Sunday 25 June 2017

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Thursday 8 June 2017

IMPORTANCE OF MEDICALLY-ORIENTED EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES





The life of an aspiring physician is busy juggling, challenging medical courses, preparing for USMLE and staying on top of all the extra- curricular activities. The significance of medically oriented extra-curricular activities is that it helps one build interest in the medical field.
The most common of these activities that the medical student pursue are as follows,

Shadowing: Shadowing a physician means following him or her in the hospital during daily duty hours, sitting in during patient appointments, speaking with families processing and interpreting lab tests and observing the routine of a physician in the hospital. To find these opportunities, the student should approach family friends who are physicians, ask faculty members if they have colleagues as practicing physicians who can help in the process of shadowing.

Hospital Volunteerism: Many major hospitals (some private clinics) have opportunities for medical students to help out on the floors by talking to patients, assisting in patient transfers or performing medicine distribution. One may feel like sitting at a desk directing patient’s families is not contributing much to the medical experience, but it can be a valuable first step in gaining medical exposure. Volunteer training cycle is a popular activity among the medical students.

Community and International Outreach: These outreach programs includes local community initiatives (Covenant house, a nonprofit charity for homeless and marginalized youth; The Ronal McDonald house, charities and volunteering at nursing homes) as well as national and international opportunities alternatives and spring break trips, and programs through WHO.

These are a few suggestive medically oriented extra-curricular activities. They are all about quality, not just quantity; an important take away is ‘Do these activities if you enjoy doing them’. Medical schools do not sit there with a checklist in hand, noting if you have completed all the above activities. Rather it’s all about how you prove your interest in medical field by being consistent in at least one of them.



SHAHNAZ ZAIDI
HEAD BUSINESS OPERATIONS
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BARBADOS

www.aubmed.org

World Brain Tumour Day June 8 2017


Sunday 4 June 2017

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY JUNE 5, 2017



THEME: Connecting People to Nature!
Since its first celebration on June 5, 1974 following the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, millions of people across the world have taken part in thousands of events to raise awareness and generate political momentum around growing concerns such as the depletion of the ozone layer, toxic chemicals, desertification and global warming. 

Canada will host this year’s celebration. The theme “Connecting People to Nature”, invites people to enjoy the outdoors and to take forward the call to protect the Earth that we share.


Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment, said: “It reminds us of what a treasure nature is, and encourages us all to protect and appreciate our environment.”





HOW TO CONNECT WITH NATURE?
Feel it: Spend time in the open, walk bare feet, feel the grass under your skin. Sit under the shade of a tree, just lean against it and wrap your arms around it; give it a tree-hug.

Be Messy: Cultivate a kitchen garden or a herb garden, play in the sand or build sandcastles, dig into the sand with your hands.

Bring nature indoors: Get some houseplants, keep a vase of fresh flowers in your living room, be creative….think green!

Wake up with nature: As you wake up, open the windows and feel the fresh breeze. Look outside and admire the beauty and calmness of nature. Breathe in the colors, shapes, textures and sounds. 

·         Make a commitment: In spite of our busy lifestyle and even busier minds, set a clear intention to connect. Don’t give away your power to build the relationship!
·         Create a ME time!  Silence is comfortable. Hear your inner voice and feel your emotions.
·         The PERFECT place! You don’t need to look too far.. all of nature is perfect.
·         STOP! Sit down: You can only connect when your mind and body are quiet and focused.
·         Relax & Observe: Take in your surroundings. Notice the little details. See, hear, smell, and feel, and allow yourself to enjoy it.
·         Time slows down:  Urgency, deadlines and “clock time,” as measured by hours, minutes and seconds, melt away. On the flip side, nature models a healthier pace of life. Trees and plants grow     s – l – o – w – l – y. Everyone is moving according to their natural rhythm, and you begin to do the same.


Thich Nhat Hanh  (a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist) reminds us to slow down and notice nature, “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with   your feet.” 

JOIN US : Join the global album by sharing a photo or video of your favourite place in nature using #WorldEnvironmentDay or #WithNature.





NARGIS RUSSELL
ADMISSION OFFICER
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BARBADOS


www.aubmed.org

Friday 2 June 2017

Generation ‘Y’- The Millennial Generation and Medical Education



The young individuals born between mid 80’s and early 2000 are the ones to enter the work force. The early years of this Generation ‘Y’ were marked by uncertainties like 9/11, other threats of terrorisms, globalization, a severe economic recession and school violence.
Generation ‘Y’ was raised by parents who told them they were special and ‘winners always. This generation prefers to work in groups with hands- on – experiences. They enjoy trial and error methods in their planning and the work they do.
Generation ‘Y’ does not value reading and listening to lectures as has been traditional in medical education. They want learning to be creative, interactive and interesting as they enjoy thinking ‘outside the box’.
To ensure success medical educators need to understand, that Generation ‘Y’ cannot be forced into the mould of past generation. Educators in medical education should focus on 4 core areas.
1-      Interactive teaching with technology.
2-      Professionalism
3-      Mentoring
4-      Logical communication
Medical educators need to stay abreast of new technologies and incorporate them into teaching as Generation ‘Y’ is technology savvy, advanced in readiness to use new methods. Collaborative with immediate feedback, multimedia presentations, problem base learning by bringing live patient for case discussion with audience participation are some ways appreciated by this generation.

Educators could use Generation ‘Y’ expertise by involving them in a technology advisory committee. Generation ‘Y’ wants to have a close relationship with the authority figures just as they did with their parents. They want to feel special, they love to work with superiors who are approachable, supportive, good motivators and communicators. They feel comfortable sharing their opinions and feedbacks. Flexibility and adaptability is required by the medical educators to nurture the Generation ‘Y’ into successful and committed medical professionals.


SHAHNAZ ZAIDI
HEAD BUSINESS OPERATIONS
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BARBADOS
www.aubmed.org

Looking for MBBS : THINK DIFFERENTLY




THINK AFRESH!   …….  THINK DIFFERENTLY!


 American University of Barbados


NEET 2017 exam has been caught up with lot of controversies. There have been rumours suggesting that NEET exam might be canceled which has caused anxiety among students and parents. The confusion regarding the exam can also be attributed to the fact that several petitions are being filed and the exam is riddled with controversies. This year the medical entrance exam for MBBS and BDS courses has come under the radar right from the beginning, be it the dress code, delay in evaluation, etc. It is also expected that there will be delays in the admission procedure. 
With the regards to the cancellation of NEET exam 2017 there are some section of students and parents who believe that there should be re-test as they want all the students to get equal chance whereas some are of the opinion that re-conducting the exam for a nation level entrance exam like National Eligibility Cum Entrance Exam (NEET) is a onerous task. 
Long-term perspective is the single most accurate predictor of upward mobility. This was the conclusion of a study done by Edward Banfield of Harvard University. Successful people think differently! They don’t have a fixed mindset. They invest an immense amount of time on a daily basis to develop a growth mindset, acquire new knowledge, learn new skills and change their perception so that it can benefit their lives. In contrast unsuccessful people are more concerned with instant gratification. They operate on whims and fancies, are myopic in outlook and are fickle and unsteady. The first step to success, therefore, is to develop the intellect.

1.      Think beyond the obvious…. means going beyond just the first degree of search. It means following the white rabbit down into Wonderland and chasing new paths that can lead you to college listings, industry associations and discussion forums
2.      Think beyond … your standard options. will lead you to this discovery – that as a researcher, you do NOT only have ONE OPTION for career progression! There are many options for you along your career path
Consider THIS  ….study at the AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BARBADOS: WHY? Here’s the answer….
·         Teaching through Structured Integration Methodology
·         Problem Based Learning using 3D Animation and simulation games
·         Affordable Fees with options for scholarships
·         Pre-Med options available in Barbados and India
·         Experience studying in a diverse student community that enables awareness of varied cultural practices
·         USMLE focused teaching with USA style curriculum
·         Clinical Rotations in USA, Malta, Caribbean and Philippines



NARGIS RUSSELL
ADMISSION OFFICER
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BARBADOS
www.aubmed.org