There are many reasons Shakira Rivera shouldn’t be where she is today. But the second-year medical student at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) refused to succumb to the obstacles she faced and is now well on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a doctor.

Dr. Naira Chobanyan showcases AUC’s community outreach clinics at the international conference for health professions educators.

According to the most recent data (2019) provided by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), only 5.8% of active physicians identify as Hispanic which pales in comparison to the total U.S. Hispanic population.

In September — Sexual Health Awareness Month — we turned to Dr. Richard Bloy, an AUC alumnus, to chat about sexual health and treatments.

Conversations on women’s health are always relevant, particularly when it comes to ovarian cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). For help on these subjects — and to learn a bit more about an AUC alumna — we turned to Dr. Ingrid Paredes, an obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) specialist at FemCare OB-GYN in Miami.

As a hospital leader and physician, AUC graduate (’07) Dr. Dhaval R. Desai continually puts his passion for healing and caring into practice. He firmly believes that the medical community must place a priority on empathy and compassion—not only to ensure that patients get the best possible care but also to support the wellness of frontline healthcare workers.

A long-running tradition at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC), Community Action Day (CAD) is a semesterly occurrence led by student organizations that partner with Sint Maarten schools, non-government organizations, the Ministry of Public Health, and civic groups to make a difference in the communities where our students and colleagues live, study and work.

Under the leadership of Dr. Naira Chobanyan, oncologist and professor of clinical medicine at AUC, the Oncology Interest Group (OIG) organized a skin cancer awareness event on July 27 to inform students from Semesters 1-5 about ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sun exposure and sunbeds. Third semester student Meison Mandavi presented on the different types of UV rays, most common types of skin malignancies, signs of skin cancer and prevention.

AUC students participated in a data collection event on July 8 and 9 in collaboration with the Turning Point Foundation, a drug rehabilitation facility in Sint Maarten. The purpose of this study was to conduct a rapid appraisal of substance use on island. Outcomes will be used to provide pilot data for a larger population-based study for the future.

On July 6, Dr. Naira Chobanyan, oncologist and professor of clinical medicine at AUC, was a guest speaker at the 2nd Breast Cancer Support Group meeting organized by The Still Beautiful Foundation in collaboration with the Positive Foundation and the Elektralyets Foundation. The topic of the discussion was Coping with Breast Cancer.