By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

Hoping to one day make a change in the health-care sector medical school students shared their views with Tribune Health on the most pressing issues facing medicine today.

Twenty-five year old Katrice Maycock currently lives in Jamaica, pursing a Bachelor’s degree in medicine at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. She hopes to complete her studies in 2016.

Twenty-two year old Rashanda Deveaux is a first year medical student at the UWI, St Augustine campus in Trinidad and Tobago.

In their view, the top challenges facing medicine today is the management of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory diseases.

“They are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. A chronic disease by definition is a long-lasting condition that generally cannot be cured by medication or prevented by a vaccine; it can only be controlled. I must admit I love fast food. My first stop each time I return home on semester breaks is Bamboo Shack. However, as a young, black female with a family history of diabetes, cancer and stroke, I must monitor my diet because I am more susceptible to these diseases,” said Katrice.

As a future physician, Katrice said she encourages her parents, family and friends on a regular basis to exercise daily and to lower their intake of foods high in fats and sugar. She said incorporating more water into one’s diet is also a must.

Rashanda said she believes the most pressing problem facing medicine today is cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is defined as a group of disorders that involve the heart and blood vessels.

“Some of these disorders include coronary heart disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle; cerebrovascular disease - a disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain; peripheral arterial disease – a disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs. CVD is considered the number one cause of death globally and derives from lifestyle choices. Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes and raised lipids,” said Rashanda.

As a first year medical student, Rashanda said she is fortunate to have gained a lot of clinical experience prior to attending medical school. Last summer, she participated in Doctor’s Hospital’s STEP program, where she worked in various areas such as the maternity ward, the imaging department and the operating theatre.

“It is within these areas that I got hands on experience, because I was able to work side by side with the various medical professionals. During my summer breaks I also worked under the Princess Margaret Hospital on various wards and in the biochemistry lab. This was also a rewarding experience, because I was able to learn by observing the medical professionals,” said Rashanda.

Katrice’s clinical experience came in the summer of 2012, when she had the opportunity to work under the mentorship of Dr E Marcus Cooper at GastroCare Bahamas located on Collins Avenue. Dr Marcus-Cooper is a gastroenterologists and an alumnus of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

“Some of my activities included assisting Dr Cooper in performing colonoscopies, esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD) and biopsies. My first day interning, I witnessed my first colonoscopy. I was intrigued. I wanted to know everything about the patient and the procedure. Was this a routine exam? Is something seriously wrong with this gentleman? I asked my questions and he told me in great detail exactly what he was doing,” said Katrice.

She also had the opportunity to prepare the operating room during the pre- and post-procedure. This included disinfecting the surgical table, prepping the patient, and laying out Dr Cooper’s utensils.

“The skills taught to me in my ‘Introduction to Medical Practice’ courses were also utilised. I collected and recorded each patient’s vital signs, their blood pressure, weight and pulse rate. One of the most memorable events while at GastroCare Bahamas was becoming acquainted with some of the elderly patients. Through this experience, there were many laughs shared, stories told, and moments of warmth felt. It made me realise that no matter how far I get in life professionally, I must always invest the time in listening to my patients,” said Katrice.

“I do not simply want to be a good doctor. I pray to God daily that he makes me a great doctor, the best in my field. I continually pray for wisdom, knowledge, understanding and common sense. A great doctor must be both a leader and a team player,” said Katrice.

Rashanda said being a good doctor heavily depends on how they treat their patients. “As doctors we should remember that without the patient there would not be doctors. I believe that a good doctor should look at his or her patients as a human beings and not just another case. Good doctors should be able to converse with their patients and make them feel comfortable while they are in their care.”

When she finally earns her title Dr Deveaux, Rashanda said she expects to have more patients than she can handle.

“Medicine is a very demanding field, because people are everyday getting sick. I also expect to learn more when I join the field than in the classrooms, because medicine is mostly about practice and not only theory,” she said.

Katrice said her life will become hectic, but she is up for the challenge. “I do plan to get married and have children but that is not my top priority right now; my career is. I just want to be viewed as a respectable physician who will make great contributions to this country. I always joke with my friends that I want to be a politician as well, but we will see what the future holds,” said Katrice.