the pulse october 2013
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A publication of the Trinidad & Tobago Medical Students Association.TRANSCRIPT
A PUBLICATION OF THE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO MEDICAL STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (TTMSA) | OCT. 2013
Elective
Experiences
Looking Back
At Medical
School
Beyond
Office Hours
Prof. David Picou—
A Global Revolutionary
Med Sci
News &
More
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
No. 1 Sixth Avenue, Xavier Street Extension, Orchard Gardens, Chaguanas, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Tel: (868) 671-5160 [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
P A G E 3
THE PULSE A publication of the T&T Medical
Students’ Association
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Prof David Picou
Prof Surujpal Teelucksingh
Mr Gaston Francis
Dr Satish Maharaj
Kavita Manohar-Maharaj
Hadiyah Khan
Amit Ramrattan
Dominic Del Pino
Sheena Sookhai
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Taureef Mohammed
Irfaan Ali
Patrick Edward Chin-Kong
Nicole Maharaj
Mateus Fernandes
COVER DESIGN by Irfaan Ali
Interested in joining the TTMSA News-
letter committee?
Have comments, articles, photos, or
news that you would like to share?
Email us: [email protected]
Welcome from the TTMSA 5
Student Life
Looking back at medical school 6
Del Pino’s Year One Experience 7
Fourth-year Electives
Pathology in Beautiful Scotland 8
Infectious Disease in Incredible India 9
London Calling! 10
Life’s Work
Prof David Picou—a global revolutionary 11
Beyond Office Hours
Prof Teelucksingh on medical school 14
Med Sci News
Jherome Alexander—gone but not forgotten 16
Gaston retires 17
Pictorial review of 2012-2013 18
T H E P U L S E
P A G E 4
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
W E L C O M E
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2013-2014
FUN DAY
BLOOD DRIVE
BANQUET
INTRA-FACULTY FOOTBALL
Fundraising concert
UWI Health Fair
Canned food drive
Picture Day
Scavenger Hunt
Vintage games night
Movie night
Greetings to all and welcome
back to a new academic year!
On behalf of my executive and the
T&T Medical Students’ Association
(TTMSA) family, I especially wel-
come the newest members of our stu-
dent fraternity—the Class of 2018.
You have endured and mastered your
entrance levels, and have proven to
be the cream of the crop.
It is our prayer that you glean
every ounce of enjoyment in the
midst of your learning experience
over the next five years. The TTMSA
promises to be with you every step of
the way.
The TTMSA represents all MBBS
students. Our priority is to meet the
needs of our members, whether men-
tally, socially, psychologically, finan-
cially or academically, to ensure the
holistic well-being of everyone.
Some of the most brilliant and
creative minds in T&T, the region
and even the wider world are at Mt
Hope. I believe that as a student
body, we can be the catalyst to take
our School of Medicine to the top of
the world.
Let the popular saying “to whom
much is given much is expected” be
our motto as we proceed through
medical school. As medical students,
we have not only been blessed with
the capacity to learn, but more impor-
tantly, we have been granted the
privilege of being craftsmen in the art
that is medicine. The power rests in
us to paint the world around us, using
the knowledge and skills that we ac-
quire at this institution.
This year promises to be a very
exciting year. As we venture into the
new academic year, I urge everyone
to adopt an active role in the
TTMSA, rendering your skills and
resources for the betterment of eve-
rybody.
Remember, we will become doc-
tors for the rest of our lives, but we
are only medical students for a short
time, so make the most of it!
I wish you all success this year in
everything you put your hand to.
May God bless you all and our or-
ganisation.
—Erron Ramdass
TTMSA President
Welcome to Med Sci!
P A G E 5 W E L C O M E
“I believe that as a stu-
dent body, we can be the
catalyst to take our School
of Medicine to the top of
the world.”
P A G E 6
DR SATISH MAHARAJ
Graduate of the Class of 2013
Monday, September 1, 2008, was an
eventful day at Mount Hope. On that day,
over one hundred students entered the
campus to make up the MBBS Class of
2013 – at that point the largest intake in
the faculty’s history. For the first time,
we took our seats in Amphitheatre A and
were introduced to a strange system
named “PBL”. In retrospect, I can surely
say that I had little idea of what I was
getting into.
It is difficult to find an analogy of the
medical school journey, but perhaps
World War II can compare favourably,
particularly the words of Sir Winston
Churchill at the start: “…nothing but
blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have
before us an ordeal of the most grievous
kind. We have before us many, many
long months of struggle and suffering.”
Now that I have warned you up front, I
can add: medical school, although it was
extremely challenging, was amazing and
unique in many ways.
My first year was an introduction to
the immense volume of information we
had to study. What made it most chal-
lenging was the language of medicine.
‘Upward’ became ‘cephalad’ and raising
your hand to answer in PBL was really
ipsilateral abduction. The human body
became a complex system of pathways
and locations—a concept not given much
thought before medical school.
Although I didn’t realise it at the time,
one had to learn the ‘normal’ to under-
stand the pathologic. To explain what I
mean, forward to two years later on the
Paediatric Surgery Ward. None of us
could remember which sphincter was
responsible for continence. We were
scolded: “So you all defecate every day
and never give any thought to what it is
you’re actually doing?” With such a lack
of thinking, how could we begin to un-
derstand Hirschsprung’s.
By year two I realised that I could
not learn it all and the goal was to pass
exams. That year Mt Hope got a new
addition to the line up of annual concerts,
the MEDS Divali Play, TTOPS Fashion
Show and MSCC Christmas Play being
joined by the IVCF Easter Production.
Year three could be summed up in
one word: burn-
out. It was (is) an
inevitable prob-
lem. It was evi-
dent that few stu-
dents bothered to
look in the mirror
before coming to
school. Every
four to eight
weeks we were
thrown from one
clerkship into
another and ex-
pected to master
the subject matter
in days. Despite
this r igorous
schedule, it was
great to finally
use basic sciences
knowledge to
solve clinical scenarios. While our en-
ergy seemed to be lost forever, there was
no lack of enthusiasm on the part of Prof
Monteil, whose immunology lectures
remain legendary.
Fourth year brought the wards and
their accompanying unspoken rules. No-
body seemed to quite know the origin of
the custom, but everyone now wore shiny
gold nametags, despite hardly anyone
carrying the UWI ID as lecturer of the
year Dr Bodkyn noted.
During my first rotation, I was ener-
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
getic and thrilled about the wards. Al-
though that thrill would wear off, work-
ing on the wards was infinitely better
than the preclinical years. This included
post call rounds at 5am with Prof See-
mungal, 12 hour Whipple’s with Mr
Maharaj and many late nights in PED
chasing the infamous sign-off sheet.
We were divided into groups which
would last for the rest of school. Here
one truly realised how diverse medical
school was. Within each group were
different nationalities, ages, religions,
allergies, learning styles, and of course
an array of personalities. That array of
personalities included the classical medi-
cal students: the gunner, the one with
photographic memory, the backstabber,
the limer, the I-never-study-er, and the
average students. While what happens in
Mt Hope must stay in Mt Hope, I can
say with certainty that at the end one
learned to communicate, perform under
stress, work within a group, and resolve
conflicts. These skills are essential, not
just for orals and OSCEs, but more so in
functioning as a doctor in a third world
setting.
I believe the secret to medical school
S T U D E N T L I F E
Looking back at medical school
Satish with friends from his fourth year elective
“Medical school, al-
though it was extremely
challenging, was amazing
and unique in many ways.”
P A G E 7
is this: it’s not about raw intelligence but
rather sheer perseverance and staying true
to the reason you started. Medicine goes
beyond being a profession. As the Class
of 2013 motto stated, “not just a science
but also an art.”
Cheers to all of my fellow class mates
who are now interning, and best wishes
to the new Class of 2018. This is the op-
portunity of a lifetime and although it
will at times be extremely stressful, at the
end of the day, it’s all worth it. At all
times you must stay positive and persist.
Becoming a doctor entails long hours,
unparalleled commitment and at times
undesirable situations but the reward of
easing a person’s distress is more than
enough.
S T U D E N T L I F E
Del Pino’s first year experience
Q: Why did you choose medicine?
A: I chose medicine because of my pas-
sion to serve the sick. I wanted to mean-
ingfully help those who are ill and make
their experience less burdensome.
What did you enjoy most in year one?
I enjoyed the all-round experience at
Mt Hope. When I started I thought it
would have only been academics. How-
ever, year one medical school turned out
to be much more. Participating in a host
of social activities, a well-organised foot-
ball competition, religious groups and a
damn good fun day provided the perfect
balance between extra-curricular activi-
ties and academics.
Do you have any memorable moments?
My most memorable moment was
when I was called out in class to answer a
question in front of the class—which had
about 350 people—in a pharmacology
seminar. It was nerve-wracking but I an-
swered correctly and felt on top of the
world afterwards.
What surprised you most in first
year?
The amount of free time you have as
a year one medical student surprised me.
The class times aren’t demanding and
once you balance yourself properly you
can have a lot of time on your hands.
Did you experience any difficulties?
The only difficulty I encountered in
year one was studying for end-of-
semester exams in the second semester.
In the week leading up to exams, it
seemed impossible to cover and internal-
ise the work. So my advice to the new
year ones is to develop the habit of
studying everyday to prevent the work
from piling up.
Dominic Del Pino, 19 and a former student
of Presentation College, San Fernando,
started medical school last year. A talented
footballer and an equally gifted student,
Dominic quickly won the admiration of his
classmates through his sterling performance
on the football field and his academic prow-
ess. In an interview with The Pulse, Dominic
spoke about his first year.
“When I started I thought it
would have only been academ-
ics. However, year one medical
school turned out to be much
more.”
IVCF MT HOPE
Facebook: IVCF Mt Hope
P A G E 8
KAVITA MANOHAR-MAHARAJ
My family once lived in Edinburgh. I
was too young to remember. My mother
spoke glowingly of it. The Royal Infir-
mary received particular praise, since my
grandfather had a leg amputated there.
The care and attention he received during
his rehabilitation were things I always
heard of. When the time came to choose
an elective, The University of Edinburgh
was the obvious choice.
Though my first choice was not avail-
able I was offered a place in Pathology at
the new Royal Infirmary. At the very
start, I felt as though I had been adopted
by the entire department. My supervisor,
Dr. Duvall, arranged for me to have one-
on-one tutoring with nearly every pa-
thologist there. They were a genial
bunch, pleased to show me the ropes. I
spent much time with the post-graduate
students and was invited to their teaching
sessions in the hospital across town.
The organisation of the lab and the
processing of samples were particularly
impressive. Things ran like clockwork. A
point system was assigned, based on time
spent per slide. The aim was to spend no
more than six points, or six minutes per
slide, twelve if teaching, in order to en-
sure that enough work was done during
the day. Results were promptly delivered,
or at least I never saw anyone come chas-
ing them.
I learned a great deal about pathology
and specimen processing, but I was
highly encouraged to explore Scotland as
well. I climbed the Scott Monument,
toured Edinburgh Castle, had tea aboard
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
Her Majesty’s retired yacht, and hiked to
Arthur’s seat, the tallest point in Edin-
burgh, all amidst a friendly, cosmopoli-
tan crowd. One glorious weekend, my
parents and I drove through the High-
lands to the misty Isle of Skye, where we
toured Dunvegan Castle, legendary
home of Clan MacLeod. On the way
home we took the train across the Glen-
finnan Viaduct, the stunning arched
bridge to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter
films.
Edinburgh may be a longer way off
than London. Scotland may be a few
degrees colder than England. But the
sights and sounds are more than worth
the trip and the people are as warm as
the Caribbean Sea. I will treasure my
elective experience all the days of my
life. I hope some of you choose to go see
why.
S T U D E N T L I F E
Pathology in
Beautiful Scotland
Kavita at Greyfriars Bobby Memorial,
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
“The organisation of the
lab and the processing of
samples were particularly
impressive. Things ran like
clockwork.”
P A G E 9
AMIT RAMRATTAN
I did my elective at Kasturba Medical
College, Manipal, India, under the De-
partment of Medicine at Kasturba Hospi-
tal. Stories of amazing experiences and
academic nurturing from my senior col-
leagues who conducted their elective at
Kasturba compelled me to pursue my
elective there.
My four-week experience in India
was astounding. It was a productive
learning experience, as I was exposed to
a variety of cases. We read about many
infectious diseases and their presentations
in books, but at the Indian hospital, I saw
them. A handful of the cases I saw in-
cluded: Brucellosis, Lyme’s disease, pul-
monary aspergillosis, pulmonary tubercu-
losis, a rare case of meningitis caused by
Elizabethkingia bacteria, Wegner’s
granulomatosis, and the usual lifestyle
diseases.
The Kasturba Hospital is a private
institution. Work was done on time, and
diagnoses by professors were usually
accurate. Doctors did not perform much
blood work because each ward had a
phlebotomist. A computerized system,
which communicated blood and radio-
logical results to doctors, made following
up results easy. Because of their light
ward work, doctors had spare time to
read relentlessly on the cases they came
across; this explained their accurate diag-
noses.
Medical training was also quite dif-
ferent at the Kasturba College. Students
were allowed to go on the wards to clerk
and examine patients as early as second
year. Student life was limited to classes
which involved lectures and ward teach-
ing. Unlike our system in T&T, students
were not obligated to perform hands-on
activities such as blood taking, and set-
ting up intravenous access and nasogas-
tric tubes. This made medical training at
Kasturba less onerous than in T&T.
From my experience, India is a very
safe country. The only danger I encoun-
tered was being on the roads during rush-
hour. Travelling via rickshaw to and
from the hospital everyday was an ex-
hilarating experience.
During my stay, I had time to build
many memories outside of the hospital. I
visited temples, zoos, gardens and
beaches which were all beautiful. I en-
joyed a wide variety of Indian cuisine,
although it was very spicy. The native
people seemed very happy and their in-
teractions were different from Trindadi-
ans. For the first time, I saw guy best
friends holding hands while walking. In
a few water parks I visited, I was treated
to a Bollywood scene where people
danced to their favourite Indian songs
openly and cheerfully.
I would recommend others to do
their elective in India or another country,
just to experience something different.
My stay in India was undeniably a life-
changing experience and I definitely
would like to visit again.
S T U D E N T L I F E
Amit at Lalbagh Gardens, Bangalore
Infectious diseases in Incredible India
Taj Mahal, India
“Doctors had spare time to
read relentlessly on the
cases they came across; this
explained their accurate di-
agnoses.”
P A G E 1 0
HADIYAH KHAN
I chose King’s College, London, to do
my elective because it is a partnership
institution of the University of the West
Indies (UWI), whereby students from our
university are given preference to do their
elective there. It is also a well-known
medical school, internationally recog-
nised as an institution with an enriching
and stimulating environment.
At the time, I had a particular interest
in reproductive medicine, so I chose to do
a sub-specialty in Obstetrics and Gynae-
cology. I was assigned to St Thomas'
Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, Lon-
don. From day one, my schedule was
packed with tutorials, lectures, and clin-
ics. While working in an embryology lab,
I observed, firsthand, egg collections and
incubation of embryos by highly-
qualified staff. I also got exposed to the female muti-
lation clinic which was an eye-opener. I
saw unexpected things and learnt about
the cultural practices, which the authori-
ties in England are trying viciously to
clamp down on, that led to the cruel prac-
tice and the help available to affected
women. As a student from a developing coun-
try where specialty areas are limited, I
appreciated the vastness of medicine at
King's. The teaching was quite impres-
sive and the hospital was equipped with
the most advanced equipment. Lecturers
were friendly and topics covered were
supplemented with tutorials. I did not
feel short-changed in anyway. However,
because of the short time, it was difficult
to absorb all of it while adapting to being
away from home.
London was a rude awakening of the
huge world beyond T&T. At first, the
cold weather was very unnerving.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
Gloomy skies constantly reminded me
that I was far from home. After a few
weeks, I got accustomed to the weather
which felt comfortable, and even enjoy-
able.
Academics aside, I had the opportu-
nity to meet other students who warmly
welcomed me as a Caribbean and Mus-
lim student. In exploring London, I saw
people of every religion and race, vari-
ous fashion trends, and an endless range
of cuisines. I visited the Natural History
Museum which had five floors and a
section on the history of medicine. On my way to the hospital, I passed
the famous Big Ben and the London
Eye. The view of the Thames River from
St Thomas' Hospital was breathtaking. London has something for everyone.
If you are enjoy shopping, you must visit
Oxford Street and Westfield Mall. For a
picture-perfect moment, check out Re-
gent's Park, Green Park, and of course,
Buckingham Palace. An efficient and
easy-to-learn train system made travel-
ling extremely easy. I would definitely recommend other
students to choose London for their elec-
tive.
For me, this experience was a small
step toward reproductive medicine and a
huge step into the wider world.
S T U D E N T L I F E
LONDON CALLING!
Natural History Museum, London, England
“London was a rude awak-
ening of the huge world be-
yond T&T.”
P A G E 1 1
Prof Picou—a global revolutionary
Early days
I was born on March 23, 1927, at my
home on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain.
My father, although Trinidadian, had
French roots—hence my last name
‘Picou’—and my mother was Chinese. I
came from humble beginnings; my father
worked at Canning’s factory and my
mother was a housewife.
I attended Tranquility Boys Govern-
ment School and then went on to Queen’s
Royal College where I passed the Higher
School Certificate in the sciences.
As a QRC student, I had the opportu-
nity to be part of the first troop of air
scouts in T&T. I also got to operate the
scoreboard at the Queen’s Park Oval
where I had the pleasure of seeing Rupert
Tang Choon, one of the few Chinese
cricketers to play for the Trinidadian col-
ony.
I liked architecture, but my parents
desired for me to do medicine, so I
obeyed, as was the norm in those days.
After completing high school in 1945, I
taught at QRC for one year before head-
ing to Long Island University, New
York, to pursue a bachelor’s in pre-
medical sciences.
In 1949, I was accepted for medicine
at the University College of the West
Indies (UCWI), Mona, Jamaica, a sub-
sidiary of the University of London.
Medical school in Jamaica
The first university in the English-
speaking Caribbean, UCWI, now called
the University of the West Indies (UWI),
Mona, had 72 students in 1949. My class,
the second set of UCWI medical stu-
dents, was a group of merely 26 people,
of which three were Trinidadians, Prem-
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
When Dr Eric Williams, T&T’s first Prime Minister,
made the call for a medical sciences complex to be estab-
lished at Mt Hope, Prof David Picou, now 86 and retired,
was among the first to respond. In 1978, after spending
about 20 years at the Tropical Metabolism Research Unit
(TMRU) of the University of the West Indies (UWI),
Mona, Jamaica—where he conducted research that revo-
lutionised the treatment of child malnutrition, globally—
Prof Picou returned to T&T to head the committee that
was responsible for realising William’s vision.
This is Prof Picou’s story as told to TAUREEF MOHAM-
MED during an interview at Prof Picou’s Diego Martin
home.
chand Ratan, Stanley Lutchman
(deceased) and me.
In contrast to the multi-million-
dollar, high-tech, concrete structures at
UWI campuses today, all the buildings
at UCWI, Mona, during my time, were
wooden and resembled little huts. The
library was tiny and unsuitable for
studying.
Students stayed in wooden barracks
which were initially built for people who
were considered a threat to society dur-
ing World War II.
The Bachelor’s of Medicine and Sur-
gery (MBBS) programme was six years,
the first year comprising foundation sci-
ence courses. Having a strong science
background, I voluntarily conducted
classes during first year for students who
did not have a strong science back-
ground.
L I F E ’ S W O R K
LIFE’S WORK
A global revolution in malnutrition
P A G E 1 2
Two years of pre-
clinical courses
followed. I found
physiology, bio-
chemistry, and
pharmacology to
be more interest-
ing than anatomy
which to me was
pure memorisa-
tion.
Medical textbooks
weren’t available in the Caribbean and
there was no Amazon.com to order them
from, so we had to import all our books,
as well as a life-size skeleton, from HK
Lewis, a popular London-based book-
seller.
The new University Hospital of the
West Indies, which opened around 1952,
was the only purpose-built teaching hos-
pital in Jamaica. In groups of four or five,
we made our way through the wards. In
my final year, I was privileged to be cho-
sen as a locum for an intern for three
months.
After graduating in 1955, I returned
home for the first time in six years.
The world of research
I always had an interest in children
and in 1957 I received a Rockefeller
Travel Fellowship to study paediatrics at
the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Here, my interest in understanding how
things work and why they worked grew. I
enjoyed clinical medicine, but I wanted
to learn more—research was my calling.
During the 1950s, child malnutrition
was rampant across the Caribbean, and
indeed across most of the developing
world, killing 30 to 40 per cent of those it
affected. The Medical Research Council,
London, had recently established the
Tropical Metabolism Research Unit
(TMRU) in Jamaica and the Caribbean
provided the ideal opportunity for re-
search. So in 1959, I joined the TMRU
where I spent the next 20 years.
Why were children dying from mal-
nutrition within 24 to 48 hours after ad-
mission to the ward? What were we do-
ing that pushed these children over the
edge? These were the questions that
faced us at the TMRU.
After extensive work, we found chil-
dren died because we disturbed their state
of adaptation by placing them on a full
diet. Feeding the child normally, we real-
ised, caused an overload and retention of
sodium due to impairment of the intra-
cellular sodium pumps which led to
heart failure.
And thus, at the TMRU in Mona,
Jamaica, the global revolution in treating
child malnutrition started. We devised a
regime which involved placing the child
on a maintenance diet, while gradually
increasing protein and caloric intake.
Simultaneously, we corrected electrolyte
imbalances, treated infections with anti-
biotics, and monitored trace metals.
We tested the regime—which was
published in several reputable medical
journals—in other Jamaican hospitals,
and it worked. As part of a Caricom-led
team , I travelled throughout the Carib-
bean to introduce the new regime.
My proudest life achievement was in
the offing.
The World Health Organisation
(WHO) invited me to Geneva to help
devise a similar plan to treat malnutri-
tion, globally.
Based on our research at the TMRU,
we developed a treatment and manage-
ment manual which was adapted by the
WHO and popular medical humanitarian
organisations like Doctors Without Bor-
ders. Millions of lives were saved world-
wide, particularly in areas of drought
and famine.
In 1981, about twenty years after the
research first began at the TMRU, the
WHO published the manual, “The treat-
ment and management of severe protein-
energy malnutrition,” which was distrib-
uted and used globally.
Building a medical sciences complex
in T&T
Around 1976, Prime Minister Dr Eric
Williams indicated his intention to estab-
lish a medical complex in T&T, com-
prising schools of dentistry, veterinary
medicine, human medicine, and nursing.
Without hesitation, I suggested to the
Faculty of Medicine of the UWI to seize
the opportunity to revolutionise the way
medicine was taught in the region, and
L I F E ’ S W O R K
Prof Picou holding the WHO manual which
was based largely on his work at the TMRU .
Young David Picou
“In contrast to the multi-
million-dollar, high-tech,
concrete structures at UWI
campuses today, all the
buildings at UCWI, Mona,
during my time, were
wooden and resembled little
huts.”
P A G E 1 3
in 1976, I was appointed chairman of a
seven-member university committee that
was responsible for developing the con-
cept of the medical complex.
Determined to place the school at the
forefront of medical education, the com-
mittee visited leading institutions in
Europe and North America, including
McMaster University in Canada, Yale
University in the United States, and the
University of Nottingham in the United
Kingdom.
After much deliberation, we submit-
ted the “FAST Report” which defined the
philosophy of the complex to the UWI.
Total didactic teaching would be a
thing of the past, the report highlighted.
Instead, self-directed, problem-based
learning in small groups would be pro-
moted.
In keeping with the philosophy of
learning in small groups, we suggested
building more seminar and tutorial rooms
rather than many large lecture theatres.
On returning to T&T in 1978, I was
selected to head the Government-
appointed Mt Hope Medical Complex
Task Force which was charged with the
responsibility to make William’s vision a
reality.
Championing research to the end
In 1986, after 10 years of detailed
planning and construction, the medical
complex, now known as the Eric Wil-
liams Medical Sciences Complex
(EWMSC), was completed and since
1989, it has been the location of the Fac-
ulty of Medical Sciences of the UWI, St
Augustine.
After completing my work in estab-
lishing the EWMSC, I was appointed
director at the Caribbean Health Re-
search Council (CHRC), a position I held
until 2002 when I retired.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
Our aim at the CHRC was to encour-
age, guide, and support governments,
doctors and other health professionals in
conducting research.
Although research has improved over
the years, I still believe, as a country, we
don’t understand the importance of re-
search in any field, whether it is medi-
cine, agriculture, or business.
My young budding doctors, clinical
medicine is not the only option; there is
a world of research right here in T&T
and the Caribbean waiting to be ex-
plored—it’s yours for the taking, go for
it!
L I F E ’ S W O R K
Mt Hope—a new era in medical education
Gems of wisdom from Prof Picou
“Self-discipline is the key to suc-
cess. It is even more important for to-
day’s youth because of all the other en-
ticements out there. Keep your goal—
medicine—in front of you.”
“Spend most of your time on the
wards because that is where you learn
medicine. If you know your way around a
patient, you will pass final exams. You
do learn a lot from reading books, but
that is a secondary source of information
in medicine.”
“Students should be exposed to the wards
much earlier. Although they may not
understand much, they will get accus-
tomed to the atmosphere and learn that
patients aren’t just there for doctors to
work on, but they are human beings
who have emotions.”
“Have role models. In our time, we
wanted to be just like our teachers, lectur-
ers and professors.”
“Stay in your country and work on
subjects that affect your own country and
region.”
“Total didactic teaching
would be a thing of the
past... Instead, self-directed,
problem-based learning in
small groups would be pro-
moted.”
P A G E 1 4
Prof Teelucksingh on medical school
SATISH MAHARAJ
TAUREEF MOHAMMED
Q:Could you tell us about your life
before medicine?
A: I attended Presentation College, Cha-
guanas—the only Presentation, all the others
are imitation. After I finished A’ levels it was
customary in my time to take a year out. I
taught at Hillview for that year.
Why medicine?
I would not have chosen anything else. It
was medicine or nothing.
Could you tell us about your medical
school experience?
All of us had to go to Mona Jamaica, at
least for the basic sciences. POS was the only
teaching hospital in Trinidad, so I spent two
years there.
Following undergraduate training, we had
to do two years internship, as stipulated then
by the ministries of health.
Following internship, I started post-
graduate work and completely my postgradu-
ate work in Edinburgh, Scotland. I got the
opportunity to study for a Phd as well and
completed it in the time I was there. I spent 4
years in Edinburgh which is a beautiful place.
Were you as dynamic in medical school
as you are now?
It’s inevitable to escape your personality.
I suppose I’ve always been a multitasker. But
medical school for me was very very focused.
I found medical school and medical training
very challenging. In fact I’ll go so far to say
that I found it difficult. When I started medi-
cine, I never imagined I could complete it. I
felt tremendous pressure, especially at the
basic sciences.
I couldn’t deal with diversions in the early
years, so I absorbed myself into the subject.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
As a Professor of Medicine, the campus orator of the UWI,
the leader of several projects –both on a national and regional
scale –and, of course, a practising medical doctor, Professor
Surujpal Teelucksingh functions as efficiently as the latest In-
tel microprocessor chip. However, medical school and medical
training was quite different for our dynamic professor, as he
found it difficult and never imagined that he could complete
it.
Individuals have to know themselves and
their abilities. As much as diversions can
help some people, it can hurt others. There is
no point being good at everything else and
failing your medical courses. Your base must
be medicine and the diversions must add
value when they can.
The flourish and the blossoming occurred
during the clinical years. I was happy to be in
the clinical environment.
My message to basic science students
(year 1s & 2s) is that your learning curve is
steepest in the first two to three years of
medicine. It’s like being thrown in the deep-
est of deep ends. That’s where the challenge
is. If you overcome those first three years
you can swim in any water. Don’t lose focus
in those first 3 years.
What drives you to practise medicine
in a country commonly described as third-
world, corrupt, and lawless?
All the deficiencies you have pointed to
are opportunities. The greater the apparent
weaknesses, the greater the opportunities.
And I’m sincere when I say that.
I have ten projects on my table right now
that are arising from those weaknesses.
I will not denigrate and diminish our
country for what might be said scathingly
with limited agendas. A country is a biologic
being just like our body—it’s changing and
adapting and we have to be part of that and
B E Y O N D O F F I C E H O U R S
“Your learning curve is
steepest in the first 2-3
years of medicine...If you
overcome those first three
years you can swim in any
water.”
BEYOND OFFICE HOURS
Prof Teelucksingh: Learn well and rewards will follow
P A G E 1 5
Annually, there are 15-20,000 deliveries in
Trinidad. That’s our production line for the
future. We must give that next generation
special care. That’s my personal wish. I think
maternal health, child health and care of the
elderly are the things that should be on our
radar.
What are the main challenges for medi-
cal students at the UWI?
I do think that our undergraduate pro-
gramme is very strong. One immediate issue
might be the large numbers of students and
the relative paucity of clinical spaces. I do feel
we have to be creative in how we expose stu-
dents to the clinical environment. That’s en-
gaging my department right now and we are
thinking of creative ways of doing that. I do
feel that technology would provide a part
solution.
What disappointments do you have in
our generation?
What I am disappointed in is purely genera-
tional. I do feel the current generation, and
this is a valued judgment, is probably a little
bit too materialistic. I see them requiring re-
wards too quickly. There can’t be rewards
without work.
What are your hopes for our genera-
tion?
I see lots of good things in students. Every
generation produces its own outstanding lot. I
never underestimate the potential of any given
generation.
The process of learning is slow and insidi-
ous. You’ve got to do it well and the rewards
will follow. It lowers us when we want to
achieve rewards without the requisite amount
of work and perhaps, that is what I meant
when I said materialism has taken over. There
should be no jealousy against somebody who
works hard and achieves.
I do feel that you all have the resources
and the skills and the ability to be better than
this generation. I have no doubt that you can
do that. (reprinted from The Pulse 2012)
contribute to that.
It’s a great boon to practice medicine
among people who you know and under-
stand. You are very lucky to be in a place
where you can identify with the soul and
spirit of the people. I find that particularly
invigorating. In fact that is one of the most
rewarding aspects of what I do.
You mentioned in your orientation
lecture to first-year students that doctors
and students should ‘practice what they
preach.’ Can you elaborate?
It’s to avoid the conundrum of double
standards. Every doctor should understand
how valued their role in society is. It reeks of
double standards and it undervalues the good
work that most doctors do when we are seen
to not practice what we tell society to do. For
example, I don’t think it’s fair for doctors to
tell patients they should stop smoking when
they themselves smoke. In the same vein, it’s
unfair for doctors to tell patients they must
exercise regularly and they themselves aren’t
exercising.
What do you see in the future of
healthcare for current students?
I do feel that the next horizon in health-
care, which will impact very positively on
the health of the nation, is in looking at ma-
ternal health in a serious way. I refer specifi-
cally to the issue of dealing with obesity and
diabetes in pregnancy. Much of our infant
mortality may be due to undetected diabetes.
B E Y O N D O F F I C E H O U R S
It lowers us when we want
to achieve rewards without
the requisite amount of
work and perhaps that is
what I meant when I said
materialism has taken
over.”
P A G E 1 6
Med Sci News:
SHEENA SOOKHAI
Class of 2016
Jherome, the class of 2016 is incom-
plete and the halls of Mt Hope will
never be the same without you. Being
the captivating person that you were,
you left us with a gap that can’t be
filled.
You were an amazing friend, and
classmate. You always greeted everyone
with an innocent smile. You were ap-
proachable and never refused to lend an
ear, offer genuine advice, tough but truth-
ful, or help with the mental exhaustion
suffered through each course. You were
unique in your way of thinking and out-
look on life but no matter what, nothing
could ruin your cheerful mood.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
Anyone who had PBL with you
knows you were nothing short of genius
but equally humble. It was captivating to
listen to you express your thoughts and
see you at work—a genius destined for
great things.
You were an amusing person who
spoke the blatant truth and had the guts
to say what no-one else could. You were
your own person and refused to sway
according to the opinions of others.
You’ve left The Class of 2016 and
the Faculty of Medical Sciences with a
hole that could never be filled but we
have the memories of the time you had
with us. We shall see you soon Jher.
R.I.P Jherome, gone way too soon but
you will never be forgotten.
M E D S C I N E W S
JHEROME ALEXANDER—GONE
BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
FLASHBACK
On Wednesday July 17, 2013,
Jherome Alexander, 20, drowned in a
swimming pool at the bpTT Mayaro
Resource Centre.
According to reports, investigators
viewed footage from a closed circuit
television camera at the centre and
found that Jherome got into difficulty
and went under. He resurfaced minutes
later and was discovered by friends.
Speaking to reporters after the inci-
dent, Jherome’s aunt, Denise Alexan-
der, said: “He was an amazing person,
excelling since primary school. His
dream was to become a doctor and he
was working towards that. He was ac-
tive in church and a member of several
clubs in the area.”
P A G E 1 7
After more than twenty years
working as a mortician at Mt Hope,
Mr Gaston Francis, commonly known
as ‘Gaston,’ has retired.
In an interview with The Pulse, Gas-
ton looked back at his time at Mt Hope,
working under the Faculty of Medical
Sciences since 1990.
Asked what he enjoyed most about
his job, he said: “My greatest joy was the
students. It gave me a great joy in my
heart to help them. I liked how they ap-
proached school—they were respectable,
disciplined and showed a lot of kind-
ness.”
Although he threatened many students
with his infamous quote “I will report
you to the dean,” Gaston said he never
had problems with students. “This was
just a joke to frighten students. I never
reported anybody to the dean,” he pointed
out.
Saying that working as a mortician
allowed him to learn a lot about human
anatomy, Gaston added, “I learned about
embalming through the femoral artery
and how you cut the femoral vein for
blood to flow out. I learned about head
and neck, the internal jugular vein, bra-
chial plexus and vagus nerve.”
Gaston said his job also taught him
to respect the dead, and he called on
students to do the same. “You need to
understand how to treat human beings.
You must treat dead bodies with respect
and love, just as you treated them before
when they were alive.”
A father of seven and grandfather of
four, Gaston had a final piece of advice
for students: “Learn well and hard and
all success will come after.”
All the best Mr Gaston!!
M E D S C I N E W S
After more than 20 years at Mt Hope…
GASTON RETIRES
“My greatest joy was the
students. It gave me a
great joy in my heart to
help them.”
P A G E 1 8
Pictorial review
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
M E D S C I N E W S
CHAMPIONS OF MT HOPE
The Class of 2015
defeated Staff to b
ecome winners of the
2012 TTMSA Intra-Faculty Foo
tball Tournament
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2013!
Giving a child a reason to smile:)
Amrita Gobin puts a smile on a child’s face
at the MEDS’ Annual Paeds Treat at the
Mt Hope Children’s Hospital
Members of the Class of 2013 and members of the TTMA at a celebratory dinner
hosted by the TTMA in honour of the graduating class
P A G E 1 9 M E D S C I N E W S
of 2012—2013 Cleaning up the environment one bag at a time!
Members of the TTMSA Environment Committee at a beach
clean-up along the east coast of Trinidad.
Raising breast cancer awareness
Students of Med Sci join MHIS in commemorating
‘Pink Hijab Day.’
Having a whale o
f a time!
Members of the Class of 2017 having fun at the
TTMSA’s Annual Fun Day
Battling it out on the field
The Classes of 2015 and 2017 battle it out in the
semi-final of the 2012 TTMSA football tournament