SGU Soars Once Again on Match Day

Volume 6 | Issue 2
March/April 2013
AAMP
Alumni Admission Mentor Program
SGU Soars Once Again on Match Day
More Grads Placed in US Residency Posts Than Any Medical School in World for Third Straight Year
Congratulations, graduates! Thus far­­—and the list keeps
growing—789 PGY-1 positions in 18 different specialties were
secured in the US by our graduates in 46 of the 50 states. In
addition to the 18 Canadian graduates who secured PGY-1
spots in Canada, many Canadian graduates obtained US
residency positions this year.
interviews for anesthesiology
and pegged UW as his top
choice. “It will be really nice to
go back west—my wife is from
the west coast and all of my
family is there.”
While the majority of the graduates this year are fulfilling one
of the University’s goals of meeting the American Medical
Association’s call for more primary care doctors around the
country, 25 graduates secured residencies in emergency
medicine, 56 in surgery, and 22 in anesthesiology. Others
matched in a variety of different specialties, including one
graduate who secured a spot in orthopedic surgery.
Catherine Murray obtained a
highly competitive diagnostic
radiology residency at the
University of Ottawa through
the Canadian Resident
Matching Service (CaRMS).
“It’s very exciting to be going
back to Canada and to be
going to a great program,” she said. “I felt very comfortable
leaving Grenada with my knowledge base, and I think SGU
students make a good impression wherever they go.” For the
complete list of matches, visit sgu.edu.
Among the 2013 matches was Michael Melin, who looks
forward to beginning his anesthesiology residency at the
University of Washington School of Medicine this summer.
“Matching at the University of Washington really was a
dream come true,” said Mr. Melin, who had gone on 12
Message from the AAMP Coordinator
“We make a living by what
we get. We make a life by what
we give.” – Sir Winston Churchill
When I take a step back and look
at where our alumni have gone on
to practice, it truly is astounding.
The University was merely an idea
in the mid-1970s. Now, Grenada
is truly a hub for international
education. In my 20-plus years at SGU, it has been incredible
to see it all unfold.
The University could not be in better shape. The 2012
USMLE 1 results were fantastic, and congratulations to all
of our students and graduates who matched in March. The
institutions to which our grads are going will no doubt be
impressed with the doctors they are getting.
Thank you to those who visited with advisors at nearby
colleges and universities to advocate for your alma mater. It
is meaningful when SGU grads not only go on to successful
careers but also speak highly about their overall experience.
We still need your help spreading the word. We will be
in dozens of major cities
worldwide this spring and
summer, and fall. In addition
to the info sessions, we hold
webinars regularly and appoint
students and grads to answer
questions via live chat or
help present via phone or
teleconference Lastly, we’re
proud to have launched our
Alumni Mentor Scholarship
Program. Read more about it inside.
“Our AAMP
volunteers have
helped the
University grow
by leaps and
bounds.”
We hope you’re having a great spring. Our AAMP volunteers
have helped the University grow by leaps and bounds, and
we need your help to continue recruiting bright and driven
individuals to become part of the SGU family.
– Betsy Mills
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Featured AAMP Volunteers
THREE WAYS YOU
CAN HELP OUT
With the Alumni Admission Mentor
Program (AAMP), St. George’s
University has a strong network of
graduates who can connect with
prospective students because they
have experienced med and vet school
as well as island life firsthand. There
are a number of ways in which alumni
can contribute. Here are a few:
1. Information Sessions
Throughout the year we host
information sessions in major
cities around the world. Each
session includes an in-depth
60-minute presentation by one of
our administration, followed by
Q&A with our current students
and graduates.
2. Webinars
S
tudents can log on and learn
about St. George’s University
from anywhere in the world.
These web-based information
sessions include a brief 30-minute
presentation by one of our
administrators as well as live chat
and Q&A with current students
and graduates. Webinars are
scheduled to accommodate
different regions around the world.
3. Backstage at SGU
Students, alumni and
administration talk to prospective
students at these informal
meet-and-greets, giving them
a firsthand account of what
life is like at SGU. These small
receptions typically coincide with
some of our information sessions.
If you are interested in attending a
presentation, you can register online.
Visit sgu.edu/infosessions or call
1 (800) 899-6337 ext. 9 1280 in the
US and Canada or 0800 1699061
ext. 9 1380 in the UK. From all other
areas, please call +1 (631) 665-8500
ext. 9 1380.
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Jacqueline Larson, MD
Class of 2012
Dr. Larson is a first-year pediatric resident at
St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson,
NJ, working in the facility’s newborn nursery and
neonatal intensive care unit. A native of Oregon, she
came a long way to attend SGU, and since becoming
part of the University’s family, Dr. Larson has offered
guidance to countless prospective students. As a
sufferer of three diseases of the gastrointestinal
tract, she eventually hopes to specialize in pediatric
gastroenterology. She has even written a cookbook
for those afflicted with GI-related conditions. “SGU
works very hard at sculpting its students into leaders, and it really pays off by the
time you’re into your clinical years,” Dr. Larson said.
Alex Drossos, MD
Class of 2012
An alumnus of the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars
Program (KBTGSP), Dr. Drossos is a psychiatry
resident at the University of Toronto. He has an MBA
in health services management, as well as an MEd in
health professional education.
While at Northumbria University, Dr. Drossos
reinvigorated the Physicians for Human Rights
chapter, and also led SGU’s inaugural membership
into the International Federation of Medical
Students Associations (IFSMA). Dr. Drossos is
passionate about aboriginal health, medical informatics, mental health, and
human rights, and advocates for the KBTGSP and its global health focus.
Lydia Doyle, DVM
Class of 2005
Dr. Doyle is a staff veterinarian at Clerkin Veterinary
Hospitals, a group with three locations throughout
her native Ireland.
She was one of the first UK students to attend
and graduate from the SGU School of Veterinary
Medicine, during which time she completed her final
clinical year at University College Dublin. Since the
age of 13, Dr. Doyle has spent many hours working at
Barn Lodge Veterinary Hospital in Lancashire, UK, in
a variety of capacities.
Dr. Doyle frequently participates in SGU events throughout the UK and Ireland,
encouraging future students to follow her path to Grenada to achieve
their dreams.
St. George’s University Wants Your Testimonials
What’s the latest? We want to know. We’re looking for alumni to tell the
story of their experience at SGU so that prospective students can get a
glimpse of the journey on which they may embark and the heights that
they can reach. Contact AAMP Coordinator Betsy Mills at 800-899-6337
ext. 9 1213 or bmills@sgu.edu to get started.
University Launches Alumni Mentor Scholarship Program
You have experienced the international education and
experience that is St. George’s University, and now through
the St. George’s University Alumni Mentor Scholarship
Program, you have the opportunity to nominate a prospective
medical student to receive a partial-tuition scholarship to SGU.
If your nominee is chosen, SGU will fly you down to Grenada
at the beginning of the term to witness your student’s
participation in the White Coat Ceremony, formally marking
their induction into the medical profession. You will have the
opportunity to stand with your future doctor as he or she
begins their medical career in Grenada—just as you once did.
The program is limited to SGU alumni and is for School of
Medicine students. To apply, visit sgu.edu/alumnimentor
or contact Betsy Mills at 1 (800) 899-6337 ext. 9 1213 or
bmills@sgu.edu.
In 1980, Dr. Gallo discovered
HTLV-1, which was the first
of the human retroviruses
causing a malignancy to
be discovered. Later in the
decade, he discovered
HTLV-2 and co-discovered
HIV. Dr. Gallo provided the
first clear evidence that HIV
caused AIDS, and he and his
team developed the first HIV
diagnostic test. In the ’90s, Dr.
Gallo and his co-workers also
discovered the first natural
inhibitors of HIV, which was
instrumental in developing
treatments for the infection.
In addition, in 1986 he and his
team also discovered the first
human herpes virus in more
To learn more about this and other scholarship opportunities
at SGU, visit sgu.edu/financial-services.
St. George’s University
Excels on USMLE Step 1
HIV Research
Pioneer Delivers
KBT/WINDREF
Lecture
On the topic “Viruses and
Epidemics with a Focus on
HIV/AIDS: Our Attempts to
Control Them,” renowned
physician and scientist Dr.
Robert C. Gallo was the
keynote speaker at the
fifth annual Keith B. Taylor
Memorial Lecture/13th
Annual WINDREF Lecture.
The deadline is June 1 for the August class and November 1
for the January class.
than 25 years, HHV-6, which
proved to cause the infantile
disease, roseola.
Dr. Gallo spoke on how the
work of he and his team
shattered many medical
misconceptions of the time.
He also focused on HTLV1 and HIV and what it will
take to control these viral
pandemics. “There are
approaches to finding a
cure, but as yet, no one has
a cure for HIV or HTLV-1 …
but we have good diagnostic
tests today and treatment
at least for HIV is having a
positive impact on many
people’s lives.” His mantra
is to “test a lot, treat early
and we can control the HIV
pandemic—do it for the
world, do it forever, until we
find a preventive vaccine.
This approach will take a
tremendous commitment
by governments and policy
makers.”
St. George’s University
students who took the
USMLE 1 for the first time
in 2012 achieved a 97
percent pass rate, marking
the fourth straight year
that the rate surpassed 90
percent. These students
have come to SGU from 37
countries, with Canadian
students achieving a stellar
100 percent pass rate.
The University’s 2012 pass
rate topped the 2011 results,
a year in which SGU first-time
test takers achieved a pass
rate of 95 percent overall
and 96 percent among those
from the US and Canada. By
contrast, the first-time pass
rate for students at US and
Canadian schools was 94
percent in 2011, according to
the USMLE website. US and
Canadian schools’ pass rate
for 2012 is still unavailable.
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SGU Spring/Summer Events
Join us! St. George’s University webinars, information sessions, and Backstage at SGU events scheduled throughout
the coming months, and SGU graduates are important resources for prospective students. Below is a list of where
we’ve been and where we’ll be. It is always being updated so check the SGU website for the complete list, and
e-mail bmills@sgu.edu if you would like to help us bring in the world’s best and brightest students.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5/24
Izmir, Turkey
4/24Singapore
5/30
Los Angeles, California
4/26
Bangkok, Thailand
6/19 Tampa, Florida
4/28
Taipei, Taiwan
6/20
Nashville, Tennessee
4/29
Seoul, South Korea
6/26
Great River, New York
4/30
Hong Kong
6/29
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
5/1Macau
7/10
Salt Lake City, Utah
5/20
7/10
Trenton, New Jersey
5/21 Manchester, England
7/10
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
5/22
London, England
7/11
Los Angeles, California
5/23
Istanbul, Turkey
7/22
Chicago, Illinois
Stockholm, Sweden
Stay Connected
with SGU
facebook.com/StGeorgesU
youtube.com/StGeorgesU
twitter.com/StGeorgesU
gplus.to/StGeorgesU
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