On Bonaire there aren't many annual occasions. There's Karnaval, Regatta, and then there's Rincon Day.

Now Rincon Day is a double celebration. It's both the annual parade and festivities in Rincon and the Queen of the Netherlands official birthday. Why Rincon and not the main town Kralendijk? Well it started way back when Rincon was the only real town and it's stuck.

But what's that got to do with Saint James? Up till now we've always done our Health Fair towards the end of the year and in Kralendijk, but this year we thought we'd do our bit for Rincon as well and what better time than on its own day! So there we were all set up and ready to go around 10. There were 9 faculty and some 20 students, all giving up a part of their vacation to help. We had the usual range of tests - vital signs, blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, tooth decay, etc., but the blood pressure and blood sugar were the busiest. Over the 4 hours we worked we had about 70 visitors, including the immediate previous governor of the island, although he just looked around and didn't have any tests done! About the only thing we couldn't test was hearing, as there was so much music being played! Part the way through, the annual motor bike club rally from all three islands (Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire) came and parked right next to us and we got to check some of them, as well as some of the event organisers.

All in all it was a very successful outreach event and the students got a lot of valuable experience, both in doing the tests and interacting with 'patients'. The only change for next year would be to either start later and go on longer, or have a shift system, so we could cover more of the event.

After four semesters studying Basic Sciences at one of our beautiful Caribbean campuses; our medical students do USMLE prep and clinical rotations in US hospitals alongside students from some of America’s best medical schools, at a fraction of the cost.

Saint James is the only school in the Caribbean that guarantees clinical rotations in the United States and currently we have no waiting time for rotations.

We have a strong established network of US hospitals and clinical institutions and we are constantly investing in growing these affiliations.

Saint James graduate Dr Devang Gujarathi states, “I believe Saint James School of Medicine truly shines during your clinical years.  From first-hand experience, I can tell you that Saint James’ clinical sites are far superior to those offered by other Caribbean schools and are on par with those offered by most US schools.  Having completed all of my core rotations at teaching institutions in Chicago, I can attest that my rotations prepared me well not only for USMLE step 2, but also residency.  

So if you are seeking a quality clinical education during your core clerkship rotations, Saint James can offer you access to quality clinical sites at an affordable price.

With three enrollment intakes each year, and an intensive four semester basic science component Saint James School of Medicine allows you to accelerate your dreams of becoming a physician.

The Medical Degree (MD) program at Saint James is a 10-semester program. The scope of study consists of the Basic Sciences and the Clinical Sciences. The curriculum at Saint James prepares students for the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE).

The Basic Sciences are completed over four semesters (16 months) on one of our two Caribbean campuses, in Anguilla or Bonaire.  For more information on our Basic Science curriculum click here.

The Clinical Sciences are completed over a six semester (96 weeks) clinical rotation program at affiliated hospitals and clinical facilities in the United States. For more information on our Clinical Science curriculum click here.

However taking the fast track to becoming qualified as a doctor, does not also mean you are taking the easy route to success. One of our graduates, Dr Devang Gujarathi,  told us that prospective students often write to him  to find out about Saint James, and the one piece of advice he stresses most is that they should avoid falling into the slacker mentality rather unfortunately associated with being a Caribbean medical student!

Dr Gujarathi says, “In the end each student’s success is entirely dependent on their individual mindset.  In short, if you are willing to put time and effort into your studies, you will succeed.”

“Taking the time and making the extra effort to excel during your basic sciences course work will serve you well in preparation for the USMLE step 1. The faculty will support you any way they can, but it is up to you to take advantage of the available resources and time. Unlike most US schools, you will not be spoon-fed your education. Taking an active role in your education early in medical school will pay handsome dividends and lay the foundation for your success throughout your medical career.”

Another Saint James Graduate, Dr. Nisha Patel notes the School’s willingness and ability to accommodate students’ requests to fast track their medical studies by working in a very intensive fashion. She says “I did my cores at Chicago hospitals and rotated with U.S. med school students.  I learned a lot.  Saint James was able to honor my requests to not take time off and finish my schooling within 3 and a half years.” 

MD Program enrollment dates

We accept students into our MD program three times a year, in January, May and September.  The next two enrollments for 2012 are:

Summer 2012

Registration & Reception: Monday May 7, 2012

Fall 2012

Registration & Reception: Tuesday September 4, 2012

Saint James School of Medicine graduate, Dr Kristina Schmidt says that she loves the art and science of medicine. Most of all, she enjoy the individual challenge of each patient, integrating a patient’s clinical complaints with diagnostic tests to assign a diagnosis and develop a personalized plan for their recovery.

Saint James School of Medicine offers an accessible route into medicine. If you have the discipline and the commitment required to succeed as a medical student, Saint James offers you an affordable way to realise your dreams.

Shirsha Guha, Registrar at Saint James School of Medicine told me of several visits she made recently to hospitals in the US, where the shortage of primary care doctors was mentioned as a significant concern. 95% of Caribbean medical graduates go into primary care, so schools like Saint James are doing an incredibly valuable service to the United States in filling this crucial skill gap.

Not all our graduates go into primary care. Saint James graduate Dr David Klein has some inspiring words for all aspiring doctors.

“I’d like to tell students that your interests may evolve as you go through your medical training—keep an open mind!  You may find that you hate or can’t relate to many of your rotations, or love a rotation that you never thought you would.  When I first started clerkships I thought I wanted to practice family medicine clinically. I now find myself gravitating towards public health, preventative medicine and education. One of the most incredible aspects of having ‘M.D.’ after your name is that it empowers you with the flexibility to do anything (teach, practice clinically, open a business, work for an NGO, author books, become a researcher or public health advocate)—you, in essence, become recession proof!   With discipline and perseverance you will successfully jump through the many hoops ahead of you and enjoy an incredibly rewarding calling.  I wish you the best of luck on your journey!”

This post is a letter written by Dr. Bruce Davidson to the editor of The Bonaire Reporter. This letter was written in response to two recent articles published by nutritionist Stephanie Bennett and was published in the edition of The Bonaire Reporter dated March 30-April 13.

Having read both of the two columns relating to omega fatty acids (Omega 3 & 6 - Revisited, March 2-16; The Hidden Dangers of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, March 16-30) I feel I must write to address the glaring errors in both articles. I can say errors as I have been involved in research in the field of polyunsaturate biochemistry for more than forty years, and taught the subject to medical students for the last twenty eight.

The assertion that polyunsaturates are the root cause of all the pathologies that were mentioned in Body Talk is totally absurd, and flies in the face of all the proven scientific facts. Indeed, at least three health related Nobel prizes have gone to scientists involved in characterizing the roles and importance of both polyunsaturates and the eicosanoids, so they can't be all bad can they?

Back in 1930 Burr and Burr proved that both linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids were essential components of the dietary intake of all vertebrates, including humans. Uncountable studies since then have reconfirmed this and further expanded on the vital roles played by polyunsaturates in health.

As correctly indicated by column author Stephanie Bennett, the polyunsaturates we need have double bonds in the molecule, with the first one from the 'methyl' end being either in the n6 (omega 6) or n3 (omega 3) position. Now, double bonds in these positions cannot be either put in or taken out by animals, but are required for survival and so have to ultimately be got from the plants that make them, so they are essential fatty acids (EFAs). To get these EFAs we have to eat the plants that make them, or eat the animals that have eaten the plants.

Why do we need them? Well, at a very basic level, all of the membranes of every single cell of our bodies are dependent on a mixture of fatty acids, saturates, monounsaturates and polyunsaturates, as part of their structure, along with cholesterol and proteins. So any deficiency can be a serious threat to the stability of our cells, especially the highly sensitive ones that make up our nerves and brain. Apart from this, they have specialized functions within our bodies other than in membranes, eg. as part of the waterproofing layer in our skin, which prevents us from losing too much water and becoming dehydrated. In fact EFA deficiency is a well characterized condition, with a progressively worsening set of symptoms,  that may even be fatal if untreated.

However, it is not just the plant EFAs we need. They also get converted into longer chain polyunsaturates with more double bonds from the EFAs, so there are two families of polyunsaturates, the omega 6 (n-6) and omega 3 (n-3). Of these, arachidonic acid (AA, an omega 6) has been shown to crucial in the brain for memory, while docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega 3) has also been shown to be important in memory as well as in the actual transmission of signals between brain nerves. Its precursor, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, another omega 3), is one of the more common marine fatty acids, hence both of them are the 'omega 3' you see in fish oils. And all three of them are crucial for normal brain development in children.

It's true to point the finger at AA as being a precursor for prostaglandins, etc. and that these AA derivatives are implicated in many pathologies, but they also are vital for normal health, as inflammatory processes, to mention one of many, are a critically important part of our bodies ability to fight toxins and infections. Indeed, it's a balance between two AA products, that stops your blood from clotting on its own. In parallel, both EPA and another n6, dihomogammalinolenic acid (DGLA), are made into other prostaglandins that usually have the opposite effect to those from AA, ensuring a balance in a normal, healthy person.

Getting around to vitamin E, its primary function is to be oxidized to mop up any excess reactive oxygen. That's why it's called an antioxidant because it stops damage to the polyunsaturates in your cell membranes by being oxidized instead!

As to serum cholesterol, if it was so damaging why would our liver produce grams of the stuff every day? The crucial thing is the balance between high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). LDL takes cholesterol from the liver to be used in the rest of the body, while HDL takes excess cholesterol back to the liver for clearance.

This is completely normal; it's only when there is a pathology, like atherosclerosis, that the difference becomes significant. And dietary cholesterol is not important as we only take in tiny amounts per day compared to what our liver is making. In contrast, dietary saturates do matter. Too much of them and our liver is stimulated to make more cholesterol, so if we have an artery problem they can make it worse. But guess what? Our liver doesn't use polyunsaturates for making cholesterol, only saturates, so the higher the polyunsaturates in our diet the less saturates, and therefore the lower the cholesterol from our liver.

There is even one group of humans, the Inuit, (Eskimos) who have extremely high omega 3 intakes, because their diet consists of fish and seals that have eaten the fish. Before the 'West' stuck its nose in the Inuit had lived for thousands of years on a diet almost devoid of plant materials, and they had no more health problems than anyone else, in fact probably fewer. It was only when they were settled into formal townships and became exposed to 'Western' foods that their health profile deteriorated to its generally poor state now.

In contrast, I agree entirely with the position of Body Talk that the industry has pushed and pushed and pushed, but that is true of all vested interests throughout the health and nutrition business, indeed any business, and doesn't detract from the importance of the EFAs and their derivatives, both omega 6 and omega 3, in human health.

Professor Bruce Davidson. Dean of Students at Saint James School of Medicine, Bonaire.