THE XAVIER TIMES
A Medical School Experience on an Island unlike any other in the region! JULY 2020 Vol. 12:/No.02
XAVIER UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE ARUBA APPROVED BY NY STATE
From the desk of: mêÉëáÇÉåí=o~îá=_Üççéä~éìê
President Ravi Bhooplapur is pleased to announce that on July 17th, 2020, the New York Board of Regents voted to approve Xavier University School of Medicine Aruba to place students in long-term clinical clerkship in New York State for 7 years. This is the longest term of approval that can be given to an International Medical School.
New York State Education Department approval allows:
• Xavier graduates to enter residency training in New York • Xavier students to complete all 72 weeks of clinical training in New York teaching hospitals This great achievement makes Xavier as only one of seven Caribbean Medical Schools to be approved by New York State Education Department. Xavier is ranked as a top ten medical school in the Caribbean by Money Inc. Magazine in 2018 and has a 96% USMLE first time passing rate. Under the leadership of Chancellor Dr. JG Bhat and Chairman of the Board Mr. Edwin Casey and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Arun Dubey, Xavier University School of Medicine Aruba is committed to providing high quality affordable medical education to everyone. President Bhooplapur wants to thank the Board of Trustees for their unwavering support and the entire academic team for their tireless work in achieving this great accomplishment. Along with approval from New York State Education Department, Xavier University School of Medicine Aruba is one a few schools to hold full accreditation from both ACCM and CAAM-HP. The United States Department of Education, through its National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), recognize both ACCM and CAAM-HP as approved accrediting bodies.
2 GRADUATE MATCH XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE / ARUBA
4 ONLINE LEARNING
6 NAVIGATING COVID-19
11 ORIENTATION
(516) 333-2224 • www.xusom.com • admissions@xusom.com Named a “Top 10 Caribbean Medical School” by jçåÉófåÅ.
XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE GRADUATE MATCH 2020
Megha Abraham Henry Ford Hospital-MI Family Medicine
Manal Ahmad Utsav Aiya University of Manitoba - Northern Remote Mercy Catholic Med Ctr-PA Family Medicine Internal Medicine
Mohsin Altaf Unity Health White County Medical Center Internal Medicine
Navdeep Dhillon Coliseum Med Ctrs-GA Psychiatry
Natasha Dyal Medical City Arlington Internal Medicine
Naila Manahil SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL Family Medicine
Congratulations
David Martinez U Alabama SOM-Huntsville Family Medicine
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Khuram Khan Wyckoff Heights Med Ctr-NY General Surgery
Zain Nagaria Ocean Med Ctr-NJ Family Medicine
Omar Nawab Medical City Arlington Internal Medicine
David Nwasike Hamilton Med Ctr-GA Internal Medicine
Christopher Orlando Houston Healthcare-GA Family Medicine
Svetlana Paul Nassau Univ Med Ctr-NY Pediatrics
Kaycee Umeoji Arnot Ogden Med Ctr-NY Internal Medicine
Rochard Sauveur Woodhull Med Ctr-NY Medicine-Primary
Albertina Sebastian Maimonides Med Ctr-NY General Surgery
Qanwarpartap Sidhu UHS So California Med Ed Consortium Family Medicine
Khashayar Tavakoli SUNY HSC Brooklyn-NY Surgery-Preliminary
Asma Toor Medical City Arlington Internal Medicine
ERY I V A X RSIT
E UNIVL OF MEDICINE SCHOO BA ARU
Aaron Walker Naval Walia Sinai Hospital of Baltimore-MD UPMC Mercy Hospital-PA Internal Medicine Internal Medicine
Nicholas Venuti Grand Strand Reg Med Ctr-SC Internal Medicine
Vaibhav Vyas New Bridge Med Ctr-NJ Psychiatry
Phillip Yohannan Howard Univ Hosp-DC Family Medicine
Paola Castro Zayas Puerto Rico Women and Children's Hospital Pediatrics
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Online Learning
in the Face of a Pandemic Jagraj Dosanjh - MD3 Due to Covid-19, Xavier University School of Medicine was forced to implement an online teaching system. Although it is not the same as having live in-person classes on campus, the past semester has gone better than I had expected. I chose to remain on the island of Aruba, which has done an exceptional job at containing the outbreak. I have been fortunate enough to be able to come to campus, and offer assistance wherever possible. I had the privilege of being able to participate in anatomy labs with Dr. Cobb, practice OSCE's with Dr. Neelam, and various other activities. It is not lost on me how fortunate I am to be able to have these opportunities, in particular because I chose to remain on the island.
When the pandemic first hit and it was clear the reach was expanding, instead of booking the first flight home, I weighed my options and felt the best decision for me and the well-being of my family was to remain here on the island. I realize now, that this decision also turned out to be for the best for my education. The professors have been more than accommodating in my needs, which has been tremendously helpful. The only thing missing is the interaction with fellow students. Zoom lectures are a great alternative to in person lectures, however they are not without their challenges. Xavier has done an exceptional job of making it work. I believe with the many precautions Aruba has taken to ensure the safety of those on the island, campus learning will hopefully begin this fall. I truly hope we can resume in person learning this fall and that the campus reopens to students.
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P1 E STE USML XAM E
A Students Perspective on Remote Learning Arooj Malik - MD4 The widespread Covid-19 pandemic caused schools around the globe to close their campuses in order to prevent large group gatherings. Due to the Xavier campus closure in Aruba, the majority of students have gone back to their homes to be with their families and quarantine. In the midst of the pandemic, Xavier School of Medicine made it possible for students to continue our medical education through remote learning to ensure our education is not jeopardized during these times.
As a student, I try to be extremely mindful of my time and allow myself to prepare for classes ahead of time in order to maximize my learning during the online lecture.
The sudden transition to remote learning took some time to adjust to. I went from sitting in class every day, to attending online lectures from the comfort of my home. This allowed me to adapt to my new study space. Given the difficulty of the current circumstances, online learning allowed me to apply my knowledge in a more relaxed environment. I feel as though with remote learning I have more control over my time and have easier access to getting assistance from the professors due to the flexibility they have provided us during the current pandemic. I found online learning is an easier platform to engage with my professors, to have the ability to ask questions via the chat feature, and to have more discussions resulting in a more interactive class.
Although online learning may be an easier schedule, it requires more discipline. As a student, I try to be extremely mindful of my time and allow myself to prepare for classes ahead of time in order to maximize my learning during the online lecture. This in turn creates an environment that helps me maximize my efforts during online lectures. As remote learning does require significantly more attention than in-person classes, I personally found online lectures to be a more intimate way of learning. This way of teaching eliminates several factors such as the interactions I would normally have in class with my peers, the breaks during class where I would run to the bathroom line, the commute I make to school every, and more. The previous normal routine of my everyday life was paired with unexpected interferences arising day to day, from the conversations and laughter of nearby voices in class to the uncomfortable eye contact and opinions in a room that may create critique are all lost with the aspect of remote learning. As a student, I do believe being physically present in a classroom, regardless of the obstacles, gave me the opportunity to fuel my creativity and helped me learn to grow as a student. Part of this journey as a medical student is to learn from my peers and professors in my environment and allowing them to shape me to become a better future physician. Thus, when I log into Zoom every morning I do miss that aspect of learning which I previously had access too.
Some positive aspects of online classes are that I can wake up 10 minutes prior to class and simply log into lecture and start my day. Throughout this experience I found that I have grown to enjoy remote learning. I do miss in-person lectures and the wholesome experience physically being on campus, but I've found a lot of positives with online learning. I learned to experiment with different study methods while being given more flexibility and have seen an increase in my confidence as a student. What made this experience easier was how well prepared the professors were in terms of helping us adapt to this new system. The efforts they made to ensure we all remained as engaged as possible in order to try to recreate the classroom experience has made the transition smoother. In addition, the lectures have all been recorded, giving me the opportunity to cover the information again. As a student I’ve learned that my peers and I have different methods of learning, occasionally it takes me a few times to really grasp the concept that is being taught, so the option to go back and view recorded lectures allows me to review the material again at my convenience. Remote learning has given me the opportunity to practice patience, gratitude and adaptability during this unique situation. This experience will allow me, as a medical student, to prepare for future challenges. Despite the situation, seeing my peers demonstrate willingness to learn is truly inspiring. The determination of medical students shines in situations like this, especially considering how hard it can be. We all aim to become successful and contribute positively to global health. After restrictions have been lifted, I look forward to being active again on campus, however even though we are all physically apart, I do feel as though we are all connected via this “new normal� way of virtual learning.
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NAVIGATING COVID-19
Xavier University Professors & Students Adapting to the Covid 19 Crisis
Due to the Covid 19 outbreak the classrooms and the labs have been closed for the safety of the faculty and the students. Due to this current situation, the anatomy faculty has had to adapt and change to a new method of delivery. Teaching Anatomy Online Dr. William James Cobb (Assistant Professor of Anatomy XUSOM) Human anatomy is an extensive course that spans across the entirety of the basic medical sciences and indeed into postgraduate medicine. The anatomical sciences include: embryology, gross clinical anatomy and histology. Classically, human anatomy is taught using cadavers, radiographic imaging and living anatomy. Due to the Covid 19 outbreak the classrooms and the labs have been closed for the safety of the faculty and the students. Due to this current situation, the anatomy faculty has had to adapt and change to a new method of delivery. At Xavier University School of Medicine, Dr. Manisha and Dr. Cobb are responsible for delivering the anatomical sciences curriculum. Both are trained clinical anatomists and well versed in cadaveric dissection and radiographic imaging teaching via the latest imaging technology (the anatomage table). Dr. Cobb believes heavily in the amalgamation of imaging within clinical anatomy as early on as possible within the basic medical sciences curriculum. Dr. Cobb completed the Anatomage training last year and runs sessions along with live dissections during the current Covid 19 situation.
Dr. Cobb in the anatomy lab with a prosection and the Antomage Table.
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Manroop Sahota - MD2 EbÇK=aê=g=o~ÉF
The COVID19 pandemic has been metamorphic throughout the world. The anxiety and hysteria have been feelings shared between individuals from all different backgrounds. Despite the dismay, the pandemic allowed for the human race to be humble together, as we collaborated to flatten curves and provide aid to our communities. Moreover, this time has allowed for personal development and reflection on what true necessities are. My personal experience with COVID19 is not much different. The pandemic completely changed my everyday routine, which I had planned and anticipated following for the upcoming months. This entire experience gave me a chance to step back and learn more about myself. Ultimately it gave me the opportunity to come up with an improved and stronger regimen. As the COVID19 pandemic grew, students were permitted to go back to their home countries and online classes took effect. Virtual learning has been quite different than what I was accustomed to as Xavier is a full-time, on-campus University. As students, we are required to practice discipline daily to emulate the schedule we followed in Aruba. Our professors continue to make a diligent efforts to keep students engaged during class. Practices such as scribing notes as they explain, and in-class problem solving has kept lectures stimulating. In addition, the faculty’s openness to questions and swift responses to any concerns is well appreciated.
Health crisis effect on Students Sravya sri Tharlapally - MD2 The COVID-19 pandemic is a health crisis, but brought about changes in many sectors of the world. Teaching has been moved to online instruction, in an untested and unprecedented scale. Student assessments are also moving to remote options, with a lot of trial and error and uncertainty for everyone. I felt overwhelmed in the beginning of the pandemic about the schedule and not being able to be in the class and interact with the teachers and other students. It was important for me to realize that it was all in my hands. It was up to me to determine how I can make the best out of my time and make a plan to solve my problems and be successful. Teachers and the staff of Xavier University have been very helpful throughout this transition. Soon enough I was able to adjust to the new schedules and was able to concentrate. Online teaching also creates more opportunity to reach out to my fellow students more efficiently and effectively through chat groups, video meetings, voting and document sharing. There are, however, challenges to overcome. Some students without reliable internet access or technology struggle to participate in digital learning. Overall I have adjusted well to the new normal in remote learning at Xavier.
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DURING COVID-19
MEMORY & LEARNING Memory and learning are considered the highest cognitive functions accomplished by the human brain; it is well known that without memory we cannot learn. Memory consolidation refers to the transformation of short-term memory into long term memory performed by several connections of subcortical and cortical structures in recurrent circuits. This process involves synaptic and cellular modifications in the hippocampus that occurs both while we are awake and during sleep. Once the information is transferred to the prefrontal cortex the long-term memory process is achieved. The coronavirus pandemic has affected the delivery of lectures on line all around the world at all education levels. The majority of the Universities decided to use technology and online learning platforms to continue teaching and performing one of the biggest challenges, which is moving from traditional education to online teaching and solving the problem of practical courses, improving the delivery of lectures. Coronavirus has forced educators to change the way they teach, moving from a lecture-listen model where the student is passive to an interactive, learn-by-doing model; the students are more active, the learning process is improved by keeping the students engaged, teaching at distance has been an experience that facilitates the learning process when all the technological resources has been used appropriately. The memory and learning process is accomplished in two areas of the brain: the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex; while the basolateral amygdala helps to store memories with emotional content. When the professors develop the organization of lectures delivered on line with a new perspective to engage the students in several new tasks that keep the students in an interactive course, solving problems, debates, oral presentations; they will guarantee the learning process, because all this ongoing process of repetition, association, analyzing and evaluating concepts consolidates the memory process by generating events at the synaptic and molecular level such as the increase in protein synthesis, an increase in the number of dendritic spines and the number of synapses on the dendrites of postsynaptic neurons in the hippocampus (long term potentiation), also producing the recurrence of hippocampal activity that brings about the gradual reorganization of the brain systems that stabilize synaptic plasticity and facilitates the formation of long-term memory in the prefrontal cortex. Also, the use of technology helps to consolidate the long-term memory using all the available tools such as 3D images, videos, and some other resources that motivate the students and generate emotional responses activating the limbic system reinforcing the hippocampal circuits in the learning process.
Certainly, the coronavirus has changed the teaching paradigms worldwide and the appropriate use of the technology could facilitate the learning process.
Dr Virginia De Frias EbÇK=aê=g=o~ÉF
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ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT (PEER TUTORING) “To harness the wisdom of peers”
Peer groups are students with similar backgrounds who come together to learn and teach. Peer tutoring is by far the most relevant societal curriculum that medical students imbibe through their journey of medicine. It is also a popular source of academic support that medical students across the world receive. It can smooth the transition of students entering into the field of medicine and enhance their learning, maximise their productivity and help them succeed. The Academic enhancement program is overseen by the office of student affairs and managed by the students. The President is appointed by the chief academic officer upon recommendation from assistant dean of student affairs. Students interested to be a part of Academic enhancement program and become peer tutors are required to submit an application to the office of student affairs. Peer tutors are chosen based on their previous academic performance. Peer tutors can accrue tutoring hours and they will be awarded with tuition deductions for the following semester based on the number of tutoring hours they have accrued. At Xavier University School of Medicine, our goal is foster students to involve themselves in peer groups and tutoring sessions. Students are encouraged to participate in the tutoring sessions and peer mentoring sessions. Peers can help in enhancement of academic performance of the students. They can help the students learn topics better, learn appropriate utilization of time, use appropriate resources, use a better approach to exams, better allocation of time for different topics, improve test taking skills and so on. Students can either book an individual session or a group discussion session with their academic peers. They can contact the President of AEP to schedule these sessions. Due to the current COVID pandemic, medical schools are forced to deliver the curriculum online which has posed a major challenge for student learning. Xavier University School of Medicine has taken proactive measures to help students succeed by optimum utilization of technology to provide seamless delivery of curricula and student academic support.
Dr. Prasad Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, XUSOM EbÇK=aê=g=o~ÉF
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STUDENT ACTIVITIES
BETTER SLEEP, BETTER LIFE, BETTER PLANET
Sleep is proving to be increasingly crucial in an anxiety-driven modern society. Especially amid a pandemic when many of us are tossing and turning in bed with irregular sleep patterns. Sleep deprivation is tied to all sorts of maladies and has indeed become a public health concern. It is undisputed that medical students set the standard for insufficient sleep. However, as medical professionals, we are obliged to educate and promote the importance of healthy sleep and set an example of a well-balanced lifestyle.
World Sleep Day is an annual event hosted by the World Sleep Society that intends to create awareness and call for action on all aspects of sleep-related issues. The experts in the field have stressed the importance of healthy sleep patterns even more so during current times—anxiety tied to the pandemic can lead to poor sleeping patterns which can subsequently lead to a weakened immune system. More importantly, research has shown that poor sleeping patterns are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health conditions. A significant proportion of individuals living in Aruba suffer from sleep-related issues. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) was found to be the most frequently diagnosed sleep-related disorder according to a research study published on the prevalence of interstitial and other lung diseases on Aruba. As medical students studying in Aruba, we hope to educate the Aruban community on the impact of sleep on one’s life. Duration vs. quality of sleep, cognitive functions and mental health, the risks of developing chronic health conditions, and strategies to improve the duration and quality of sleep are all critical components to establish not only the quality of sleep but also the quality of life itself. The World Sleep day was to be held on the 19th of March, 2020, at the Xavier University School of Medicine auditorium. Planning of the event was guided by dr. Virginia de Frias and led by cecilia Agada, lofty Akpanke, Fariha Angum, dilini Herath, Tahir Khan, Arooj Malik, and Alim Parhar of Xavier University and the Women’s club of Aruba. Due to the pandemic, we decided it was best to postpone the event further down the line as a safety measure, but we will continue to educate the communities of Aruba regarding the importance of sleep.
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ALUMNI UPDATES
How has your experience in Residency been so far? Residency is a combination of challenges, hard work, achievements, and good memories. I’ve had an enjoyable experience with a group of great colleagues who became my second family. I’ve also met great attendings who I learn from every day. Being a chief resident in my third year is adding more to this experience. Now I have more responsibilities like setting up schedules, organizing meetings, and solving conflicts. Although these responsibilities require a lot of time and effort, they are allowing me to grow as a person and a physician.
DR. MAJD JAZAERLY CLASS OF 2017
was recently elected Chief Resident in his Internal Medicine Residency at HCA Healthcare/USF Morsani College of Medicine GME: Blake Medical Center. He is also pursuing a Cardiology Fellowship.
We look forward to seeing everything Dr. Jazaerly will accomplish!
How has the cOVid-19 pandemic affected your day to day? It surely made things harder and more challenging. On the other hand this pandemic taught me how to be more efficient in terms of managing my time and priorities.
What is your favorite part about going to work every day? Seeing the improvement of my patient’s health is one of my favorite things about my job. As well as the never ending learning opportunities I have with every new case and every new patient. On top of that, the responsibilities of chief residents make my day more challenging and enjoyable. Where do you see yourself and your medical career in the next 5 years? In five years I see myself as a cardiologist working as an associate in a hospital with a good research department. I am still waiting to start the fellowship to decide between Interventional, structural or Electro-Physiologist.
VIRTUAL ORIENTATION Dr. Prasad
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, XUSOM EbÇK=aê=g=o~ÉF
The orientation sessions are icebreakers for the students, welcoming them into medical community. All the apprehensions of the students and parents regarding the medical school, the curriculum, the quality and the outcome are alleviated during the orientation sessions, and it also provides scope of interaction with the faculty. due to cOVid-19 pandemic, delivery of the Orientation ceremony of Summer 2020 semester had to be done via virtual platform as a webinar.
The pre-orientation packet primed the students regarding the curriculum, student support, the schedule of the orientation program and the first week of medical curriculum. The students were also provided with key contact information.
The orientation program lasted for 2 days, during which the students were presented with various aspects of XUSOM such as the curriculum, student support, clinical training, research, and student finance. It also consisted of sessions on study skills, IT support, online academic resources and a Q&A session with the Deans. COVID-19 has not only posed a great challenge to medical community but also the medical education. Rapid transformation of the delivery of medical curriculum from classrooms to online platforms are imminent. Nevertheless, we have adopted mechanisms to ensure that the quality of delivery of the curriculum and the student support has not been compromised.
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JOIN US
XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE’S
VIRTUAL
2020 GRADUATION CEREMONY FRIDAY
JULY 31ST, 2020 BEGINNING AT 11AM FOR MORE INFORMATION
https://xusom.com/virtualgraduation2020
Named a “Top 10 Caribbean Medical School” by jçåÉófåÅ.
XAVIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE / ARUBA
North American Admissions Office 1000 Woodbury Road, Suite 109 Woodbury, New York 11797 USA T: 516-333-2224 F: 516-921-1070 E: Admissions@xusom.com
Aruba Campus Santa Helenastraat #23 Oranjestad, Aruba T: 297-588-7766 F: 297-588-6222
(516) 333-2224 • www.xusom.com • admissions@xusom.com
