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Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 April 2013 14:23

Cayman Islands Named World’s Friendliest Country

As reported in Forbes, the Cayman Islands have been named the World’s Friendliest Country. Forbes cited the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey of more than 5,000 expatriates living in nearly 100 countries. The Cayman Islands came out on top due to the ease with which one can befriend locals, integrate into the community, and fit into the new culture.

Collaboration with Johns Hopkins and Cleveland Clinic

SMU Students Earn Top USMLE Scores

During 2011, more than 20% of SMU students who took USMLE Step One and USMLE Step 2 CK earned top scores of 99%.

Collaboration with Johns Hopkins

(Click image to enlarge)

SMU Research Day Poster Competition

Every great discovery or innovation begins with research. Whether it is basic investigation in the sciences, or developing applied solutions to meet the needs of society, research is a central component of SMU’s mandate. SMU supports a thriving community of talented research faculty and staff whose ideas, discoveries and innovations seek to advance our community and our society. We encourage students to take part in research, as research is critical for the future of medicine. Our students are encouraged to be well-rounded individuals that excel not only in academia but also in research and extracurricular activities. Future physicians must have the ability to manage their time effectively while demonstrating leadership.

SMU Research Day has provided a unique opportunity for student and faculty to engage in constructive conversations on topics related to medicine.

Congratulations to this year’s poster competition winners:

First place: Mona Maghsoodi & Barry Robson
Second place: Chung Trinh & Eli Ipp
Third place: Leonard E. Maroun et al.

The titles are:

1. Predicting Protein Secondary Structure Using Information Theory - Mona Maghsoodi & Barry Robson
2. OGTT Curve May Predict Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 progression - Chung Trinh & Eli Ipp
3. Gamma (Interferon) Activated Sequences (GAS) in Human Chromosome 21 Genes – Leonard Maroun et al.

Conquering Cancer, A Medical Symposium

On Friday, Sept 9, 2011 St. Matthew’s University hosted the Medical Symposium ‘Conquering Cancer II, Let’s Fight Cancer Together’.

18 Student volunteers, staff and faculty from SMU provided assistance ranging from Master of Ceremonies to Registration, set-up and ushering alongside Cancer Society staff and Board members.

The symposium was a great success with almost 200 persons in attendance, the majority being medical professionals from the community.

Specialist presentations included:

1. Dr. Troy Gatcliffe, Baptist Health International – Robotic Surgery for Gynecologic Malignancies
2. Dr. Linda Lee, Johns Hopkins – New Insights on Colon Cancer Prevention
3. Dr. Abner Landry, ORNOA – Breast and Colon Cancers, Diagnosis and Staging
4. Dr. Carlos Suarez, ORNOA – Update in the Management of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
5. Dr. Lynn Feun, University of Miami – Latest Developments in Melanoma

Faculty Workshop and Joint Student Collaboration - Centre for Excellence in Medical Education

On Monday, July 4, 2011 the SMU faculty spent the day in a highly productive workshop organized by the Centre for Excellence in Medical Education. The major topics included Evaluation Policy considerations & Team Based Learning initiatives. Student Representatives shared academic feedback & discussion in joint consultation with the faculty.

Fieldtrip to encourage local doctors

St. Matthews University labs were crowded with more than 20 excited students learning about the human anatomy.

“Before I came here I wanted to be an accountant, but now that I see all the cool things, all the brains and hearts –now I am interested in medicine,” one of the students said.

Several of the other students on the fieldtrip also said something similar.

Assistant science teacher, Vicky Hole, said many of her students may not have realised the resources that were available to them, and the tour might just open their eyes.

"We've got a lot of gifted students at John Gray High School and hopefully now that they will aspire to reach for the stars and that we might have some vet and medical students from Cayman in the future."

Cayman 27's Jade Webster has the full story in the video here.

Story Source:Cayman 27

Researchers Examine Diving and Disability in Cayman

A team of spinal cord injury researchers, veterans and paralympic athletes visited Grand Cayman for the week of May 9th as part of a Johns Hopkins scientific medical study about the effects of SCUBA diving on people with disabilities. Hosted by St Matthew’s University and working closely with Red Sail Sports, researchers from the US based medical school and the Cody Unser Foundation helped to raise awareness about the research work and the power of sport in the rehabilitation process and the reintegration and rejuvenation of people living with a disability. There was a public film screening of the movie "Cody: The First Steps", a documentary of the life and times of Cody Unser, who was paralyzed as a result of Transverse Myelitis, a rare spinal cord inflammation . The event drew a very diverse crowd including local families, physiotherapists and medical doctors, Department of Tourism members and SMU faculty and students. Photo & Original Story by Cayman News Service (CNS)

Faculty from Johns Hopkins Share Knowledge and Cutting-Edge Practices with Medical Students and Medical Community

Michael Lim, M.D. and Mary Sheu, M.D., faculty and practitioners for Johns Hopkins School of Medicine held two lecture sessions at St. Matthew’s University, School of Medicine. The series was a huge success as both medical students and experienced physicians from the Cayman community learned from their expertise and obtained new practices and knowledge.

Dr. Lim and Dr. Sheu met informally with approximately 75 students and thoroughly discussed student questions ranging from student professionalism and residency advice to medical technicalities. Students’ perspectives were impacted by the open forum, particularily linking their current medical school involvement to an increased potential to access more specialized medical fields, as Dr. Lim and Dr. Sheu attested.

Later that evening, St. Matthew’s University hosted “An Evening with Johns Hopkins Medicine.” Approximately 150 medical professionals and students attended the two lectures on dermatology and lower back pain management by Dr. Sheu and Dr. Lim respectively. The lecturers reviewed case studies that highlighted cutting-edge practices and research.

This lecture series marks the second lecture series co-hosted by SMU and Johns Hopkins Medicine International, and discussions are already taking place for the next lecture.

School of Veterinary Medicine Professor elected VP of AAVN

Dr. Samantha Shields has been elected Vice President of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (AAVN). She will be attending the upcoming AAVN symposium in Denver in order to formally accept this position. This is a two-year appointment, after which time she will assume the role of President of the AAVN.

 

 

School of Medicine Dean received Pharmacology Educator Award

SMU’s School of Medicine Dean of Basic Sciences, Dr. R. Senthil Kumar, received the “Pharmacology Educator Award” during the Experimental Biology 2011 meeting of the Division of Pharmacology Education, a section of the American Society of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics.

The SMU community would like to congratulate Dean Kumar for his achievement.

 

Azais Manalich awarded a Pfizer Veterinary Student Scholarship

An American Veterinary Medical Foundation/Pfizer Animal Health Student Scholarship has been awarded to Azais Manalich, a fifth semester student at St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine.

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation has announced the 2011 class of Pfizer Veterinary Student Scholars in the second year of the program. Pfizer Animal Health will provide up to $2 million in scholarships, administered in partnership with the Foundation, over the first three years of the program (see JAVMA, Nov. 1, 2009, page 1022).

The student scholars were selected on the basis of several criteria, including academic excellence, leadership, and potential for contributing to food animal or food safety veterinary medicine. The initiative is meant to demonstrate the two entities' support for veterinary education and encourage more students to be large animal veterinarians.

"This scholarship program is a huge investment in the future of veterinary medicine," said Michael Cathey, AVMF executive director. "Pfizer has recognized the gaps and has set out to proactively and generously help address them."

CHF and SMU Partner to Offer Free Heart Health Fair

St Matthew's University School of Medicine partnered with the Cayman Heart Fund (CHF) to assist in the CHF’s 4th Annual Heart Health Fair on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at the Arts and Recreation Centre at Camana Bay of Grand Cayman. Know Your Numbers was the theme of this fair. The CHF through its Heart Health Fair has been providing free medical screening to the population of the Cayman Islands for the past few years. The aim of this screening is to enhance awareness about heart health and to detect abnormality (if any). More than 30 St. Matthew’s medical students took part in this annual screening program. The screening process includes taking relevant medical histories and measurements of height, weight, blood pressure and pulse of the visitors to the Fair.

This screening program includes real time screening of blood glucose, HBA1c and serum cholesterol level. Cayman Heart Fund provides experts’ advice to individuals about heart health based on the results of the screening tests. In addition to participating in the heart health tests program, SMU students also supervised two other stations; one of which demonstrated basic CPR techniques with the Human Patient Simulators to all fair visitors. The other station was named “Know Your Kidney” where students described to the visitors the anatomy and functioning of a normal kidney using plastinated cadavers and models provided by the anatomy lab of SMU. Approximately 300 local residents attended this fair for heart health checkups.

St. Matthew’s University Hosts International Cardiac Symposium

The 4th Annual Cayman Islands International Cardiac Symposium was organized by the Cayman Heart Fund (CHF) and hosted by St. Matthew’s University, School of Medicine on Thursday, March 3, 2011. Approximately 200 healthcare professionals, faculty and students attended the symposium that featured enlightening and diverse presentations from international speakers with links to Johns Hopkins, Baptist Health and the American Heart Association.

Topics included: International Cardiology 2011 – Opening Arteries, Closing Holes, Fixing Valves; Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Getting to the Heart of the Matter; and Cardiac Murmurs: Case Reviews from the Cayman Islands.

The International Cardiac Symposium is a part of a week long Heart Smart Week that the CHF organizes every March in the Cayman Islands. St. Matthew’s University students and employees play a pivotal role in most events as hosts, facilitators and volunteers.

Cayman27, the Cayman Islands TV network, covered the symposium and more. Follow this link: http://www.cayman27.com.ky/news/item/8939

St. Matthew’s Unites Against Bullying

The students and staff of St. Matthew’s University showed their support for anti-bullying by wearing pink on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 in recognition of victims of bullying in society. Bullying, and its significant negative effects, is prevalent in young children while many adults also face challenges from this unfortunate interaction in the Cayman Islands and across the world.

The last Wednesday in February was identified as Anti-Bullying Day in Canada after a younger male student was bullied by other students for wearing a pink shirt on his first day of school. A group of concerned students rallied in support of the student via a pink shirt campaign to stand against bullying. The initial campaign resulted in hundreds of pink-wearing supporters, and the event even attracted U.S. talk show host Ellen DeGeneres’s interest and support.

St. Matthew’s University students hope this will be a start of a similar campaign in the Cayman Islands, and they hope to have this message spread across the island in order to draw ever more participants next year.

St. Matthew’s and Cayman Heart Fund Team Up for Gala Success

The Annual Cayman Heart Fund Red Dress Gala was held on Saturday, February 12, 2011 in the Governor’s Ballroom at the Westin Hotel & Causarina. The event was a huge success for the community-based Cayman Heart Fund drawing over 200 attendees. The dinner ticket sales and silent art auction raised CI$23,000.

The funds raised will be used to purchase AEDs, to continue the popular free District health screenings and to support educational and training programs, such as the Health4Youth program.

St. Matthew’s University has a very close relationship with the Cayman Heart Fund and the students eagerly volunteer to support the mission of the organization. St. Matthew’s students helped at the event by registering guests, ushering people to their seats and displaying art pieces, while enticing guests to bid generously.

Students Help Raise Funds for Spay and Neuter Programs

Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts (C.A.R.E) in association with St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine hosted the second annual Dog Jog on February 13, 2011. Money raised through the event helps to fund spay and neuter programs on the island. Third semester student, Michelle Palmer, was a representative featured on DayBreak’s morning show to help promote the event.

Source:Caymanian Compass

Dean Kumar Elected to High Ranking Position in Storied Society

Dean of Basic Sciences, Dr. R. Senthil Kumar was elected to the position of Secretary/Treasurer for the Division of Pharmacology Education in the American Society of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).

Established in 1908, ASPET is the oldest Pharmacology society in the world comprising of 4,800 members who engage in basic and clinical pharmacological research in academia, industry and the government, with member research efforts helping develop new medicines and therapeutic agents to fight existing and emerging diseases. To learn more about ASPET, please visit www.aspet.org.

Teddy bear clinic grows more popular

The 4^th annual teddy bear clinic was held at the ARC at Camana Bay over the weekend. 

St. Matthews University organizes the annual event so that children can stop by and bring their favourite stuffed animals for a physical.  The goal is to help children alleviate their fears about going to the doctor.

This year's event also featured health and nutrition booths to promote healthy living.

The teddy bear clinic went much better than expected and organisers told Cayman 27 crews they saw just over 230 children, not including the parents or the little babies.

Source:Caymanian Compass

Faculty and Students Enjoy an Evening of CSI: SMU-style

Back Row, left to right: Dr. Kimberley Sampson, Aakar Thakar (hanging victim), David Lubbert (burn victim), Timothy D. Jenkins (gunshot victim), Devin Opela (slashed throat victim), Quintero Moore (drowning victim), Dr. Mohan Kumar. Front row, left to right: volunteers - Natalie E. Briones, Christina Varzoaba, Christian Chaban, Kyle Woods. Volunteers not pictured: Darian Robinson and Jarrett Gillette.

Students and professors of St. Matthew’s University gathered on Friday, September 10, 2010, for an evening of murder, intrigue and a veritable whodunit, as they toasted CSI, SMU-style. The event was hosted by the Surgical Society of SMU, and included a riveting lead-in lecture by one of St. Matthew’s own, Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Mohan Kumar.

Dr. Mohan sashayed from one case to another, delineating the logistics fundamental to solving a crime. Attendees sat perched upon the edges of their seats, as he guided them from one heinous crime scene to the next. While the “what happened,” “when,” and “how” questions are critically important to any investigation, Dr. Mohan underscored that the final resolution of a crime is all for naught without an answer to the vital “who.” A brutally murdered woman abandoned in a ditch highlighted just such a case. The pathologists involved were able to ascertain what had killed the woman, when she died and how, but were never able to determine who she was or who was responsible, leading to a not so figurative dead-end.

Aakar Thakar – hanging victim

Following the lecture, attendees were escorted by flashlight to various “victims,” through the clinical skills lab, which had been transformed into a morgue. Five SMU students underwent transformation at the hands of the brilliant make-up artist – Jimmie De Loach. As pseudo-victims of a hanging, a gunshot wound, a slashed throat, a severe burn and a drowning, the students brought visual reality to Dr. Mohan’s case studies. A series of photographs in close proximity to each of the victims fleshed out the details of each case.

The evening’s festivities wrapped up to rave reviews by faculty and students alike. “Dr. Mohan brought the field of forensic pathology to life, challenging us to apply medicine in a practical and intelligent manner. The victims were visually stunning, allowing the cases to pop off the pages. It made the learning process much more effective” said Ian Brain.

Devin Opela – slashed throat victim

Dr. Prakash Mungli spoke to the merits of the presentation, “CSI event was fantastic, Dr Mohan was at his best in detailing the cases (he is a forensic medicine expert). I was surprised when I witnessed the forensic cases simulated at the skills lab by an artist. They were all awesome. Thanks to all those involved in making the CSI event successful.”

This semester St. Matthew's University marks the inception of the Surgical Society. The organization focuses on providing opportunities aimed at broadening the understanding of surgical practice for students considering such a focus. Highly anticipated future events include: viewing autopsies, practicing suturing skills, and gleaning the practical wisdom of guest speakers from various surgical specialties.

St. Matthew's Students Help Haiti

(L to R): Jan-Michael Maw (Director of Student Services), Pouya Aghajafari (3rd semester SGA Representative), Hemant Balgobin (CI Red Cross), Valerie Capuy (SGA Vice-President), Annie Majoka (4th semester SGA Representative), Maria Riccardo (3rd semester SGA Representative)

Students and employees fundraised over $3,300 to help the devastated nation of Haiti through internal activities. The Student Government Association organized a couple social activities where all proceeds would go to the relief of Haiti. The Student Government Association’s Vice-President, Valerie Capuy, presented the Cayman Islands Red Cross with a check on Wednesday for their work in the Haiti relief effort.

St. Matthew’s efforts were appreciated by the Red Cross. "Without support and the community pulling together in this way and being able to come up with creative ways of raising funds we as a country would not have been able to support our neighbor Haiti,” commented Hemant Balgobin, Disaster Manager at the Cayman Islands Red Cross. “All though these funds have been channeled through the Red Cross, it is indeed a community effort and will be sent to support Haiti as that of the Cayman Islands and its people."

The Dean of Basic Sciences, Dr. Senthil Kumar added, “this is an excellent response from our student body considering the recent tough times with finances and I applaud the efforts of our students”.

The Student Government echoed Dr. Senthil Kumar’s appreciation. “We as a student body felt compelled to help those who have suffered unimaginable plight and difficulty and wanted to do our part,” added President of the Student Government Association, “Our thoughts and prayers are with those that were afflicted by this terrible disaster and we as a student body will continue to be ready to serve.”

St. Matthew’s University is an off-shore medical and veterinary school located in the Regatta Office Park next to Governor’s Square with approximately 500 students living and attending classes in Grand Cayman. The school offers an accredited program for local and foreign students wishing to obtain an MD or DVM degree and practice in the United States, United Kingdom or locally. St. Matthew’s University has been operating in Grand Cayman since 2001.

Dr. Robson presents at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Barry Robson gave two lectures at the Future of Health Technology Summit 2009 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. See www.fhti.org. The series of Summits goes back many years and was founded by Professor Marvin Minsky, "father of artificial intelligence" and his student Renata Bushko at M.I.T. The conference included various topics for the next 20 years of medicine, but primarily concerned Artificial Intelligence and Nanotechnology for health care.

Since M.I.T. and the conference attendees include many world leaders in these kinds of emergent health care technologies, and our area of research now involves numerous potentially controversial new ideas and techniques, it was especially pleasing that the lectures were very well received.

Use AMCAS or VMCAS form to apply to SMU

Applicants may submit their applicant copy of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) or Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) rather than completing the applicable St. Matthew's University application form. This will take the applicant just minutes to complete and save considerable time. Applicant copies of AMCAS or VMCAS may be submitted via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via fax to 800-565-7177.

Multiple Language Support

St. Matthew's University is pleased to announce the addition of our new Medical Spanish and Veterinary Spanish courses. With the growth of our Spanish-speaking population, it is becoming critical for today's physician or veterinarian to be capable of communicating with both patients and colleagues. As a speaker of both English and Spanish, opportunities will become more attainable.

This elective course is designed to provide the basic communication skills for the medical or veterinary practice. Its focus will be the usual verbal exchanges that happen from consultation to treatment while improving the understanding of basic Spanish in the medical or veterinary setting.