At the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Saint James School of Medicine school, we are truly thankful to have such a bright and vibrant student body. Our students come from across the globe in the pursuit of a quality, affordable medical education and have the drive and charisma to exceed even their own expectations. Before our 2014 incoming classes began their first day of courses, we sat down with a number of them to get a gauge of their thoughts, feelings and goals regarding the next big step in their educational path. Today, meet Hanna Runyon!
What inspired you to become a physician? I love interacting with all different types of people, using my ability to connect with them to treat and improve their quality of life to the best of my abilities. I find science fascinating, and love that we have so much more to learn and improve on. It will be someone new, something new, and an always-rewarding experience. Why did you choose Saint James School of Medicine? I was never able to study abroad during my undergraduate career, and I felt this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Also, it is an accelerated program, offers flexibility, and the quality of learning is no different than a traditional medical school. What influenced your decision on which school to attend? I am bringing my fiancé with me to stay on the island and I wanted to be on the largest of the islands to ensure that he could find a job. I also felt the ability to attend a brand new medical school with state of the art equipment and instructors was an amazing opportunity. How are you feeling in these last few weeks before you start? At first I felt very nervous and unprepared, however I realized I had already committed to the experience and worrying about the unknown and related uncertainty wasn’t going to make me feel any better. I have decided to live in every moment of the process (good or bad) because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Do you have any tips for future incoming students who will soon be in your situation? I would advise them to check out the flight specifics for their corresponding flights because the limitations are different than in the U.S. or Canada. Also, be sure to ask your landlord about all the specifics of your apartment such as utility costs, AC included, etc. Finally, check out where you will be able to do your clinical rotations because that is a very important part of the process. What are you looking forward to in your first semester? I look forward to feeling at ease knowing I can handle the course load, can understand the material, and that this career choice is the right one for me. I look forward to meeting people I can study with and become friends with, and I most of all look forward to becoming familiar with my future home! Anything else you’d like to add? Don’t be worried about what anybody else thinks about going to school overseas and getting your degree outside of the U.S.; it doesn’t matter because a doctor is a doctor! And, you will have the same degree and more individualized education.
Remember, our next enrollment period is only 6 days away! To apply to the Saint James School of Medicine St. Vincent school, visit our registration page.
What inspired you to become a physician? I love interacting with all different types of people, using my ability to connect with them to treat and improve their quality of life to the best of my abilities. I find science fascinating, and love that we have so much more to learn and improve on. It will be someone new, something new, and an always-rewarding experience. Why did you choose Saint James School of Medicine? I was never able to study abroad during my undergraduate career, and I felt this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Also, it is an accelerated program, offers flexibility, and the quality of learning is no different than a traditional medical school. What influenced your decision on which school to attend? I am bringing my fiancé with me to stay on the island and I wanted to be on the largest of the islands to ensure that he could find a job. I also felt the ability to attend a brand new medical school with state of the art equipment and instructors was an amazing opportunity. How are you feeling in these last few weeks before you start? At first I felt very nervous and unprepared, however I realized I had already committed to the experience and worrying about the unknown and related uncertainty wasn’t going to make me feel any better. I have decided to live in every moment of the process (good or bad) because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Do you have any tips for future incoming students who will soon be in your situation? I would advise them to check out the flight specifics for their corresponding flights because the limitations are different than in the U.S. or Canada. Also, be sure to ask your landlord about all the specifics of your apartment such as utility costs, AC included, etc. Finally, check out where you will be able to do your clinical rotations because that is a very important part of the process. What are you looking forward to in your first semester? I look forward to feeling at ease knowing I can handle the course load, can understand the material, and that this career choice is the right one for me. I look forward to meeting people I can study with and become friends with, and I most of all look forward to becoming familiar with my future home! Anything else you’d like to add? Don’t be worried about what anybody else thinks about going to school overseas and getting your degree outside of the U.S.; it doesn’t matter because a doctor is a doctor! And, you will have the same degree and more individualized education.
Remember, our next enrollment period is only 6 days away! To apply to the Saint James School of Medicine St. Vincent school, visit our registration page.