Category: Advices

Do you stick with what you are told to read? If you go about it in the right way then you can read a lot more and relate your knowledge to the required syllabus.

Yesterday in the learning category we spoke about ways of increasing your interest in a class you find dry. By relating your motivational passions to the subject in a creative and supportive manner, and approaching the subject through a perspective that you find inspiring, an otherwise tedious topic can become easier to study. Similar considerations apply also to your required reading list.

You may find the list more than long enough and later this week we will be looking at some good advice on reading skills but here we are considering the advantages of expanding your reading to cover authors and titles not listed as required. On the reading list handed out for any given lecture series you will see two categories. One is obligatory reading that forms the basis of the course the other is additional suggested reading. It is in the area of suggested reading that you may choose to add something that you have discovered and find inspiring. This is not to say that you ignore the literature suggested by your lecturer but as it is not required reading you might read one, familiarize yourself with another and then read something you have chosen yourself.

To give a concrete example: When I was taking a seminar course on Islamic Art and we were looking at Safavid miniatures I quickly noticed how often the theme of love had been used by these excellent artists and discovered that their miniatures were based on many of the traditional folk stories of Muslim lands. In turn some of these stories were used by the great Sufi writers and poets to illustrate points of spiritual learning such as the longing of the mystic for union with God. A love story serves as an appropriate metaphor for this endeavor.

University libraries are full of wonderful treasures waiting to be discovered by students and I discovered several books that told those stories and explored them for perennial themes such as the hero. This was a rich addition to my studies and guided me in my decision of a topic for the art project we were required to complete as part of our assessment.

When creating a reading list a lecturer has to make choices and inevitably some worthwhile reading matter has to be left out. This does not mean that it is not valuable. As noted in the article on using extracurricular interests to support and underline your work in class, the same applies here. This is not about going off on a tangent so that your lecturer cannot recognize the material she taught as being present in your essays. It is about enriching the subject with your own discoveries and developing yourself as an independent scholar.

Going to college is a very fun, exciting experience for all students. If you are living on campus, then you are entering into a world of freedom and independence. If you are living outside of home for the first time, then you may be feeling a little homesick. It is very common for college students to feel homesick; this is especially true if you are attending an out of city or out of state school. If you are feeling homesick while living at college, then you should consider a few of the following tips.

A great way to ease homesickness is by making good use of technology. If you and your family have computers, then use video chat programs to have face to face conversations. You may have a busy schedule, but you can try to set aside an hour or two each week to chat with your family. This is a great way for you and your family to keep each other updated. You can also call or text message your family at a specific time each day. A friendly call or text each day will help ease homesickness on a daily basis. Take advantage of the technology available to you, and you will ease your homesickness in no time.

How many times have you thought to yourself as you’re rushing out the door, grabbing a granola bar, and doing your mascara on the way to work, Man, wouldn’t it be nice to just work at home?

In the information age, a lot of employers and businesses are realizing that working from home is a real possibility now. There are a ton of jobs you can do from home, everything from tech support and customer service to writing, editing, and secretarial work.

Because there are so many and a lot of them are very specialized, I decided to put together a list of jobs you can do from the comfort of your home and where to find these jobs.

Some of the most popular home-based jobs are also a lot of fun, simply because they’re somewhat easy for the right people and you don’t have to waste time and gas commuting. You make your own schedule, are flexible enough to take breaks if you need to get something else done, and don’t have to take your lunches at specific times.

The 5 most popular jobs you can do from home are somewhat easy to obtain if you have the necessary skills. Someone with terrible grammar and spelling wouldn’t become a professional writer, right? So really think about it. What do you know a lot about? What are you skilled in? Can you offer this as a service and get paid for it?

1. Virtual Assistant

A VA or Virtual Assistant is exactly what the job title implies – an online assistant to someone, their business, or specific assigned tasks. Virtual assistants can be responsible for answering e-mails, customer service, follow-up work, interlinking web sites, or other assistant-specific tasks. The best part is, as a VA you don’t have to get anyone else but yourself coffee. Working from home definitely has its perks!

How can you find a job as a Virtual Assistant? There are plenty of web sites to go to for this kind of work, and some to get you started are Craigslist and oDesk. For a job-specific site, check out Virtual Office Temps.

2. Customer Service Representative

There are companies hiring customer service workers all the time online. Companies are outsourcing their call center work to save money by saving space. Instead of going in to a call center to sit at a desk and take calls, you can now do the same thing from the comfort of your own home. Companies like Convergys are always hiring call center reps to work from home.

I can tell you from personal experience that working from home is a nice perk, extremely convenient, and offers a great deal of flexibility. In some cases, even if you know how to do simple data entry, you don’t even have to have a college degree.

3. Graphic Artist

This is a more specialized field, but definitely one that can be done from the comfort of your home. A graphic artist is someone who designs things like posters, business cards, coffee mugs, book covers, stationery, journal covers, and much more. Postcards, greeting cards, all sorts of design options exist out there – you just have to find the projects.

There are a lot of people who don’t want to pay a whole lot for these services, even though you do need a college degree to do this type of work. Once you’re more established, though, it’s more acceptable to ask for more money. If you have a passion for graphic design, art, color, and visually appealing work, this might be the right career for you!

4. Writer

Every business, enterprise, organization, and company has a web site now. If they don’t, then they’re behind. But the web site also needs content – good content – if it’s going to go anywhere or serve its purpose, which is usually to get more customers or provide information about the company.

For writers, there’s never been a better time to have a solid writing skill for sales materials, web content, answering e-mails, and being the online chat help for a site. Writing press releases, grant proposals, white papers, business letters, and pre-written scheduled e-mails are all on the list of things a writer can do. People also hire ghostwriters for if they have a good idea for a book but aren’t writers themselves. You can also write essays, term papers, and other education-related material for cash.

5. Consultant

If you have a specialty, consider yourself an expert on a given topic, or just have a lot of experience with something, you can become a consultant. Consulting work is basically sharing your knowledge with others for a fee – people will literally pay you for what you know.

Things such as self-publishing are rapidly growing and expanding, so people are independently putting their work out there in order to avoid having a big publishing house come in and take 90% of the profits with things like print on demand making that unnecessary. If you’re someone who has knowledge on something specific, you can become a member of a web site like LivePerson or Just Answer and have people pay you for what you know.

These are all very real possibilities and have the potential to make a decent living from home. I personally have made writing my career, and I thought that if I really want to be a good writer, I should learn to write as many different things as possible. Now that I know how to write a lot of different things and edit well, I charge for those services. I have to tell you… working from home is a blessing when you have kids to raise! That was the whole reason why I decided to do an online degree program instead of on campus.

Under-graduate training

If you decide as an under-graduate that Pediatric nursing will be your career of choice there may be an opportunity to do a special project or intercalated degree in some aspect of Pediatrics. This will not only develop your understanding of Pediatrics, but also provide you with a chance to decide whether this is really what you want to do.

Pre-registration House Officer

A few regions now offer pre-registration rotations, which include some time spent in Pediatrics. This is an excellent opportunity to experience Pediatrics before you make your choice. We hope that more regions will offer this option in the future.

General Professional Training (Senior House Officer)

This is the time when you must decide which area of medicine is your choice. If you are not certain about pediatrics as a career it is a good idea to do a 6-month general pediatric post, but if you are fairly sure you can apply for a 2-year pediatric rotation. These rotations usually offer a mixture of experience, linking together posts in general pediatrics with neonatal intensive care, specialty and community pediatrics or child psychiatry and are an ideal way of obtaining your general professional training. If you decide to put together your own package you should try to include all of these things.

General professional training must be a minimum of 2 years, but can include other allied disciplines such as general practice, anesthetics, or obstetrics. At least one year must however be in pediatrics.

Examinations

During your year of professional training you need to pass the MRCPCH, so that you can move on to the next stage. This examination is in 2 parts: Part I consist of a multiple-choice paper testing your knowledge in medical science and pediatric disease. The second part us based on clinical skills (history taking and examination) and the ability to plan further management of children’s problems. This is an essential requirement before you can apply for Specialist Registrar posts.

The DCH is a pediatric examination suitable for people who are planning a career in general practice, or other specialties, which have a large pediatric component. It is good practice for taking MRCPCH but is not essential.

Higher Specialist Training (Specialist Registrar)

This period of training is an integrated program lasting a minimum of 5 years and culminating in the acquisition of a CCST. In order to start this program you need, first, to have passed your MRCPCH, and secondly to be successful at a deanery interview to gain a place on the training program and to acquire a National Training Number (NTN)

All rotations include:

• Two years core training in General pediatrics
• Neonatology
• Community pediatrics

This is part of your normally occurs in a DGH, or a combination with a tertiary center. During this period you will need to start thinking about your eventual career aim. This may be General Pediatrics with a special interest in Integrated hospital and Community Pediatric Specialist (Tertiary center)

Academic Pediatrics

If your aim is general pediatrics you need to gain a variety of experience in the different specialties; to develop a special interest you will need to spend at least a year in that specialty. If you wish to train in a tertiary specialty and/or academic pediatrics you need to plan time out for research to obtain an MD or PhD. Your training time will be extended to accommodate this.

Experience of working overseas can be very valuable for those training in pediatrics and the Royal College has recently established a pioneering link with VSO to encourage such links. This does however need to be planned in advance, and approved by your post -graduate dean in order to count towards your training.

Flexible training is particularly important in pediatrics where 60% of pediatric SHOs are female. Many pediatricians have successfully combined a career in pediatrics with maximum involvement in parenthood. Part-time training and job sharing is strongly supported in pediatrics.

During your HST training you will be regularly assessed and provided your progress is satisfactory you should be able to obtain a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) in Pediatrics. You may also seek accreditation in a pediatric specialty though the RCPCH, although only Pediatric Cardiology has a separate CCST. When you have obtained your CCST you will go on the Specialist Register and you will be able to apply for consultant posts.

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia. It has been said, that the name Cyprus hides an ages-old mystique. Today, that mystique has intertwined with its history and long tradition to form beautiful resorts that combine white sandy beaches with wild virgin mountainous settings, untouched since antiquity. Thousands of tourists as well as students from all over the world make Cyprus their destination every year, because of its natural beauty, its unique climate, and its hospitable people.

With its unique proximity to Europe, Asia and Africa, Cyprus has been coveted, won and lost by countless civilizations over the centuries. Since the Mycenean Greeks settled in Cyprus over 3,000 years ago establishing the Greek civilization on the island, Phoenicians, Romans, Crusaders, Franks, Venetians and other conquerors have all left their mark on the island and helped to shape its special character.

Cyprus is the island where people from all over the world find it easy to engage in a variety of activities. They may choose to visit various historical monuments, archaeological remains, mediaeval castles, monasteries, fertile countryside, cedar forests, or vineyards where they become familiar with its long history and culture. Or they spend their days absorbing the sun on its beautiful white sandy beaches and enjoy their afternoons by taking strolls on the beachfront. There are, of course, those who thrive on the wild side of things, so they seek adventure through a range of outdoor activities including hiking, diving, water sports and bungee jumping. During the evenings they venture out to spectacular night clubs and bars, where they enjoy a mixture of Greek and foreign music.

Cyprus enjoys a wonderful Mediterranean climate with long, dry summers and mild winters. It is the sunniest island in the Mediterranean; from May to September there is hardly a cloud in the sky! Therefore, it remains a popular destination for tourists all the year through.

Cyprus prides on its almost non-existent crime rate and the Cypriots’ easy-going friendliness. Cypriots enjoy their security and tranquility in their small, beautiful island and never fail to show that everyone is welcome on their little paradise. It is a desirable destination especially for students, because of this.

Why choose Americanos College

During the 28 years of its foundation, Americanos College has enjoyed considerable success. At the same time it has gained valuable experience in the field of higher education. These years have seen the birth and growing to maturity of a significant academic institution in Cyprus; an institution with firm foundations, dedicated to offering quality higher education. We have indeed built a sound structure, which, on the one hand, provides the communities with well-trained and valuable professionals and, on the other, offers its students guaranteed success in achieving their career goals.

With our dynamic and innovative team of professors and advisors, we have created an academic institution to meet the needs of students in the new millennium. We can say with confidence that our faculty follows modern teaching methods, which enrich their communication with the students and create close relationships and honest co-operation.

Teaching methods are based on those followed successfully by trustworthy international universities. Our curricula offer the most comprehensive and in-depth education. Our learning methods include seminars, presentations by students, professional experience (internship), case studies, development of practical skills, group projects, research and studies. The recognized qualifications of our College are the result of rigorous programs of study, which equal and often surpass comparable programs offered by universities abroad. As a result they can open doors to your future.

Orientation, employment and career services and assistance with finding accommodation are just a few of the services offered to students at all stages of their College life. Moreover, many extra-curricular programs and activities are organized and sponsored, which aim at enhancing students’ life at Americanos College. One of the college’s missions is to cultivate a feeling of shared responsibility whereby students can learn the importance of teamwork and become members of an international community.

Our reputation as a college offering high quality education is recognized both nationally and internationally. The college maintains agreements with a number of American, British, Australian, Canadian and other English-speaking Universities, where students may transfer to continue their undergraduate studies or pursue postgraduate studies. These agreements are on a credit/year for credit/year basis. Our students may study for 2 years at our College and 1 in the United Kingdom or 3 years at our College and 1 in the United States and obtain a British or American Bachelor Degree. The agreements we maintain ensure the shortest time and the lowest cost in obtaining a British or American University degree.

Spurred by a relatively free market, the US research-based pharmaceutical industry is the world leader in discovering and developing innovative new life-saving cost-effective medicines.

Almost half of the most important global drugs (those approved in the United States, Europe and Japan) developed during 1975-1994 were of US origin, followed by the UK with 14%. Within the last decade, US companies developed 370 new medicines to fight such diseases as cancer, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression, arthritis and a host of other diseases – and that’s just a preview of coming attractions.

With accelerating advances in science and technology, the industry has entered its most promising period for new drug development. Pharmaceutical companies are using new knowledge and techniques to understand and attack the root causes – rather than just the symptoms – of disease, and thus to revolutionize the way in which new drugs are discovered and developed.

“It is certainly true that the central activity of drug companies – applying science to the discovery of new medicines – is undergoing the most radical upheaval in the industry’s 100-year old history,” The Financial Times reported on June 1, 1999.

An increasing number of the advances in drug discovery and development are based on advances in genomics, which aims to establish the link between individual genes and disease. New technologies include:

• Molecular modelling, which allows scientists to actually design molecules on a computer screen;
• X-ray crystallography, which helps researchers determine the three-dimensional structure of a drug target so they can design molecules that will bind to it;
• High-throughput screening, which uses robotics or automated technology to screen more compounds in an hour than an army of researchers can screen in a month;
• Laser-capture microscopes, which act like molecular scalpels to capture individual cells on glass slides so they can be studied against possible drug targets;
• ‘Laboratories on a chip’, which hold hundreds of fragments of DNA in tiny individualized wells to quickly identify drug targets.

The new technologies will make it possible to anticipate and prevent disease rather than just react to disease symptoms; prevent, cure and treat more diseases than is possible with conventional therapies, and develop more precise and effective new medicines with fewer side effects.

A March 2000 survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) found that US companies have 369 biotechnology medicines in development (ie either in human testing or pending at the Food and Drug Administration, awaiting approval). These medicines are to cure or treat more than 200 diseases, including 175 medicines in the pipeline for cancer. All told, US companies have more than 1,000 new medicines in development.

This reflects the huge and ever-growing investment that US companies are making in research and development. In 2000, these companies will invest $26.4 billion in R&D, a 10.1% increase over 1999. These expenditures include $22.4 billion spent within the United States by both US-owned and foreign-owned firms, plus an additional $4 billion spent abroad (mostly in Western Europe) by US-owned firms. Research-based companies have more than tripled their R&D expenditures during the past decade.

Over the past two decades, the percentage of sales these companies have allocated to R&D has increased from 11.9% in 1980 to an estimated 20.3% in 2000. Meanwhile, the average ratio of R&D to sales for all US industries is less than 4%. Based on corporate tax data compiled by Standard & Poor’s Compustat, pharmaceutical manufacturers invest a higher percentage of sales in R&D than virtually any other industry, including high-tech industries such as electronics, aerospace, office equipment (including computers), and automobiles.

To develop a new drug is time-consuming, expensive and risky. It takes 12-15 years on average, costs about $500 million, and only one of every 5,000-10,000 new compounds discovered in the laboratory ever makes it to market as a new drug.

Contrary to what many believe, industry – not the US government – is the source of almost all of the new drugs approved in the US. A study of the 196 new drugs approved by the FDA during 1981-1990 showed that industry was the source of 181 of the drugs (92.4%), academia was the source of seven of the drugs (3.6%), and government was the source of two of the drugs (1%). Government and academic scientists lead the way in basic research about how diseases are caused and develop, while industry leads the way in translating that knowledge into new medicines to help and heal patients.

Prescription drugs save lives – and money. “Prescription drugs are more important therapeutically than ever,” an editorial in the February 26, 1999 edition of the New York Times noted. “New drugs can save money overall by keeping patients out of the hospital.” They also keep patients out of nursing homes, emergency rooms, doctors’ offices – and on the job. In a 1993 study, for example, cancer patients whose immune systems were weakened by high-dose chemotherapy were helped by a new drug known as a colony-stimulating factor. The treatment saves $30,000 per patient in hospitalisation costs for bone-marrow transplants.

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies – ranging from older drug companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Merck, and Pfizer to newer biotechnology companies such as Amgen, Biogen, Genentech, and Genzyme – have facilities all across the country, and indeed, all around the world. The industry employs almost 215,000 people in the US alone, including about 37,500 scientific and technical specialists. Of these, 29% hold PhDs, 4% are physicians, and 67% have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in science.

The scientists include Drs. Dale J Kempf and Daniel W Norbeck of Abbott Laboratories, who helped to discover and develop a powerful anti-AIDS drug; Dr. Perry Molinoff of Bristol-Myers Squibb, who is working on a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease; Dr. Michael Jackson of the Robert Wood Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute, who is sifting through millions of human gene fragments to develop a new pain medicine, and Dr. Kari Nadeau of Biogen, who is helping to develop a drug for lupus, an autoimmune disease that afflicts more than 130,000 Americans alone, most of them women.

“Hang on to your hats – great things are coming down the line,” says Dr. Rachel Humphrey, who designs and manages cancer trails at Bayer Corporation.

Australia is an exciting, vibrant, warm and welcoming environment in which to live and study. The standard of living is high, cost of living is lower, plus tuition fees and personal safety are more than comparable with other international study destinations. This makes Australia an ideal place to pursue further professional development.

Australian universities offer overseas nursing students a variety of different study options, and opportunities not available anywhere else in the world. Qualifications from Australian universities are recognized worldwide, and respected for their academic excellence. An additional benefit of studying in Australia is the opportunity to combine professional study and development with recreational activities associated with the Australian climate, outdoor lifestyle and multicultural environment.

Historically, nursing in Australia began its transition to the university education sector 25 years ago. Subsequently, all states of Australia implemented nursing education courses in tertiary institutions. Since then, it has become a country at the cutting edge of professional nursing education and scholarship. Nursing education at all levels in Australia is acknowledged worldwide as being comprehensive, challenging, dynamic and of high academic standard.

All Schools of Nursing in Australia have developed curricula, from undergraduate preregistration programs through to postgraduate and doctoral studies. Integrated within these study programs is the opportunity to complete study abroad units and certified continuing education packages that target specific areas of professional practice.

Numerous postgraduate study courses are available throughout Australia, designed to meet the changing health-care environment, and the greater complexity of the registered nurse’s role in the provision of health care. The courses aim to develop advanced practitioners in nursing specialties; areas of focus include management, education, health promotion, research and a variety of clinical specialties. Students are provided with opportunities to expand their knowledge base, to increase their understanding of international health, and to gain expertise and experience allowing them to practice as advanced health professionals on a worldwide basis. As postgraduate courses also include research design, preparation and thesis writing, students are also well placed to pursue further studies at Master and Doctoral levels. Health management and administration courses include: strategic planning, quality improvement, nursing management, human resource management, financial management, and patient classification systems. This content facilitates the development of expertise in health management principles and practices that can be utilized across any health care environment.

Masters and doctoral studies provide opportunity for students to research in greater depth specific health administration and management concepts relevant to their own specific areas. Postgraduate courses in nursing education include generic educational units, such as staff development, reflective practice, curriculum design, and effective teaching and learning. Health education and promotion provides avenues for students to pursue courses specifically targeted at health counselling, behavioral health science, substance abuse management, mental health, and women’s and men’s health. Clinical specialty areas offer opportunities to those nurses wishing to advance their competencies and knowledge in clinically-based practice areas. Universities in Australia have developed postgraduate courses in clinical areas such as midwifery, neonates, pediatrics, critical care, nephrology, mental health, emergency, neurosciences, orthopedics, oncology, spinal injuries, operating room, respiratory and cardiothoracic nursing.

Many universities have structured their courses on a collaborative teaching model with major public and private hospitals, enabling them to offer dynamic postgraduate courses in clinical nursing. With the strong involvement of the clinical areas, the courses are academically rigorous, relevant and practical to the reality of the changing health care environments in which we work all today. English study programs can be undertaken prior to commencing full-time postgraduate study, if needed to meet entry requirements. Additional English language study can then be incorporated into your program to support the progress of your study.

You will find Australians come from many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and this assists international students to integrate into the cultural environment of all cities and universities. Many universities in Australia have high numbers of international students, and therefore have resources and facilities on campus designed to ensure that all students have the opportunity to fulfil learning needs and maximize learning opportunities.

Australia has a great deal to offer international nursing students. Whether you choose to study in Australia because of its academic rigor, or as an opportunity to travel to a new and exciting country, you will not be disappointed by the diverse courses which are offered, and the range of experience these study opportunities will provide.

Even the most focused art students are likely to be overwhelmed by the extensive choice of creative degrees now vying for their attention. For Indian students, far away from the course providers, it is more difficult than ever to make a comprehensive decision about which discipline to choose for their UCAS selection when applying either through route A (September-January) or route B (January-March). Are you sure that you really want Graphic Design rather than Textile Design, Industrial Product Design or Illustration?

Specialist advice and guidance, where available, often fails to force a decision when more time and experimentation is what is really required. So, you will be pleased to know there is an answer to this dilemma. It’s called Foundation Studies.

This one-year course eases the transition from school or college to higher education, forging a link between broad preparatory work and more specialized courses. Within the UK, fewer than 10% of art and design students achieve direct entry from school or college to a degree/higher national diploma. Foundation Studies now represent the most common route into higher education for aspiring art and design students.

Showing what you can do

What are the entry requirements for most Foundation Studies courses? Entry criteria vary across institutions but the backbone of any course application, whether foundation or otherwise, is your portfolio. Simply defined, you will need to put together a folder containing representative samples of your art and design work to send through the post or to show at interview. The quality of this work can often override less brilliant academic qualifications.

Certain guidelines refer specifically to Foundation applications. Firstly, tutors aren’t interested in the portfolio to the exclusion of the person; in fact, enthusiasm and aptitude are the most important factors in gaining a place on a foundation course. Such qualities will be inherent in your character if you are committed to studying art and design but they should also be visible in your work. The best way to show this is to include samples of your own original work, produced off your own back and in your own time. There is no better proof of dedication than this and no better way of getting a head start over other applicants.

Putting yourself in the picture

The portfolio should cover a wide variety of work, as tutors will be looking to develop your talent across a range of art and design disciplines. Suggested items include: observation drawings and paintings, color work in various media, charcoal sketches, pencil drawings, printmaking, photography and examples of design, model-making and 3D work.

It’s worth remembering that tutors will be looking for evidence of the development and progression of creative ideas, not just the finished piece, so sketchbooks and supporting notes are integral to a complete portfolio. You should also know the history of each piece of work, why the topic was chosen and how the result was achieved. Your application form acts only as supporting evidence once the portfolio is passed to an interviewer and what matters to them is the quality of the work inside.

Admissions staff will also be interested in the extent of your enthusiasm for the arts as a whole and some colleges suggest students offer a separate folder of influential work, such as magazine illustrations, articles and gallery leaflets. Quality, not quantity, is important. A useful trick of the trade is to ensure that your portfolio starts and finishes with a strong piece.

Most importantly, when applying for any course, remember that your portfolio is representing you. Do everything you can to ensure that you are proud of it.

Case Study 1: Rachel

Rachel completed a one-year foundation course before going on to university to study interior textiles design

“I had such a fantastic time. When you start, in September, you try out every area of art and design in little projects, usually for a day or two. Further into the course, the college start to set week-long projects and then you specialize in five areas. That was how my course ran but they do vary.

“I enjoyed doing group projects as well as my own work. There’s a really relaxed atmosphere because everyone’s in the same boat and everyone’s experimenting. When you do art at school, it’s usually pretty limited. We did oil painting and watercolors, as an exciting alternative to pencil drawing! Once or twice a year we’d get to do a little pottery. I was also pretty lucky because my school had textiles, but lots of schools really don’t have great art facilities or the time to explore all the routes and options in art and design. It’s such a huge field and it’s really difficult for people to figure out what they’re good at and what they’re not. For example, one of my best friends, who I met on my foundation course, is the worst person in the world at drawing! But, somehow, he knew he was creative and artistic. He’d taken photographs and made his own little films since he was really young. It was always just fun for him – something silly he did when other kids were watching TV or playing with their toys. Now he’s doing an editorial photography degree and he’s doing really well.

“I decided to do a foundation course because I really enjoyed art and design and wanted the opportunity to find out what I was good at. I didn’t have a clue! I went there thinking I’d definitely end up doing fine art, because I wanted to provoke ideas and debate. But I gradually realized how much you can stimulate conversation and aesthetic appreciation through things – just things people are surrounded by. And I love color and texture.

“Eventually I found my niche in interior textiles and have gone on to do a degree course in that. There’s no way I would have found my talent in this area without having done my foundation course. It’s a year of fun and discovery, the chance to be totally creative and enjoy your work without restraints.”

Case Study 2: Anja

Former Foundation student Anja is now in the third year of a BA (Hons) Fine Art degree program.

“The diversity of projects tackled on my Foundation diploma was amazing – there really was a ‘try everything’ approach. The course was certainly concentrated but the high level of encouragement and feedback from tutors helped to spot and develop strengths within the various disciplines, and made for a really productive year.

“I was impressed by the facilities earmarked solely for the College’s Foundation students – the fully equipped print workshop, for example. There was also a lot of help and advice on preparing for life after Foundation – an active approach to viewing the Foundation course as a stepping-stone towards a successful degree.

“A few years on, I am still left with a strong memory of enthusiasm and encouragement from all the tutors, which prepared me for my fine art degree. The focus on drawing throughout the Foundation course was invaluable, as was the emphasis on continual evaluation and the development of imagery. The course encouraged communication about and critical evaluation of each other’s artwork, and also encouraged independent study – definitely needed in any further degree!”

Over the past 30+ years, the medical college scene in the Caribbean has grown exponentially. Doctor hopefuls around the world are now packing up and traveling to tropical climates to search for medical education.

New Education Possibilities in the Caribbean

In the mid-1970s, Charles R. Modica founded the first private medical school in the Caribbean – St. George’s University – on the island of Grenada in the West Indies. Shortly after, several other private universities sprang up on other Caribbean islands. Universities such as Ross University, SABA, American University of the Caribbean, St. Matthew’s, and almost 50 others can be found today throughout the region.

Originally, the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom carried out accreditation of medical education programs established in the current and former British colonies, including the University of West Indies.

However, in 2001, the GMC discontinued this practice of accrediting overseas institutions in accordance with European Union regulations. Regional educators realized the importance of accreditation within the Caribbean community and, in 2003, the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions was formed. The Authority was empowered to determine and prescribe standards and to accredit programs of medical, dental, veterinary, and other health professions education.

To date, only a handful of universities have been accredited by the Authority (University of West Indies, University of Guyana, St. James School of Medicine, St. George’s University, Ross University, University of West Indies School of Veterinary Medicine).

In the years since the first private school, St. George’s, opened, tens of thousands of students have graduated from Caribbean medical schools and gone on to practice medicine around the world.

But How to Choose?

The quality of education in Caribbean medical schools varies greatly and students are encouraged to conduct their research carefully when choosing the school they will attend. Visiting websites such as ValueMD.com and StudentDoctor.net allows prospective students to get advice and first-hand experiences from alumni or students currently in the programs.

For a more unbiased look at each university, students have access to the journal of Academic Medicine, an academic peer-reviewed medical publication of the Association of American Medical Colleges that provides accurate data on the quality and performance of each school.

In the last few years, several reports in Academic Medicine quantified test scores and graduate certification rates for students from Caribbean medical schools.

In October 2008, the journal reported that Grenada was ranked #1 in USMLE Step One and Step Two/CK in the Caribbean for the highest first-time pass rate among all countries with medical schools in the Caribbean over the past 15 years. Grenada – with St. George’s University School of Medicine as the only medical school in Grenada – had an 84.4% pass rate in Step One, outperforming the other countries that had an average pass rate of 49.9% (44% with Grenada removed) during the same 15-year time period.

The Course of Study

Basic Sciences

Students studying in the Caribbean medical schools complete their Basic Sciences years in the region (usually two years, although many advertise accelerated programs) and then must take Step I of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) before they are allowed to go on to their clinical training in affiliated US hospitals. St. George’s University students need to pass the SGU Basic Sciences Comprehension Examination in order to proceed into the clinical training program. To be placed in a US-affiliated hospital for more than 12 weeks, a passing score on the USMLE I is required.

Clinical Sciences

Most Caribbean schools limit clinical training to placements in the United States. St. George’s University offers clinical training at approved hospitals in both the United States and the United Kingdom, supporting its international curriculum, and cross training for best practices in its students.

Postgraduate Training

In the United States, postgraduate training positions are called “residencies.” Residency training is typically viewed as more critical than the medical school a student attends. Therefore, it is important to obtain the best residency possible.

It is best to review the postgraduate residency positions obtained by the graduates of any medical school one is considering attending. If a school does not post the annual and cumulative residency training positions gained by its graduates, you should be very wary of that medical school.

Graduates of all US medical schools must enter the National Residency Match Program to obtain a PGY-1 position (postgraduate year one). Non-US students may enter the Match or may “sign outside the Match” with any hospital that wants to give them a PGY-1 position. Non-US grads must first obtain a certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates by successfully passing the appropriate STEPs of the USMLE within a specified time frame.

The requirements for practicing medicine vary from country to country and future students are wise to research what those specifications are before committing to a school that has never met them.

Investigate Before Investing

A student will spend tens of thousands of dollars each year for his or her medical education program. The time and effort spent to evaluate each program to determine a quality education are invaluable. Not only are students encouraged to spend time asking questions and researching, but also investing in a trip to the campus to experience first-hand the commitment that will be made with the acceptance letter.

Speaking with Margaret A. Lambert, Dean of Enrolment Planning at St. George’s University – the longest-serving admissions officer of any of the Caribbean institutions – we were able to gain more insight into investigating the Caribbean medical school experience. She specified a set of questions a student must ask each prospective medical school before committing to spend the next four years of his or her life there:

• What is the true attrition rate? Averaging over the last ten years, how many students are accepted into a class and how many students out of that specific class graduate?
• Is there a modern campus? How many buildings? What acreage? Does it have wireless capabilities? Is there university-provided transportation to and from campus? Is it an authentic educational community? Is there adequate on-campus housing?
• What about the safety and security of the surrounding area?
• What is the student-faculty ratio? What is the average tenure of a full-time professor? How many full-time faculty members?
• What is the number of clinical training spots available for students? Is there a faculty member at each hospital or center to direct training? Are the clinical spots at approved teaching hospitals? (Students at some schools are forced to wait for rotations, delaying their ultimate graduation date. Additionally, some are forced to cobble together rotations across a number of locations to complete their own training.)
• Are there comprehensive, formal academic and personal support services available to further student performance?
• In which countries and US states are graduates licensed to practice medicine?
• Are there research opportunities available?
• How many graduates does the school have?
• What undergraduate schools do the students come from?
• What accreditation does the school have?
• Are scholarships available?