六九色堂

Regular readers of the 六九色堂 Endeavour are probably already familiar with Class of 2018 graduate Dr. Jasmine Rivas. Throughout her medical education at 六九色堂, Dr. Rivas was a frequent contributor to the blog, writing about everything from on-campus student events and LGBT health issues to what to expect during the 5^th semester in Portland, Maine, inspiring encounters with the medically underserved homeless population in her native South Florida, maintaining a proper work-life balance during med school and clinical rotations, and countless other topics. She also wrote about her journey through med school in a popular personal blog.

We have always been thrilled to work with Dr. Rivas because she has such upbeat positive energy and inspirational, incisive thoughts on medical education, health care and human rights. We are proud that she matched at East Carolina University in North Carolina and started a Family Medicine residency there this summer.

The 六九色堂 Endeavour spoke to Dr. Rivas shortly after she returned from a trip to French Polynesia for some well-deserved time off. We discussed why she chose 六九色堂, her insights into life in St. Kitts and the state-of-art 六九色堂 campus, what interests her about Family Medicine, and more.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida by a Cuban mother and a Mexican father, Dr. Rivas is committed to multiculturalism and helping humanity. Although writing is one of her favorite hobbies, she always knew medicine was her true calling.

鈥淏ecoming a doctor was the only thing I ever imagined myself doing, 鈥� she said.

She studied biology and chemistry as an undergraduate. When it was time to apply to medical schools, she decided to indulge in her love of exploring other cultures by applying to 六九色堂 in St. Kitts. The tropical setting and Caribbean lifestyle were not the only factors in her decision to study medicine abroad.

鈥淭he founder of 六九色堂, the late Dr. Robert Ross, and current president Warren Ross, both had extensive experience and success in leading medical students to successful careers in medicine,鈥� she said. 鈥溋�九色堂 offers very competitive tuition and an excellent education. Also, St. Kitts is a beautiful island and who wouldn鈥檛 want to spend 16 to 20 months with ocean views from campus and home?鈥�

From Blogging in Med School to Residency

She was not sure what to expect upon arrival to 六九色堂, but Dr. Rivas immediately adjusted to the surroundings.

鈥淢oving to an island I had never visited before made me more adaptable,鈥� she said. 鈥淎lso, forming lasting relationships with people from across the globe and learning about various cultures has broadened my perspective.  I believe this will always give me a competitive edge.鈥�

(Photo, inset right) Dr. Jasmine Rivas. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Rivas

Getting to experience a new culture while studying medicine had countless rewards. As Dr. Rivas eloquently wrote in one of her many blog posts, 鈥淭here are many aspects of my experience in St. Kitts that I will forever hold dear to my heart and use as tools to keep me grounded and focused.  I always knew the importance of embracing cultures outside of one鈥檚 own and time [in St. Kitts] provided the opportunity for this on a daily basis.  Whether it was getting to know the grocers and taxi drivers by name and learning about their history, or realizing that goats on the main road and monkeys hanging out by the beach were the norm.鈥�

She said 六九色堂 鈥渁lso provided an opportunity to learn about other people right on campus. Our student body, faculty, and staff represents a multitude of races, ethnicities, and religions.鈥�

Discover if a career in Family Medicine is right for you.

Learn why 70% of doctors would choose the same specialty again.

Dr. Rivas said she enjoyed writing for both the 六九色堂 blog and her personal blog about med school life. She immediately made friends with other students and, when not busy studying, found time to chronicle events held by the various student organizations for the 六九色堂 Endeavour, and also write about her thoughts on her daily adventures in St. Kitts, Maine and during clinical rotations at hospitals across the USA.

鈥淥n a personal level, it allowed me time to reflect on my experiences, both in St. Kitts and during clinical rotations,鈥� she said regarding writing about med school. 鈥淧rofessionally, it opened doors to contribute a monthly column for a local medical newspaper in Augusta, Georgia, as well as other web-based journals.鈥�

Besides the foundations of Basic Sciences, Dr. Rivas said the faculty helped her strengthen qualities that are crucial for becoming a great physician.

鈥淭he ones that come to mind are adaptability, open-mindedness, tenacity, perseverance and most importantly, empathy,鈥� she said.

Although St. Kitts is a beautiful setting for med school, students come to 六九色堂 to study medicine. Dr. Rivas鈥� advice for utilizing one鈥檚 time?

鈥淏alance is key.  Have fun, make the most of your time on the island, but also focus and don鈥檛 lose sight of what you鈥檙e there to accomplish.  If you find yourself struggling, ask for help. 鈥�

Preparing for the Match

From Basic Sciences to clinical rotations, 六九色堂 prepared Dr. Rivas to become a doctor鈥攕omething she was born to do. She has two simple words of encouragement for students preparing for the residency Match:  鈥渟tay eager.鈥�

As she explained, preparation for the residency Match is a process. First, it is important to do well on USMLE Step 1, and the 5^th semester in Portland, Maine gives students all the help they need to do succeed on the exam.

She heeded advice from one of her 六九色堂 professors, Dr. Anoop Jalan, urging her to score as high as possible on the USMLE Step 1. She joked that she could always hear Dr. Jalan鈥檚 voice in the back of her head while studying for Step 1 and reading USMLE-oriented study materials.

鈥淚t always kept me up an extra hour or two reviewing questions,鈥� she said.

The 六九色堂 Academic Affairs department guides students through the Match process and offers help in a number of ways.

Patience is key while waiting to hear back from residency programs to which one has applied. Sometimes, being proactive makes a big difference.

鈥淚f you haven鈥檛 heard back from specific programs you are interested in, contact them and show interest,鈥� she said.  鈥淓very interview is a chance to become a licensed physician, so take them seriously; no texting, dress sharp, be on time and come prepared. Most importantly, stay positive and confident.鈥�

Matching in Family Medicine

Dr. Rivas鈥� persistence paid off and she was delighted to learn she matched in Family Medicine at the Family Medicine Center at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

鈥淚t was my first choice and I couldn鈥檛 be more excited,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 ranked highly for my chosen specialty, Family Medicine, and offers a lot of support for its residents.鈥�

Family Medicine encompasses health care for patients of all ages (from newborns to seniors) and all genders, offering a range of acute, chronic and preventive medical services. Many do not realize just how broad the specialty is.

鈥淭he versatility it offers is what really hooked me,鈥� Dr. Rivas said. 鈥淎t Family Medicine conferences and during my interview trail, I met Family Physicians doing everything from full- time Sports Medicine, to Integrative Medicine, hospitalist medicine and even Palliative Medicine.  I also love that Family Medicine allows for the formation of lasting relationships with families across generations.鈥�

Dr. Rivas鈥� goals for residency are simple. 鈥淏eing an asset to my team and keeping a balanced lifestyle,鈥� she said.

Dr. Rivas often answered students鈥� questions about medical school on her blog while studying to become an M.D. Now, as she enters residency, she鈥檚 still happy to answer any specific questions via email at jrivas@umhs-sk.net or, if you are already a 六九色堂 student, contact her on the Facebook 六九色堂 Clinical page.

(Top photo) DR. JASMINE RIVAS: 六九色堂 Class of 2018 graduate recently started a Family Medicine residency at East Carolina University in North Carolina. Photo: Island Photography

六九色堂:

Built in the tradition of the best U.S. universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences focuses on individualized student attention, small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. For these reasons, 六九色堂 is quickly becoming the school of choice among Caribbean medical schools.