AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ANTIGUA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

To Student Body:
Aliya W, On Behalf of SGA will all like
I Love You! to thank you for your support!!
Chris B Your SGA President
To Heather,
Je t’a i m e
mon Thank you for being such a
C o e u r . Tu good friend.
es mon
autre. With Love, Sal
To my beautiful sorority - Fro
sisters (Brenda and AD):
Thanks for always
reminding me of the true
definition of a DELTA Olumide,
woman. A Valentine’s Day
YID: Khrystal without you is un-
imaginable. I love
To Derek Hem, you so much and I
P.S. - I love you! really miss you.
Jon K Please come back to
me.
-kusu

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From the Editors...

By and large, Valentine’s Day is not exactly a beloved holiday among serious medical/nursing students
attending classes on a remote Caribbean island. Who has time for love, much less romance when there are in-
house exams as well as Shelves and the Comp to worry about? Any intimate relationships formed in Antigua are
likely to be fleeting, and for those in long-distance relationships, V-Day simply serves as a reminder of how far
away AUA is from their loved ones. This campus is a temporary blip on a years-long
journey, and we all know it. …
That being said, there is absolutely no reason why we can’t still have a little
fun this Valentine’s Day. No matter who you are or what your relationship status is,
there has to be someone, or something, here in Antigua that you love. Be it is a favor-
ite class, a beloved beach, or a new motorbike, love comes in many forms. … So
with that idea in mind, this issue of The Pulse is dedicated to celebrating all kinds of
love, including but not limited to the romantic variety. I hope the messages created by
the students and faculty members who purchased ad space serve as an enjoyable re-
minder of the creative and dynamic nature of love, and that the articles demonstrate
the passion, commitment, and optimism of our writers. Katie Schmitz
AUA Pulse Editor-in-Chief
Thanks for reading! See you next time,

Friends
It has come to my attention that many people think Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate a significant
other. But this day should also be recognized as a selected time to celebrate the most wonderful blessing anyone
could receive, TRUE friendship. Then it hit me that many people don’t understand the meaning of friendship.
There is a famous quote that says, “Those who you consider are your friends are really your foes and your foes
are your friends”.
Webster defines friendship as an attachment to another by affection or esteem. Others may say it is the
bond between people who share common interests and goals. I say blah, blah… The definition of a friend is
simple - that person who you feel you can turn to at anytime in this journey of life. In other words, a true friend
is life-long. Here are some basic questions to assess when or if you are a good friend:
1. When I am having a bad/good day, who is the first person I want to call?
2. If I am in trouble/sad, who do I call?
3. When my back is against the wall, who is there to make sure I don’t fall?
4. When I DO fail, who is my motivation for continuing?
5. When ALL I want to do is laugh, who do I find?
6. When I feel like I can’t take life anymore, who is my driving inspiration?
7. Last but the most important: When I look bad or do something that is not in char-
acter, who is the first to offer constructive criticism?

A great man once said that, “Having a true friend is like seeing the Khrystal Boone
face of GOD himself.” Love is the beauty of the soul. Assistant Editor-in-Chief
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Faculty Spotlight on....Dr. Sanii!

Last semester when I was enrolled in Physiology, I went
to Dr. Sanii’s office to ask a question about EKG leads. In order
to better explain the leads to me, he started looking for a heart
model in his file cabinet. When he opened the lowest drawer, I
saw it was filled with awards and recognition shields. He closed
that drawer immediately saying “Just some stuff that I keep hid-
den so I remain humble.” And humble is the word that defines
Dr. Sanii.
At AUA, Dr. Sanii’s name has become synonymous with
the greatest supporter of the student body. He is someone who
everyone can talk to and in whom they always find a caring lis-
tener, a great supporter, and someone they can trust to solve
their problems. Like most students here, I have always found Dr. Sanii to be an amazing person. Because he is
such a well-loved teacher and student advocate, we at the Pulse decided to interview Dr. Sanii for our first
faculty spotlight article.
Q: What was your childhood like, and what were your hobbies?
Dr. Sanii: As the second of five siblings, my childhood was wonderful. My mom always made us feel very
special and loved. I was always involved in sports and loved playing soccer. These days I love playing tennis and
running.
Q: Could you please tell us about your education and what made you interested in
Physiology?
Dr. Sanii: I attained the majority of my education in England and Canada. In my earlier years, I was a T.A. for
Physiology and found it to be a very challenging subject that required little memorization and mostly under-
standing. This, combined with my introduction to, and association with, world-class Physiologists peaked my
interest in the subject matter. I became more curious and enthused about Physiology and decided to follow
their footsteps. As a result I pursued the journey necessary in becoming a Physiologist.
Q: Could you please tell us about your research and academic achievements?
Dr. Sanii: I started doing research when I was still a student. I became interested in a group of patients who
resided in the same region and were suffering from an endemic goiter, which stimulated my curiosity to find
the cause of the endemic. Later, when I started my career as an academician, I conducted a number of re-
search projects. I looked at the growth of lung tissue during fetal life and also in post-operative pneumonec-
tomy patients. As a result, I discovered a growth factor that promotes the lung growth and maturation. The
majority of my research was concentrated on the control of ventilation in the healthy subjects and diseased
patients. Through this research we were able to offer a number of modalities for ventilating patients. We also
came up with a ventilator that can be controlled by the patient. I also became interested in ventilatory neural
control during sleep. This led me to become involved in opening sleep disorder clinics and learning about
sleep physiology and cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with sleep disorders.
Q: You explained your research; however, you haven’t mentioned anything about the
papers you published and the awards and recognition shields I saw stacked inside a
drawer in your office?

continued on page 6
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Lelia, Pri, Kris:

You guys are awesome. Thanks for all your support
Kimberly, from the moment we met. Lelia you’re an awesome
I love you very much. neighbor & friend. Pri no one understands better than
Happy Valentine’s Day!
you. Kris your no stop jokes & awesome food is
Love Michael
exactly what I need down here. To all my other
friends not mentioned (you know who you are), for
thanks for everything we got a long way to go.
Love Ya, Yogi

Danny & Sasha,

Luv You Guys Hey Fur rba l l ,
-CC. Deep
T h a n k you f or co m i n g to
Antigua and ma k i n g m y
v a len t i ne’ s d a y , month, and
year! Y o u are the h o t tes t
M ed 2 s, P a k ica n uckantiguan w i fe
Tha n ks fo r I’ ve se en !
c o nti n u a l sup port. L o ve,
Your SGA
P r eside nt
E mra n (t he o ne with an E ! )

Drs. W ah e e d an d Has san A miral li

Bri a n ,
T han k y ou v ery mu c h for bein g s uch Thanks for
wo n derfu l teac h ers an d ro le mo dels . I am helping w i t h
gr at ef ul for e very th in g th at y ou have done m y co m p u te r.
f or me. Hap p y V ale nt in e's Day ! Y o u’re t he
Wit h Gratit u de Abbas bes t !
-L o ve B h a v

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continued from page 4

Dr. Sanii: (smiling shyly) What is there to tell? I have published more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed
journals. I still carry on my association with Canadian Universities, in particular with the University of Mani-
toba. I am currently a member of several academic associations in United States and Canada. All my life I have
been a scholar. I am a recipient of more than 50 awards and recognitions, for both my academic and non-
academic involvement.
Q: From my interaction with you, I have realized that you are a very humble person. Just right now you didn’t
want to talk about your awards and recognitions. With so many achievements, how do you remain so humble?
Dr. Sanii: The more I learn about science; the more I realize how much I don’t know. I am humbled by the
fact that students continue to acquire knowledge in the field coupled with the desire to achieve their goals.
The heroic action of our student body to come here to educate themselves and to be challenged in more
than one way humbles me greatly.
Q: I guess you are too humble to answer my previous questions, so let’s change the topic. How do you re-
main so calm?
Dr. Sanii: There are number of factors that contribute to my calmness. First and foremost I love teaching.
Secondly, my mother always advised me; “Whatever you do, do your best and try to ignore the rest.” Third, I
learn from my students especially regarding how to better deliver a subject. For this to be effective, one has to
be very calm, focused, and a good listener.
Q: What is the secret of your success and who has been the most influential person in your life?
Dr. Sanii: Achievement, for me, comes from perseverance, assertiveness and knowing that there is nothing
that can’t be achieved if you put your mind and might into it. My mother has been the most influential person
in my life. My father passed away when I was nine and my mother was both a father and mother to me. She
was my everything; she was the center of my life. My mother taught me to love unconditionally. I have twenty-
six cousins (all in the medical field) and I love them all, I love every single member of my family dearly. So
much so that sometimes my son becomes jealous of my love for all of them.
Q: What do you like to do to relax?
Dr. Sanii: I like listening to music, any type of music. I enjoy a wide variety of music from many different
cultures. More specifically, I like music with drumbeats. I am also a drummer and maybe subconsciously this is
why I am interested in heartbeats. I love music of all kinds and all ages. Reading (especially history books) and
exercise also help to keep me relaxed.
Q: Is there any advice you would like to give to our student body?
Dr. Sanii: My advice for the student body is that they should value their time and stay away from negativity.
There are enough positive things in our lives that can help us to focus, to be grateful, to be happy, to energize
us, and to move us forward. Negativity brings nothing but sadness and uncertainty. There is a famous saying
that “if you stay long enough at the barbershop you will eventually get a haircut.” If you stay long enough
around negative persons, you will eventually become negative-minded. Stay away from ALL negativity.
Q: The theme for this Pulse issue is love, due to Valentine’s Day. Would you like to say anything about love?
Dr. Sanii: Love is a commodity that can’t be bought and can’t be imposed. It is a feeling
that develops unintentionally. You can’t force anyone to love you or someone else. Love
must be seeded, nourished and given time to mature. Along the way sacrifices and under-
standing are constantly needed.

By: Aisha Waheed – Med 3

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So Much Love...for Nursing

The million dollar question is … “Why come to Antigua for Nursing?” The true question is why not? Nursing is
a highly respected profession that is in high demand due to a global nursing shortage. Currently there are many
challenging opportunities for personal growth and career advancement with flexibility beyond imagination. As a
nurse you are free to work when you want, where you want and in whatever discipline that interest you. There
has never been a better time to become a nurse. This is why I love nursing! Now why Antigua? Well, I like to
consider it as having the best of both worlds. Let me explain…
AUA understands the negative impact of the nursing shortage in the United States and other global communities
and therefore has decided to consolidate the necessary resources to open a first-class nursing school in Antigua.
I decided to attend AUA’s nursing program because it is considered to be a ladder program which is a multi-
level degree program that is unique in its own way. I love the program because I have the luxury of studying on
the beautiful island of Antigua. After successful completion of my program I will then receive an Associate of
Science degree in Nursing and then will be eligible to become licensed registered nurse in the state of my
choice. Then there’s a bonus, upon passing the NCLEX-RN exam, AUA offers us an amazing opportunity to
matriculate into (CUNY) Lehman College BSN program. No more applications fees and automatic acceptance
into one of the top BSN programs in New York State, a school with full accreditation by the National League of
Nursing. Now that’s pretty lovely I must say!
As you may or may not know the nursing program is an accelerated program and the curriculum is very intense
and rigorous. Antigua gives me a sense of serenity and tranquility that is conducive for learning. For me it’s
almost like studying while on vacation. While on the island students have an opportunity to grow individually
while being exposed to various cultural backgrounds. We get early clinical exposure in various healthcare set-
tings on the island along with a state of the art nursing lab. I have professors that are dedicated and passionate
about teaching and developing us as future nurses and they also genuinely care about the students. Current AUA
nursing students have an amazing opportunity of being pioneers in the establishment of what will soon be rec-
ognized as one of the best nursing programs in the Caribbean. Now who could ask for more? An accelerated
program on the lovely island of Antigua and licensure in your American state of choice! AUA puts me one step
closer to making my dreams come true! I love the wonderful world of nursing.

Shaquawna N. Braddock
Nursing 4
President of Student Nurses’ Association

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RUMOR MILL
“You can park in faculty parking spots after 4pm at West Campus.”
Fiction: Students with parking tags can park in the faculty-designated spaces at the West Campus park-
ing lot after 6 pm. If you park there before 6 pm, you are subject to a ticket. Trust me, I learned this the hard
way. If you do get a ticket, you can have SGA contest it on your behalf, but do not argue with the security guard
while he or she is writing the ticket! You’ll get one anyway!

“If you move out of student housing after one semester, you don’t get your $1000 deposit back.”
Fiction: Ms. Ho of Student Services has informed me that you will indeed receive your security deposit
back as long as you paid your fees for housing and the unit requires no repairs. Any damages will be fixed and
the cost of repair will be subtracted from your security deposit.

“By the Summer 2009 term, all classes will be held at North Campus.”
Fiction: In an interview with Dr. Sanii, I learned that “the expectation of the university” is to have the
North Campus facilities ready for use by September 2009. This timeline could change however, due to weather
and other uncontrollable factors.

“If you get caught without a driver’s license, the Antiguan police will throw you in jail.”
Fact: The Antiguan police are known to have check points around the island set up to see that people are
driving with valid and current driver’s licenses. If you have an expired license, or none at all, they have the right
to arrest you and send you to jail. I learned from Dr. Sanii that as of yet, there have been no AUA students who
have been sent to jail, but there have been a couple of close calls. If you need a license, you can go to the DMV
located near North Campus and obtain one for $50EC.

“Antigua doesn’t belong to a continent.”

Fiction: Antigua is a part of North America. Shocking, I know - but I confirmed it by a search on
Wikipedia.

Heard a rumor lately? Itching to have it confirmed? Drop me a line at vaseema@auamed.net and I’ll get you an
answer! Tune in next month for more facts and more fiction!

*Note: Issues above have been thoroughly researched and cited. Any questions or concerns
should be directed to Vaseem Ahmed at vaseema@auamed.net

By: Vaseem Ahmed - Med 2

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The Women’s Corner

The Food We Love Can Cause Pain in Our Hearts
This month’s column is about a lady with an ache in her heart, not due to love lost, but to an addiction and fas-
cination with food that can easily turn deadly.
The patient is a 55 y/o obese mother of four children, who loves to consume fried food at least three times a
week. She started developing chest pain over the past two hours and presents to the ER, complaining of chest
pain and bilateral leg edema that occurred two months ago and has been worsening. She has not seen a doctor
for the past few years until now. An eager AUA medical student (Med 2); happens to be shadowing an ER doc-
tor and is on the scene. Quickly, before anyone asks her a single question, she starts putting all the Med 1 and
Med 2 knowledge she learned at AUA together. So she grabs the patient’s chart and starting thinking about
what she’s learned so far!!!!
DPS: I am going to take a thorough history and focus on chest pain – SOCRATES, followed by physical exami-
nation.
Anatomy: I am going to know where all my valves are located and that the apex beat is where the sound of
the mitral valve closure is maximal - in the left 5th ICS region.
Histology: I am thinking she has atherosclerosis from eating all that fried chicken. Her tunica intima is filled
up with foam cells (macrophages and smooth muscle cells) that accumulated LDLs.
Physiology: I grab the EKG and ask myself what happened to the ST segment? Wow it’s abnormal – there is
an ST segment elevation. … I am thinking of an acute MI. I look down at her legs and see a visible thumb print
left on her ankle region from the doctor who examined her a few minutes ago and I think to myself “Hmm. …
Her albumin level must be low because she’s developed pitting edema. She could have a decreased oncotic
pressure.”

Biochemistry: I need to order a series of blood test to see how her enzymes are doing. Let me think. … I
order a Creatine Kinase (CK) and Lactate Dehydrogenase level (LDH1).
Genetics: I make a pedigree of her family to visualize any multifactorial ideations/hereditability factors.
Neuro: I do an overall motor and sensory exam.
As far as Path, Micro, Immuno, Behavioral, Pharm and ICM, well, that part of my analysis is to be continued
when I finish the Basic Science program!
So, from the presenting symptoms, my differential diagnosis for this patient is: acute myocardial infarction. Of
course, this is a fictional story, but it represents a very common presentation of a middle-aged adult who is
obese with a high cholesterol intake. I wrote this column to raise awareness for women to be aware that the
foods we consume and love to eat can sometimes do more damage then good. Most women are in control
their families’ dietary intake, hence controlling most of the food that most people on
earth eat. So, the choice is yours, women of tomorrow: Will you control what you love to
eat and feed your family healthier dietary choices, hence changing the entire world health
status? If not you might just end up as real patient in the ER!
Reference: Anatomy-Moore, Keith; DPS- Mosby; Biochemistry-Baynes; Genetics-Thompson &Thompson; Physio-
Costanzo; Histology- Ross; www.modernmedicine.com, AUA medical school - Basic Science program.

By: Thara Foreste-Magloire – Med 2

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Dear Girls
(Monica/
M a donna/ Med 2s, Dear Ashley,
Mabel), Hey Guys, I Ever since I attended
You guys have love You!!
m a de my stay in
your TA session last
Chris Deep
Antigua a week I’ve had a HUGE
memorable one. I crush on you. Do you
love you guys so
m u c h and really
have a girlfriend? Stay
appreciate your after your next session if
love and support you want to meet me.
t he se p a st couple
of weeks. Have a
Your Secret Admirer
Happy Valentine ’ s
Day. To Apt 3C:
Love Bimpie You guys pack the best
Howell s bowls (and your Bhel
Med 1s,
Puri is not bad either)!
Thanks for
Happy Valentine’s Day, continual support.
you gorgeous ladies! Your SGA
Love, President
Apt 2C!

Jonathan Thoens, Abbas

I appreciate all the hard work that you Med 4s:
dedicate to this school. Thanks and keep up On behalf of SGA I will
the good work! like to thank you for
Jon K your relentless work.
Your SGA President

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L O V E
Many, if not all, know that love is celebrated this month in the form of Valentine’s Day - February 14th. It is
popularly known as a day when you express your feelings to the one you ‘love.’ The question that arises from
this is “who do we love?”
It is easier to love those who love us, those we are familiar with, than a regular person we meet on the streets.
Human nature is centered around loving only family, friends, and significant others. As we celebrate love this
year, I begin to wonder if love should be centered only around those we know.
The Bible describes God as love. If God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, in
order to redeem our souls and save us from eternal damnation (John 3:16), I wonder why people cannot seem
to show love to one another, except if there is some sort of connection or relationship.
According to Matthew 22:39, we are instructed to “…love [our] neighbors as [our]selves.” Your neighbor can
be anybody who you come across…at home, in class, on the bus, in the library…anywhere. Imagine what this
world would be like if everyone loved each other.
Someone might ask, do we also love those who hate us and wish us evil? The answer is yes! “But I say to you,
love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spite-
fully use you and persecute you” – Matthew 5:44. Basically, it does not matter who has wronged us or failed us.
It is our duty to love everyone. It is definitely easier said than done, but if we consciously put our minds and
hearts to work, trying to forgive and move on with our lives, we would get to the level where we need to be.
Look at it this way - holding grudges gives the other person power over you and your emotions.
So, how do we show love? In 1 Corinthians 13, ‘Love’ is described as many things. It says love is patient and
kind. Love does not envy, is not puffed up; and does not behave rudely. Love is not provoked, it is considerate
and thinks no evil of the next person. When we are in class or in the library, are we considerate of others? Are
we rude to the security guards or the administrative staff when we relate with them? The list is endless, but
these are little ways through which we can express love to one another.
Finally, if we cannot love the people we see, how can we claim to love God whom we cannot see? Remember
that this year is geared towards building a relationship with God (“New Season” from January’s edition of the
AUA Pulse). Building a successful relationship involves essential ingredients of which ‘love’ is a major part.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

By: Tola Oyesile – Med 2

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Dear Bhavini P., Dr. Sanii

You sexy thing… with Med 3s, Have a very H a pp y
your sweet tea, you make Thanks for V a lentine's Da y.
me go crazy. I watch continual
You are a
ATL (movie) over and support.
Your SGA wo n d e r f ul t e a ch e r
over dreaming about you. President and I am gr a t e ful
I wrote you a poem: for th e fact th a t I
Beautiful had the
Honest o p p o rt u n i ty to
Danny L.
Altruistic know yo u a n d
I appreciate all the hard
Very Sexy work that you dedicate to learn f r o m you.
this school. Thanks and T h a nk y o u very
Intelligent
keep up the good work! m u ch f or e v e ry
Nubian Jon K thing.
Irresistible
Abbas
Always Yours, To Katie Schmitz,
F ro z a n W .
Gap Junctions
I l o ve you so I’m Sorry.
To Faculty and Staff: m uch . Thanks
On behalf of SGA I will f or y o ur h ard Love,
like to thank you for your w ork .
relentless work. Y o ur S G A
Gary Livingstone
Your SGA President Pr es i den t

Bhavini P.
To Katie:
Thanks for all
On behalf of the students at AUA, I
your hard work
want to thank you for all your great work
and support.
with the Pulse. We appreciate your
Your SGA
President hardwork and dedication very much.
Remy KorKor & Vaseem Ahmed

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From the SGA Executive President...

No matter what religion, culture, or geographical region of the world one hails from, I believe we
all share the same values. Whether they were instilled in you by your parents, an eccentric teacher, or
even a religious leader, these are the things that make you who you are today. We are all taught the im-
portance of respect, kindness, and generosity.

So why do some of us forget these things when we get to medical school? How about starting
each day with a smile at the security guard, and if they do not smile back, smile bigger and ask them how
they are. … A “kill ‘em with kindness” approach.

One’s largess is
not merely measured by
money; it could be the
gift of time or a kind
word. Taking the time to
listen to a fellow student
when he or she is having
a bad day, or just offer-
ing a compliment can
brighten someone’s day.
Understandably, we are
stressed, but let us try
and not forget these
small basic principles,
because the amount of
happiness we provide
others with these simple
gestures is just a small
fraction of the happiness
we get in return.

- Jonathan Khoury

SGA Executive President

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