In our recent episode of the Med School Minutes podcast, supported by the Saint James School of Medicine, we had the fantastic opportunity to sit down with four current MD students. Our goal was to dive in and find out what life is like on the beautiful island of St. Vincent and why it is the favored home of so many international students looking for a rewarding healthcare career. Our…
In our most recent Med School Minutes Podcast, we welcomed Dr. Drake to talk about catching the love bug while studying towards your medical degree. Dr. Drake comes from a family medicine practice in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Her clinic covers pretty much everything you can imagine, from emergency care to working with an indigenous population. Dr. Drake is a proud St. James alumnus from Anguilla and part of one of…
Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM) has remained one of the top Caribbean-based medical schools for years. As more and more students graduate from this highly regarded institution, the opportunities to enter the workforce with a leg up from the connections and relationships built over time are only elevated by joining the SJSM Alumni Association. This will allow you to reconnect with valued friends and mentors and provide the opportunity…
Medical school is one of the more challenging pursuits that anyone can undertake in their educational development. Between clinicals and the amount of studying required for exams, it always feels like there is little time for any other pursuits. However, integrating extracurricular activities is critical to your development as a student and medical professional. They provide you a challenge for reinforcing the lessons you learned in the classrooms as well…
Being a medical student is more than memorizing procedures and preparing for the next round of tests in medical studies. It is also about experiencing the culture and local history of the island you live on. That is why the Med School Minutes podcast recently sat down with Dr. Jose Ramirez, the Assistant Clinical Dean at Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM), a leading Caribbean medical school, and Dr. DeJuan…
Gearing Up for the ‘Match’ Process Prospective and current medical school students wonder what it takes to make it through a competitive medical school program. What is required, not only to survive, but to excel. The Med School Minutes podcast met with Dr. Aqsaa Chaudhry, an alum of Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM), and Joe Torres, the Assistant Manager of Clinical Services at SJSM. Both of these individuals lend…
All Caribbean Medical Schools must be legitimately accredited by 2024 Due to a requirement by the Education Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates, only students from schools who are accredited by a World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) recognized accreditor would be allowed to appear for the USMLE Exams starting 2024. To gain some insight into med school accreditation, the Med School Minutes podcast had the opportunity to sit down with…
The Education Commission on Foreign Medical Education (ECFMG) is the primary body in the United States that oversees the policies and regulation around licensing International Medical Graduates (IMGs). In order to take the USMLEs, and to apply for residency all IMGs must be certified by ECFMG. This certification typically takes place after the completion of the 2nd year of a medical program, and before taking the USMLE Step 1 examination.…
Every three to four years, the USMLE Management Committee conducts an extensive review and analysis of the passing standard for each USMLE Step 1 exam. This is done to ensure the passing score is consistent with the expectations of the level of content proficiency needed to apply important concepts to the practice of medicine. While the USMLE Step 1 exam measures the student’s general understanding of Basic Science concepts and…
The one question I’ve never been capable of answering properly, or in a completely satisfactory way is, why do I want to become a physician? It probably has the same answer as “why am I a writer?” and I cannot answer that either. I want to be both. Perhaps we do the things we know that we can do well. Or maybe we do what this organism inside us feels…
