One of the best kept secrets in Caribbean Medical Schools | Trinity School of Medicine | Drew Muldowney

Trinity School of Medicine has always prided itself on the strength and ambition of its students. So many future physicians come our way looking for something new; whether that's a unique learning environment built on support and a strong relationship with the faculty, a curriculum with an emphasis on clinical skills and service to patients, or just a true opportunity to live up to their potential. 


In this latest edition of our alumni spotlight, meet Dr. Julius Balogh. Read about growing up in Toronto and Hamilton, his first career as a nurse, attending Trinity, the value of hard work, and doing surgical and anesthesiology residencies in the great state of Texas. 

It is with heavy hearts today that we announce the passing of one of our own, former senior associate dean of clinical clerkships, Paula Dessauer Wilson, MD, MPH. 

Ten years ago, Trinity School of Medicine opened its doors and welcomed its small charter class. Those students are now alums, practicing as fellows and attendings, and changing lives across the US and Canada. This week, with the close of 2018 and our decade anniversary, we look back on what makes Trinity such a good option for so many students and celebrate the coming of the next ten years. 

Trinity School of Medicine has always prided itself on the strength and ambition of its students. So many future physicians come our way looking for something new; whether that's a unique learning environment built on support and a strong relationship with the faculty, a curriculum with an emphasis on clinical skills and service to patients, or just a true opportunity to live up to their potential. In this last alumni spotlight of 2018, and in honor of our 10th anniversary, we sat down with Dr. Gamal Fitzpatrick, a Vincentian citizen and practicing physician at Trinity's esteemed teaching hospital, Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. Read what it's like to go from a Trinity student gaining clinical experience during basic sciences to now interacting with new medical students as a physician. We have also included full video of the interview recorded on Trinity's campus in St. Vincent. 

The Governor General of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, US-trained cardiologist Sir Frederick Ballantyne, MD, GCMG, is fond of saying, "Trinity isn't about being a good 'Caribbean' medical school, it is about being a good medical school, period." Over the years, Trinity has distinguished itself from other schools in the Caribbean. We, as an institution, always strive to reach the gold standard in medical education, a standard set by US medical schools and the LCME. Today, we're going to walk through some of those key similarities that set Trinity students apart and give our applicants the opportunities and experiences they couldn't find at home.

There are quite a few medical schools operating in the Caribbean. This has been a source of everything from hope and opportunity to stress and uncertainty over the past half century or so for US and Canadian students. And while we obviously think that we're the best choice for anyone considering an international medical education, we wanted to take an opportunity to discuss a major ally of ours in the fight for quality: The ECFMG. 

Today, we're going to discuss what the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) actually is and what it isn't. We'll also get into how they're making the Caribbean a better place for students considering an education abroad. (You will be unsurprised to find that Trinity ticks all of their boxes as one of the best schools in the region).

Trinity School of Medicine has always prided itself on the strength and ambition of its students. So many future physicians come our way looking for something new; whether that's a unique learning environment built on support and a strong relationship with the faculty, a curriculum with an emphasis on clinical skills and service to patients, or just a true opportunity to live up to their potential. In this next edition of our alumni spotlight, meet Dr. Mary Anne Brett, McMaster undergrad alum, Trinity graduate, and anatomical pathologist in Calgary, AB.

In Canada in 2017, only 2,617 of the 13,690 applicants were admitted to medical schools. An astonishing 81% of the applicants- many of whom would make phenomenal physicians- found themselves rejected at home. For many people considering medicine, becoming a doctor is a calling. So, a large percentage of those Canadian applicants without a seat looked abroad—most of them to the Caribbean, but some considering Ireland, Australia, and Eastern Europe as well. But, what happens when school is over? In 2018, of the 1,758 international medical graduates (IMGs)- most of whom were Canadians that tried to match back home- only 123 were selected. This is by no means to say that this isn't still a viable path for Canadians, and a fair number of Trinity graduates have matched in places like Ontario, Calgary, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba.  

The point is that the decision to study abroad is a major one, with many factors to consider, from proximity to home, to academic approach, matching, cost, and long term career plans.

Trinity School of Medicine has always prided itself on the strength and ambition of its students. So many future physicians come our way looking for something new; whether that's a unique learning environment built on support and a strong relationship with the faculty, a curriculum with an emphasis on clinical skills and service to patients, or just a true opportunity to live up to their potential. 

In this latest edition of our alumni spotlight, meet Dr. Gabriel Labbad. Read about attending Trinity, the opportunities and perspectives he gained from his time there, and his journey from computer science to OB/GYN, and the cutting edge of medical informatics.

Last week, we talked about Integrated Clinical and Community Medicine (ICCM) at Trinity.  We hinted towards the end of that piece that our approach to early, in-depth clinical training during basic sciences culminates in the 5th term.

Today, we're going to explore that and dig into the benefits of more time and responsibility in the hospital, working with the World Pediatric Project, and the final push towards a great score on the USMLE Step-1 exam before heading to clinical clerkships in Baltimore, MD.