91福利 students helped complete health surveys, measured blood pressure, BMI, and blood oxygen saturation to thirty-seven event visitors. In the afternoon segment of the event from 1 to 5 pm, trained professionals provided presentations related to foot care, skin care, meditation, stress management strategies, and physical activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.
Photos: 91福利 team (BSc student S鈥橝de Williams, MD students Lucidity Obushi and Martha Mbah, Julia Williams and Daniel Taylor) under the guidance of PDS Professor Dr. Maria Villagomez MD Ph.D. consulting visitors and measuring blood pressure and BMI.

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The Centre for Counselling Addiction Support Alternatives (CASA) is a non-profit, non-governmental (NGO) community-based Substance Abuse Treatment Centre established in 2000 with the purpose of helping individuals and families experiencing substance abuse and related and other problems.

It is a non-residential facility and caters to children, adolescents and adults ages 10 and upwards who are experiencing difficulties with legal drugs such as alcohol and illegal drugs such e.g. marijuana, cocaine or other.

 (C.A.S.A) is providing crisis intervention community-based prevention, treatment and rehabilitation to persons experiencing substance abuse and related problems regardless of culture, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual preference, disability or social status in Barbados.

After the initial visit of CASA headquarters in the last week of January 2020, the Dean of Basic Sciences Dr.Alexey Podcheko invited CASA representatives to meet with 91福利 faculty and students.  On Feb 5th 2020, representatives of CASA (Ms. J. Maynard – Chairman; Mr. O. Jones; Mr. Smith 鈥揇irectors of Board of Trustees and Counselors, Volunteers Ms. Omega Cox and Ms. Kimmel Harper) have visited 91福利. After an initial tour of the campus, faculty and SGA representatives had a one hour talk on how 91福利 can help CASA . Mr. O.Jones outlined that CASA is looking for:

1. Volunteer support: currently they need volunteers for participation in 
2. counseling sessions (time slots available for morning, afternoon and evening sessions, as well as some of Saturdays). Mr. Smith mentioned that this is a unique opportunity for students to learn how to interview and perform an initial assessment of patients with drug addiction problems. Volunteers will be shadowing of counselors and helping them keeping notes of counseling sessions and participate in the discussion of the treatment and management of patients. 
3. CASA is looking for volunteers who can help to maintain and improve CASA website (casa.bb)
4. Fundraising for CASA 
5. The help of 91福利 faculty to initiate research projects based on the data accumulated in CASA for the last 20 years.

Pictures: CASA representatives, 91福利 professors and SGA representative discussing how 91福利 can contribute to CASA.

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Teaching for Learning: Implementation of Flipped and Problem Based Learning into 91福利 System-Based Curriculum

The Faculty Development Committee of 91福利 SOM Barbados conducted a Faculty Development Seminar for 91福利 Lecturers and Professors on December 6th, 2019. There were four 45 minutes sessions followed by a short workshop.  

The general sessions were conducted by Dr. S. Adlekha, Dr. T. Chadha, Dean of Basic Sciences Dr. A. Podcheko;  and the Chief Information Officer of 91福利 Mr. Richard Levy. The presenters did a great job and were well prepared.  The after session discussions were directed to figure out how to effectively combine PBL, TBL Flipped Classroom learning in a way that would benefit specifically to 91福利 students. 

The Canvas  LMS training session directed by Mr. Bharat Puranam. He demonstrated how to manage more efficiently Canvas  Question Banks and how to add external applications to Canvas (Youtube, Screencast Matic, etc.). Thus the faculty development seminar was a real overall value addition for the faculty members and was an academically enriching experience. Link to seminar presentations is here:

91福利 Administration thanks all members of the 91福利 Faculty Affairs Committee for the organization of the event.

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With such diversity, it can be challenging to find just the right event to bring the student community together. Still, the Student Government Association every semester making happen a great potluck party for 91福利 students, staff, and faculty. The 91福利 multicultural potluck is typically held in the last block of classes with an emphasis on everyone contributing to the event. Students, faculty, staff, and their families are encouraged to bring a favorite dish that represents their culture or is one they enjoy. Past favorites have included curry, rice and beans, spaghetti, lasagna, slow cooker meals, burritos and many other dishes names I cannot pronounce. The Multicultural Potluck is held in the 91福利 cafeteria on December 2nd, 2019  that is an essential place for students to meet and exchange news. Great job SGA!

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鈥淣o Matter what religion we follow, what politics we support what family we were born into, or where we鈥檝e placed our roots, we all deal with universal problems. Regardless of our differences, we all live our lives around the same questions. How we answer them dictates the choices we鈥檒l make and what kind of person we鈥檒l be from moment to moment. Some answers actually breathe when we inflate them and try to find a pulse, Others seem implausible and yet make a world of sense when we step inside them and wrap them around our circumstances.

And others still can feel absolute for what seems like an eternity until life cross-examines them and reminds us how fragile most answers are.鈥�

As provost and Dean of Clinical Affairs, of the American University Integrative Sciences, I have had the opportunity over the last four years to teach and direct the Advanced Clinical Medicine course, three to four times a year.  This one-month intensive course is designed to prepare students for their clinical clerkships and USMLE STEP 2 CS exam. Students that have completed their pre-clinical basic sciences courses taught at 91福利 on the island of Barbados return to Atlanta to begin their clinical clerkships.  In addition, students from other medical schools that are transferring to 91福利 attend the course in preparation for a clerkship.  

This year, the November 2019 course was completed the week of Thanksgiving.  Each year the Hosea Williams 鈥淔eed the Hungry鈥� foundation held at the Georgia World Congress Center sponsors a dinner for the homeless.  In addition, attendees have access to clothing, medical check-ups, showers and barber services. Yearly I have witnessed the most frequent station utilized in this event is the 鈥渇oot washing鈥� station.  Many of the homeless have no shoes and at best worn-out shoes. Their feet are often infected, with open sores and dirty reflecting their life on the street. Volunteers from all walks of life, assist in one or more stations.

This year, I had the occasion to have two of our own 91福利 medical students attend the event.  Nitya Chitravanshi and Swati Patel, both were keen to treat medically attendees requiring medical assistance.  During a lull in the patient count, one of our students, Nitya Chitravanshi dawned a plastic apron and gloves and assisted at the foot-washing station. (see video).   The other 91福利 student Swati, along with medical and pharmacy students from the Morehouse School of Medicine, Emory, and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; addressed the medical needs of participants.

 In contemplating a career in medicine, I would encourage any student anticipating applying to medical school to strongly consider 91福利 as a strong consideration.

Based on years of reflection in academia, I ruminate as to what type of student 91福利 attracts? Those that put service to others before themselves.    I believe most physicians are drawn to medicine for the human connection. A basic belief/tenant of life is to improve the condition of others. I have come to learn, that behind every patient lies a story, whether hidden or shared.  Physicians have the honor of examining patients not only with their eyes but also with their hearts.

Desmond Tutu echoed this in his quotation; 鈥淒o your little bit of good where you are.  It鈥檚 those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.鈥�

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Being close to home and familiar surroundings is, of course, comfortable, but it doesn鈥檛 promote growth or expose the student to the diversity that will ultimately shape his/her medical career.  US-based medical training in the Caribbean attracts students from around the globe.  91福利 is the model of diversity and while learning to save lives and manage wellness on a tropical island can sound like an unrealistic Netflix series, it鈥檚 much more realistic and obtainable than it seems.  Did you know that medical education in the Caribbean is much more affordable than traditional medical education in the US and Canada?  Barbados is home to 91福利鈥檚 Island campus. It鈥檚 beautiful, truly a Paradise anyone can easily enjoy. The real beauty rest in a demanding and dynamic US Medical curriculum.  91福利 is focused on the education of our students first and foremost.  However, students and education are more than simply attaining good grades, but learning the value and curative properties of empathy, cultural sensitivity, and the multiple methodologies when treating patients.

An often-overlooked benefit of Caribbean medical school education is the diverse background of faculty and students.  With 29% of practicing physicians in the United States and Canada are foreign-trained, diversity sensitivity has become a core component of medical education.  Exposure to several cultures broadens understanding patient needs worldwide. This only expands the relevancy that the integrative nature of 91福利, School of Medicine鈥檚 academic program offers.

Choosing the Caribbean pathway puts you in command of your medical education. You will learn the medicine of course, but you will also gain the knowledge, empathy, and discipline to treat patients as a whole and truly make a mark on the world through healing. 91福利 takes pride in the eagerness to improve daily for ourselves and the physicians we educate. You can learn about our curriculum here. Or schedule a one on one consult with one of our admissions counselors by filling out the form at the link here.

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