XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
MARCH 10, 2023 | HOLIDAY INN ARUBA
Dear Xavier community, I hope you have all been well.
I write to you after a very successful Match Day for our graduates. Congratulations to all who matched, we are very proud of you and know that you will continue to represent Xavier University School of Medicine well!
We will host our annual Alumni Global Meet event on May 17-19. More than 40 Xavier University School of Medicine alumni and clinical staff will come to Aruba to meet with and help guide our current students. We are so thankful for our alumni who continue to pay forward their experience and knowledge to future Xavier doctors.
We will then celebrate commencement on May 20 at our beautiful residential campus in Aruba. We will recognize the Xavier University School of Medicine Class of 2023 for all of their accomplishments and celebrate with them as they continue on to successful careers in medicine. To all of our current students, I wish everyone the best of luck on your final examinations and a safe and happy semester break.
We look forward to seeing our new students returning as well as welcoming all of our new students in May!
Sincerely,
Ravi Bhooplapur President Xavier University School of Medicine
Dr. Muhammad Atif
Insight Medical Center
Internal Medicine
Dr. Kai Ackley
LSU Lake Charles Family Medicine
Dr. Jude Akpede
Mount Sinai Hospital
Transitional
Dr. Mustafa Alaziz Jackson Park Hospital Family Medicine
Dr. Swathi Arunachalam
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Internal Medicine
Dr. Ali Akhter
SUNY Upstate Medical University Internal Medicine
Dr. Noor Al Saadi
Baptist Health Family Medicine
Dr. Aaron Armorer
Virtua Health System
Internal Medicine
Dr. Mona Aswad
HCA Healthcare Lawnwood
Internal Medicine
Dr. Navtej Athwal
The Wright Center for Community Health
Family Medicine
Dr. Harpreet Dhanjal
Garnet Health Medical Center Neurology
Dr. Evaristus Ezema
Brooklyn Interfaith Medical Center
Psychiatry
Dr. Tina Hossain
The Wright Center for Community Health Family Medicine
Dr. Jacqueline Bekhit
HCA Medical City Healthcare
Arlington
Internal Medicine
Dr. Grishma Jalemu
Albert Einstein Healthcare
Transitional
Dr. Naveed Elahi
Mercyhealth System
Family Medicine
Dr. Abbas Hassan
Indiana University School of Medicine
Plastic Surgery
Dr. Christopher Iordanou
Mercy Medical Center
Psychiatry
Dr. Sriharsha Jammula
Virtua Health System
Internal Medicine
Dr. Akaz John
CHI St. Vincent Hospital
Internal Medicine
Dr. Haseeb Khan Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Family Medicine
Dr. Andrew Melek University at Buffalo School of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Dr. Tawfik Mussad University of Toledo School of Medicine
Family Medicine
Dr. Emmanuel Nebuwa Kettering Health Network Soin
Family Medicine
Dr. Biju Kallumkal Adventist Health Hanford Tulare
Family Medicine
Dr. Ivan Kharchenko Long Island Community Hospital
Internal Medicine
Dr. Ismail Mourad
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Internal Medicine
Dr. Mohammad Nadim
HCA Medical City Arlington
Internal Medicine
Dr. Harshil Parekh
HCA Medical City Arlington
Internal Medicine
Dr. Vivek Patel
Lakeland Regional Health
Internal Medicine
Dr. Aqsa Rao
Harlem Hospital Psychiatry
Dr. Rasha Saleh
Brooklyn Hosptial
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sarah Tahir
University of British Columbia Family Medicine
Dr. Suha Qasem
Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center
Internal Medicine
Dr. Israel Umoh
McLaren Health Care Flint
Internal Medicine
Dr. Thomas Ring
Prisma Health/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Sumter Family Medicine
Dr. Rajanbir Singh
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Dr. Veera Thind
The Wright Center for Community Health Family Medicine
Dr. Joseph Yazji
HCA Healthcare/USF Morsani College of Medicine Oak Hill
Internal Medicine
BY: SHANICE ODURO, MD3 ONTARIO, CANADA
On February 14, 2023, students at Xavier University School of Medicine participated in the Annual Research Symposium. It was a time of learning, supporting, and congratulating both students and faculty for their hard work and dedicated time spent on their research. There were a number of posters that were submitted both from faculty and students and certificates and awards were presented to students.
The start of the Research Symposium began with professor Dr. Sweta Das opened with the purpose of the event. The Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Arun Dubey, gave an inspirational message on the purpose of not only participating in research throughout medical school but also being the researcher. He explained that research is paramount in furthering one’s medical education. In his time, it was mandatory for one to get published and he urged all participating
students to keep up the great work throughout their medical studies by doing research.
Adeola Folorunso (MD3) explained that when completing her research, she examined living in Canada, specifically the province of Saskatchewan. She came to the realization that there were certain flaws in the government system that portrays living in Canada as a suitable fit for all; however, there are many issues of homelessness and poverty that are unfortunately overlooked. Her specific research looked at “Improving Health Disparity in Canada – A Case Report of Poverty Reduction.”
Various research posters were displayed, and a group of judges present to ask various questions about the research that the students were presenting. At the end of the evening, first, second, and third prizes were awarded to the students who did an exceptional job.
The First Prize was awarded to:
» Kamal Khan (MD5) with his poster entitled “Pandemic on Mental Health Status of Different Age Groups in a Sample Population in Aruba.”
The second prize was given to:
» Reilly Booker (MD1), Rielyn Booker(MD1), and Rian Booker (MD1), with their poster entitled “Perception, Attitudes, and Knowledge of Hand Hygiene Amongst Students in a Caribbean Medical School”.
There was a three-way tie for third prize:
» Alan Adam (MD5) and Kevin Ram (MD5) with their poster entitled “Estimation of Risk for Cardiovascular Disease within Different Age Groups in Aruba: Cross Sectional Study”
» Theodore Cooper (MD1) with his poster entitled “Removal of Nitrates and Phosphates Coupled with Simultaneous Electricity Production using Sediment Microbial Fuels Cells (sMFCs)”
» Gabriella David with her poster entitled “Crisponi Syndrome 1: Reporting a Novel Variant and Expanded Phenotype”.
We want to say a huge congratulations to all students and faculty who participated in the Annual Research Day. We are looking forward to more research done by our students and faculty in the future!
We are celebrating both Black History Month and Women’s History Month with a special member of the Xavier faculty, Dr. Leahnata Davies, Associate Professor of Public Health and coordinator of the university’s nursing and community health programs.
For the past 20 years, Dr. Davies has dedicated her life to the field of nursing, where she has cared for patients and furthered her education—earning her Master of Science in Public Health and Doctorate in Philosophy in Health Administration. “I found myself wanting to provide deeper and more personal care as a facilitator of learning and growth to other nurses and healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Davies. She explained that her passion for strengthening and improving the public health system— locally, nationally and globally—is the driving force that drew her back to the classroom. In 2021, Dr. Davies joined the faculty at Xavier, where she teaches courses in nursing and coordinates nursing and community health programs. “My desire to teach is two-fold,” she explained. “I am committed to improving care for patients, but I also want to continue sharing my love of learning and my passion for addressing the needs of the community and the healthcare system.”
In a very short period of time, Dr. Davies has made her mark at the university as well as in the community. “I genuinely believe that effective teaching seeks to change society in substantive ways,” she said. “Good teachers can awaken students to the values and ideologies embedded in texts and standard practices within their discipline.” She further explained that by preparing and developing the very people who will be active participants within the healthcare system brings her one step closer to her goal: The improvement of not only healthcare programs but patient outcomes.
Dr. Davies’ work is making an impact—not only in the classroom but beyond Xavier’s walls as well. Over the past two years, she has spearheaded numerous health fairs and community projects that target various specialties which include OBGYN, pediatric and geriatric populations. “I am passionate about serving
the community,” she stated. “Working with students on health fairs and community projects is how I fulfill my passion.” This year, she is working closely with the Dean of Student Affairs to plan four health fairs and a suture workshop. Dr. Davies was excited to share the news of how Xavier was able to provide an IV certification course for local nurses in Aruba—a significant milestone for the community—thanks to the support of Dr. Dubey, Chief Academic Officer.
As a black woman, Dr. Davies reflects on her journey, the challenges she overcame, and what it took to get to where she is today.
“I was born and raised in Sierra Leone, Africa, and moved to the U.S. almost 30 years ago. Moving to the states at a young age, I found it very challenging to be understood. Even more challenging was balancing work and earning my secondary degrees—all while being a single mom.”
As a professor and mentor, she said the best advice she would give to any young woman is for her to be true to herself. This is especially true for young women from underrepresented communities who want to pursue careers in medicine. “It’s so important to be the best version of yourself,” stated Dr. Davies. “The world has come a long way, yet there is still so much improvement that needs to be made when it comes to supporting and empowering women from diverse backgrounds.” With diversity being a topic that is top of mind today, Dr. Davies said she loves that Xavier has students from about 20 different countries. “It’s fulfilling to know that I’m a part of an organization that is shaping future physicians and understands the importance of cultural diversity.” When asked how she instills confidence and self-worth in her female students, Dr. Davies replied: “I use myself as an example. If I can make it, anyone can. The key is to stay focused and motivated.”
We are excited for another amazing Alumni Global Meet this year! This year’s event will take place from May 17-19 at Xavier’s Aruba campus.
We have been working hard to recruit a diverse and highly-qualified group of Xavier alumni and clinical staff from different fields to help you on your medical school journey. We will walk you through how to best position yourselves now during basic science to secure residency, expose you to new medical technology, impart the knowledge we all have through many different experiences in medical school and as doctors, and answer all of your questions.
All of the participating alumni were in the same position as you are now, and we will share recent and valuable information to help you succeed.
My advice to all of the Xavier students is to prepare a list of questions you may have and topics you would like to cover - general or specific to your situation - and take advantage of all of the alumni and clinical staff who will be there to help you. I also suggest you bring your enthusiasm and focus to take advantage of this one-of-a-kind opportunity that Xavier offers its students.
Dr. Mahmood Ahmad ‘20
Dr. Shajan Ahmed ‘08
Dr. Husam Ali ‘11
Dr. Kamal Deol ‘13
Dr. Vincent Gomez ‘20
Dr. Ramona Grewal ‘12
Dr. Hassan Khalisy ‘13
Dr. Saba Khan ‘15
Dr. Navtej Athwal ‘22
Dr. Jessica Audet ‘21
Dr. Jacqueline Bekhit ‘22
Dr. Andrea Hernandez ‘18
Dr. Majd Jazaerly ‘17
Dr. Ella-Marie Kabia ‘20
Dr. Stanley Lee ‘16
Dr. Naila Manahil ‘20
Dr. Michael Merced ‘13
Dr. Svetlana Paul ‘18
Dr. Chulou Penales ‘20
Dr. Rami Sakaan ‘18
Dr. Veera Thind ‘22
Dr. Asma Toor ‘19
Dr. Omar Nawab ‘17
Dr. Oladipupo Osunbunmi ‘20
Dr. Jessica Pagé ‘21
Dr. Aditya Sharma ‘20
Dr. Raza Syed ‘20
Dr. Hesham Tayel ‘16
XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE NEW ACADEMIC CAMPUS
