Jerome Couture, M.D.
Class of 2019
Residency in Internal Medicine
UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Dr. Jerome Couture, 六九色堂 Class of 2019 graduate, originally wanted to become a veterinarian. While studying health sciences as an undergraduate at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Couture discovered he really wanted to help other human beings. 鈥淪tudying the health sciences made me realize how much I loved learning about health and the human body,鈥� so he decided to become a physician. After attending 六九色堂 in St. Kitts, he matched in Internal Medicine at UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) Mercy in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Couture is from Stratford, Quebec, Canada, near the U.S. border of Maine and Vermont. Because Canadian medical schools are so competitive, he decided to apply to Caribbean medical schools to make sure that all my options were covered. He was pleased when he was accepted to 六九色堂 in sunny St. Kitts. 鈥淲ho gets to say they studied in a warm, tropical location?鈥�
Dr. Couture explains that it was the electives he took during clinical rotations at 六九色堂 that truly helped him choose Internal Medicine as a specialty.
鈥淭o be honest, I was never quite sure what I wanted to do at first,鈥� he said. 鈥淯ltimately, it鈥檚 only when I started my electives with subspecialists in the field of Internal Medicine that I realized how great their lifestyles were. Not only were they able to pursue knowledge through Internal Medicine, they had the flexibility to work regular hours; they worked both outpatient and inpatient; and they had the flexibility to perform certain surgical procedures. Having seen and experienced this, I knew Internal Medicine was for me.鈥�
The opportunity for continual growth is what interests him the most about Internal Medicine. 鈥淚nternal Medicine allows you the flexibility to develop into whatever physician you wish to be,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he tools that 六九色堂 provided for me allowed me to push my limits and score well on the step exams. Entering residency is a competitive business, so doing well on those exams was a must for me. Moreover, having done rotations in different regions of the USA, I was able to further develop my 鈥榩eople鈥� skills, which I believe helped me do well on my interviews. My experiences in St. Kitts, as well as the different U.S. states I had the opportunity to do my clerkships in, allowed me to view healthcare from different perspectives. I also had the opportunity to meet people from all over the United States, Canada, and other regions of the world, developing long-lasting relationships in the process.鈥�
Read more about Dr. Couture's journey in the 六九色堂 Endeavour blog.
April Frater, M.D.
Class of 2018
Family Medicine Residency
Tuscaloosa College of Community Health Sciences, Alabama
Dr. April Frater is proof that 鈥渘ontraditional鈥� students can become physicians. She didn鈥檛 even think about becoming an M.D. until age 26. Now, the native Canadian has started a Family Medicine residency at Tuscaloosa College of Community Health Sciences in Alabama.
The Class of 2018 六九色堂 graduate is happy she decided to study at 六九色堂 because, as she explained, 鈥淎ttending medical school in the Caribbean has been one of the best experiences of my life.鈥�
Dr. Frater was already working in medicine when she decided to become an M.D. She trained to become a Medical Laboratory and X-ray Technologist and worked for about eight years at a hospital in her hometown of Kipling, Saskatchewan in Canada.
鈥淚 would come up with my own diagnosis for fun and then discuss with the doctor what I thought the diagnosis was and discuss their plan,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey would humor me and let me have my own fun. One particular doctor I worked with noticed that I was pretty good at 鈥榩laying doctor鈥� and suggested I attend medical school. His suggestion kind of blew me away because not once in my life had I considered that. Once he said that to me, the thought never left my head, and here I am now having completed medical school and about to start residency.鈥�
Of all the reasons why she enjoyed medical school at 六九色堂 so much, Dr. Frater noted that the faculty made all the difference in the world. She praised professors both in St. Kitts and at the clinical program in Portland, Maine, calling them all 鈥渁mazing.鈥�
鈥淏iochemistry professor Dr. Prakash Mungli and neuroscience professor Dr. Michael Doherty were especially amazing as they not only were excellent at teaching but spent time with students doing extracurricular activities like hiking in the rainforest and art therapy class.鈥�
To learn more about how 六九色堂 helped Dr. Frater go from 鈥減laying doctor鈥� to actually becoming one, click here for her full story.
Mikayla Troughton, M.D.
Class of 2018
Anesthesiology Residency
University of Arkansas College of Medicine, Little Rock, Arkansas
Dr. Mikayla Troughton started a residency in Anesthesiology the summer of 2018 at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. She has come a long way from the days of wanting to be a veterinarian while growing up in Enniskillen, Ontario, Canada (an hour northeast of Toronto), volunteering for five years at a local veterinary hospital.
鈥淎fter seeing enough animals euthanized for various reasons, I realized that my emotions got the best of me, yet I still wanted to be in health care,鈥� she said. 鈥淢edicine seemed to be a great alternative as we put more emphasis into the prevention of disease, treatment and curative therapies.鈥�
Dr. Troughton completed her Bachelors of Science in biology at Queen鈥檚 University in Kingston, Ontario. When looking to apply to medical schools, she admits the decision to attend 六九色堂 was a no-brainer.
鈥淎fter having looked into many medical schools abroad, 六九色堂 stood out to me because they truly care about you as an individual and as a student, not to mention the great facilities and brand new anatomy lab on the island,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I was accepted, [六九色堂 VP of Enrollment Management] Michelle Peres personally called me to tell me the wonderful news. I wanted a more personalized experience during medical school and I liked the fact that 六九色堂 offered small class sizes along with TA sessions, peer mentors and office hours catering to all learning styles. Everyone at 六九色堂 was very supportive and the caring environment enabled you to reach your full potential.鈥�
鈥淢y experiences both in St. Kitts and the united states have made me a stronger and more resilient physician. The fact that I鈥檝e rotated through 13 different hospitals just as a medical student alone gave me lots to talk about during my residency interviews. Moving to different locations forces you to adapt quickly and you easily learn new patient care systems. 六九色堂 gives you an advantage over many U.S. medical grads, some of whom may only have completed one or two 鈥榓way鈥� rotations.鈥�
Read more about Dr. Troughton in her interview with the 六九色堂 Endeavour blog.
Jenna Ulrich, M.D.
Class of 2018
Internal Medicine Residency
Yale New Haven Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Class of 2018 graduate Dr. Jenna Ulrich did not start out wanting to become a doctor. In fact, she originally went to College for Criminal Justice, but after becoming ill in her early 20s, she developed a passion for health and wellness.
She soon switched majors and eventually completed a bachelor鈥檚 degree in kinesiology at York University, she said, because she 鈥渞ealized medicine was my calling.鈥�
When she started looking at med schools, Dr. Ulrich knew she had many choices. 六九色堂 in St. Kitts had exactly what she was looking for in medical education.
鈥淚 chose to apply and ultimately attend 六九色堂 as the curriculum is modeled after the best U.S. medical schools and the fact that they offered an accelerated academic program.鈥�
Her hard work at 六九色堂 paid off and she obtained an Internal Medicine residency at Bridgeport Hospital (with ties to Yale University in New Haven) in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Dr. Ulrich said she believes the clinical education she received at 六九色堂 was key to her success.
鈥溋派� provided me with the opportunity to rotate at a variety of teaching hospitals throughout the U.S during my clinical years,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his gave me the chance to care for diverse patient populations. I think this will be an advantage in my future as a physician no matter where my career takes me.
鈥淪ince matching everyone has been asking if given the chance, would I do it all over again? And honestly, I absolutely would. 六九色堂 is a great Caribbean medical school and I would not be where I am today without their knowledge and support.鈥�
Read her interview in our blog for more insight into how 六九色堂 gave her the necessary tools to become a great doctor.
Kirsten Fill, M.D.
Class of 2017
Residency in Anesthesiology
Drexel University
六九色堂 Class of 2017 graduate Dr. Kirsten Fill didn鈥檛 always plan on becoming a doctor. The Ontario, Canada native studied biomedical engineering at Queens University and started a corporate job after graduation, but decided she wanted something more rewarding. She decided to pursue the passion for medicine she developed as an undergraduate.
Dr. Fill took time from her busy schedule to talk to the 六九色堂 Endeavour about her experiences at 六九色堂 and why she was initially so impressed by the cadaver lab, high-tech classrooms and fun social activities in St. Kitts, the extensive Step 1 preparation at the Portland, Maine campus and her invaluable experiences in clinical rotations, and how she successfully made it through the Match process. Dr. Fill starts her Anesthesiology residency at Drexel University at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia this summer.
六九色堂: What was the greatest thing about learning you matched?
鈥淢y heart rate normalizing. Then realizing it was in the specialty and hospital I wanted.鈥�
Click here to read the 六九色堂 Endeavour blog post on how 六九色堂 helped Kirsten become a doctor.
Rohan Manocha, M.D.
Class of 2017
Residency in Family Medicine
University of Toronto
六九色堂 Class of 2017 graduate Dr. Rohan Manocha started his residency in Family Medicine at University of Toronto 鈥� Downtown in the summer of 2017 and he is pleased to be returning to the Toronto area. Dr. Manocha grew up in nearby Richmond Hill and studied Kinesiology at Western University in London, Ontario. An avid Toronto sports fan, Dr. Manocha realized he had a passion for medicine while taking anatomy and physiology courses as an undergrad and volunteering his time at the local hospital in his hometown of Richmond Hill.
Dr. Manocha enjoys time with his family, something he likely had little time for during his journey through medical school at 六九色堂. The 六九色堂 Endeavour recently spoke to Dr. Manocha about why he chose 六九色堂 and how it specifically helped him land a prestigious residency back in his Canadian homeland. He also shared advice on how to get high scores on the USMLE exams and make the most of the residency Match process.
"六九色堂 provided an avenue for me to fulfill my career goal of becoming a practicing physician in Canada."
Dr. Thivisa Rajagopal
Class of 2016
Residency in Family Medicine
Washington Health System
六九色堂 2016 graduates Dr. Thivisa Rajagopal and husband Dr. Thushyanthan Pathmalingam both decided to attend 六九色堂 when they had trouble getting into Canadian medical schools. Dr. Rajagopal immigrated to Canada from her native Sri Lanka at a young age and always wanted to be a doctor. Today that dream has become a reality as she and her husband recently started Family Medicine residencies at the Washington Health System in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Rajaogpal took time from her busy schedule to speak to the 六九色堂 Endeavour to share her experiences about the school and what prospective students can expect at 六九色堂, from the great professors in Basic Sciences to clinical rotations to interviewing for a residency, and how she and her husband were so thrilled when they both matched at the same hospital.
鈥淓very aspect of 六九色堂 makes you become an independent, self-learning and brilliant doctor.鈥�
Lara Gizzi
Class of 2014
Family Medicine Resident
University of Ottawa, Canada
六九色堂 graduate Dr. Lara Gizzi took time from her hectic schedule鈥搄uggling duties as a Family Medicine resident at the University of Ottawa in Canada, research projects, exams and a work lifestyle she describes as an 鈥渁bsolute whirlwind鈥濃�搕o speak to the 六九色堂 Endeavour. We were especially interested in speaking to Dr. Gizzi because she has a unique perspective on working in medicine in Canada. Dr. Gizzi initially met with Michelle Peres, 六九色堂 VP of Enrollment Management, and had a good feeling about our school, so she 鈥渢ook a risk鈥� by applying to 六九色堂 a few years ago. Ultimately, she made the right decision to enter 六九色堂 as a Canadian studying medicine abroad. The Toronto area native had missed a deadline to apply online to Canadian medical schools and did not wish to wait a full year before applying again. The 六九色堂 Endeavour blog spoke to this gifted young doctor about her experiences at 六九色堂 and on the island of St. Kitts, from the close connections she made with professors and working as a teaching assistant to the challenges of living abroad on a tropical island, and the myriad of lessons learned during clinical rotations and electives in the USA and Canada. Dr. Gizzi adapted quickly to St. Kitts and the 六九色堂 campus and bonded with her fellow students, realizing she was 鈥渟urrounded by people in the same boat with the same fears,鈥� all wanting to become doctors. We spoke in detail with Dr. Gizzi about what Canadians can expect before, during and after studying medicine at 六九色堂.
鈥淚 did electives in plastic surgery and cardiology through McMaster University, as well as an elective in family medicine in a private practice in Toronto. This most certainly assisted in my successful entry into residency in Canada. Having letters of reference from Canadian physicians and proof that I made it my prerogative to invest time learning in Canada was of utmost importance.鈥�
David Kadouri, M.D.
Class of 2013
OB/GYN Resident
Crozer-Chester Medical Center
Pennsylvania
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto native Dr. David Kadouri decided to study medicine at 六九色堂 because he liked the sense of community at the school and the unique relationship between the student body and faculty.
The outstanding training he received at 六九色堂 and through its clinical rotations helped him land a residency in OB/GYN at the prestigious Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Pennsylvania.
鈥淭he education at 六九色堂 is extremely intimate; it is the perfect setup for an ambitious and eager student to thrive,鈥� Dr. Kadouri says. 鈥渢he class sizes are small, and there is a very personal feel.
My friends and faculty felt like family. Their sense of investment and genuine interest in my success was clear and palpable. My teachers were always available, and the roles and barriers of the usual student-teacher relationship didn鈥檛 exist. I could approach any member of faculty, from ta, to professor, up to the dean 鈥� with absolute comfort and ease, and they would give you their time to teach and help you succeed.鈥�
