Filming at Saint James School of Medicine

In the last week of July I was lucky enough to be part of a crew that filmed the Saint James School of Medicine in Bonaire and Anguilla. During the week we filmed classes and labs, interviewed students and faculty, visited student apartments and captured the island beauty and social time. I consider it a privilege to have met so many fine people. At each location we found students dedicated to learning and professors focused on preparing the students for a future in medicine. Bonaire and Anguilla are unique locations and everyone we interviewed had their own ‘how I got here’ story but there were common themes: “I always wanted to be a doctor but when I finished my undergraduate degree I had enough of college so I needed a break. Now I am ready.” “After working for a few years I knew it was time to make a change before it was too late.” “The fees at Saint James are so good. Why go in to huge debt when you don’t have to?” “When I finally made the decision to become a doctor I wanted to start straight away. I didn’t want to wait and Saint James could take me straight away. I am in a hurry” The islands themselves are of course beautiful (and exotic) and we really enjoyed filming the beaches, oceans and outdoor restaurants. The students clearly love being there and many said they would be sad to leave, so what was surprising was they all said that it was the perfect place to study hard because…..there are ‘not many distractions.’ Many thanks to the faculty who welcomed us and helped make the photo shoot successful. And to the students we wish you the very best in your studies and as you head back to the US for clinical rotations and the USMLE – may we say that you deserve all your future success. Richard Tattershaw TimeZoneOne