AUA Pulse May 09

AUA Files Lawsuit Against Arkansas State Medical Board AUA has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court against the Arkan-sas State Medical Board (ASMB) and its individual members for unfairly dis-criminating against graduates of medical schools located in the Caribbean who seek license to practice medicine in Arkansas, especially Americans who attend and graduate from those schools.

The AUA Complaint, filed jointly with two current AUA students and two AUA graduates, alleges that the ASMB - in collusion with the Liaison Commit-tee on Medical Education (LCME) and its two sponsoring bodies, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) - is unlawfully, willfully and inten-tionally denying AUA students the right to apply for and to obtain licenses to practice medicine in Arkansas without due process of law and without equal protection of law, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Con-stitution.

Rather than institute its own standardized process to evaluate and approve individual applicants and medical schools, the ASMB improperly claims to defer to the California State Medical Board's list of approved and disapproved schools. However, even though AUA is not on Cali-fornia's list of disapproved schools, ASMB added AUA to its disapproved list. It did so without conducting a site visit, examining the school's curriculum or considering information compiled by the medical board of any state. By com-parison, the State of New York granted AUA's application for approval of its clinical studies program based upon a thorough and detailed investigation of AUA, its curriculum, its faculty, its facilities and the quality of the medical edu-cation it offers.

"There is a critical shortage of doctors in Arkansas and only one medical school, yet motivated and accomplished US citizens and Arkansas residents with medical degrees are being prohibiting from practicing medicine in their home state as a result of the AAMC, AMA and Arkansas State Medical Board's short sightedness and indolent approval practices," said Neil Simon, AUA Founder and President.

A recent report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services identified more than 225 areas in which there is a shortage of medical health care professionals in the State of Arkansas.

The AUA Complaint asks the Court to restrain the ASMB from including AUA on its list of disapproved medical school without proper investigation under, or adherence to, Regulation No. 3 of the Arkansas State Medical Board.

**This article was reprinted from the Associated Press Wire Service**

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ANTIGUA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

1

What’s Inside?

AUA Files Lawsuit................................1From the Editors...............................2-4Clare Hall Donation.............................5Dr. Lueck Writes Back.....................6-8Medicine At Sea...............................9-11 Welcome to AUA!.......................12-14From Your SGA Prez...................15-16Meet Your Board and Reps........17-18Rumor Mill...........................................19The Counseling Corner..............20-21The Women’s Corner........................22Walking Victims.............................23-24Responsibility and Respect.........25-26Island Goggles.....................................27Antigua and You..................................28Movie Review......................................29A Mother’s Day Message..................30A Gift for You......................................31

Quick, someone hold my hair back - I think I see a .PPT!

Over the past year, I have begun to understand how Pavlov’s dogs must have felt at the height of his ex-periments. … No, I don’t reflexively salivate at the sound of a bell. … Well not unless there are tacos involved!

Jokes aside, what has in fact happened is that I have acquired the tendency to groan internally whenever I see the ‘Powerpoint’ logo. Why have I developed such a negative response to this benign orange P-shaped de-sign? Because I have grown to associate the symbol with a feeling of panic, and the experience of sitting in a classroom completely overwhelmed with information I cannot process in the time given. I thus exit the lecture stressed, and feeling like I learned next to nothing.

As a student, the main problems I have encountered with Powerpoint-based classes (both inside and outside of AUA) include the following:

- First and foremost is what I call the “screen effect,” meaning that the minute I see something projected on a brightly lit screen in a half-dimmed room, my mental acuity automatically drops a few points. Why? Because I have spent my entire life associating that scenario with watching movies. And watching a movie is pretty pas-sive, unless you are one of those fun people who likes to yell at the screen. But seriously, it is my contention that screen-based learning is ineffective in part because it tends to promote passivity. In the most effective Pow-erpoint lectures I have attended, I barely noticed the slides because the instructor was so busy engaging the class…

- The second difficulty I have faced as a student is that many Powerpoint-using instructors tend to focus more on their slides than on their audience. This is partly a practical issue that could be solved either by the instructor using a laptop or printed notes, and/or by decreasing the amount of text on the slides and using just a few words for each main point. … And when I say “a few words,” I mean that literally. In my opinion, text-heavy slides should be available on the S-drive for us to peruse at home, and the better part of class time should be spent on active learning, be it writing, drawing, or Q&A. I can understand needing some form of notes as a lecturer, but that is far different than writing out nearly every spoken word in ‘bullet form’ and reading it aloud from a pro-jector during class. Even worse are the times when the instructor comes to a slide and begins discussing it as though I am already intimately familiar with it. This approach is the one that causes my panic-sensors to fire, as I am then torn between reading and listening, while at the same time trying to decipher and highlight the main points. I am also not a fan of “skipping slides.” Please, if there is a set of material that is to be used for the class versus for later reference, let’s have two separate sets of slides. Or hey, there is always that book we’re using as a door-stop; maybe we can somehow incorporate it...?


2

- Finally, the last major problem I have encountered with Powerpoint-based classes is the rigidity. When there is a specific number of slides to “get through” each day, the learning process loses much of its freedom and flu-idity. I understand that in medical school there is a great deal of technical information, and there are some things that simply have to be memorized. To give a successful active-based learning lecture on such material is not a simple matter. But nor is it as difficult as one might think. Think back to how we were initially taught the multi-plication tables, or foreign verb conjugations. My teachers would make the whole class repeat them aloud a few times every day, and gradually, we would learn them. This may sound a bit arcane and childish for medical school, but I would argue that it works far better than flashing up a slide and saying “Make sure you memorize this table.” Obviously, we cannot recite every little detail aloud during class, but that is part of the point: Let class time be for the things we absolutely must know, and leave the details to the S-drive. If that table really must be memorized, then it is probably worth devoting some class time toward doing so. Truly, it is possible to make memorization-heavy courses more active and I have even seen it done - and yes it was in a science course. ... Remember, effective teaching is an exercise in creativity as much as preparedness!

I was initially attracted to AUA because it was founded on the idea that classes should be fairly small and in-formation should be presented in a genuinely effective manner. Are Powerpoint-based lectures really the best way to teach? Many studies, students, and professors say ‘no’ and I am inclined to agree. However, I do under-stand that this is a complicated issue with layers of arguments for and against.

What I would love to see is the entire faculty, administration, and some members of the student body sit down and discuss the problem, as many times as it takes, until it is resolved. As the new campus gets closer to opening and AUA’s reputation continues to evolve, I hope to see this issue addressed and a real plan constructed. We all have the same goal of ensuring that the name of this school is something we are proud to associate with our own. ... If we all come together with good intentions and open minds, we can come up with a solution that pleases both sides of the classroom.

*** Disclaimer: This editorial is absolutely not directed as a personal attack against any single profes-sor or department at AUA. Rather, it is an honest attempt to engage the students, faculty, and admini-stration in a dialogue about the effectiveness of Powerpoint as a teaching tool in medical/nursing school.


3

Katie SchmitzAUA Pulse Editor-in-Chief

Med 3

I began this semester by analyzing my time and my experiences at AUA. After being the AUA Pulse Assistant Editor for one semester, I decided that I now need to write regularly about something people really need to hear. I contemplated between AUA news stories and world events. Then it hit me: Why not just keep it real? So this semester, I will be writing a column called the Reality Check. It will consist of things that, over the course of the past semesters, I have

felt as if some students needed to hear them, while those who don’t will understand where I am coming from. I begin this first article with a quote from a verse of a Kanye West song:

“Everything I’m Not May Be Everything I am.”

Here at AUA, I find that many students tend to be very judgmental and have perceived notions on how things should or should not be. But really, who are you? Are you honestly trying to fix these problems, or are you just playing the devil’s advocate? When you look in the mirror, what do you honestly see? Is the person you see the same person you claim to hate?

I ask these questions in the hope that those who are reading them take some time to find the answers. It has been proven that people tend to dislike or disagree with things they honestly wish they could be or had. So in other words, are you a hypocrite? Do you ask for respect, but disrespect your professors by showing up to class late, just so you can be on AIM the whole time? Do you want people to treat you fairly and be understanding, but curse out the security guards for just doing their jobs? Do you con-sider yourself a good friend, but when your friend needs you the most, you suddenly become too busy? Do you hate it when people don’t communicate a story properly, but you’re the first one to gos-sip?

In all fairness, some things that you do not like are the result of a previous negative encounter. This is more so targeting the pandemic of “hypercritism” and its effects on those around you. Before you react to a situation in a negative manner, I urge you to sit back and think about how you would honestly want to be treated in a similar situation and then respond. By tackling these things, you will notice that you have more true friends and fewer true problems.


4

Khrystal BooneAUA Pulse Assistant Editor-in-Chief

Med 4

AUA DONATES SUPPLIES TO CLARE HALL HEALTH CENTREThe AUA community showed its commit-ment to social responsibility in Antigua by making a substantial donation of supplies to the Clare Hall Health Centre Friday May 15, 2009. Former SGA Executive Treasurer Danny Lababera explained, “Two semesters ago for Taster’s Day, the SGA raised some money to donate supplies to the Clare Hall Health Centre and the AUA administration matched the amount raised. After speaking with the head nurse Miss Quallis, and Miss Wade, they gave me a list of some medical and office supplies and I went out and bought the stuff for them.”

Some of the items donated were a Doppler that monitors fetal heart rate, a rolling blood pressure cuff, child and extra large blood pressure cuffs, and stethoscopes. The total amount donated was $12,000 EC. Christopher Rhyne, current SGA Executive President, praised Danny for his efforts in coordinating this philanthropic initia-tive. “Because of the short time frame that the students and the executive board are on the island, the task of following through once the funds were raised was left up to Danny. All of the efforts that he put in to meet with the Clare Hall Health Centre and find out what they needed, to budget the money, to meet with the local vendors here in Antigua and to work those vendors to spend that money to support the economy of the island and to improve the health care system on the island was a one-man show.”

Chris went on to explain some of the future philanthropic initiatives that AUA students will be involved in. “We have a Sikh student organization that feeds the homeless in St. John’s, we have a nursing organization that works with the Sunshine Girls, and we have tutors who regularly assists students at the Cedar Valley Elementary School. “We are definitely going to con-

tinue raising money for other health centers in the area similar to Clare Hall Health Centre, and are excited to give back to the com-munity,” said Chris.

Dr. Bell in his address highlighted that the students organized sev-eral fundraisers including Taster’s Day events. He remarked that AUA is always happy as an institution to support health. He out-lined the nursing program at AUA and implored the nurses at Clare Hall to welcome the students and faculty as coworkers.

Nurse Quallis, Head Nurse at Clare Hall Health Centre, thanked the AUA faculty and students on behalf of the staff and all the clients who use the clinic, for all the lovely gifts. “I can assure you it is needed and will be put to good use. I thank everyone who is in-volved and assure you that when the students are at the clinic, once the arrangements are made, we will be more than happy to have them and will support them in whatever ways we can.”

**Article and photos reprinted from the Antiguan Sun


5

SGA Executive President Chris Rhyne (left) and former Executive Treasurer Danny Lababera (right) outside the Clare Hall Health Centre

Clare Hall Health Centre staff stand with AUA staff and students outside of the clinic on the day of donation.

To Attend Class or Not?That Should Be NO Question!!Dr. rer. nat. Dipl.-Biol. Andreas LueckAssociate Dean of Academic MattersChair of Medical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics

With a great deal of interest, I read the article in the last AUA Pulse regarding class attendance. As some of the complaints and concerns were directed against the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Genetics and also because of the editor’s note at the end of the article, I am writing this response to set the record straight.

The editor’s note stated that the Chair of Biochemistry and Genetics was not available for comment and did not respond at all. Based on the wording of this statement, and in the context of the entire article, there is a chance that the reader may have interpreted this as me being unwilling to comment on the issue, which is not true. These are the facts:

It is correct that the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics was approached for a comment prior to publication of the article. The request for comment was emailed to me while I was overseas on vacation. During that time I had very little and at times no opportunity at all to access the Internet and my email. Because of this, and due to some miscommunication, the AUA Pulse editor did not receive my response in time.

I strongly disagree with the opinion that many professors at AUA are either completely unable to teach their subject or have no interest at all in teaching. In fact, I have yet to meet an AUA faculty member who has no in-terest in teaching. All AUA faculty members do their very best to teach students, not only what they need to know to pass exams but more importantly, what they need to know in order to be good doctors in the future.

However, it is also well known that students do not have an open mind regarding certain courses and the fac-ulty members who teach those courses. Instead, many students approach these unpopular courses and their faculty with a very negative and predetermined mindset that appears to be written in stone, regardless of the true quality and outcome of these courses as determined by subject and comprehensive shelf exams as well as performance on Step I.

I completely agree with Dr. Hannah’s statement, which is right to the point. I just would like to add that, for sev-eral reasons, certain instructional and teaching tools, like small group teaching, are not feasible for second semester courses.

The AUA Pulse editor-in-chief asked me to write a few words regarding the use of PowerPoint as tool for teaching/instruction. One has to know that PowerPoint was initially developed as a presentation tool for scien-tific and business-type meetings. Over the years, however, it has been used more and more also for teaching and instruction at various levels, mainly in colleges and universities. One thing is for sure: PowerPoint is very user-friendly. Generating and updating lectures is very easy compared to other instructional methods. That leaves us with the question: Is PowerPoint a good teaching tool? Well, everybody is different and Power-Point as a teaching tool has been controversial ever since it has been used for that purpose for the first time. I do not think that there is a clear “yes” or “no” answer to that question. Some people like it, others do not. Aca-demic institutions, however, take pride in what is called academic freedom, which allows, for instance, each


6

faculty member to independently from anyone else choose whatever s/he believes is the best tool/method for teaching/instruction of his/her course or part of a course. That may or may not be PowerPoint. While I do not want to go into any detail here, it is my opinion (and I have to emphasize that I am speaking only for myself in this context) that some courses are better suited for the use of PowerPoint than others. This is the reason why I am using PowerPoint in Genetics but not in Biochemistry. Other faculty may and probably will have a different opinion on this particular issue, though.

One of the concerns voiced was that faculty leave campus after the lecture and are not available for answering questions and clarifications of course material. This seems to be a big problem for second semester students at the North Campus. It must be kept in mind, however, that Dr. Merrin and Dr. Shetty are the only second se-mester faculty members who have an office at the North Campus. All other second semester faculty will leave for the West Campus after the lecture because this is where our offices are located. That does not mean, how-ever, that students cannot approach us while we are in the classroom or outside before or after the lectures or during lecture breaks. If answering students’ questions takes more than a moment we will ask them to come to the West Campus during our office hours for further discussion.

If a student fails to understand the content of a lecture, the student most definitely should approach us and make use of our office hours. But the student should NOT expect us to just somehow know that s/he has trouble understanding if the student does not speak to us about his/her difficulties. We are not psychics or mind readers.

Another concern brought forward was that faculty apparently lack teaching ability during office hours in provid-ing clarification to class material. I find that hard to believe. The point here is that in order to obtain a clear and defined answer, a clear and defined question must be asked. A diffuse question carries a high degree of likeli-hood to receive a diffuse answer.

I agree with the concern of students that second semester (with four major courses - yes, Genetics is a major course) is a huge load, which can be intimidating at times. However, there are ways to reduce that load if a student feels completely overwhelmed, and the student should then consult his/her faculty advisor before tak-ing any action that s/he may regret later on. Moreover, I am more than happy to provide clarification, advice and assistance to students in such academic matters. But students need to be aware that reducing the course load may come (like everything in life) with a price tag in the form of possibly having to stay another semester or so if the course from which the student withdraws is not offered as block course.

I have to strongly disagree that students do not get any guidance in Biochemistry and Genetics as implied in a statement (AUA student 2, then in Med 2). If the student had come to class in Biochemistry and Genetics and had listened to what we have to say, s/he would have heard us pointing out what is more important over what may not be of such great importance many times during every single lecture.

The common theme across all of the AUA students’ statements in one way or another was the complaint about “not being taught”. What I could not find in any of those statements, however, is a good and specific reason as to why they feel that way. I am sorry but the diffuse complaint about PowerPoint slides being used or not being used is too vague to be acceptable as the reason. So I wonder what the idea of these students is of how ex-actly they would like to be taught and if this could be a problem of preparedness for medical school, study hab-its and study skills rather than teaching. If so the Educational Enhancement Department might be able to pro-vide valuable assistance and guidance to students.

One last thing: We (faculty and administration) frequently ask our top students who excel on Step I, what they did to succeed. All of them tell us the same story: their success was based on studying not only hard but also smart, going to class every day, taking notes during lectures, and paying attention as the faculty in all subjects


7

take a lot of time to patiently explain complicated contexts and difficult concepts. These top students feel that going to class was very beneficial for them and never forget to mention that students who do not go to class most certainly miss out on a lot of valuable information. Asked for a recommendation to their fellow students in the basic sciences as to how to maximize their chances for success, the answer unanimously is:

GO TO CLASS AND PAY ATTENTION!!

******************************************************************************

*** Please see the March 2009 issue of the AUA Pulse to read the entire article, “To Attend Class Or Not: That Is The Question,” which is available on the S-Drive. Choose the Student Government Folder, then the Student Newsletter folder, then the AUA Pulse folder. ***

Original Editor’s Note:

“The AUA Pulse contacted the chairs of the Anatomy and Biochemistry & Genetics departments in order to give them a chance to respond to this article and received the following email from Dr. Richard Han-nah, chair of the Anatomy department. (The chair of the Biochemistry & Genetics department was not available for comment and did not respond to email as of press time.)”

Original comment by Dr. Richard Hannah:

“My simple feelings are that many students struggle in first and second semester adapting to the realities of medical school. It is always easier to blame someone else than take personal responsibility. Whether to attend lectures or not is the sole responsibility of the student; we can only provide the opportunity. In summary, with the extremely diverse learning skills that exist in our early semesters, it is impossible to fit everyone into the same mold and it makes generalizations about effectiveness all but meaningless. That’s why we provide multiple learning forums including didactic lectures, small groups, study groups, TA as-sisted learning and extra time during the day for independent study of cadaveric and computer material. It has to be up to each individual student to "mix and match" what is best for their needs.”

Original Student Comments:

AUA student 1 – (Med 2) “I realized early on in first semester that everyone (teachers) just reads their power points and don’t really teach. … Heck I can do that at home, I can read the power points to myself, so why bother coming to class? It seems like they just want to get in and be done with the lec-ture, no one cares if you grasps the material - they just want to be done with it.”

AUA student 2 – (Med 2) “I am dying to be taught, but as of yet, I haven’t found many professors here who are interested in teaching; they come into class and leave, and I am left having to teach myself every-thing they failed to teach. Even though we go to office hours, it seems like there is a lack of teaching abil-ity. I leave more confused than when I originally came in. ... Second semester is just too much work and too much reading; I only try to make it to Neuro and Physio because at least they guide you during class.”

AUA student 3 – (Med 1) ”I always attend DPS and Histo because I like how Dr. Singh teaches. I mean he really makes it easy to learn by involving the class and everything that he teaches in class is what we need to know in order to do well. With Anatomy it’s not the same. When I come to class, I don’t learn, and I am forced to teach myself. I hope it’s not like this for second semester.”

AUA student 4 – (Med 1) “ I have a problem with how they teach Anatomy here at AUA, it’s like they try to teach you one thing during lecture, but when it comes to the exams, nothing of what they taught you during the lecture is on the exam. I never feel prepared, and everyone did really bad on the first exam, I think the average was a 50. That has to reflect on the way they are teaching us; most of us have found out that we do better by not going to class and studying by ourselves or in groups is more helpful.”


8

Medicine at Sea Aboard the

USNS ComfortLast month, I had the privilege and honor of being part of a group of AUA students that got to spend time aboard the USNS Comfort while it was anchored in local Antigua waters as part of an ongoing mission in the region. The current Humanitarian Civic Assis-

tance Operation supported by US Military Medical per-sonnel; “Continuing Promise 2009”, is part of an ongoing effort that started in 2007 to provide health care to Latin

America and the Caribbean. In total, the operation has been able to treat more than 98,000 patients in 12 differ-ent countries including over 29,000 with 528 life changing operations so far on this particular stretch. Antigua and Barbuda was the third stop on Continuing Promise 2009, and preceeded by stints in Haiti and the Domini-can Republic.

Our day began earlier on Monday morning, May 11th, where I reported to a mobile Radiology lab at the Cul-tural Center with fellow students; Abdul Ghani Basith, Pamala Stricklin, Syed Abdul Hai, and Justin Harney. Well over two thousand locals were already waiting in line for a chance to been seen by the American Medical crew, many of whom had been standing outside all night. Captain Hardy of the US Army greeted us and ex-plained that this had been the typical turn out for every day since they had been in Antigua. Inside the Center a huge triage area was set up were people of all ages would shuffle from chair to chair waiting to be seen by different specialties (picture something ten times the size of a typical day at AUA registration). The primary focus was at this stage, providing basic check-ups, preventative screenings and working with local health care organizations to coordinate referrals. If a surgical fix was deemed appropriate on a case-by-case basis, a select few patients were then chosen to be shuttled out to the ship.

After chest X-rays confirmed we would not be bringing Tuberculosis onboard we joined a dozen patients at the boat landing zone to take the short ferry ride out to the ship. While Navy helicopters buzzed over head transport-ing those less mobile, the size of the USNS Comfort slowly became apparent as we got


9

Med 4s Rio Raikes and Lelia Logue meet with helicop-ter flight crew members aboard the USNS Comfort.

A Navy helicopter lands aboard the USNS Comfort as we arrive the first morning.

closer. Approximately as long as an aircraft car-rier, the floating hospital is operated and navigated by a crew of Civil Service Mariners from the US Navy’s Sealift Command joined by a medical crew all totaling around a thousand people. The ship has up to 19 functioning operating rooms and can accommodate as many as 2,000 in-patients at a single time.

Our point of contact, Dr. Christopher J. Hogan, an Orthopedic surgeon based out of Portsmouth, VA when not on active duty, greeted us with a warm handshake and immediately had us in scrubs and into the OR for the days’ already on-going opera-tions.

“It was amazing to see how happy all the patients were,” noticed Med 4 Kristopher McJenkin, part of a second group of students that went out a day later

that also included Lelia Logue, and Rio Raikes.

“This one little boy about to have reconstructive facial surgery wasn’t even scared, he just kept laughing at the thought that he was about to have someone help him. You couldn’t help but feel excited for him.”

Most of the surgeries required quick in-patient recovery since the ship would only be around for a little over a week’s time. They included several laparoscopic cholecystectomies, dental extractions, hernia repairs, cyst exci-sions, hysterectomies and various different general and orthopedic surgeries.

“Being able to see the different procedures now that we are in our forth semester was truly amazing.” Lelia, also Med 4 pointed out. “Having the general anatomical knowledge now to be able to follow what was going on really added to the experience.”

Many of us also had the wonderful opportunity to get a sneak peek of what Clinical Rotations have in store for us, being questioned during the operations by dif-ferent surgeons about the various structures and even biochemical pathways! Our group had some wonder-ful flashbacks of the Uric Acid degradation pathway in particular, watching a patient having several nod-ules as a consequence of gout removed from his hands and feet.

“We learned about gout in Med 2 but that was gout.” Pam Stricklin so appropriately noted. “With all the hours of reading we put into Biochem it was really interesting to see an actual presentation of the condi-tion. That gentleman’s hands were straight out of our text book. Plus to be able to see how excited he was to finally have the painful irritation in his joints re-lieved made the condition so real.”


10

Med 4 Kristopher McJenkin observes Navy physi-cians prepare a patient for surgery.

Med 4 Lelia Logue scrubs in on a Lateral Inguinal Hernia repair with Dr. Kreis and Dr. Donahue.

One of my personal favorite experiences onboard was watching a cataract surgery on a 73 year old woman with 20/800 vision in both eyes (4x what is considered legally blind). After having her right eye operated on a cou-ple days prior, nurses removed the bandage and she was able to see for the first time in over 10 years. Obvi-ously ecstatic, her attempt at singing “God Bless America” made everyone smile and re-affirmed the wonderful work the crew continues to accomplish. One of the Residents then took the time to draw out the exact proce-dure we would be witnessing during the second operation, this time on her left eye. The quick sketches con-firmed everything that we had long ago read in the pages of Frank Netter during Med 1, and we stood in amazement watching the delicate surgery to remove the obstruction the size of an aspirin tablet from the inside of her lens. Dr. Stanley, the head surgeon on the operation went on to explain that after the swelling went down she would have a very good chance of returning close to normal vision.

Aside from the occasional rocking motions in the OR after long hours on your feet it was easy to forget that you were on a ship. Once you left the confines of the hospital setting though it was very apparent. We slept in racks, ate chow in the mess hall with the troops and marched up and down the stairs exploring the different ar-eas of the huge vessel. The discipline and professionalism of the men and women serving on board was nothing short of inspiring.

Dr. Hogan was further accommodating to us by spending well over an hour after evening rounds talking about his time with the Navy, Medical School and working as a Physician. It was great to hear from someone not only so skilled and dedicated in his field but equally as proud of the fact that he plays an active role with his family when back home coaching soccer and driving to ballet practice. It is possible, he assured us, to balance your life accordingly and do what you love along with enjoying quality family time. All this was reassuring to hear from someone already so successful at what we are all trying to currently accomplish.

As our ferry ride home slowly pulled away, we managed to get a few last pictures of the massive ship fading away to go on continuing its mission. We reflected on our time aboard eager to build on our experiences mov-ing forward in our latest semester of medical education. I found myself to experience an overwhelming sense of pride not only for my Country but also for the profession itself.

It is amazing that the press chooses at times to focus on other areas while the work that is going on aboard the USNS Comfort can go unnoticed to so many. Besides the on-going humanitarian missions, the USNS has been stationed in the Persian Gulf serving as an afloat trauma cen-ter operating on hundreds of wounded US Military person-nel and Iraqi civilians, participated in ‘Operation Noble Ea-gle’ pier-side in Manhattan servicing relief workers at ground zero on September 11th, provided relief aide to over 1,500 patients effected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, among many others. I will speak on behalf of all the stu-dents that enjoyed the experience in saying that it will be something we remember for the rest of our lives. I encour-age all students to participate in similar opportunities as they present themselves, to continue adding to our base of on-growing experience and knowledge.

The USNS Comfort left Antigua on May 16th heading to Panama to set up the next phase of the ongoing endeavor. While the men and women on board continue their 4 months at sea I can only thank them profusely for allowing us to experi-ence their lives and work. I look forward to joining them in the profession one day soon.


11

By: Richard DwyerMed 3

Welcome!AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ANTIGUA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

12

American Medical Student Association (AMSA)The American Medical Student Association is committed to improving health care and healthcare delivery to all people; promoting active improvement in medical education; involving its members in the social, moral and ethical obligations of the profession of medicine; assisting in the improvement and un-derstanding of world health problems; contributing to the welfare of medical students, premedical stu-dents, interns, residents and post-MD/DO trainees; and advancing the profession of medicine. AMSA’s main goal is to give back to the community that we live in, and hope to one day practice in. This semester, AMSA is working with a new program at AUA, the Peer Leadership Program, which provides incoming students with one-on-one mentors to help them adjust to island life and the rigors of medical school.Contact: [email protected]

Student Government AssociationThe SGA of AUA is committed to assisting students in maximizing aca-demic and social pursuits while at the American University of Antigua. The Student Government also strives to maintain a strong connection between the student body and the administration of AUA as they work together to improve the quality of education here in Antigua and in the United States.Contact: [email protected]

American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA)The American Medical Women’s Association is an or-ganization which functions at the local, national, and in-ternational level to advance women in medicine and im-prove women’s health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, mentoring, and strategic alliances. AMWA is open to all races and genders.President: Thara Foreste-Magloire Contact: [email protected]

AUA PulseThe AUA Pulse is the school newspaper at AUA. It is a vehicle of communi-cation between students, faculty, staff, and administration, as well as a means to stay up to date on current events. All submissions from students and staff are welcome! Current and past issues are available on the S-Drive under the Student Government folder --> Student Newsletter folder --> AUA Pulse Issues folderEditors: Katie Schmitz and Khrystal Boone Contact:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]









13

Doctors For Christ (DFC)DFC is a Christian organization that offers moral, academic, and especially spiritual support to the students body. A bake sale, an end-of-the-semester banquet, and Thanksgiving service are our on-campus activities. We are also involved in outreach program in the community such as nursing homes and assisted living. This semes-ter we are also planning on extending a hand to the teenage group of Antigua. DFC is composed of different branches / groups that in-clude: praise dance, praise choir, worship team and prayer team.President: Junie R [email protected]

Student Nurse AssociationSNA is an organization that provides academic, social, and professional support to students of the AUA Nursing program. The organization has served the commu-nity via volunteer work and awareness programs in our local and global communities. Our mission is to promote and encourage participation in community service while enhancing our members’ social and caregiving skills.

President: Shaquawna N. [email protected]

Black Student Union (BSU)The purpose of BSU is to promote activities of common interest, as well as cultural and educational benefits for the African American student body and any other minority group. In addition, the BSU is the "umbrella" organization of many of the African-American student organizations, providing a forum for them to voice their differences, goals, and ideas. President: Gerdie JeanContact: [email protected]

La Cura

The mission of “La Cura” is to spread knowledge of the increasing demand for Spanish speaking physicians in the United States to-day. The association aims to help educate and provide medical students with the experience they need to be able to effectively help the country’s growing Hispanic population as future physi-cians.

President: Matt Wirsing

[email protected]










14

Phi Delta EpsilonPhi Delta Epsilon International Medical Fraternity creates physicians of integrity with a life-long commitment to our guiding principles of phi-lanthropy, deity, and education through fellowship, service, mentoring, and formal training in leadership, science, and ethics. Guiding Princi-ples: Philanthropy, Deity, Equity & EducationMotto: "Facta Non Verba, Deeds Not Words"President: Gary Livingstone [email protected]

Sikh Student AssociationSSA of AUA is geared toward providing a forum for discussion so that one may learn about the fundamentals of the Sikh faith and related topics while promoting awareness of that faith through regularly scheduled events and recognition of major religious holidays. One concept focused on by the Sikh students at AUA is the concept of Seva (selfless service), by raising funds and volunteering time and resources to charitable organizations in Antigua and abroad. The Sikh Student Association works with organizations like AMSA, Phi DE, BSU and more in giving back to the community by participating in activi-ties like the Health Fair, 5K run, and food drives. SSA is also focused on men-toring the Sikh youth to further their educational and social knowledge about the faith while providing a comfortable environment and support system. The organization is open to all students who are interested in learning about the Sikh faith and giving back to the community. President: Rick Singh [email protected]

Indian Student Association (ISA) This organization is currently inactive but still a part of the charter.

Muslim Students’ Association (MSA)Established in 2004, MSA AUA continues to serve Muslim students during their college and university careers as a vehicle in developing and maintaining a posi-tive, Islamic, and peaceful lifestyle. MSA AUA is a uniting forum for Muslim stu-dents from diverse backgrounds. Activities include: Weekly Friday prayer; Friday evening Halaqah; Ramadan Fast-a-Thon and Meals; Eid Banquet; Social work in the Antiguan community; Educational and intellectual support, and intra-support networks. The democratically elected Board of Trustees of MSA AUA continues our mission of meeting the needs of our Muslim youth on campus with zeal and energy. MSA AUA is committed to empowering the students of today to be citi-zens of tomorrow's global community.President: Mohammed [email protected]







A Message From Your SGA Executive President...Hey AUA,

I know you are all deep into the books right now as first block is just past or is approaching quickly, but I wanted to say hello from SGA and to let you know what we are up to this semester...

So this is the deal, SGA is serious. We are probably more serious about attacking issues for students than SGA has ever been. We are fully staffed by members of your classes, that you elected, that are dedicated to this proc-ess and are carrying out work for all of you as we speak. If you have the chance to let them know that you are grateful for their work, please do.

1. Centralized SGA

In the past each class has had to fend for themselves in many respects. This was a huge failure because of-ten times we share the nearly identical issues and cross talk could have helped deal with those problems more effectively. Further we have a semester system that creates students who have “been there” already and their experience is vital to future success. SGA is bringing that experience together in a fully integrated fashion to promote the success of our work and direction of new projects. Examples include SGA management of class-room usage to prevent time conflicts, SGA management of bus times to aid the students that utilize the services, and SGA involvement in our campus wide academic media project.

2. The Web Site

SGA is excited to begin work on a website that will encompass all of the functions we need as students. It is our goal to end the age of the Google group and have a one stop site with forum based conversations by semes-ter and class. Also we will have media sections that correspond to those classes. Other features will include sections for student groups and a University calendar with exams, events, and other critical information. The site will be accessible with the same log-in information we use to get our email. The goal is to have the site de-signed, tested, and up by the end of this semester.

3. Campus Guidelines

SGA is in the process of developing a quick reference for campus guidelines regarding Classroom Usage, ID Policy, Parking Rules, Ticketing Protocol, and Student/Staff Conflict Resolution. The basic idea is that what’s on the paper is the rule. The Guidelines will be given to every security point and be made available to each student. This move will make the rules clear and take the guards out of the equation. They simply follow the rules just like us and we can minimize problems and confusion.

4. Class Support

SGA is working to hammer out class issues for all semesters. We are putting together a video conference panel regarding all issues from Loans and Financial Aid to what the 5th & 6th – 10th semesters truly demand. SGA is also working to support classes as they raise funds for their goals and the endeavors of our student groups. We are developing a comprehensive FAQ package for all students particularly those that are new to the Island. As always SGA is open to suggestions from the Student Body regarding the direction of our efforts. I


15

want to make it clear that there is an open door policy for correspondence to the SGA and attendance of SGA meetings. Please make sure to contact our Executive Secretary if you have comments to make or simply email her with your comments and they can be read at the meeting.

So, there is a quick update on a few of the things that we are looking at right now. Thank you all for your time and good luck with classes. I will see you on campus!!!

Chris-Deep

SGA Executive President

[email protected]

Dona Hasou

SGA Executive Secretary

[email protected]


16

By: SGA Executive President Chris Rhyne

Med 3

SGA MEETINGS @ 8 PM

Every other Wednesday

Classroom # 3 (West Campus)





Meet Your SGA Board and Class Reps!AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ANTIGUA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

17

SGA Executive Board: (R-L) Seargent at Arms Chris Buelvas, President Chris Rhyne, Vice President Donish Siddiqi, Secretary Dona Hasou, and Treasurer Shade Alase

(R-L) Med 4 Class Vice President Shayla Williamson, President Diane Philip, Secre-tary Yogina Desai, Representative Khrystal Boone, and Treasurer Junie Bertrand

(R-L) Med 3 Class President Andy Brouwer, Vice President Daniel Bal, Secretary Radhika Patel, Treasurer Dimble Joseph, and Representative Dapo Iluyomade


18

(R-L) Med 1 Class President Omar Taha, Vice President Jane Alookaran, Treasurer Shivani Jerath, and Representative Rama

Sriharsha. Not pictured: Secretary Kelechim Diorgu

(R-L) Nursing Class President Shaq-uawna Braddock, Secretary Ophalyn Gariando, and member Tricia Guarin.

Not pictured: Vice President Shalini Ti-wari, Treasurer Alison James, and Out-

reach Coordinator Adeyinka Adebisi

(R-L) Med 2 Class President Matt Wirsing, Vice Presi-dent Nardeen Zaklama, and Representative Shahni-waz Labana. Not pictured: Secretary Zohaib Haque

and Treasurer Donald St. John

(R-L) Pre-Med Class President Hanif Gilani, Vice President Shailraj Parikh, Secretary Sirisha Vadali, Treasurer Arun Anandakrishnan and

Events Coordinator Lokesh Bhatt

RUMOR MILL:“There is no place on campus to get any help in my classes or my study skills.”

Fiction: In addition to professors’ office hours and TA sessions, students have the opportunity to take advantage of the Education Enhancement Department. You can find out what kind of learner you are and what study tech-niques work best for you! Contact Professor Doty for more information: [email protected]

“You have to wear your student ID rather than just flashing it past the security guard.”

Fact: Beginning on Monday, June 2nd, Students are required to have their student ID displayed at all times while on campus. So grab a lanyard and show your ID!

“I don’t have to check my AUA student email account because the school will send anything really impor-tant to my personal account.”

Fiction: AUA is no longer emailing students at their personal email addresses. It is also recommended to check your student account frequently in order to stay up-to-date with Student Services and departmental communica-tion as well as student organizations and SGA meetings.

“I heard half the Med 2s failed Biochem and Genetics last semester.”

Fiction: In an interview with Dr. Lueck, I learned that 18 students failed Biochemistry and 24 students failed Genetics.

“Genetics block is not going to be offered over the next break.”

Maybe: The University is working on the possibility of providing a Genetics Block in August. Dr. Bell in-formed me there is a good chance of the class being offered.

“If I get a 64 on the Shelf I will still get my auto-pass.”

Fiction: The 64 auto-pass rule is gone for good, so don’t bank on the Shelf! However, you do still need a 54 on the Shelf to pass the class.

“You have to be a member of SGA to attend the meetings.”

Fiction: All students are welcome and encouraged to attend SGA meetings, which are held every other Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Classroom 3.

Heard any rumors lately? Wanna know the facts? Email me: [email protected] and I’ll do my best to get to the bottom of it. Tune in next time for more rumors, and more truths!

*Note: Issues above have been thoroughly researched and cited. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Vaseem Ahmed at [email protected]


19

By: Vaseem Ahmed Med 3







On “Stigma” I recently asked if I could write a brief column for the AUA Pulse and I want to thank the Editors Katie Schmitz and Khrystal Boone for allowing me to do so. It is my hope this will be a regular column, devoted to a variety of topics that focus in the area of counseling and physician self-care.

I want to write a bit about “stigma”, specifically the stigma associated with mental health/counseling/psychotherapy. You’ve heard it all before. That guy is “crazy,” “nuts,” “a loon,” “whacko” because he is seeing a therapist. They need to “get a net”, and “lock her up” because of her strange and odd behav-iors. Another perception is that individuals who need counseling/mental health services are “weak,” that they suffer from some kind of “character defect” or a “faulty personality.” These are all myths.

The fact is, most emotional problems are not strange at all. The odd, “crazy” behaviors frequently re-ferred to are rarely seen by health care professionals, even psychiatrists and psychologists. The most common problems seen by mental health professionals are depression and anxiety. So common, in fact, that recent studies by the National Institute of Mental Health indicate that major depressive dis-order affects 9.9 million adults in the United States each year. This represents 5% of the US popula-tion! Women are affected nearly twice as often as men. In fact, major depressive disorder is now the leading cause of disability in the United States. In addition, anxiety disorders affect 19.1 million American adults ages 18 to 54. These anxiety disorders include panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.


20

The other sad truth is that both depression and anxiety are so treatable, yet so few people seek this care. Treatment options include medication, or psychotherapy/counseling, or both. But getting people to accept these therapies is often a problem. And that brings us back to “stigma.”

As physicians and nurses in training, you understand that the patient’s perception of the problem plays a major role in his or her willingness to participate in treatment. If the patient feels that she will be ridiculed or ostracized for receiving treatment, she will most likely not seek help. Her needless suf-fering continues and the risk of serious complications (for example, lost work, interpersonal strife, and even suicide) persists.

So what can we do about it? We can begin to understand the importance of the patient’s perceptions, on how stigma and fear can interfere and impede access to proper care, and how patient suffering is needlessly extended because of it. We can examine our own feelings, beliefs (and yes, our miscon-ceptions) about mental heath/counseling services---and work towards a more rational view. We can remember that the supposed dualism of the “mind” and the “body” is inherently false. They are not polar opposites but two sides of the same coin. The mind is the body, and the body is the mind.

Here at AUA, the majority of students seen at University Counseling Services do not suffer from a di-agnosable mental disorder. Many students experience temporary adjustment issues, stress man-agement problems, and even transient frustration, anger, anxiety, and depression in response to medical school, Antigua, being away from home, financial issues, etc. I have a term I often use to de-scribe these students------NORMAL------because they struggle with issues and problems common to us all.

Counseling services cannot fix all problems, but they do offer an alternative to suffering alone. Your problems are most likely not unique, and several options, alternatives, and strategies may exist. Counseling services provide an opportunity to explore these issues and problems. So don’t allow your myths and misconceptions to guide your behavior. Most problems and issues can be addressed, and many can be resolved - but you must have the courage to reach out and ask for it.

*** Appointments with one of the University Counselors can be made in person at the Behavioral Science offices on West Campus or by calling 481-8836


21

By: Dr. James Rice

Associate Professor & University Counselor

The Women’s Corner .... AMWA gets involved!

Community affairs is a topic that questions our ethical values. The questions “How can we play a part in this affair?” and “Do we really want a role at all?” can plague us as we make our way through medical school. Sometimes we wonder: Are we honest people, are we giving people, and can we ac-tually make a difference?

It is often quoted that one person can make a difference, and time and time again that theory has been proven true. So what can we do? How can we help? The root of the answer is always with a thought, a plan, and then an action. AMWA (American Medical Women’s Association) is taking ac-tion this semester. We are addressing three areas of need that will be beneficial to the local residents of Antigua. I would like to share our intentions of addressing community affairs and welcome any students or staff members who would like to participate in the upcoming activities.

1) The School Safety Kit Program: We would like to give basic medical supplies to the local schools, so they will have safety kits present in the event a child is injured at school. This way, we can ensure there will be a way to tend to that child’s needs. The School Safety Kits program is a new endeavor that we would like to see continued every semester until all the local schools in Antigua have re-ceived kits.

2) HIV & STD Awareness Program: We are excited to start this awareness prevention program. We will be getting into the community &/or schools this semester to hand out pamphlets and educate the population at hand on the benefits of prevention and knowledge.

3) Inspirational Girls: We are looking to start a girls’ club called Inspirational Girls, who will be school-age daughters of local residents of Antigua. We will invite them to our campus and have a movie night and/or inspirational round table-talk to help encourage these girls to continue with higher-level education. At the end of the semester, we will award each participant with books and school supplies as a token of our dedication to helping them pursue their goals. If you are interested in participating or donating to any of our programs, please contact me directly at : [email protected]


22

By: Thara Foreste-Magloire Med 3



Walking Victims...

I remember sitting in the police cruiser wondering how any of it had happened. My friend was sitting quietly with her head on my shoulder and the officersʼ grim silence in the front only amplified the heaviness I felt as they drove us home. I was not sure how it had all come down to this. My friends and I had gone out that night to celebrate the end of our first semester in college. What should have been a fun, carefree end to the semester ended up being a harsh lesson that has stayed with me to this day.

We started out the night with a plan. We would stick together, and I, being the designated sober girlfriend, would make sure that no one got into any excessive trouble. Trou-ble, that night, meant making sure that the one with the boy-friend didnʼt wander off with her crush, or the forlorn one didnʼt make a fool of herself in front of her ex and his new girlfriend. Little did we know that trouble would present itself that night as a drunk, angry coed waiting in a dark corner for op-portunity to strike.

Much of this sounds cliché. The story parents and educators tell you over and over. I donʼt think many of us realize how carefully you do have to pay attention to this story until you or someone you care about have actually been there. My friend wandered off alone to the restroom. A drunk thinking he was too good for the answer “no” approached her. The rest is a ride home in a police car and a friend whose carefree personality was destroyed by an a**hole who does not remember what he did.

A few statistics for you:

A nation- wide study by John D. Foubert found that one in four college age women report surviving rape or attempted rape since their 14th birthday. One in four! (1)

More than 75% of college students who experience unwanted intercourse are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident (2).

False reports of rape are rare, according to the FBI, occurring only 8% of the time (3).


23

There are many such statistics on sexual assault out there. Many are scarier than the ones I listed here. So then why, when going out, do many of us forget the menace that is out there? Experts agree that two major factors seem to play a role: attitude and alcohol. When we go out, we plan on a stress-free evening of fun. We relax many of our reservations; drop the barriers we carry around most of the time. This causes us to trust much more easily than we should. Mix this with alcohol and you have a recipe for disaster. Not only does alcohol im-pair our decision-making skills, but also makes it harder to fight an assailant or call for help.

Here in Antigua, add the stress of medical school, and you have students going out and drinking to get drunk, making them easy targets. It has happened here and sadly, it will happen again. In police lingo, young women out for a night of fun with friends get labeled as “walking victims.” How unfortunate it is that such victimhood is seen as inevitable. I ask all of you to please be more proactive when it comes to your safety and that of friends. Start the night out with a plan. Make sure no friend is left behind and that decisions are not made un-der the influence. Go out, have fun, but please be sure it is not at the risk of your own safety.

I learned my lesson the hard way; I do not wish the same for you.

- Dona Hasou Dona Hasou Med 2 and SGA Executive Secretary

Sources Cited:

1. Warshaw, R. (1994). I never called it rape. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

2. http://www.edc.org/hec/pubs/rapefly.htm

3. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (1995) Uniform crime reports. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Justice.


24

http://www.edc.org/hec/pubs/rapefly.htm

http://www.edc.org/hec/pubs/rapefly.htm

Responsibility and Respect... Although two years have passed, I still remember getting the phone call from my mother, as well as the subsequent effect her news had on me and how I would present myself in the years to come. It was slated to be yet another scorching summer day and I was working as a land surveyor in the suburbs of Chicago, a job that paid the bills and allowed for a little weekend spending money, but was a far cry from anything that could be considered intellectually stimulating and it certainly was not my ultimate ambition in life. Like many recent college graduates in a failing economy, I was doing what I had to do to avoid becoming a delinquent borrower on my college loans, even if it meant pounding 700 wooden stakes into an unforgiving, drought-laden land-scape each day of the week. Plus, I took my job in stride because I had a secret. A secret that few people within my social and family circles were privy to: I had been accepted to medical school, and now this laboring, thankless job was simply a means to an end. It was only a matter of time before I could offer my two-weekʼs notice and begin my journey on the road to a better life.

My mother was calling on this particular day to share some trivial, but encouraging, news. She was lis-tening to a radio talk show on her way into work and the host of the show had just read the results of a nation-wide survey, reporting the 10 most respected jobs in America. With that gloating parental pride, knowing that her son was about to start medical school, my mother informed me that the profession that topped the list as the most respected profession in the United States was that of “Doctor.”

With my boss sitting next to me, I could only smile on the inside; my two-weekʼs notice was still months away and I had to project the image of a company man. However, I remember hanging up the phone and gaz-ing silently out the window, trying to fully comprehend the true meaning of the report. What was it about being a doctor that amassed such respect? Besides the obvious saving lives, that is. But didnʼt policemen, firefighters, and soldiers save lives as well? So what was the “X” factor, I wondered, that made doctors so much more re-spected than these other brave men and women whose actions ultimately led to the same result? Donʼt hold your breath; I really donʼt think there is one single answer to that question. However, one could argue for a plethora of factors that warrant the respect of physicians, including the many years of educa-tion required for one to become a doctor, the sheer dedication that goes into the training and everyday services of the job, and the level of expertise required to carry out those services. In addition, respect comes not just as a result of what one has accomplished, but also in response to the way one acts. This is what makes respect such a volatile characteristic; though it may take years to earn, it can be withdrawn in a single faulty step or bad decision. For this reason, just as important as earning the title of doctor by means of an education is maintaining the integrity of such a position by oneʼs demeanor. Although it is extremely difficult – if not downright impossible - to revoke a physicianʼs license for a minor infraction, that should be the least of the physicianʼs concerns, for a license to practice is nothing without a trusting base of patients and a positive community report. Turning the spotlight onto the AUA community, it has been readily apparent in the past few months – as well as the past semesters in general – that there seems to be a disparity between the level of our academic progress and our level of maturity. Like all generalizations, this does not apply to everyone at AUA, but cer-tainly to a fair share of individuals. Moreover, many students have been guilty of some form of wrongdoing on one or two occasions, which doesnʼt make it right, but certainly makes it understandable. After all, we learn from our mistakes. On the contrary, this message is directed at the repeat offenders who choose to partake in the same bad hab-its every time they have the chance, and also serves as a gentle reminder to the rest of the student body that practicing medicine is not only a profession, but also a way of life. If the American public considers all doctors to be the most respectable professionals in the working world, when in the public eye, we need to look and act


25

the part. Despite our being on a remote island, far from home where our improper actions may never be dis-covered, it is never too late to start practicing for the future. Among the biggest concerns at AUA is excessive drinking as well as driving while intoxicated, both of which are great liabilities for students who are striving for the top tier of professional employment. First and foremost, please note the word “excessive” when referring to excessive drinking. Most of us would agree that it is normal adult behavior to have an occasional drink, especially to relax after a tough bout of exams or as a social habit over the weekend. However, social drinking becomes excessive when people lose their capacity to make sound decisions and do things that hurt themselves, others, and property. Over previous semesters, students have been notorious on this island for getting out of control at bars and restau-rants, and despite the rumor that weʼre “getting better,” we are still dealing with the fallout from the actions of former students. That being said, please remember that the decisions you make reflect upon the entire student population, and it is a lot easier to lose respect than it is to gain it. If youʼre absolutely determined to get drunk, do so in the comfort and security of your own residence. Even better yet, try to drink in moderation. Drinking and driving is the most important matter because of the obvious threat to student safety and the safety of everyone on the road. Sadly, here in Antigua, driving while drinking is just as easy to get away with as driving while not drinking. The laws are in place, but rarely enforced; however, that doesnʼt make it an acceptable practice. Many people argue that if they drink and drive it is their own decision and they have the right to choose to put themselves at risk. I completely agree. They do have the right to put themselves at risk. However, itʼs not just about the person who is drunk. It is, on the other hand, about the family of five, the mother of two, or the young man who just graduated high school; itʼs about their families; itʼs about their friends; itʼs about their right to live. Itʼs one thing to deal with hurting yourself, but the burden of guilt that must be endured after taking the life of another person is not something that many people are eager to experience. Please keep a close watch on your friends when theyʼre drinking, and please take responsibility for yourself by knowing when youʼve had enough to drink and how to stop. I would like to note that if we knowingly let a friend drive drunk, we are just as responsible as they are for any consequences that may be incurred. As cliché as it may sound, friends donʼt let friends drive drunk. As a safety measure from henceforth, all Student Government Association-approved events will require the student organization hosting the event to provide a taxi service for all students leaving the party. Therefore, if you are worried about getting home from a school party, you may rest assured that there will be a form of transportation available for you. Aside from drinking, recent robberies and attempted break-ins at stu-dent residences and private housing have come as an unsettling reminder that we must remain aware of our surroundings at all times. Without getting into the particulars, please remember to close and lock all doors and win-dows that could be possible portals of entry to your home. Although locks can be broken, more often than not a thief will not break open a window or door for fear of making too much noise, and therefore the doors and windows that are usually breached are those that were not locked in the first place. As with any community, theft is going to happen. It is a fact of life. All we can do is take these appropriate measures in an attempt to avoid becoming the vic-tim of burglary. As a former representative of the SGA and a fellow student, I am proud to be a part of the American University of Antigua. Over the past year I have seen much progress made by the student body and the school itself. I encourage each of you to continue making strides in that direction. With dedication, a relentless work ethic, and professionalism, one day we will all stand atop the list as the nationʼs most respected professionals.


26

By: Derek HemMed 4

Adjusting to those island goggles...

Dear Incoming Med 1 Class,

I’m sure that you are overwhelmed right now by your new sur-

roundings and situation. Don’t worry. You will adjust. However,

I would like to warn you about a serious epidemic that I guaran-

tee will spread throughout your class. At the beginning of the

semester, everyone may seem unattractive to you, but let a few

months pass by and that geeky kid with the combover is going to

start looking really fine. All the socially awkward kids turn into

major players and the girl with the buck teeth begins to resemble Angelina Jolie. This illness is known as

Island Goggle Syndrome. The prognosis for this malady is poor, so take a few minutes to educate your-

self about this now and you will save yourself from experiencing extreme embarrassment and regret

later on.

Signs and symptoms of the disorder include, but are not limited to, the following: blurred vision,

poor judgment skills, memory loss and misinterpretation of body language. For example, you may think

the hot girl from anatomy lab is winking at you, but she actually has Tourrets, or you think a that hot guy

from DPS is checking you out when you walk by but later realize he just has a lazy eye.

There is no known treatment for the disorder as of yet, however

clinical research is underway at undisclosed locations around campus.

Do not let yourself fall prey to this horrible and wretched disease. If you

find yourself or someone you know experiencing the signs or symptoms

of Island Goggle Syndrome, contact a friend back home immediately

for a reality check. Don’t let yourself, or your friends, make foolish de-

cisions that you would never make if you were back home!


27

By: Esha Patel

A n t i g u a a n d Yo u . . . Antigua is a unique island with much to offer; you just have to know where to look. First you need to close that textbook, turn off that laptop, and step outside. Take a deep breath and take a look around you. … So what do you see? Hopefully a blue sky, warm sun, trees swaying in the wind, and if you’re lucky, some goats. But wait, there’s more:

• 365 beaches. Take your pick. I hear Half Moon Bay is one of the best. Located on the southeast coast of the island, it is said to have a pink sand beach with an amazing view and great surf.

• English Harbor/Nelsons Dockyard. Located on the southern part of the island. There are some good restaurants, a historical museum, and a bunch of yachts. http://www.antiguamuseums.org/

• Sticky Wicket. It's a restaurant and a cricket stadium. What more can you ask for? Located in the airport roundabout, across from the airport terminal. http://www.thestickywicket.com/

• Antigua Rainforest Zip Line Canopy Tour. If you're afraid of heights, then you need to try this. Af-ter you sign a release form they strap on all the protective gear and give you an introduction to ba-sic zip lining. One hand on the harness, the other on the steel cable above you and away you go. There is also an optional obstacle course at the end. Those of you with a history of heart problems might want to go ahead and skip it. Must call ahead for reservations and be sure to ask about their student discount. http://www.antiguarainforest.com/

• Devil’s Bridge. Not the easiest place to get to but well worth it. Make sure you bring a camera and a cell phone with you - a camera to take pictures and a cell phone to call for help when your friend falls off the bridge. I tried to cross it and didn't make it. … Now some of you may be thinking, “How hard can it be?” You’ll see when you get there.

• Shirley Heights. Sunday evenings with live music, grilled food, and a great view. Located on the s o u t h e r n p a r t o f t h e i s l a n d o v e r l o o k i n g E n g l i s h a n d F a l m o u t h H a r b o r. http://www.shirleyheightslookout.com

• Fruit/Vegetable Market. Open Saturday mornings and closes when they run out of food. Many vendors selling everything from guava to the infamous black pineapple. The earlier you get there, the better the pickings. On Market Street in downtown St. John’s across from the bus station.

• Wadadli Cats cruises. A catamaran takes you around the island on a day-long trip to various parts of the island. It’s good way to see the island from the ocean. http://www.wadadlicats.com/

• The Pirates of Antigua and the Black Swan. I heard a rumor going around that someone sank it, and I always believe rumors at AUA. But if this pirate ship is still afloat, then go aboard for a smooth evening sail around the harbor. They also do day trips and serve dinner as well as drinks. http://www.piratesofantigua.com/

• Take a ferry to Barbuda, the sister island of Antigua. Supposedly unspoiled by man/woman with pink beaches – though they are at their pinkest in the summer months. Takes about 90 minutes each way. Call ahead for ticket prices and tour packages. http://www.antiguaferries.com

• Take a walk around St. John’s one day and visit the local businesses. There is great shopping for everything, including home goods, clothing, and books. … You might just find something you like.

• Visit http://www.antiguanice.com/ and http://www.stay-in-antigua.com/ for a ‘vacation guide’, and check out their maps of the island to help you get to the above places.

Oh – and one last place you need to visit while in Antigua is the west cam-

pus library. I hear it's the most popular spot on the island for AUA students.

**This article was reprinted from the January 2009 AUA Pulse


28

By: Oliver Yi Med 5 - NY

http://www.antiguamuseums.org

http://www.antiguamuseums.org

http://www.thestickywicket.com

http://www.thestickywicket.com

http://www.antiguarainforest.com

http://www.antiguarainforest.com

http://www.shirleyheightslookout.com

http://www.shirleyheightslookout.com

http://www.wadadlicats.com

http://www.wadadlicats.com

http://www.piratesofantigua.com

http://www.piratesofantigua.com

http://www.antiguaferries.com

http://www.antiguaferries.com

http://www.antiguanice.com/

http://www.antiguanice.com/

http://www.stay-in-antigua.com/

http://www.stay-in-antigua.com/

CALLING ALL TREKKIES...The newest installment of the Star Trek franchise has captivated audiences across the globe. JJ Abrams, the creator of the television series Lost takes the helm as director and takes the Star Trek universe in a bold new direction that none have gone before.

This film takes the franchise back to its roots as it explores the back-grounds of two of the Star Trek’s most well-known and influential characters: James T. Kirk (played by Chris Pine) and Spock (played by Zachary Quinto). The contrast in personalities of these two char-acters proves to be the greatest asset they have in combating Nero (played by Eric Bana), a Romulan from the future who has come back through time to alter history.

Long time fans and newcomers alike will be dazzled by the looks of classic Trek locations such as Starfleet Academy and the bridge of the Enterprise as well as how this film both follows and yet differs from the conventions of its predecessors. Abrams has made sure that this film appeals to both types of fans.

Whether you are a die-hard fan of the franchise or a newcomer, this movie has something for everyone: drama, action, comedy, romance, and a plot with non-stop twists and turns. Essentially, everything that makes a Star Trek movie or episode great. Abrams drops you right into the action at the very start and keeps it coming, while still managing to mold the Star Trek universe in his image.

Being a long time fan of the series, I was on the edge of my seat from the moment the titles showed up right until the very end. Everything about this movie was simply amazing to me. Some things that I expected to happen did, but in a way I never thought possible. Also, the score for the movie is just phenomenal and could not suit the tone of the movie any better. Over-all, I left the theater asking myself when the sequel would be coming out (which I hope is soon).

So if it’s a Friday night, you’re tired of a long week of hitting the books and places like Connor’s and Rush just don’t seem that appealing, think about taking a trip down to Deluxe Cinemas and catching this movie, because it will be an experience you’ll never forget. I know I won’t. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars.


29

By: Vijay KumbarBigtime Trekkie

For the hand that rocks the cradle...

The second Sunday of May is known as Mother’s Day. A tradition that was started in the United States in 1907 by Anna Jarvis has its roots in ancient Greece. In fact, in every culture and religious tradition, mothers have always been honored and respected. This mother’s day I remem-bered that last year around the same time I was in the process of transfer-ring to AUA from another medical school. My experiences at the last school were not very pleasant. In fact, as a result of those experiences, I was wondering about my ability to become a Physician. At the time when I doubted my abilities to be successful in medicine, I was very blessed to have my mother trust me. It was her trust and support that led

me to transfer to AUA. It was her constant belief in my abilities that allowed me to continue my medical education. In fact, when I transferred to AUA it was mainly due to her belief in me. She stood up for me when I was ready to succumb and give up. She encouraged me to move forward when I was willing to stop.

Much later, I realized that this wasn’t the first time my mother had encouraged me or helped me in my life. All through my life she had been and continues to be a wonderful role model. During the 1980s she fought against injustice and dictatorship in Pakistan. Even though I never saw her actively fight against injustices, I realized that passively she has instilled her values successfully in me and my siblings. She has raised us to be the first ones to raise our voices against an unjust rule, work for what we believe in, and care for those around us.

The more I thought about my mother the more I realized the impact that mothers have on a society. As someone once said “Give me good mothers and I will give you a great society.” A mother’s arms aren’t only a safe haven for her children; they are also the first institution for them. We inherit our mother’s genes as well as her values. However, how often is it that we actually stop to think about the woman who has given us life and infinite love? How often do we ever think about thanking her for everything that she has done for us? A majority of us spend more time arguing with our mothers than appreciating and thanking them. We take our mothers for granted and don’t realize their importance until much later. In between our busy schedules, school work and other relationships, we forget about the first and most important relationship of our lives, our mothers. In fact, a ma-jority of us only think of our mothers when either something goes wrong or we need something. In my personal opinion, one Mother’s Day is not enough; every day should be considered a Mother’s Day, and every day we should appreciate our mothers. As a wise man once said, “My mother’s hands helped me with my first step, and even when they were not physically there, they kept me from falling all through my life.”


30

By: Aisha Waheed Med 4

A Gift for the Busy Medical Student...You may be wondering, what kind of gift? From whom? Consider what you would like as a gift - maybe getting straight As for the rest of the semester and having the ability to learn by osmosis; those things might be nice. But no, the gift I’m writing about is something of which we are in dire need, is more practical, and has already been given to us. It almost seems like God had in mind busy students like us when granting us this gift, yet we hardly look twice at it before tossing it aside. This gift is spelled out in Exo-dus 20: 8-11. It is the gift of rest. All the other commandments in the Bible may seem like a list of “thou shalt nots” to many but the fourth commandment is a request for us to remember a special day that God blessed. This is a pivotal point in the list of com-mandments where the tone changes from what God doesn’t want us to do to what God wants us to do. It must be something very special and important.

We’re to rest just as God rested from creation in reverence and honor, to take some time to reflect and rest from our day to day toils. A day of rest is important for everyone, but seems to have a much greater importance and benefit for those who are in professions that require hours of work, and are filled with stress and emotion…kind of like the medical profession! Resting give us all a chance to rejuvenate our bodies, minds and spirits. This is why this day was made for humans (please refer to Mark 2:27, 28).

During most of the week we wear out our own bodies, challenging our health while we are learning so we can improve that of our future patients. We sit and strain our eyes as we read and write page after page of study material without taking a break. Many of us aren’t eating properly or sleeping properly because we don’t take the time out to make healthy meals or take time to sleep. By taking a day out to rest we are giving our bodies much needed time to recover from the grueling marathon of studying.

There is a chart that I once saw in an economics class that demonstrated the amount a person learns over time. The first part of it rose exponentially but tapered off (much like the graph we all know from biochemistry demonstrating the affinity of an enzyme and its substrate). It showed that after a certain point there’s very little learning that is accomplished for the amount of time put in, as you follow the curve further it even tapers down. By taking a day of rest we renew our minds to take in new information and maybe give our minds a chance to see things in a new light. When talking to a friend about the idea of rest she even commented to me that when she doesn’t have a break she will look at the same page for hours without really learning anything. So it is for most of us.

Finally the day of rest is a gift because it renews our spirits. Medical school is very demanding not only mentally but spiritually. There are so many challenges that we go through and sometimes it feels like we’re getting beaten down by discouragement. We’ve all been there. A day of rest provides us time to reflect and to spend time with God to renew our spirits. Resting our spirits allows us to turn to God, to spend quality time with our Maker. During this time we can ask God to help us get through any difficulties we may be facing, reflect on the many miracles that have been unfolded during the week, and ways in which we can better serve God and those around us.

You may be thinking, “Yes we’re busy medical students who are stressed out, but I have no time to rest for a whole day!” It may seem like that but most likely you will be more efficient and more focused when you have given yourself some time to take out to rest and to commune with God. I am not saying that I know better than those who don’t rest but if you believe in God, trust that God made that commandment with you in mind. It is a precious gift of God. Let’s receive it, cherish it and glorify God in it!


31

By: Gloria Hwang Med 3

AUA Pulse May 09

Documents

Transcript of AUA Pulse May 09