associate Director of Admissions, West Region Years with RUSM: 9+ Loves working at RUSM because: I love working with potential students and helping them realize their dreams. I have helped a lot of students who were accepted into RUSM. Since I’ve been here so long, I have seen students go through our programs, graduate, gain residency, and get out and practice. It is extremely gratifying to see students achieve more than they ever thought possible. It is truly the best job on the planet. Email: lmuramoto@rossu.edu LESLIE ANDERSEN Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Central Region Years with RUSM: 10 Loves working at RUSM because: There are so many amazing facets to this position. What is most rewarding is being a part of a life-long dream of so many individuals on a day to day basis. I have the pleasure of meeting students and getting to know them through the application/interview process, as well as helping them transition to campus. There is nothing like the moment of meeting them again as alumni and getting a glimpse into the end result of all of their dedication and hard work. Email: landersen@rossu.edu
ALICIA FOSTER Associate Director of Admissions, Northeast Region Years with RUSM: 7 Loves working at RUSM because: I love working with prospective students and helping them discover that RUSM can be the answer and a good fit to pursue their dream of becoming a doctor. Email: aliciafoster@rossu.edu JON A. BOLASKI, ED. D Graduate Admissions Advisor, Associate Professor (Miramar Clinical Site) Years with RUSM: 14 Loves working at RUSM because: Fairly simple: being able to mentor, coach, and guide so that the next generation can offer the same. Email: jbolaski@rossu.edu KEVIN NIESSEN Executive Advisor, Metro New York Years with RUSM: 11 Loves working at RUSM because: I enjoy interviewing potential medical students, because it gives me an opportunity to meet new and interesting people every day. I am inspired by the passion and determination of our applicants, and it is rewarding to play a small role in helping individuals realize their career goals. Email: kniessen@devrymedical.org
NICE TO MEET YOU! PHILIP JAROSLOW Associate Director of Admissions, West Region Years with RUSM: 2+ Loves working at RUSM because: I love my job for many reasons, but the most rewarding part is seeing how hard these students work and the passion they have to pursue their goal of medical school. They come from very different backgrounds, but are willing to do whatever it takes to work in a profession to provide care and service for others. When students get accepted into our program and I get to pass along their decisions, it is extremely rewarding. Email: philipjaroslow@rossu.edu ASHLEY ANTHON Associate Director of Admissions, Central Region Years with RUSM: 2+ Loves working at RUSM because: What I enjoy most about working with RUSM students and alumni is being able to witness the full cycle for students—from meeting potential students on campus, and providing them with information about the university, to then meeting alumni who were able to achieve their dreams. Email: ashleyanthon@rossu.edu JIBRAN VAHIDY Senior Graduate Admissions Advisor/New Student Coordinator, Canada Years with RUSM: 3+ Loves working at RUSM because: The most satisfying part of my job is helping students achieve their personal and academic goals. Being a part of their educational journey as they learn, grow, define their goals, and prepare themselves to reach their dreams and begin their life’s work is a real privilege for me. Email: jvahidy@rossu.edu
JOHN NWAFOR Associate Director of Admissions, Mid Atlantic Region Years with RUSM: 2+ Loves working at RUSM because: I have the distinct pleasure of providing prospective students the opportunity to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors. Rossies are some of the most resilient, and hardworking students that I’ve encountered during my career in admissions. Knowing that I can help in the process of making dreams come true gives me more than enough motivation to go to work everyday! Email: johndeanenwafor@rossu.edu RICHARD HAGUE, MA Associate Director of Admissions, Central Region Years with RUSM: 3 Loves working at RUSM because: It gives me the ability to help students take the next step in achieving their overall dream of becoming a physician. Email: Richardhague@rossu.edu MARIA MANCIA Associate Director of Admissions, Southeast Region Years with RUSM: 3+ Loves working at RUSM because: As an immigrant to the US and the first member of my family to graduate from an American university, I have always had a profound respect for the opportunities provided by a strong education. Having endured my own trials in pursuit of higher learning, I feel I have a unique appreciation for the students aspiring to attend RUSM. I am inspired by applicants daily and feel privileged to serve as a facilitator in the realization of their life’s passion. Email: mmancia@rossu.edu
MATT FESSLER Executive Admissions Advisor, Northeast Region Years with RUSM: 2+ Loves working at RUSM because: I love working with RUSM med students because they are motivated and driven to never give up on their dream of becoming a physician. It is inspiring and exciting to work with them every day. Email: matthewfessler@rossu.edu VALERIE LONG Associate Director of Admissions, Central Region Years with RUSM: 3 Loves working at RUSM because: My passion and motivation is higher education—the more we attain, the better off we are as a whole. Anything I can do to help students achieve their education and career goals is what pushes me to work hard for them. Email: valerielong@rossu.edu GINA COLATI Graduate Admissions Advisor, Northeast Region Years with RUSM: 4+ Loves working at RUSM because: I love working with potential RUSM students for the drive and passion they have for medicine. I love hearing their stories during the interview and seeing what else is behind their application. Email: gcolati@rossu.edu
Do you know an aspiring physician looking to apply to medical school? Have them reach out to our Admissions team to find out more about RUSM!
Alumni Magazine |
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profile: student life
AT A GLANCE
The Office of Student and Professional Development. Take it from Gary Belotzerkovsky, assistant dean of clinical student affairs: A lot has changed for RUSM students, especially in the areas of advising, matching, and support. The source of all these positive changes? The Office of Student and Professional Development, where Belotzerkovsky also serves as director. Here’s what you need to know: THE OFFICE OF STUDENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HAS THREE CENTRAL DIVISIONS. First up is the career advising team, which works with students to help prepare them for match and residency. “They do mock interviews to prepare students for residency interviews, and advise them on scores as well as what specialty they should apply into,” said Belotzerkovsky. “This is something we didn’t have before about two years ago.” Next is the writing department, which helps students craft their strongest personal statements and CVs, and is also responsible for writing Medical Student Performance Evaluations (MSPE) once the staff has gotten to know students more personally. Rounding out the office is the licensing and credentialing team, which helps students with licensing when they graduate and the myriad paperwork that awaits them upon matching. “We also help current alumni who need to get credentialed at a new hospital or in a new state,” Belotzerkovsky added. THE CLINICAL NETWORK IS EVOLVING. Alumni that graduated prior to 2012 may remember rotating for six weeks in one location, six in another, and 12 elsewhere. “Now, we place students in one place for 44 weeks— the entire third year,” said Belotzerkovsky. “This is typical for a US medical school.”
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THERE’S EVEN MORE IN THE WORKS. “We have a supportive leadership team here who supports my initiatives and those of my office, and what we need to do to help students,” Belotzerkovsky said. One such initiative is a move to an online scheduling system, launching this spring, which will allow students to browse the availability of RUSM’s affiliated clerkships online, select one, and flag it for approval. Belotzerkovsky is also working to develop a program in tandem with the Association of American Medical College’s Careers in Medicine Program. As it is, the program helps medical students decide on their specialties by assessing their interests, skills, and personality; providing details like salary and lifestyle expectations, length of training, and competitiveness data; and comparing their qualifications and programs. The new program will expand on these tools for RUSM students, specifically, offering modules developed by faculty and alumni to make sure students are ready for the match. Finally, Belotzerkovsky hopes that alumni will take a more active role in student advising, and is currently working on a program to encourage participation. “We really want alumni to be more involved with our students,” he said. “That’s the next big project.” n
profile: board of directors
LEADERSHIP & EXCELLENCE
Career highlights and accomplishments of Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002–2006); Vice Chairman, Canyon Ranch; CEO, Canyon Ranch Health Division; President, Canyon Ranch Institute; Distinguished Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona. Dr. Carmona is an accomplished surgeon, health care leader, law enforcement officer, and the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. His experience as a member of an impoverished Hispanic family in New York City shaped his perspective on the relationships between culture, health and health disparities, education, and economic status. After dropping out of high school, Dr. Carmona enlisted in the US Army, and went on to become a combat-decorated Special Forces Vietnam veteran. He earned his General Equivalency Diploma while serving and, after leaving active duty, attended Bronx Community College of the City University of New York through an open enrollment program for veterans. He later attended the University of California, San Francisco, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree (1977) and medical degree (1979). At the University of California Medical School, Dr. Carmona was awarded the prestigious gold-headed cane as the top graduate. Trained in general and vascular surgery, Dr. Carmona also completed a National Institutes of Health-sponsored fellowship in trauma, burns, and critical care. He was then recruited jointly by the Tucson (Arizona) Medical Center and the University of Arizona to start and direct Arizona’s first regional trauma care system. He went on to become the chairman of the State of Arizona Southern Regional Emergency Medical
System, a professor of surgery, public health and family and community medicine at the University of Arizona, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department surgeon and deputy sheriff. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Public health came as a second career after Dr. Carmona went back to graduate school while working to complete a master’s degree in public health at the University of Arizona. His interest in public health stemmed from the realization that most of his patients’ illnesses and injuries were completely preventable. Dr. Carmona has also served for over 28 years with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Tucson, including as deputy sheriff, detective, SWAT team leader and department surgeon. He is one of the most highly decorated police officers in Arizona, and his numerous awards include the National Top Cop Award, the National SWAT Officer of the Year, and the National Tactical EMS Award. Dr. Carmona is a nationally recognized SWAT expert and has published extensively on SWAT training and tactics, forensics, and tactical emergency medical support. Dr. Carmona has also served as a medical director of police and fire
departments and is a fully qualified peace officer with expertise in special operations and emergency preparedness, including weapons of mass destruction. In 2002 Dr. Carmona was nominated by the president and unanimously confirmed by the US Senate to become the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. As Surgeon General, Dr. Carmona focused on prevention, preparedness, health disparities, health literacy, and global health to include health diplomacy. He also issued many landmark Surgeon General communications during his tenure, including the definitive Surgeon General’s Report about the dangers of second-hand smoke. In 2006, Dr. Carmona successfully completed the statutory four-year term of the US Surgeon General and was named to the position of vice chairman for Canyon Ranch, a leader in the health and wellness field for more than 35 years. He also serves as chief executive officer of the company’s Health division and oversees health strategy and policy for all Canyon Ranch businesses. He is president of the nonprofit Canyon Ranch Institute and the first Distinguished Professor of Public Health at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. n
Alumni Magazine |
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profile: faculty
MEET A DEAN Dr. Stanley White
As senior associate dean of the Dominica campus, Dr. Stanley White sees himself as the conductor of a great orchestra comprised of the campus’ programs, staff, faculty, and students. Here, he illuminates the music they’re making: how the student experience has evolved, and why he’s looking forward to the future at RUSM. When did you first come to RUSM, and what drew you to the university? I came to RUSM as a professor of physiology in the fall of 2010. I had decided to draw a close on my research and teaching career in the UK, but wanted to continue to teach. I was drawn to the school because of its general mission: to help non-standard students achieve their dream of becoming a doctor. In my past career, I had worked as a parttime tutor for The Open University. This university, which is in the UK, admits adult learners with no minimum educational qualifications and allows them to obtain a degree by part-time study. It has such an empowering effect on the lives of thousands of men and women who have missed out on a university education. Working with those learners had been tremendously satisfying for me, and RUSM attracted me for similar reasons.
As campus dean, what is your role? I think that my role is best summarized as being a coordinator and steward of the campus and its programs, colleagues, and students. I have overall responsibility for our basic science curriculum on the island, and ensuring that the student experience while they are here over four or five semesters is high quality and
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equips them to be successful in their remaining study and, of course, the allimportant USMLE® Step 1 exam once they have transitioned back to mainland US. This means interfacing with the academic program delivered by faculty, but also with operations which ranges from classroom technology to how nice the grounds look! There is a large and, I have to say, fantastic team involved in all of this, and so I guess the closest analogy is that of being a conductor of an orchestra. But sometimes circus lion tamer seems more appropriate!
What would a “typical” day entail? A typical day starts at around 5:30 a.m. I spend 30 minutes responding to emails, then I make breakfast and a lunch for my stepdaughter. It’s a quiet time of the day and this small domestic ritual is something that I find really relaxing and satisfying. It sets me up with a good frame of mind to deal with my day. These days, a typical workday consists of going from one meeting to another, either with departmental heads and administrators, colleagues, or students. There are always telephone or VTC conferences, particularly the weekly dean’s cabinet meetings which occur every Tuesday morning. In between the meetings, I try
to respond in a timely manner to all of the emails I get (often over 300 in a day). Sometimes, I have to represent the school at external events on the island organized by schools or government ministries. I enjoy this because it is a highly visible way for us to show our commitment to being a good corporate citizen and making a difference in Dominica. So the days are usually both full and busy. I have wonderful calendar support from Evener Williams and SarahLee Carriere, who structure my meetings for each day in a way that helps me use my time most effectively. When I get home, we eat as a family, and watch TV or movies before I take care of more emails prior to going to bed.
What do you want alumni to know about RUSM’s current campus programs? All alumni who visit tell me the same thing: that they are so impressed with the changes to the campus and the general Picard area compared to when they were on the island! One example is the new student center that provides high tech individual and group study space underpinned by the latest technologies to facilitate learning and wellbeing. However, besides infrastructure, our educational programs have changed substantially, too. We are now an integrated, organ-based basic science curriculum that is under constant scrutiny, to ensure that it is fit-forpurpose in relation to what students will be tested on in USMLE Step 1 as well as laying down some of the basic building blocks of clinical knowledge and skills that will help them in USMLE Step 2. In recent years, there has been a substantial commitment and investment to support student academic success, in the form of our Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The faculty in CTL collaborate with basic science faculty and provide students with targeted support and help to develop and hone their study skills, such as time and content management, as well as English language and medical terminology. We are very conscious of personalized learning support, and CTL faculty also engage students in conversations about whether to take our four-semester curriculum or “slow down” and take our five-semester option to maximize their chances of achieving the highest possible grade point average. CTL and our student affairs department are part
“Without a shadow of a doubt, the interactions I have
every day with students and my colleagues [is my favorite part of my job]. We have a great team in Dominica and
it is both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to make my contribution to helping that team serve our students” of a coordinated network of support for students while they are here on the island.
What new programs are in the works? This semester, we are going live with an online pre-matriculation course to help students prepare for their transition to Dominica and to medical school study demands. All students who are offered a place at RUSM have access to the course through the new student portal. This course allows students to assess their readiness for the rigors of a medical school curriculum and features self-assessments and interactions with faculty on the island. We hope it may also begin to allow us to identify students who might benefit from extra help even before they get here. Also, beginning with the January 2016 semester, every incoming first semester student will have a faculty mentor, who will provide individual support throughout the whole time the student is in Dominica. The mentor will provide pastoral as well as academic support and advice. There are a number of studies that suggest students who have faculty mentors do better in their academic outcomes,
so I’m very excited to see how the program develops and its effects on both student outcomes and satisfaction and engagement.
What are your goals for the campus going forward? Overall, I want the student experience while they are with us in Dominica to be as good as, if not better than, any they might have anywhere else in the world. We have some exciting plans to enhance the campus both by erecting new buildings to replace older ones, as well as beautifying and consolidating the look and feel of those existing buildings that will remain. These improvements and developments will have benefits not only for our students, but also for our faculty and staff colleagues who work so hard to support our students and their families.
On a personal note, what is your favorite part of your job? Without a shadow of a doubt, the interactions I have every day with students and my colleagues. We have a great team in Dominica and it is both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to make my contribution to helping that team serve our students. n
Alumni Magazine |
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profile: alumni
WHAT A RELIEF
How one alumnus is putting his medical skills to work at home and abroad. Before he even became a doctor, Faiz Hussain, MD, MPH (’02) knew he wanted to help people. “I had been exposed to different relief organizations, and always thought to myself how great it would be to be able to provide medical relief where there is none at all,” he said. “That was actually the driving factor for me to want to pursue medicine— to be able to do exactly what I’ve had the opportunity to do.” Indeed, Hussain has traveled the world bringing medical care to underserved communities as well as areas devastated by natural disasters. Since graduating from Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), he’s supported relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the South Asian earthquake of 2005, the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the Pakistan floods in 2010, and more. He also led a medical delegation to the Philippines in 2013 in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. At home, he puts his skills to use in the US Department of Veterans Affairs. “Working with these populations, I realize that this is a passion that has come to fruition,” he said. “I am doing exactly what I wanted to do with the skills and knowledge I invested in.” Below is a sampling of his efforts — what he remembers, what he’s contributed, and what he’s gained.
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September 2005: Hurricane Katrina Shortly after Hussain finished his internal medicine residency at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, America was hit with the worst natural disaster in recent history: Hurricane Katrina. “It was all about timing,” he said. “I had finished a month later than my peers, and the news was ablaze with the impact that Hurricane Katrina had on so many people. So I, like everyone else, was reading up on it and trying to understand the ramifications of this disaster.” He did some research and contacted the Mississippi medical board. “I basically shared with them the fact that I just completed my residency, I had a break in my schedule before starting work, and I was available if they needed assistance,” he said. “They immediately processed an emergency state medical license to bring me over so I could help.”
He arrived at Biloxi on the gulf to find a shared relief effort bringing goods, water, food, shelter, and medical care to the people there. “I was assigned to take over a makeshift community clinic that had been set up at the Biloxi community center,” Hussain recalled. “I ran that for about two and a half weeks. That was my initial exposure into the medical relief world.”
October 2005: Kashmir Earthquake On his way back home from Biloxi, Hussain had a layover in Houston. He looked up at the television monitors, and saw that a massive earthquake had just hit the Kashmir, Pakistan region, leaving the already impoverished area devastated. “A few days later, I was actually contacted by a subsidiary organization of the World Economic Forum. They said they were familiar with my work in Katrina, and they wanted me to lead a medical team they
“Since I have both cultural and clinical ties to that region, I am able to bond with them on a different level than someone who hasn’t had that experience. As the veterans describe their
experiences in those regions, I know exactly what they’re talking about because I experienced it myself firsthand.” were planning on deploying to Kashmir,” he said. “Within five days of coming home from Katrina, I was off to Kashmir.” On site, he worked with a team to set up and establish mobile medical clinics in the valleys of Kashmir. “We set up a surgical tent and makeshift operating rooms, a pharmacy and dispensary, and triage and primary care,” he said. This experience expanded on his time in the aftermath of Katrina because, while floods cause undeniable damage, an earthquake causes even more physical trauma and injuries. “We were there for another two and a half weeks,” he recalled, “working sunrise to sunset.”
2012 and 2013: Nairobi, Kenya As a clinical preceptor for third and fourth semester RUSM students, Hussain has hosted two international clinical elective trips to Nairobi. “The efforts there were not limited to addressing an immediate medical need,” he said. “The idea was to do that but also to set up long term sustainable care.” While in Nairobi, Hussain and the students visited several pockets of underserved populations that were deprived of any real access to medical care. With their entire medical clinic in backpacks, the group visited an area, set up clinics for a duration of about two or three days, packed up, and moved on to the next destination. “We had a good 10 to 12 clinical days in which we’d see about 300 to 400 patients per day,” Hussain
recalled, adding that Kenya’s tribal society allowed word to spread like wildfire. “Word got around that we were providing care, and people would come with their families, neighbors, children—we were literally inundated with case volume, but despite the logistical challenges, not one of us ever felt overworked or tired. It was truly a pleasure to be able to serve these people who really need this kind of care.” On his second trip to the region, word of their efforts had spread to the University of Nairobi Medical School. “They were so impressed with the initiative that they asked if they could partner with us and send some of their clinical students to work with us,” Hussain said. “It was helpful because we had local medical students and residents that had a greater cultural tie to the patients. They were able to serve as translators and got academic credit. What started out as very small efforts had grown, and were recognized by local academia.”
2013: Camden, New Jersey Through RUSM’s 2013 season sponsorship of the Camden Riversharks baseball team, Hussain and other alumni had the opportunity to take part in a community health initiative that brought their health and wellness knowledge to the residents of Camden, New Jersey. “This event recognized that the local community didn’t have access to or encouragement to seek out medical care,” Hussain said.
“So we convened at the ballpark, took in a game, and educated the community about several medical issues affecting them including hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, dementia, and more. We discussed the importance of these conditions as well as what people can do to prevent them.”
Today: Long Beach and Los Angeles, California In Los Angeles, Hussain donates his time to an organization that runs a community health clinic for the residents of Skid Row each year, providing vital signs screenings, ophthalmology clinics, flu shots and other vaccinations, and more. “We’ve been doing this every year for the last 10 years,” he said. Hussain’s day job is just as influential. After working as a medical director for an occupational medicine group, Hussain realized that he wanted to put his skills to work for America’s veterans. His background in occupational medicine made him a perfect fit to forensically evaluate medical disability claims, and shortly after joining the department in 2010, he became clinical director of the Department of Compensation and Pension with the US Department of Veterans Affairs in Long Beach, CA. “A lot of the veterans I am seeing now have been deployed to southwest Asia and the Gulf countries,” he said. “Since I have both cultural and clinical ties to that region, I am able to bond with them on a different level than someone who hasn’t had that experience. As the veterans describe their experiences in those regions, I know exactly what they’re talking about because I experienced it myself firsthand. And that fosters a greater understanding and sensitivity to their medical needs.” n
Alumni Magazine |
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profile: alumni
THE NONTRADITIONAL EDGE
How one recent graduate benefits from lessons learned in a former career. Like many RUSM graduates, Ryan Blaine Davis, MD (’14) took a nontraditional route on his journey to becoming a physician. But unlike many graduates, Davis took a route that included a detour into banking and real estate. Most surprising of all is that, according to Davis, the skills necessary to be a successful banker aren’t much different from the skills he’s utilizing today as a first year obstetrician-gynecologist resident at New York’s Rochester General Health System. Here’s his take on what his nontraditional experience taught him about practicing medicine. ON TRUST In banking and real estate, it’s all about client relationships. In those businesses, you’re not going to be successful if you don’t have a great relationship with each of your clients. They need to trust you, and they need to feel comfortable referring your services to friends and family. In many ways, medicine is no different — it’s all about the relationships you build with your patients and your team. My background in finance, and in working in a management team, has strengthened my practice of medicine because I know how to build those relationships. ON CARING The main thing, across both careers, is being genuine and showing that you really care. In finance and real estate, I was looking out for my clients’ greater good.
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Ross University School of Medicine
Though that can hurt you in the short term in finance, in the long run, it will help you. But that’s how I grew up — with the notion that you take care of others. This is exemplified in medicine, especially in the high risk patients we see. ON MATURITY One of the biggest potential challenges to a first-year resident is if they’ve never had to work before, and all of a sudden they’re thrown into this type of work that is over the top in terms of demands and stress and not sleeping. I see a lot of people getting frustrated in residency because they haven’t had the structure of a real work environment, and they’ve never experienced that kind of accountability before. It’s important for people to realize that a nontraditional background is a huge benefit and asset for those getting into medicine. Those who have done other
things or been in the workforce before have a huge leg up and, frankly, are looked upon more favorably than others because of the maturity they gained from that experience. If there’s one thing I can say to students who are graduating, it would be to figure out how to be mature before you get into residency; don’t let residency teach you how to be mature. ON TEAMWORK In today’s business world, it’s all about the team environment. And, sure, it’s definitely a buzzword, but the idea is important. Working in management, and having a team of 15 or 20 people report to me, has taught me how to delegate as a physician. What can I hand off to capable hands, and what do I need to take care of myself? Knowing how to answer those questions has helped me be a better team player. n
profile: alumni
THINK PINK
Alumna Spends Career Advocating for Breast Health.
During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many are reminded about the importance of early detection to win the fight against the deadly disease that, according to the American Cancer Society, will claim the lives of about 40,290 in 2015. Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) alumna Nicole Saphier, MD (’08), is a radiologist at the forefront of the cause and has spent much of her career advocating for policy changes that will help many people make informed decisions about their breast health. Saphier’s advocacy for breast health began when she learned about breast density legislation while completing a Women’s Oncologic Imaging fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. On a mammogram, dense breast tissue appears white— the same color that cancerous tumors appear. “The concept really reached my heart,” says Saphier. “Many women were obtaining mammograms and when they were told they were normal, they would ignore a lump they subsequently found in their breasts because they had complete faith in their mammograms.” Following her fellowship, Saphier focused much of her career working to help women better understand the risks associated with breast density. She is known for leading the way among physicians to pass the Arizona State Breast Density Notification Law in her home state. The law requires physicians to inform their patients who have undergone a mammography and were found to have dense breast tissue. Currently, 24 states have enacted the law and breast density notification legislation is at the federal level. Saphier, who has relocated to New Jersey, now sits on the executive committee and legislative subcommittee of the state’s radiological society. She also
RUSM Alumna Nicole Saphier, MD, gave opening remarks at the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on Oct. 25 in Pennsauken, NJ. RUSM is a corporate sponsor for the event.
has been appointed to the New Jersey Department of Health Breast Imaging Work Group where she is working to revise the state’s breast density notification letter that is sent to patients. Saphier’s commitment to the fight against breast cancer is fueled by her grandmother’s experience. “My grandmother, who I affectionately called ‘Mommom,’ did not pursue the lump in her breast because she was embarrassed to get examined by her physician,” says Saphier. “I attempt to see my patients and explain everything to them best as possible so they never feel uncomfortable coming to see me about their breasts. I want them to feel empowered and be in control of their healthcare.”
Although Saphier acknowledges that mammography is imperfect, she states it is still the best screening modality for all types of breast density. “The addition of ultrasound, MRI and digital tomosynthesis (3D imaging of the breast using X-rays) can help what mammography misses but mammography itself should not be replaced,” says Saphier. “MRI and ultrasound will not see the subtle calcifications that can indicate early invasive malignancy.” You can learn more about Saphier’s experience at www.nicolesaphiermd. com, including information about a book she is writing. Drawing upon her own experience as a single mom of a 4-year-old who decided to pursue a medical degree abroad, Saphier will tell real stories about women who chose the path less traveled. n Alumni Magazine |
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profile: alumni
A WINDING PATH, BUT NEVER YIELDING
Giving back is important to Gwendolyn Fang, MD, whether it benefits Rossies, her patients, or those in need abroad. Each year, an event called Transition Week is hosted on the island of Dominica for RUSM students who are transitioning into their internal medicine foundation curriculum and clinical years. Alumni are commonly brought back to campus to speak on such topics as life after the island, common fears and trepidations, and their own experiences and successes. This year, it’s only fitting that one of the alumni speakers, Gwendolyn Fang, MD (’09), knows a bit about transitions herself. Her story began in her native West Africa, where she had trouble gaining acceptance into local medical schools. She moved to the US to follow her dream of becoming a physician and, in order to make ends meet, completed a nursing program that started her on a decade-long detour into psychiatric nursing. Realizing that she still couldn’t afford medical school, she sought a different—a very different—path in software engineering. But it took fewer than six months on the job to realize it just wasn’t for her. “I decided that the reason I came to this country was to become a physician, and I shouldn’t give up on that,” Fang recalled. “I went back to school while working full-time, and took science courses at my community college that would translate to medical school.” Before long, she applied and was accepted to RUSM. The rest, as they say, is history; today, Fang is a staff physician with the OB GYN group at Unity Point Clinic in Waterloo, Iowa. FULL CIRCLE Indeed, Fang never gave up. And she never intends to. Recalling a story that sparked her interest in women’s health, she cites a pivotal moment in her personal history that shaped her career. “I come from a country in West Africa where there’s a maternal mortality rate that is extremely high,” she said. In this instance, Fang had traveled home to visit family, and her
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sister fell ill. Upon arriving to the hospital, the following scene unfolded: “While we were waiting for my sister’s turn to see the doctor, a pregnant woman came in. She was actively bleeding and in excruciating pain, but they would not tend to her because she didn’t bring her own medical supplies with her and didn’t have the money to buy them. My sister and I sat there, and could not wrap our heads around the idea that this woman could bleed to death, and no one would tend to her.” So they put the money together—not just to facilitate the delivery of the woman’s twin babies, but also to transfer them to a nearby hospital that had the incubators necessary for their care. “I knew right then that I wanted to be an obstetrician and work with women,” Fang said. “Hopefully, in the future, I will move on to do missionary work in underserved communities.” For the time being, though, she’s moving up in her career and giving back to the current RUSM students who follow her path. In addition to Transition Week, Fang has given of her time to be a guest alumna at information seminars and other RUSM events, and is available as a mentor to current students. “I feel like I come full circle when I can encourage even one person to stay the course,” she said of her desire to give back to current Rossies. “Why not encourage and motivate? It makes a difference.” n
class notes 1980s HILLEL KAHANE, MD, FCAP, FACPE, ‘86 Dr. Kahane is a pathologist specializing in uropathology and has been the Medical Director at Bostwick Laboratories for the past eight years. He recently co-published an article in the Annals of Diagnostic Pathology.
2000s ALI MANOOCHEHRIAN, MD, MBA ’00 In April 2015, Dr. Manoochehrian was chosen for the 2015 Ace Award during EmCare’s annual Leadership Conference. EmCare, a leading national physician practice management company, presents the award to recognize a standout anesthesiologist each year. Dr. Manoochehrian, currently a medical director for five hospitals in Victorville, CA, was honored for his anesthesia skills, and attentive patient care, and his colleagues noted him as an effective and collaborative leader. “I was very surprised that I won the Ace Award this year. I am so honored,” he said. RAYMOND J. ORTHOBER, MD ’00 Dr. Orthober is an emergency medicine specialist at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, KY, and has more than 14 years’ experience since graduating RUSM in 2000. He is board certified in both emergency medicine and family medicine, a medical director for Louisville Metro EMS, and is an expedition physician. He has been traveling to Antarctica for the past 11 years as part of an expedition team that leads eco tourists to the Antarctic.
CURTIS L. WHITEHAIR, MD ’00 Dr. Whitehair, who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation, currently holds the following positions: Associate Medical Director, Regional Physiatry, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network; Program Director, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital PM&R Residency Training Program; Vice Chair of Education, Department of Rehabilitation, Georgetown University Medical Center; Associate Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine. He has recently been selected as a recipient of of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) 2016 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award, which honors program directors who find innovative ways to teach residents and to provide quality health care, according to the council’s website. Dr. Whitehair will receive the award at the ACGME annual educational conference in February. HOLLY ABERNETHY, MD ’03 Dr. Abernathy is a Family Practice Physician and owner/partner of an independent family practice office in Farmington, NM, on the edge of the Navajo Reservation. She has been on the cover of Medical Economics, and most recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal. She is currently chief of staff of San Juan Regional Medical Center. LEE F. STARKER, MD, PHD ’07 After graduating from RUSM, Dr. Lee earned a PhD in genetics from Uppsala University in Uppsala Sweden 2014. He was married to Christina in 2011, and welcomed a daughter, Sydney, in 2014, and is currently a surgical oncology
fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. JASMINE M. PAGAN REESE, MD, MPH, FAAP ’09 Dr. Reese recently completed a fellowship in adolescent medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in June 2015, and completed a master’s degree in health care organization and policy. Currently, Dr. Reese is an adolescent medicine specialist and pediatrician for Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers, FL. IRENE ZOESCH, MD ’09 Dr. Zoesch, who works in pediatrics, is currently deployed as of December to Afghanistan as a US Army physician.
2010s JAKE BEHRINGER, MD ’10 Dr. Behringer is currently a family physician for Cheyenne Regional Medical Group in Cheyenne, WY. Additionally, he is the brigade surgeon for the 115th Field Artillery Brigade, Wyoming Army National Guard, and as of Aug. 24, is the flight surgeon for the C-Med (MedEvac) unit in the Wyoming Army National Guard. He also holds an adjunct faculty position with University of Wyoming Family Medicine Residency Program in Cheyenne, WY. KYLE MORGAN, MD ’10 Dr. Morgan, a faculty anesthesiologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, was recently board certified in both anesthesiology and pediatric anesthesiology. EBRAHIM RASHID OOMERJEE, MD ’11 Dr. Oomerjee is a physician at Kaiser Permanente, specializing in pediatrics. Alumni Magazine |
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class notes RUSM Grads Earn Chief Resident Spots for 2015 – 2016 Residency Year
PUJA VORA, MD ’11 Dr. Vora is currently fulfilling her longtime goal of attending an Ivy League university as a clinical neurophysiology fellow at Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan with a specialty in epilepsy, a goal she says she could not have reached without her experience and support from RUSM. Dr. Vora also has some major life events lined up for 2016—not only will she be an attending physician at an epilepsy group in the NY/NJ area, but the recently engaged alumna will be getting married in New York in July. JORDAN DANIEL BROWN, MD ’12 Dr. Brown is currently the Chief Psychiatry Resident for the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. NARBEH TOVMASSIAN, MD ’12 GAREN DERHARTUNIAN, MD ’12 This past November, Drs. Tovamassian and Derhartunian opened Elevate Health Group, a new internal medicine practice in Glendale, CA—where they both attended elementary, middle, and high school together. “It’s been a lifelong goal to come back and serve the community that taught us all that we know,” says Dr. Tovmassian. “Ross University School of Medicine gave us that opportunity to do so.” EGHONGHON MERCY AKINSIPE, MD ’14 Dr. Akinsipe (Dr. Ikhureigbe at the time of graduation) is a Family Medicine Resident at North Florida Regional Medical Center located in Gainesville, FL, is currently married and has a 10-month-old daughter. 30 |
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Hundreds of Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) graduates started residency training just a few months ago, in July. In the meantime, many of our graduates who are already deep in their training have earned the distinction of being named chief residents for the 2015–2016 year. Chief residents are generally appointed by the program director of a given residency program, and they’re entrusted with developing clinical rotation schedules, performing administrative duties, and supervising junior residents, among other responsibilities.
Is your name missing from this list or does something need to be corrected? If so, please email communications@rossu.edu and we’ll make sure it’s addressed as soon as possible. Anesthesiology Dipan Patel, MD: New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY Emergency Medicine Chief Residents Nicole Battaglioli, MD: WellSpan York Hospital, York, PA Brian Kendall, MD: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX Daniel Kemple, MD: University of Toledo, OH Ginny Lee, MD: Summa Akron City Hospital, Akron, OH Eric Sanders, MD: WellSpan York Hospital, York, PA Deepak Vatti, MD: SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY Family Medicine Chief Residents Reynald Lamarre, MD: The Medical Center of Central Georgia, Macon, GA Bryce Moody, MD: University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Chattanooga, TN Justin Ossman, MD: University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Chattanooga, TN Christine Pierre, MD: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA Grant Studebaker, MD: University of Tennessee Family Medicine Program, Jackson, TN Brandy Tarap, MD: Rapid City Regional Hospital, Rapid City, SD Lisa Torgersen, MD: Central Maine Medical Center, Lewiston, ME
Anna Wani, MD: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX Philip Verel, MD: Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Emantavius Williams, MD: Southwest Georgia Family Residency, Albany, GA Megan Yee, MD: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/ Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI General Surgery Chief Residents Sola Fasusi, MD: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA Internal Medicine Chief Residents Neil Bhalerao, MD: John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL Paul Bradley Brasher, MD: Albany Medical College, Albany, NY Jagman Chahal, MD: Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ Saima Dean, MD: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA Shivtej Kaushal, MD: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI Jonathan Preston, MD: Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY Marissa Sardinha, MD: Wayne State University/Crittenton Hospital Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program
OB/GYN Chief Residents Shelly Gibbs, MD: The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine Chattanooga Carson Kaeser, MD: The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine Chattanooga Magda McKearin, MD: Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island, NY Sherifat Ope, MD: Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island, NY Nicole Waschak, MD: Central Michigan University, Saginaw, MI Pathology Chief Residents Jason Chen, MD: The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine Pediatrics Chief Residents Crystal Bass, MD: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH Mansi Desai: University of California San Francisco, Fresno, CA Psychiatry Chief Residents Jyotsna Kilani, MD: Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA Justin Mortimer, MD: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Sonia Riyaz, MD: Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA Alyse Stolting, MD: University of Toledo, OH Radiology Chief Residents Chirag Dani, MD: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
RUSM Social Media Join our social networks to stay informed on the latest RUSM news, learn about Alumni Events and Opportunities in your area and jump start your professional career!
Wondering what your classmates are up to now? Like us on Facebook to reconnect with your classmates, share your significant event photos, and share your success stories. Facebook.com/RUSMalumni
KEEPING UP WITH YOUR SUCCESS After graduation from Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), you became part of a network of nearly 12,000 physicians, but your story is unique. RUSM is proud of each and every one of you, and want to know what you’ve been up to since then. We may showcase your wonderful accomplishments in a feature on our blog! Here’s your opportunity to tell us about the kind of physician you turned out to be. Interested? Please email the Alumni team at RUSMalumni@rossu.edu for more information!
Follow us for real-time updates covering RUSM alumni in the news, alumni events, and much more! Twitter.com/RUSMalumni Join our Alumni LinkedIn page to be connected to nearly 12,000 alumni, find tips and employment resources, and strengthen your professional network. LinkedIn.com/in/RUSMAlumniAssociation Visit the RUSM Flickr page to view images from all past alumni events and receptions. Flickr.com/RUSMalumni
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES. LILIAN SARFATI, MD ’12
University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio, Dermatology Fellowship
JOIN THE CONVERSATION.
STAY CONNECTED.
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LEND A HELPING HAND TO FUTURE RUSM GRADS As alumni of Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), you know that being successful as a RUSM student took a combination of commitment, talent, and adaptability. You were given an opportunity to earn your MD — an opportunity you then transformed into success. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY, AND LEAVE A LEGACY.
Do you know an aspiring physician looking to apply to medical school, or has a potential RUSM student volunteered at your practice? You can help them earn an Alumni Legacy Scholarship. All it takes from you is a letter of recommendation for a qualified candidate. Direct your aspiring physician to find out more about this scholarship at rossu.edu/scholarships. The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is awarded to eligible students who have a work/volunteer history with a RUSM graduate, and it covers the full cost of tuition for the first semester.
Give a potential future “Rossie” an opportunity to strive for excellence.
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IT ALL STARTED IN DOMINICA Your alumni association wants to keep you connected to your friends, former classmates, colleagues, and all those who made your experience here memorable. And when it comes to memories, there’s no better place to start than Dominica — the Caribbean island still referred to as “The Rock” by students and graduates alike. You and others took your first, tentative steps toward the practice of medicine on this quiet, picturesque island. You forged friendships. You earned victories.
No matter where you ultimately ended up, it all started in Dominica. We hope you don’t forget that.
Office of Institutional Advancement & Alumni Relations 485 US Highway 1 South Building B, 4th Floor Iselin, NJ 08830
Telephone: 1-855-MDROSSU (855-637-6778) Fax: 732-509-4803 Email: rusmalumni@rossu.edu www.rossu.edu/medical-school
RossMedSchool
SPIRIT STORE RUSM is proud to announce the launch of our new online apparel store at: medstudentstore.rossu.edu, where you’ll find a variety of school-spirit items, great for gifts and everyday life. Feel free to take a few moments to look around, and show off your RUSM spirit today!
E-Gift Certificate is also availible, if you would like to send a gift!
For comprehensive consumer information, visit www.rossu.edu/med-student-consumer-info Š2016 Ross University School of Medicine. All rights reserved.