02 WHITE COAT
CEREMONY PHOTOS
06 SEPTEMBER 2018 NEW STUDENTS
10 DR.RICHARD
PESTELL FEATURE
The
September
Vo lu m e 8, I ss u e No. 6
2018
XAVIER TIMES
A Medical School Experience on an Island unlike any other in the region!
Xavier University School Of Medicine Fall 2018 White Coat Ceremony The White Coat Ceremony is the beginning of my formal medical education and it already made me feel that I am part of the profession. Something I learned on white coat ceremony was that, there is a beginning to this career but no end. The white coat was the first official symbol of the coming four years in the medical field and the ceremony hosted for us made me feel that I own the show. I saw the entire faculty and every person at the school was happy for me. That was the most memorable moment for me because I knew that I am not going to be alone here and I am going to have all the help I need.
I am looking forward to a lot of learning. It is not as simple as it sounds because there are going be many challenges before I can finish my medical school. I am excited and looking forward to everything that comes my way.
The ceremony was a treat for me becuase of all the hard work I did to get into the medical school. The ceremony itself signifies the beginning of a new President Ravishankar Bhooplapur journey. It is journey from a short addresses the audience at the White Coat white coat to a long one. It was a big achievement for me and a foundation on which I am going to build my career. I was very happy and at the same time I realize the great responsibility that comes with it. By: Alfiya Khan, MD1
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL NEWS PUBLICATION
White Coat Ceremony (continued) IN THIS ISSUE FALL 2018 WHITE COAT CEREMONY
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WHITE COAT STUDENT REFLECTION
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CAAM-HP INFO
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FACULTY BLOG
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SEPTEMBER 2018 INCOMING CLASS
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION NEW STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
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NEW FACULTY FEATURE
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STUDENT BLOG
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Dr. Kevin Pawlak, Chairman of the Admissons Committee, addresses the audiience at the White Coat Ceremony Student signs their Hippocratic Oath
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Student and her family at the White Coat Ceremony
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Chief Academic Officier Dr, Dubey, Students, President Ravi Bhooplapur, Dean of Basic Sciences Dr. Shankar Majhi
White Coat Ceremony (continued)
Students listening to a speech during the White Coat Ceremony
Students at the White Coat Ceremony
Students take the Hippocratic Oath Students at the White Coat Ceremony
Students, faculty, and Board of Trustees members at the White Coat ceremony
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White Coat Student Reflection In high school I had decided I would like to become a doctor. Undergrad came to a wrap and soon came white coat night. That was one the biggest nights of my life. Excitement could be sensed in the room as each student got to walk across the stage and get their white coat. Getting my white coat provided me with the sense of accomplishment regarding all the effort that was put in to get to that point and an opening to a new chapter in my life. I look forward to long days and working hard to make sure I become the doctor I’d like to be. White coat night definitely was a reminder that I am one step closer to my dream. By: Gagandeep Gill, MD 1
Xavier recieves Full Accreditation from CAAM-HP! Xavier Univeristy School of Medicine now has Full Accreditation from 2018-2021. This Makes XUSOM: •Fully compliant with the Education Committee for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) 2023 deadline •Recognized by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) as having standards comparable to those used to accredit US Medical Schools. •Xavier graduates will now be eligible for California Residencies as of January 1, 2020.
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Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson Event in New York
President Ravi Bhooplapur, Chairman Edwin Casey were recent attendees of a
President Ravi Bhooplapur, Chairman Edwin Casey and Trustee Dr. Anthony Shallash with
ceremony recognizing Chancellor Kristina Johnson of the SUNY Impact Fund
President Calvin Butts III of SUNY Old Westbury.
Faculty Blog:
“Save the balloon, be a winner”
By: Dr Narasimha Prasad Vijayashankar Emphasizing the importance of working as and for a team is one of the most clichéd discussions in most of the organizations. “People achieve more as a result of working with others than against them”, an adage from a renowned psychologist Allan Fromme was reiterated in a creative way (exciting game with a concealed message) by Dr. Bhat in a faculty get-together on August 4th, 2018 in Palm Islands, Aruba (which by the way is a great place for an outing). The Game: All the faculty and family were asked to assemble in the verandah, were each given a balloon and were asked to inflate it ourselves. We were also given a safety pin. We were given 2 simple instructions:
1.Whoever is able to safeguard his/her balloon at the end of 2 minutes is a winner.
2.Make sure you have a winner at the end of 2 minutes.
With these 2 instructions the countdown was started, and so did the attack of balloons. Everyone made sure they protected their balloon but at the same time never missed an opportunity to burst others balloons. In the end we had 2 participants who still had their balloon intact at the end of 2 minutes, Dr Fidelis and Dr Honnavar. (However, the other participants quickly brought to the notice of the facilitator that Dr. Honnavar and Dr. Fidelis had found back-up balloons without anyone noticing). The next stage was a division into teams. Here we were divided into 3 teams of 5 / 6 each. Now the instruction was slightly different.
1.The team that has maximum number of balloons at the end of a minute becomes a winner
The countdown started, so did the attack of opponent teams balloons. At the end of the minute the balloon count was done and our team comprising of Dr. Majhi, Dr. Gopi, Dr. Honnavar, Dr. Fidelis were adjudged the winners. Decryption of the moral of the game by Dr. Bhat was the best part and the climax of the game. One that all of us overlooked upon. Dr. Bhat’s instructions never included the following:
1.You have to break someone else’s balloon to win the game
2.There can be only one winner in the game
Dr. Bhat also reiterated the following points: 1.All of us could have protected our balloons and still could have been winners. In the process of focusing on how to burst others’ balloons, the game had ended with no one being a winner. 2.A similar situation could be envisaged at the office too – if each of us focuses on the tasks given to us, then we all are winners. If we aim at winning by ‘bursting others’ balloons’, then no one is a winner.
3.The ability of teams were far greater than that of individuals working against each other
This reminded me of a Swahili Proverb that was written on the wall of my previous organization. “A boat doesn’t 5 go forward if each one is rowing their own way”!
Incoming Class September 2018
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Abd Elmajed Zoubi
Adeel Riaz
Alfiya Khan
Anmol Mohan
Carla Moreno
Danielle Osei
Elsemari Jacobs
Emad Asafseh
Gangandeep Gill
Haeedar Azooz
Hannan Migdad Odeh
Jansdeep Kaler
Lim Zayud Fahoum
Manjot Upple
Manveen Dhillon
Mehrdad Jelodar
Jenny Suneby Jagers
Johannes Jacobs
Karla Cohen
Layal Nassar
Nikhale Malik
Nikolaj Brown
Nimish Biswal
Olivia Foster
Oluwatnmisin Rabiu
Rajanbir Singh
Rasmiya Haidar
Saikia Nripangana
Saleeha Soofi
Shivangi Patel
Taylor Heverly
Teresa Pegues
Ummeamen Ali
Veera Thind
Yazan Sheikha
Youssef Ibrahim
Student Government Association It is an exciting time for the SGA (Student Government Association) at Xavier University. We have a robust and committed team of dedicated students who have been charged with the delicate and honored position of representing the student population. As the school continues to grow, we are committed to ensuring a peaceful transition to life on the island, careful and kind support through basic sciences and expanding the support system for students preparing for their Step.1 exam. We strive to always advocate for an ‘open-door’ policy and always welcome student-feedback and inquiries. We have several student events in the making so be sure to stay tuned for more details and pictures. We are committed to our partnerships with them through their endeavors to enrich their lives as future physicians. On behalf of all of SGA, I look forward to the year to come and assisting the school to grow to new heights, friendships fostered, goals met and lives changed. -Jonathan Rogers SGA President
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Student White Coat Experiences: Receiving my white coat has always been a dream for me. I remember seeing previous white coat ceremonies and wishing and hoping I could start medical school. I am thankful to announce that I have just received my white coat and am also starting my medical journey. Having the opportunity to give the Hippocratic oath was an amazing experience, as it puts what your future in perspective as you know what you are committing too. Furthermore, I am very happy that our white coat ceremony is at the beginning of our journey as it helps solidify the new expectations for us. The white coat experience was truly amazing and I am very thankful that I have this opportunity. - Nimish Biswal MD1 The white coat ceremony is an important milestone and its celebration with a ceremony is an important step. The white coat itself is now one of my most precious articles in my closet. The white coat is the uniform of the profession I have now gained entry into. Although I am at the very beginning, the journey has begun. Every time I wear that coat, I am reminded of all the work it took to arrive at this point, and the pride I have in that, but also what lies ahead and my commitment to handle the rest of the journey to the best of my ability. In my opinion, the speeches given by faculty and the president meant the most, with the faculty helping to put the coat on the student. Having important and influential persons giving welcome speeches helped to clarify those expectations and responsibilities along this journey. Their words were inspiring and encouraging and I am certain their sentiments will be reflected on as our studies get tough and the grind feels long. In addition to these speeches, the placement of each coat on the student by the faculty helped to solidify the role of our professors. They are here to help us learn this profession and gain the skills we will need. The symbolism of the act was very important to me. - Jenny Suneby Jagers MD1 The white coat ceremony was definitely a night to remember for myself and I’m sure for others in our MD1 class. It was an honor to get the opportunity to take part in the tradition and so I would like to give many thanks to the people and organizers who helped make it all possible. With respect to the event, the speeches given by faculty and administration felt sincere and inspirational, making use of examples and personal experience to get their point across. Credit should also be given to the program MCs, who prepared us well with what to expect and instructions on how to proceed throughout the event. The catering for the event was also great, with lots of great foods to choose from with a setup to match. -Mehrdad Jelodar MD1 8
New Student Interview: Taylor Heverly, MD1 Q: Why did you choose to become a doctor? A: I decided that a medical degree was my calling after being a patient myself. I faced disdain, arrogance, compassion, and exceptional care after I was diagnosed with cancer. I know exactly who I want to embody as a physician myself; and exactly what I want to spare my future patients from. I applied to medical school 4 months after I received my diagnosis. Q: What field of medical study are you looking to go into and why? A:I have enjoyed the adrenaline rush from emergency medicine as a first responder in the past and hope to continue my love for this domain in the future. Q: What made you choose to attend Xavier? A:The quality and qualifications of the professors, commitment to exceptional resources and education, and outstanding communication with admissions staff made my decision to attend Xavier easy. Q: What are 3 interesting facts about yourself? •
I hate chocolate
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I hold a world record
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I love yoga and running.
New Student Interview: Jansdeep Kaler, MD1 Q: Where are you from? A: I am from Canada Q: Why did you choose to become a doctor A: I have wanted to go into medicine for as long as I can remember. Being a child of first generation immigrants, my parents did their hardest to provide my sister and I both with all the privileges that were not made available to them. My dad has always had a passion of giving back to the community, regardless of whether it be through donations or volunteering his time in his home country. I was instilled with beliefs to helping the less fortunate in any way I can as well. For me, becoming a doctor and helping those that need guidance or treatment is the best way I could give back to the community. Q: What made you choose to attend Xavier? A: I chose to attend Xavier for its holistic approach in teaching. Teaching by way of integrative methods to me is one of the best teaching methods possible. It allows you to learn everything accordingly and therefore, you are able to retain more information and are not constantly flipping through old semesters. I also chose Xavier for the smaller class sizes as I learn better in environments where the classes are smaller and therefore, more studentteacher interactions. Q: What field of medical study are you looking to go into and why? A: I am interesting into becoming an advocate for the children and going into pediatric care. I want to be a voice for children. I feel often times; children are the most vulnerable in terms of when they are dealing with any type of illness or unable to explain what their pain may actually feel like. I would very much like to be a voice for children and have them know that they have someone willing to listen to them. 9
New Vice President of Academic Affairs Feature: Dr. Richard Pestell
Dr. Richard Pestell (MBBS, Md., PhD, FACP, FRACP, FRS of Medicine, MBA) is an oncologist and endocrinologist; who has recently joined XUSOM as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Medical School . Dr. Pestell’s first impressions since joining us here at Xavier are, “My feeling is there is a real passion amongst the student body and faculty to serve the patient and the community and perform at the highest level clinically.” Dr. Pestell, his wife and his daughter live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his son lives in London while studying at the Royal Veterinarian College at the University of London. Dr. Pestell however is originally from Perth Australia, where he received his M.B.B.S. from the University of Western Australia School of Medicine. He paid for medical school by working in the iron ore mines in the summer holidays. He conducted clinical training in Internal Medicine, Oncology and Endocrinology. He subsequently attended the University of Melbourne from where he received his Ph.D. and M.D. In addition, Dr. Pestell was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital. His M.B.A. is from New York University (NYU). Dr. Pestell is the former Executive Vice President of Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), which has a $5.6 B budget and over 22,000 employees. He has been the Director of two NCI cancer centers, the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University (2005-2015) and the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University (202-2005). He was concurrently US President for an international cancer education organization INCTR (International Network for Cancer Training and Research). He is currently the President of the Pennsylvania Cancer and Regenerative Medicine Research Center at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute (BS/BI) and is the Blumberg Distinguished Professor. While growing up, Dr. Pestell was affected by deaths due to cancer of both his parents and his best friend as a child. He states, that he never accepted that a loved one should die from cancer and was determined to change the practise of oncology. He has founded several cancer clinical and research organization including the first free screening clinic for breast cancer in Washington DC (the Capital Breast Care Center) and he was the founding Director of the Delaware Valley Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, a $400 M annual research organization which included University of Delaware, Christiana Care, Nemours and Thomas Jefferson University. . Dr. Pestell is also the founder of two cancer biotechnology companies, LightSeed and ProstaGene which he recently sold to CytoDyn. He holds multiple patents in the areas of cancer diagnostics, therapeutics and technologies which are now being developed by CytoDyn. He is an internationally recognized cancer researcher with over 700 publications, including 44 book chapters and reviews and received over 30 names awards for his discoveries. He is currently the most highly cited researcher in the world by Google Scholar for his fields of study (#1 prostate cancer, #1 cell cycle) and #4 for oncology, H index 130, has served on the editorial board of 14 journals and has been one of the best funded researchers with over $85M in research funding. When asked what makes Xavier stand out to him he answered “At Xavier Medical School we are training students to be the future face of medicine. The school is mission based with a focus on the importance of the patient and service to the community. The school emphasizes state-of-the-art training in empathy, rigorous clinical training, and up to date lectures on the real challenges that face physicians face today and in the future.” If Dr. Pestell could give any advice to future or current XUSOM students it would be “The practice of Medicine is a personally enriching journey, not a destination. Listen to your patients and you will have a meaningful life that leaves an annuity of good will on the planet.”
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Student Blog:
Is Medicine Art? It is often said that every form of art is in some way a reflection of the world we live in. If medicine is an art, is medicine a reflection of the world as well? Although this thought might be individualistic, it would be interesting to think about this abstract relation. The world in simple words works on the basis of problems and solutions. If there were no such problems on earth, evolution and advancement would have never taken place, even from the time of early man. In my opinion, such is the way medicine works as well. Medicine is an evolving science. We consistently make efforts to solve the flaws in every previous treatment or procedure to save as many lives a day as possible. This, in my point of view, is the highest point of satisfaction and contentment for a physician. Of all the goals that can be achieved in life, it seems to me that saving a life stands out in a very different way. The body and mind are the two most powerful weapons a person can have to survive in this world. Treating them when they are ill, gives back a human being all the power to live again. Being able to make a right diagnosis spontaneously, figuring out the most appropriate method of treatment and especially treating the ‘patient’ is nonetheless the most realistic expression art can have.
Xavier Times Team Publisher: Andrew Sheldon Faculty Editor: Dr. Gabriel Andrade Student Editor: Manpreet Lota
This is the skill that I strive to inculcate, to give the power to those in need one day. Studying here at Xavier, gives me the opportunity to study this art in a different way than that followed in most other medical schools. The fully accredited program in Xavier gives us an opportunity to appear in NBME exams for every system, creating a USMLE – like practice for us. Moreover, spending half of MD here at Aruba, and the other in the US allows us to experience different ends of the spectrum of diversity.
Assistant Student Editor: Himani Patel Student Contributors: Alfiya Khan Gagandeep Gill Nimish Biswal
Most of us know that this art is quite challenging to master. However, it is indeed the chief source of happiness and satisfaction of the days that are not too far from now. Trying to understand the magnificence of medicine in a way that it portrays itself as a reflection of nothing but what the world is and who we are, might help us develop a stronger bond with what we are trying to achieve here. By: Swathi Arunachalam – MD 2
Jonathan Rogers Jenny Suneby Jagers Mehrdad Jelodar Taylor Heverly Jansdeep Kaler Swathi Arunachalam Faculty Contributors: Dr. Richard Pestell Dr Narasimha Prasad Vijayashankar Dr. Gabriel Andrade
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North American Admissions Office 1000 Woodbury Road, Suite 109 Woodbury, New York 11797 USA TEL: 516-333-2224 FAX: 516-921-1070 info@xusom.com | www.xusom.com
Aruba Campus Santa Helenastraat #23 Oranjestad, Aruba Dutch Caribbean TEL: 297-588-7766 Fax: 297-588-6222
Jordan Admissions Office Al Husseini Building Office 614 Zahran Street between 7th & 8th Circle Amman, Jordan 11183 TEL: 962 (61) 586 1313 | FAX: 962 (61) 586 1317 infojordan@xavier.edu.jo | www.xavier.edu.jo
Pre Med Campuses - India
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