Karlyle Robinson bistas and evangelos bistas, mua clinical students, share their love for the school and each other

Karlyle Robinson and Evangelos Bistas were newly dating in Canada when they hit upon the realization that they both wanted to go to med school, and importantly they wanted to do it together.

Says Evangelos, “It was my father who told us about MUA. He was supportive of our decision to go to med school and did a lot of research. He is very intuitive, and thought MUA was the right school. He wanted better for my brother and me, and always put education first for us before all else.” "Both Evangelos and I owe a lot of our success to our parents; they have gone above and beyond to support us."

Karlyle was a scholar and an avid hockey player, earning an academic and athletic scholarship to the top preparatory high schools, Ridley College and then to the University of Windsor before transferring to Brock University after two years where she graduated with honors in Biology. Evangelos graduated at the same time with Honors in Kinesiology from McMaster.

Together they enrolled at MUA, he in the Pre-Med program (“it really helped prepare me and gave me a really solid foundation”) and she in the MED 1 program. They both make note of the fact that having each other made a huge difference…”we really brought each other up”. Along the way, they adopted three cats who provided some calmness from the rigors of academic life.

Currently now in their clinical rotations (she has finished her core rotations and he will be shortly), they both felt well prepared for the USMLE Step One, passing their comp exams on the first try and are confident that they got a really solid foundation from MUA professors and curriculum. Says Karlyle, "I also feel that our Clinical Skills class was really unique and really prepared us well. Now, when I see a patient in my rotation I know what to say and how to progress from one situation to the next. Not all schools offer this clinical skills training.”

Evangelos is getting ready to start his core rotation in Surgery, and Karlyle is putting together her elective schedule to fulfill her dream of becoming a Psychiatrist. “I want to work with veterans who are suffering PTSD. This is really important to me; my father was a police officer for 30+ years and it does take an emotional toll."

Both Evangelos and Karlyle speak glowing of their time at MUA. “MUA provides the opportunity for students like us who have what it takes to be successful in medicine, and perhaps didn’t have it all figured out at 18. We have developed so many quality traits here, including resilience and grit. "Living on an island will do that to you.” There is one more certificate that they both have earned at MUA, and that would be a marriage certificate. Shortly after Karlyle wrote her Step 1 exam they were married, and continue their medical journey together as husband and wife now.


Get in touch for more information

Related News

The Clinical Program at Medical University of the Americas

Student life

In the MUA Clinical program, students rotate at a variety of teaching hospitals around the United States, all over from California to Florida. We hav

Read more
The Clinical Program at Medical University of the Americas

Surgeon & Author Michael Collins on Becoming a Doctor

Student life

Michael Collins is an orthopedic surgeon in a practice just outside of Chicago—he’s been doing the same thing, with the same practice, for more than 3

Read more
Surgeon & Author Michael Collins on Becoming a Doctor

The ‘Darkest Time’ in Med School—Prepping for Your Third Year Clinical Rotations

Student life

This semester, students at Medical University of the Americas (MUA) are making full use of the new clinical teaching facility

Read more
The ‘Darkest Time’ in Med School

Student Loan Option for Pre-Med Students

Student life

As part of its ongoing effort to improve the affordability of medical education, MUA is pleased to announce...

Read more
Student Loan Option for Pre-Med Students

A Critical Care Patient Becomes a Doctor

Student life

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

Read more
A Critical Care Patient Becomes a Doctor

Acuity of patients + adrenaline = Emergency Medicine

Student life Careers and residencies

As a dual citizen with the United States and Italy, Peter is passionate about Italian literature and is proficient in Italian. He is also a member ..

Read more
Acuity of patients

MUA Clinical Student Receives the Premier of Nevis Award

Student life

It’s true that classrooms, labs and exams are the focus of a medical student’s time at MUA, but there’s more to medical school than just that. MUA fos

Read more

MUA Student Volunteers in a COVID-19 Assessment Center

Student life

Bhreagh Orrell is a 4th Year Medical Student completing her elective clinical rotations. While on a one month break from her rotations, Bhreagh...

Read more
MUA Student Volunteers in a COVID-19 Assessment Center

MUA student front and center in the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic

Student life

MUA student Payton Colantonio was front and center in the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, doing multiple psychiatry elective rotations at...

Read more
MUA student front and center in the Covid-19 pandemic

Chante Smith, awarded the “Premiers of Nevis Award” at MUA.

Student life

Chante Smith was recently awarded the “Premiers of Nevis Award” at MUA. She received this accolade for her volunteerism and dedication to the ...

Read more
Chante Smith, awarded the “Premiers of Nevis Award” at MUA.

Welcome to some of the May 2019 term students at MUA!

Student life

What a warm welcome our students received starting this term.

Read more

Fourth-year student Faran Mansoor explains why he chose MUA

Student life

Faran Mansoor is a fourth year student at MUA doing his clinical rotations

Read more
Fourth-year student Faran Mansoor explains why he chose MUA
Back to top