Alumni Spotlight

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our alumni both near and far. We asked alumni on the front lines to share their perspective and experiences during this unprecedented time.

Saumil Oza ’95

Cardiologist, Ascension St. Vincents Working during the COVID epidemic was certainly eye opening. Although Jacksonville has been spared from the worst of the pandemic so far, we completely changed the way we practiced medicine. We switched all of our clinics from in-person visits to teleconsults. We cancelled all but the most necessary procedures. We had to make difficult decisions regarding which patients to hospitalize and which to keep at home despite their medical problems. Through it all, however, we learned to be more efficient and focus on ways to minimize patients as well as our own time in clinic and the hospital. In the end, I think this will be a paradigm shift in the practice of medicine.

My normal hours are quite long and it was a breath of fresh air to be able to work from home and spend more time with my wife and 5 year old son. I hope that there are some practices that we will take forward

regardless of the presence of COVID. We are safely sending home patients earlier after procedures. We use telemedicine and remote monitoring devices to check in on patients and monitor heart conditions. This will be far more convenient for patients in the future and likely lead to better outcomes as people heal much more quickly when they are in familiar environments. In the hospital and in the community, we are more cognizant of washing our hands and wearing masks in public. This will undoubtedly stem the spread of other infectious diseases in our community going forward if we retain the lessons that COVID has taught us.

During the early stages of the pandemic, we were running critically low on PPE (personal protective equipment) at St. Vincent’s. I was surprised to hear from several of my former classmates from St. Johns who reached out to me and connected me to suppliers of PPE after they heard of our need. We even had students from St. Johns make 3D printed face-masks and deliver them to our hospital for our front line workers! The academic rigor at St Johns is second to none and will certainly prepare students for the next stage in their lives. What truly has endured in the 25 years since I left St. John’s is the compassion that is taught and displayed by the students and faculty. It shows in the concern from my classmates so many years later and is evident in the students there now.

Ramzi Shaykh ’08

Third Year Pediatrics Resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital Deep breath in, deep breath out - I focus on my breath and the task at hand instead of the uncomfortable heat and sweat brought on by my N-95 mask and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Discomfort has become the new normal in this pandemic, and in no place is this more apparent than in New York City.

I have spent the last 3 years working as a pediatric resident in New York City treating newborns to young adults as old as 25 years of age. Now with the spread of COVID-19, the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has been transformed into an adult COVID intensive care unit (ICU). I now find myself treating adults of all ages in a setting that looks like a scene from an apocalyptic Hollywood film. I’ve had to learn the intricacies of a new patient population and a new disease, while also balancing how to ration supplies and equipment such as ventilators and machines for kidney replacement therapy. But we manage and forge on for our patients. The most difficult yet rewarding part of my day is between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. when I call or FaceTime family members who are not permitted to be by their loved ones in their time of need. I typically come home exhausted yet thankful for the opportunity to be there for people when others cannot be.

The beginning of this was overwhelming; however, throughout it all I am growing … we are growing. Healthcare personnel in the US and around the world are learning from their experiences and becoming better providers each and every day. The situation is slowly improving and yesterday we discharged our final adult COVID patient from the pediatrics ICU. We are nowhere near the end of this war, but the tide is turning. What was once so uncomfortable has become much more comfortable to us. The adversity brought on by this pandemic will allow the resilience of humanity to shine through as we take this on one day at a time. I thank St. Johns for thinking of me and my colleagues during this time and for the timely and generous donation of face masks.

Michelle McCauley, DO ’06

Family Medicine Chief Resident Tidelands Health/MUSC Family Medicine Residency Murrells Inlet, SC St. Johns instilled in me work ethics that I’ve used to get to this point in my career and continue to use during my training. I learned the art of diligence, detail-oriented thinking, and teamwork. While working on the frontlines during the COVID pandemic, my team and I have learned that it is important to find joy in the small moments. Often times as a physician with an overwhelming amount of tasks set before you daily, you can easily get in the “get the job done” mindset and you forget to slow down and appreciate the process and progress made. Each day in the intensive care unit comes with new obstacles, but there is always something to celebrate whether it’s a large feat such

Jamie Henry ’00

Major, US Army, Medical Corps Internal Medicine Physician Womack Army Medical Center Fort Braggs, NC

Michelle McCauley ‘06 with her co-resident, Anthony, holding a poster they made for a patient to wish her a Happy Birthday.

as a patient coming off the ventilator or something as seemingly small and ordinary as a patient turning a year older. One experience with the latter was a joyful day in the midst of many trying ones that holds memories I will cherish forever. When finding out our beloved patient was turning one year older shortly after being weaned off the ventilator, we knew we were left with no other option than to celebrate big. Her birthday party was made complete with a poster, balloons, her care team singing Happy Birthday and a whole lot of smiles. This time in my life has been profound and has reminded me to not take the small things for granted, for tomorrow is never promised.

Working in the US Army, I am not authorized to talk about my experience in detail regarding COVID-19. However, while driving to work on March 9th after much of America was closed down, I had tears of gratitude for being given a chance to use the skills I had

honed over the previous 30 years of my life to serve during this crisis.

I have learned (and continue to learn!) so much these past few months. I have felt overwhelmed at times during this crisis, much like I did while a student at St. Johns. I felt like a failure and that the academic challenge was too great for me; however, my sister comforted me and helped me through it. I rely heavily on my friends and family now to get through each day. I urge each of us to stick close to our friends and family during these unprecedented times.

Collapsing just before the finish line of my last high school cross country state meet, I learned to get back up and keep going. The result wasn’t what I had hoped for or expected (I wanted to win!), but with the encouragement of others, I finished. In 2020 we are all weak in the face of the crises we experience today. A little humility and patience will serve us well. May we all finish the race before us with grace and humility.

Aseem Peterson ’02

Air Force Major Internal Medicine Physician Nellis Air Force Base Las Vegas, NV I am a physician and currently am an active duty Air Force Major with my specialty being Internal Medicine. I perform outpatient and inpatient services as a hospitalist at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Life has myriad bumps and obstacles. I was not in the top ten of my graduating class at St. Johns. I did not excel on my AP finals and had some rejection letters from some of the universities I had applied to in high school. My teachers were not easy on me, but then again you find out later in life that it won’t always be easy. The question becomes, do you shy away or do you step up to these challenges in life to achieve the best version of yourself? St. Johns taught

me the importance of determination, hard work and patience. Twenty years after completing undergraduate school, medical school, being stationed in England, and being deployed to the Middle East, I arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada where I currently reside.

The COVID-19 pandemic is what I call a life challenge. It can easily spread, we don’t have a vaccine, and at this point we remain unsure why it affects some people more severely compared to others. In the hospital setting, there is a chance of cross contamination from COVID patients to patients without the disease. To address this, I was placed on the inpatient COVID team with other staff internists to limit the number of staff exposed to COVID patients. We would keep COVID patients in a different part of the hospital from the rest of the patients to limit the spread from the moment they entered the emergency room. I am lucky that my hospital was not overwhelmed like many other unfortunate places. We were prepared. Every time I entered the room with person suspected of having this disease, I would need to put on an N95 mask, another surgical mask so as not to contaminate the N95 mask, goggles with a face shield, gown up, glove up, and leave my cellphone, keys, and badge outside the room. A few patients were quite ill. I thought one of the patients was going to die. After over a week of being intubated, she eventually pulled through. It can be difficult when things don’t go smoothly in an ICU. It takes patience waiting for a patient’s condition to turn the right corner. The core characteristics of determination, a strong work ethic, and patience that I gained in high school laid the foundation of what I needed to step up and not back down during these challenging times.

Alumna Marches for Change

This spring, Chastity Duffey ’16 was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. She knew she wanted to bring change to Clay County; she just wasn’t sure how. She considered going to the Clay County Courthouse and holding signs with her mom and sisters, but after talking to former teacher and now friend, Gayle Simpson Garrison ’94, she realized that there hadn’t been a march in Clay County yet. With Gayle’s encouragement, Chastity began planning a peaceful march to end brutality, racism, and injustice, and was overwhelmed by the support from her St. Johns family.

Chastity planned out every detail of the march—when to march, where, who to invite—except one, and that was Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels showing up on her doorstep the night before. “When Sheriff Daniels showed up to my house, I was so surprised! It meant so much that he went out of his way to stop by and meet me, and to hear what kind of change I wanted in the community,” said Chastity. “He and the Chief of Patrol both assured me that they were working hard to create a better relationship between the community and the police department. They understand that it is their job to protect all of us and complete their job with respect.”

The next day, Friday, June 12, Chastity met about 50 friends, family members, and fellow St. Johns alums at Orange Park Town Hall and walked peacefully, carrying signs. “Change doesn’t happen on its own,” said Garrison. “Change takes a force behind it, and [Chastity is] that force.”

As for what comes after the march, Chastity hopes the Clay County community continues to fight against injustice daily, not just during times when race relations is a popular subject in the news. She encourages others to talk to family and friends about current events and listen to those who have different opinions and experiences. She also suggests reading articles and books to gain a better understanding of the problems that are going on in this country. “This is an everyday fight,” she says, “but I know this community is capable of change.”