Dr Ezzeldin, Naseer Dean of Basic Science at St Matthew’s University

Traditionally few Caymanians have chosen to go to medical school, resulting in the majority of doctors in this country being expatriates. The few young Caymanians that did choose medicine would often go to Jamaica or the UK after qualification.

However with the growing profile of St Matthew’s University School of Medicine and now with its growing collaboration with the Health Services Authority (HSA) that trend may be changing and more young Caymanians may be attracted into medicine.

One young Caymanian, Tricia Oliphant, who will be graduating from St Matthew’s on 29 April, said her interest in becoming a doctor was solidified in high school.

“During career days people would come in to talk to us about different professions,” said Ms Oliphant.
“They were geared toward finance and hospitality. Because of my interest in becoming a doctor the school set me up to shadow a doctor on the Island. It showed me what medicine was like day-to-day and I definitely knew that I wanted to become a doctor from that experience.”

It can be a long road to becoming a doctor. After a four-year medical school programme, most physicians will need to do a residency programme in the area they want to practice.

For General Practice that could take one year. But Ms Oliphant is going into Internal Medicine so she will need to complete a three-year residency programme and then a three-year fellowship programme to become qualified.

The Dean of Basic Science at St Matthew’s, Dr Ezzeldin Nasser, said that the schoiol has on average four Caymanians in the medical school programme.

“It is not an easy way to go and it is always a challenge,” said Dr Nasser. “But it is easier for Caymanians because they can do their basic science programme while living at home compared to US students who have come here alone.”

He believes there is a growing interest in medical school now among resident youngsters. “They have reached out to the University College,” said Dr Nasser.

“And students from the Department of Biology have visited our Anatomy lab and Pre-clinical lab and they saw a cadaver, which is a big part of medical training.

St Matthew’s intends to set up a programme to visit the high schools to talk to students who may be interested in medicine.

The school offers one full scholarship every year and the Board of Directors is considering other scholarship options to more Caymanians as well as reduced tuition.

Moreover, as medical students become more involved with the community through the Doctor Shadow programme at the Health Services Authority (HSA), more young people may become interested in medicine.

However, because of the length of time to get qualifications, it will be several years before the ratio of Caymanian doctors and expatriate doctors changes.

Ms Oliphant recommended that young people who may be interested in medicine get involved.

“Go out there and volunteer at the hospital. Talk to doctors, talk to medical students. Find out what it is like, and what they are passionate about. And if you decide you want to go to medical school - find someone to help you to put in applications at the right universities,” she said.

shurna@caymannetnews.com