What’s the best predictor of success in residency and beyond? The answer is critical thinking, according to a recent study. When researchers analyzed four different sets of data on a group of Canadian medical residents—including the results on a family medicine certification exam, MCAT scores, the resident’s Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS) file and the results on a critical thinking test (known as the California Critical Thinking Skills Test or CCTST)—it turned out that it was the results on the CCTST that were the best harbingers of a successful residency outcome.  According to the researchers, while many residency programs use a variety of criteria and tools to choose students, “the results of this study suggest that [critical thinking test] may be useful as a tool for improving resident selection.”

The seven-hour MCAT exam is considered by many to be the most difficult of all the graduate school entrance exams. About 60,000 students take it every year and, but only a third ultimately get accepted to med school. Should you be worried about it? Not if you really prepare.

According to 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Studying for the MCAT, by a student who “flunked” the MCAT the first  time around, one of the mistakes many students make is treating the MCAT as just another end-of-semester exam—i.e., a few hours spent going over notes and readings. Instead, treat it like you are training for a marathon, allocating solid, dedicated time every day. How much is enough? According to 4 MCAT Myths, most students who do well on the MCAT spend between 200 and 300 hours preparing for the exam.

And it’s not just about hitting the books. You also need to eat right, manage your social life, avoid straining your eyes and don’t plan something big for right after the exam—that’s likely to be an unnecessary distraction that will rob you of precious points on your score.

Specialists driving taxi cabs instead of practicing medicine? An over-abundance of anesthesiologists? Those are some of the past projections about the physician workforce that have missed the mark. According to a frank assessment in the January 2016 issue of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, the same thing could happen with current estimates of a coming physician shortage in the US. Prepared by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)--its lead author is Atul Grover, MD, PhD, executive vice president of the AAMC--this report presents a concise snapshot of the recent AAMC research (which argues forcefully that a physician shortage is looming), while also providing a clear-eyed look at past projections that have not panned out.

Medical University of the Americas is located on an island in the Caribbean that most people have never heard of. And if you are planning on going to medical school—or even just enjoying a real Caribbean experience—that’s a good thing.

The island is Nevis. It’s a beautiful and historic. Here are nine things you might want to know about Nevis:

1. Nevis is just 36 square miles. To some people, it's the most beautiful 36 Square Miles in the Caribbean.
2. The name Nevis is derived from "Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves" which means "Our Lady of the Snows." And when you first glimpse the cloud capped Nevis Peak that stands over the island—as Columbus did in the 15^th century—you’ll understand the name.
3. Prior to Columbus, Nevis was named Dulcina "Sweet Island" by the Arawaks. For centuries after its discovery by Europeans, Nevis was a major source of sugar cane and remnants of that world—plantation houses, deserted cane processing mills and beautiful churches—dot the island.
4. On Nevis, the language spoken is English. The island has one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
5. Conde Nast Traveler named Nevis one of the 20 Most Romantic Islands—not just in the Caribbean, in the entire world.
6. The charming Montpelier Plantation on Nevis has been voted the third-best resort in the entire Caribbean.
7. Princess Diana stayed on Nevis 20 years ago with the young Princes William and Harry. As the Daily Mail noted, to say that little seems to have changed in the meantime is a compliment, rather than a criticism. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3325705/Nevis-Island-Caribbean-loved-Princess-Diana.html#ixzz4Bl2cdWvi
8. No cruise ships nor long-haul flights stop at Nevis, but it is still easily reached via St. Kitts (a ferry ride away), St. Maarten or Antigua.
9. With just 12,000 inhabitants, Nevis isn’t crowded. When you need a break from your studies, you may very well have an entire beach all to yourself.

Going to medical school is very challenging, very rewarding and also very expensive. There is no question that the cost of higher education in general, and graduate education in particular, is a major challenge and keeps many promising students out of careers they are more than qualified for.

MUA has always been committed to maintaining an affordable tuition. In fact, among the top tier international medical schools located in the Caribbean—those with the important approvals and accepted for Title IV US Federal Direct Student Loans—MUA is the most affordable tuition: a full 30-40 percent lower than some of the others. (See the chart below.)

We publish our fees and tuition on our website (http://MUA.edu/admissions/financial-information) and work closely with students on loans and payment arrangements. Our goal is to make the process as straightforward and transparent as possible. We don’t do a lot of marketing and advertising. We also don’t suddenly discover “scholarship” funds to attract students. We focus on being affordable and attracting the best possible students.

In addition to being one of the very few international medical schools that are approved to be part of the U.S. Federal Direct Student Loan program, MUA’s tuition structure fits in with the financial resources available to Canadian students, both for provincial loans and private sources of funding. (Learn more at http://MUA.edu/admissions/financial-aid)

For the first time in over a century, medical school curriculum’s are undergoing a major overhaul. A wide range of medical schools, including Medical University of the Americas, have changed their learning strategies to better prepare students for a medical world that is more patient-centered and focused on achieving measureable outcomes.

According to Dr. James Bruzik, Associate Dean for Medical Education who spearheaded the curriculum update at MUA, the new approaches are taking place on several levels:                                                                

Organ, systems-based approach: At MUA, basic sciences and clinical studies are now being taught in an integrated, organ-systems-based approach. That means (for example) when you’re learning about a developmental abnormality in a specific organ you also study the anatomy, genetic background and pharmacological approaches to treating it—all in one, integrated learning module.

Early exposure to clinical experiences: Students are exposed to clinical experiences from the very start. In your first weeks of classes at MUA, you may be learning about the basics of a particular medical condition and then attending a class where you’re doing role-play exercises or taking an oral assessment on how well you’re able to communicate with patients and medical colleagues about that condition.

Active learning: There is a great emphasis on active learning and classroom interaction. MUA has “flipped classrooms” designed for small group interactive learning and also incorporates much more in terms of ongoing formative assessment: in an ungraded format, students get the opportunity to take tests and see where they stand. 

Research: Because so much of medical practice today requires the ability to evaluate medical literature and advise patients on the latest developments, students at MUA complete a research project involving an in-depth review of medical literature on a specific topic. For many students, this research has become a key asset in getting selected for a top residency.

Medical education is changing. As a leader in international medical education, MUA is committed to being at the forefront of these changes. Learn more about the MUA curriculum, including an interview with MUA administrators and deans, at http://www.mua.edu/curriculum

For many doctors, medicine was the only career they ever considered. Not Dorothy Ann Sparks. She came to MUA after a career in academia, teaching Engineering. Earning her MD with honors at MUA in 2006, she is now an acute care surgeon at the University of Tennessee Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, double board-certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care and teaches surgery at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. Read Dorothy’s full profile at http://www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

Sickle cell disease (or sickle cell anemia) is a devastating, genetic condition that is prevalent among populations that trace their ancestry to Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. While some progress in countering the disease took place decades ago, the pace has slowed since the late 1980’s, but Ahmar Urooj Zaidi, a 2011 MUA graduate, is looking to change that. He is part of a major research project at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, part of a three-year fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology. Read Ahmar’s full profile at http://www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

 A native of Florida, Sasha Klemawesch headed north for her undergraduate years, attending New York’s prestigious New York University and getting a degree in nursing. But as she neared graduation, she realized her true calling was to be a doctor.Switching gears at this point can mean an extended (and expensive) period of makeup classes. Instead, Sasha chose a more direct route: MUA’s pre-med program. Two semesters later, she entered MUA’s MD program. Today, she’s a resident at Tampa General Hospital and on her way to becoming double board certified in internal medicine and emergency care. Read Sasha’s full profile at http://www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

Surgery is one of the most competitive residencies, doubly so for a graduate of an international medical school—even a top tier school such as Medical University of the Americas. But Adnan Qureshi, a 2011 MUA graduate, was undaunted. “They have [surgery] spots available.  Those spots are available to everybody.  It’s about deciding you want to do it and demonstrating you’re the right person.” Today Adnan is completing his residency in General Surgery at one of Canada’s leading medical centers, the University of Toronto.  See the video interview with Adnan (hotlink to http://www.mua.edu/graduate-success/meet-our-graduates) and read his complete profile at http://www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

Born with a condition called transposition of the great arteries, Brian Chwiecko was a critical care patient before he even knew it. Required to check in with a cardiologist every year of his life, it was no surprise when he decided that medicine would be his career.

At MUA he was a standout student, scoring in the top 2.5% on the USMLE. It was during his MUA clinical rotations in Louisiana that he found his calling, in effect pulled back to his infancy in critical care. Today, he’s a resident in in his hometown of Reading, PA, in Reading Hospital’s three-year internal medicine program, his No. 1 choice, heading for a fellowship in…what else would you expect?: pulmonology and critical care.

See the video interview with Brian (hotlink to http://www.mua.edu/graduate-success/meet-our-graduates) and read his complete profile at http://www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

Each year, some 150,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with epilepsy, making it the 4th most common neurological problem. It’s also the focus of the medical practice of Puja Naik, a 2010 Medical University of the Americas graduate.

A board certified neurologist, Puja has published articles on epilepsy, is a partner in First Choice Neurology, the CEO of Neurology and Epilepsy Specialists, LLC, a medical practice focusing on neurological conditions, and is a Staff Neurologist at Baptist Health South Florida- Homestead Hospital. Read Puja’s full profile at http://www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

One of the great things about attending Medical University of the Americas is that you are following in the footsteps of graduates who have established a track record that is recognized across the US and Canada.

From coast-to-coast, MUA grads are making a difference in the healthcare of millions of people.

This map is just a snapshot—the starred states and provinces are where MUA graduates have received residency appointments.

Today, you will find MUA graduates practicing anesthesiology in Arizona…fighting sickle cell disease in Detroit… managing the seizures and strokes of epileptic patients in Florida…and much more.

Read some of their stories at www.mua.edu/for-alumni/alumni-spotlight

Since its founding in 1998, MUA has earned a reputation for academic excellence—and graduate success—that has made it a leader among international medical schools.

Today, you will find MUA graduates in practice at leading hospitals and medical centers across the US and Canada.

Almost universally, MUA graduates credit the small class sizes and educational philosophy that emphasizes close student-teacher interaction as critical to their success. MUA students get the one-on-one attention in basic sciences and the coaching in clinical rotations that lead to top scores on the USMLE and excellent residency placements.

MUA has also implemented the modern, systems-based approach to medical education that has been established as critical for preparing the next generation of physicians. From your first semester in Gross Anatomy to the shelf exams at the end of the Basic Sciences curriculum, MUA offers a structured, rigorous academic curriculum that models closely what you will find at medical schools in the U.S. or Canada.

Small classes. Close-student interaction. Extensive mentoring. An outstanding curriculum. Those are key building blocks for success—and there are many more.

Sara E. Gottfried (@DrGottfried) considered becoming a doctor in high school, but mistakenly thinking that she was afraid of blood, went on to get a degree in engineering. It was while pursuing a degree in bioengineering that she revisited that decision and soon found herself at Harvard Medical School, taking part in Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physician Scientist Training Program (1994) and completing a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at University of California at San Francisco.

Today, she’s the New York Times bestselling author of The Hormone Reset Diet, The Hormone Cure and a critic of traditional approaches to healthcare. “On one hand, our health care offers unparalleled innovation and scientific advances. On the other, the US has the highest rates of preventable disease in the world. I was most surprised by the way that I was taught to take a person, diagnose a disease, and offer a pill. It’s reductionistic and it’s not working as a model of healthcare.”

There is a great interview with Dr. Gottfried where she offers advice to med students: “Take care of yourself and heal your wounds – most practitioners have some degree of adrenal dysregulation, hormone imbalance and gut problems. Deal with those first so that you come from a place of fullness and experience when helping patients.”

Read the full interview with Dr. Gottfried here.