Dear Alumni,

I’ve been asked to write a few words to you and thought it might be appropriate if I updatedyou on what is happening on the Basic Science campus these days.

As the AUC Board of Directors and I agreed at the time I was being interviewed for this posi-tion, AUC is at a critical crossroads. Ensuring our long-term success is now the focus at St.Maarten.

First, a quality institution needs quality faculty in sufficient numbers. The quality of the fac-ulty attracted me to this position. However, they only numbered 21. Over the past eight monthswe have been able to recruit an additional 10 faculty. A number of them are graduates of top insti-tutions such as Universities of Michigan, California, Cornell and Harvard. In the coming months,we will be recruiting additional faculty in pharmacology, anatomy, medicine and health systems.

Secondly, we are embarking on an ambitious reform of our curriculum; the key elements ofwhich are decompression, better integration among the basic sciences, and considerably more ver-tical integration with clinical material. We intend also to introduce clinical material much earlierin the curriculum. Additionally, our course on the Introduction to Clinical Medicine will containmore modules and be spread out over a longer period of time. I feel it is important to begin toinclude instruction in public health and epidemiology, to have students engaged in appliedresearch within areas of need on this island and, if possible, to have an earlier exposure topatients.

I anticipate this will initially require the better part of a year to flesh out conceptually. Oncedone, we will need to go through a transition process. At the end of this period, I would hope thatwe might attract some of you as visiting clinical faculty. We have already received numerousoffers from both alumni and non-alums, and I am currently collecting resumes.

Finally, I’d like to come back to the role of a faculty member in health systems research. Ibelieve medical schools have a social responsibility to their environments, and we have initiatedcontact with the island health and education sectors. They are resource poor and lacking in anability to fully conduct acquisition and analysis of the island’s public health data. With 500 med-ical students, I feel a portion of their curricular experience should be directed toward conductingstudies, under faculty guidance, that can begin to meet some of these challenges. We need to beseen playing a meaningful role toward improving the health of St. Maarten.

Bernard “Buz” Salafsky, Ph.D.Dean of Basic Sciences

First of all, the editorial board would like to thank everyone who wrote and called in to say how much they enjoyed the inauguralissue. Your positive comments reinforced that we are accomplishing our goal of instilling AUC pride.

As with any young publication, we are going through growing pains. We want to give you the best possible alumni magazine thatshowcases research findings, achievements, publications and events. The publication can only achieve that status with your help, so itis imperative you keep sending us material.

The magazine also has a new look. Please, take the time to admire the new design. The publication is now more organized andeasier to read. High-quality content must be rivaled by a high-quality design.

In this issue, we cover the first Alumni Weekend at Bal Harbour, Fla. For those who missed it, read up on who was there andwhat was said. Our other feature story tells of Dr. James Turner (’86) and his practice in South Africa. And this is just the beginning ofwhat is featured inside.

Changes will continue, but the level of admiration and respect the editorial board has for all University alumni will not. Thankyou for being a loyal reader.

AUC Connections Editorial Board

Editor’s Note

From the Dean of Basic Sciences

to the EditorLettersAdoration

I just got th

e alumni magazine

today and it’s great. G

ood articles and

photos, and lots o

f interestin

g info. I

didn’t know about Dr. Van Wormer –

that was a shock. Paul Flora was a

classmate of m

ine. Glad to hear he’s

doing well in Hawaii.

It’s nice to hear th

at Montserra

t is

making a comeback. I was on the

island when Hurric

ane Hugo struck.

AUC and the island were both devas-

tated. Later, after I left th

e island, th

e

volcano erupted, and I heard that the

British Government had declared the

island unsafe and was tr

ying to get

the populace to evacuate. It was a very

rough period for almost all o

f the

islanders. I

’m glad that you

remembered Montserrat in

this

issue of AUC Connections.

Mark Thoma, M.D. (’92)

AUC Connections Editorial Staff

I just wanted to let you know I was verypleased to receive the alumni magazine. St.Maarten is indeed a beautiful place, but Iwill always treasure my memories ofMontserrat.

Alison M. Sastry, M.D. (’97)

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Battle for the truth?

Thank you for doing a won-

derful job on my trip to Sri

Lanka; it really captured the

essence of my trip and my

message to all AUC grads.

The whole [magazine] was

impressive!

Linda Packia Raj, M.D. (’96)

In the cover story “Battle to Breathe,” I was disappointed to read the state-

ment “... they're basically reforming it in a way to keep the lawyers happy,” in

reference to asbestos reform. I would dissuade any physician from making

pronouncements akin to “My patients have been poisoned on purpose.” Such

insensitive proclamations border on reckless and run the risk of adding to

patients’ aggrieved feelings of victimization and helplessness.

Paul Hartel, M.D. (’01)

Summer/Fall 2006, Volume 2

Director of Alumni RelationsMaria Gracia Mazzotti

EditorsJ. Daniel DuranDavid F. Jones

Copy EditorSarah Ballinger

Contributing EditorNila Do

Contributing WritersSusan Atchley, Ph.D.Sarah DickeyTomeika JeffreyBrian McIntyreDesiree Terblanche

Graphic Designer/ Art DirectorAlicia Viera

Contributing PhotographersFrancisco GonzalezRobert Holmes

Editorial OfficeAUC ConnectionsOffice of Alumni RelationsMedical Education Administrative Services901 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Ste. 401Coral Gables, FL 33134Phone 305.446.0600, ext. 32Fax 786.433.0974E-mail aucconnections@aucmed.eduWeb www.aucmed.edu/aucconections

Board of DirectorsThe Rev’d Jeffrey L. Hamblin, M.D. (’92)John Byrnes, M.D.Robert Chertok, Ph.D.Ronald Harden, M.D.Carol Holden, Ph.D.Richard KitchFrank Marsh, M.D.Robert Sokol, M.D.

Alumni Association Executive BoardTarik Haddad, M.D. (’01) PresidentFaith Dillard, M.D. (’99) Vice PresidentRizwana Fareeduddin, M.D. (’01) SecretaryRonald Schneider, M.D. (’02) Treasurer

Please send all questions, comments and suggestions to theaddress or e-mail listed above. AUC Connections editors reservethe right to edit all print submissions for length and clarity, andassume no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. Reproductionfor publication without written permission is prohibited.

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial staff or contributingwriters and do not necessarily represent the official positions ofMedical Education Administrative Services, American University ofthe Caribbean or the AUC Alumni Association.

AUC Connections is printed biannually by Color Express Printingat 7990 West 25th Court, Hialeah, FL 33016.

If your address or other contact information has changed sinceyou last updated it with AUC, please submit your new informationto the address above or online at: http://www.aucmed.edu/alum-ni/alum_eform.htm.

I am so impressed! You guys

have done an incredible job

and should be very proud, as

am I. This is exactly what I

hoped would happen, and I

truly believe it is that kind of

effort that places our school

in a very select group.

Faith Dillard, M.D. (’99)

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Campusconnection

‘06AUCCommencementThe University held its spring

commencement at the SonestaMaho Beach Resort, in St.

Maarten, on April 1. The ceremonybegan with “The St. Martin Song” per-formed by Gisella Hilliman of theRising Star Foundation. Second-semes-ter student Heidi Martin, an operasinger, sang “The Star SpangledBanner.”

The ceremony continued with theinvocation by the Rev. Wycliffe Smithand welcoming remarks fromChancellor Paul Tien, Ph.D., and Deanof Basic Sciences Buz Salafsky, Ph.D.

Afterwards, keynote speaker M.Joycelyn Elders, M.D., delivered power-ful messages about the role of doctorsin society and their responsibilities tokeep children and families from becom-ing sick, promoting childhood immu-nization, family spacing, creatinghealthy communities, and pressuringadministrators and politicians intodeveloping health care delivery sys-tems for those who are underprivilegedor uninsured. She is the first African-American and the second woman everto be named Surgeon General of theUnited States. President Bill Clintonappointed her to this high positionafter she successfully ran the Public

Health Department of Arkansas duringhis terms as governor.

At the pinnacle of the ceremony,84 students ascended the stage one byone, bowed and smiled as AssociateDean of Academic Affairs Dr. SteveBlevins and executive dean Dr. PaulSchnatz placed a gold, green and blackhood over each head. Assistant Dean ofAcademic Affairs Dr. Hiroko Yoshidahanded them their diploma.

The Rev. Jeffrey Hamblin, M.D.(’92), chairman of the board of direc-tors, led the group through the

Physician’s Oath and conferred theirmedical degrees.

Susan Atchley, Ph.D.

Two of the University’s most revered professors were honored in the December 2005 issue ofAdvances in Physiology Education. Susan DeMesquita, Ph.D., and H. Maurice Goodman,Ph.D., were both recognized as Outstanding Teachers.

Dr. DeMesquita, recognized for her work at AUC, has been a full-time faculty member sinceJanuary 2004. In May 2005, she was awarded the AUC American Medical Student AssociationProfessor of the Year Award, voted on by the students and AMSA. As professor and chair of thedepartment of neuroscience, DeMesquita teaches approximately 70 third-semester students threetimes each year. She also advises students and serves on the selection committee for visiting facultymembers.

Dr. H. Maurice Goodman has been a visiting professor at AUC for the past two semesters.Advances in Physiology Education recognized him as an Outstanding Teacher at the University ofMassachusetts, where he is the chair and a professor in the physiology department. He also receivedthe Lamar Soutter Award for Excellence in Medical Education, an award recognizing outstandingoverall career contributions to medical education as a departmental member in basic sciences.

We are honored to have Drs. DeMesquita and Goodman recognized as outstanding professors.

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Dr. Gaffinhelps AUC dive into

research

OutstandingTeacher

Susan DeMesquita, Ph.D.

H. Maurice Goodman, Ph.D.

Campus Connection

The latest addition to AUC’s campus is a world-classapplied research laboratory, thanks to the dedication ofDr. Steve Gaffin, a professor of physiology at the

University. Pursued in part by Gaffin’s eagerness to continueresearch projects while in the Caribbean, the laboratory givesAUC professors a chance to dive back into a researchenvironment.

With a $200,000 contribution from the Tien Family anddonations of laboratory equipment from the St. Maarten govern-ment, the facility is equipped for biochemical, immunological andcell culture experiments. It is stocked with standard researchequipment including a CO2 incubator, inverted microscope, lami-nar flow hood, refrigerated centrifuge, ELISA plate reader, spec-trophotometer and lab balances.

As director of the laboratory, Gaffin plans to involve bothstudents and faculty in projects. An assigned principal investiga-tor for a project “will be responsible for each of his or her stu-

dents to ensure that they not only learn appropriate individualtechniques, but also learn laboratory safety and how to behavein a laboratory.”

One of Gaffin’s goals is to contribute to research topicsdirectly related to St. Maarten and the Caribbean. The list ofproposed projects is extensive, including epidemiology of diabetesand hypertension in various Caribbean populations, how kidneysoperate in certain primitive fish, and searching for new antibi-otics or anticancer agents in coral reef species.

Now with its state-of-the-art laboratory and a group of pro-fessors with strong research backgrounds, Gaffin is optimisticabout having the studies published in international scientificjournals and governmental publications relating to Caribbeanhealth. He also anticipates the lab results playing a strong rolein obtaining grants from agencies to further support futureexperiments.

Last August, at a child’s birthday party on St.Maarten, I happened to meet the mother of a currentAUC student. She was so friendly and expressed

genuine relief to see her son and his wife in a supportivenetwork of friends and colleagues. As I learned through ourconversation, her husband had attended AUC on the islandof Montserrat some 25 years ago. Their son, a current stu-dent, was a toddler at the time.

She told me of the trials she endured while supportingher husband during his basic science education. Unable tofind quality groceries and overwhelmed by isolation, she leftthe island after a short time. Her husband subsequently flewhome frequently for visits, as they missed each other verymuch.

It might have been feelings such as those that led agroup of AUC students to form an organization inSeptember 2003 that united an often-neglected group ofpeople. The spouses of the University’s students formedthe AUC Spouses’ Organization to turn the adventure ofmedical education into a positive experience for studentsand their families.

The original idea was to provide an outlet for volun-teerism and help transition new families to island life. Inserving and helping others during a time of potential highanxiety, the organization believes the volunteers are thebiggest beneficiaries. The organization shifts the focus fromhomesickness and the inconveniences of island life to helpingothers. In addition, regular activities include play dates,

date nights and educational programs.Bringing a family to St. Maarten can add to the stresses

of medical school. However, with a built-in support network,the student-half is better able to focus on studying, with thecomfort of knowing his or her spouse has a social outlet andsource of help.

“My husband had just been accepted to AUC, and wewere making definite plans to move to St. Maarten when Idiscovered I was pregnant with our second child,” said AnneSchwartzentruber, a fifth-semester spouse. “I had some seri-ous reservations about moving so far away from family andfriends with a toddler and now a new pregnancy.”

Schwartzentruber said she began corresponding withthe organization and was assigned a sponsor. When shemoved to the island in August 2004, she already had a fami-ly away from her own.

Several years later, the AUC Spouses’ Organization hasbecome a thriving network of support and a source of wel-come to spouses, significant others and single-parent stu-dents. With over 75 active members in basic and clinical sci-ences, as well as a few residents, the organization hopes tomaintain individual relationships and support with all itsmembers.

For more information on the organization, visit its Website at http://www.aucspouses.org.

Sarah Dickey

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Campus Connection

Students make an impact in

St. MaartenThe University has come to sym-

bolize the medical school tradi-tion of service and social respon-

sibility to its community and students. Italso teaches future physicians abouttheir role as health educator and activist,both on the island and around the world.

The Office of Community Servicesprovides students with opportunities andimplementation strategies to interactwith community groups of all types.Student organizations, under theumbrella of the Student GovernmentAssociation, have developed projects inthe areas of health education, screening,disease prevention, youth empowerment,sports, healthy environments and animalwelfare.

The University’s chapter of the

American Medical Student Associationworks in collaboration with the St.Maarten Diabetes Foundation on theDiamobile, a traveling van that adminis-ters local screenings every Saturday. PhiChi, the medical fraternity, organizes

fund-raisers for the Crystal Home, alocal orphanage. Members hold movienights, bake sales and sports nights toencourage donations. The organizationhas raised over $30,000 for the orphan-age and purchased three computers andprinters for the children. In addition,students tutor and provide homeworkhelp.

This is only a small picture of whatUniversity organizations do around theisland. Other organizations that activelyvolunteer are the Christian Medical andDental Association and Alpha OmegaPhi, as well as the general student popu-lation, who help with breast cancerawareness and free clinics.

Susan Atchley, Ph.D.

Student members of the ChristianMedical and Dental Association vol-unteering at the I Can Foundation,a home for orphans and abused orneglected children in St. Maarten’sDutch Quarter.

Despite living thousands of miles away, Dr. OgubuikeEmejuru, with the help of Physicians for Peace,provides medical care to those in his native country.

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Profiles

While the majority of theUniversity’s graduates arefrom the United States, few

come from other parts of the world withplans of using their medical skills back intheir native countries. Fifty-one-year-oldDr. Ogubuike Emejuru (’83) has never lostsight of going back to his native Nigeria,which he still refers to as “home,” andhelping those in need despite having twoprivate practices and being an assistantprofessor in pediatrics at Eastern VirginiaMedical School.

He takes on the daunting task ofgoing on missions to Nigeria with the pro-gram Physicians for Peace. The programaims to treat what are considered easily

preventable diseases such as malaria anddysentery. Despite all of this, Emejuruwants Western society to know Africa is aplace with much promise.

JJD: How did you get involved withPhysicians for Peace?

OE: I used to go to Nigeria once a yearwith my medical [non-governmentalorganization] Medical Visions for Peace.After three years, I approached[Physicians for Peace] to help because itwas too much to handle. After I met withKara Ramley, the prior CEO of PFP, wewent on a fact-finding mission once toNigeria, which included Dr. Ramley, three

professors at Eastern Virginia and myself.We met with the governor of a state inNigeria, Dr. Peter Otili. He was veryreceptive and encouraged PFP to comeback on a full mission.

JJD: How does PFP make you abetter doctor?

OE: It gave me the opportunity to help theunderprivileged in Africa who have noth-ing really. It fulfills me as a physician tohelp those who can’t help themselves.

JJD: How many missions have youtaken to Nigeria?

Healing

at home

Dr. Emejuru, far left, stands with his team of physicians clad in native attire provided by staff members ofBraithwaite Memorial Hospital, after the program in 2004.

OE: Four missions so far.

JJD: Have you traveled anywhereelse besides Nigeria?

OE: Nowhere else. I would like to go some-where else in Africa like Kenya, Ghanaand Eritrea. PFP also goes to thePhilippines and has a very strong pres-ence in the Dominican Republic.

JJD: What was the most rewardingexperience you have ever had on amission?

OE: Helping children who are dehydrated,have diarrhea and are malnourished, aswell as kids who are involved in motorvehicular accidents.

Once, a patient was brought in fromthe village by his parents who had heardthere were American physicians who cameto help. He was very dehydrated, haddiarrhea and his skin was very dry. Aftertwo hours of [intravenous] hydration hecame alive. Before that he was almostdying.

JJD: As a native of Nigeria and adoctor you probably are not sur-prised at the health problemsNigerians face. However, how doyour American co-workers react?

OE: They are amazed and surprised ofhow much waste there is in the country.

They are amazed of how much peopleappreciate health care back home. Theyare amazed of the resilience of the peopleback home. They are changed for life.Almost all want to go back [to Nigeria].

JJD: What are some of the most com-mon health issues facing Nigerians?

OE: Number one is malnutrition. Numbertwo is malaria. Number three are diseasesthat cause diarrhea and dehydration.Everything that has to do with poverty;poverty can cause illnesses.

JJD: Is it frustrating that most ofthese issues are easily preventable?

OE: It is very, very frustrating. Almosteverything has to do with poverty — food,lack of water and hygiene. Having cleanwater is just half the problem. It is notsterilized water.

JJD: What things have you experi-enced in the field that you couldnever experience in a U.S. hospital?

OE: We had to do a C-section with nolights. A baby was about to come out, andit took five minutes to have the backup

generator flipped on. In those five min-utes, I did the surgery with a flashlight.

One important thing is that if youhave to go to the ER [in Nigeria], you haveto buy the medical supplies you need to betreated with. A doctor will write a list andsend you out to go buy them.

JJD: How does it feel to be able tohelp your own people with the toolsyou learned?

OE: Very, very satisfying. I thank AUC forgiving me the opportunity. When I fin-ished at the University of Alabama Iapplied to different medical schools, butAUC gave me the chance to go back homeand help people.

JJD: What is the most common mis-conception Western society hasabout people from African nations?

OE: There are a lot. The TV programshere have managed to damage the psycheof people. Africans do not want handoutsall the time. It’s not true. It is a lovelyarea, a place with a lot of promise. Thereport on Africa is not balanced at all.

To find out more about Physicians forPeace, please visit http://www.physicians-forpeace.org.

J. Daniel Duran

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Profiles

Dr. Ogu Emejuru, assistant professor of Clinical Pediatrics,Eastern Virginia Medical School, supervising a pals program.

Medical Ward

“It fulfills me as a physician to help thosewho can’t help themselves.”

Championing for

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Profiles

Do not let Dr. Katrina Nguyen’s(’02) small stature fool you.Standing at 5 feet tall and

weighing in at 95 pounds, Nguyen packsa heavy punch in the medical field.

She has broken barriers such as beingone of the few Caribbean medical stu-dents accepted into a pediatric gastroen-terology fellowship, and implementedchanges such as initiating a program toadminister free health screenings tounderprivileged children. For Nguyen, itis not about being big or small, it’s aboutmaking a difference.

Currently a fourth-year resident in acombined internal medicine and pedi-atrics program, Nguyen produced manyfirsts during her residency at theUniversity of Missouri-Columbia. Shewas the first foreign medical graduateaccepted into the school’s program, thefirst from UMC to be honored with apediatric gastroenterology fellowship atSUNY Downstate Medical Center, andthe first to be rewarded with aCommunity Access to Child Health grantfrom the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The CATCH grant allows pediatri-cians to plan community-based projects toincrease a child’s access to medical orspecific health services that are otherwisenot available. In Nguyen’s case, she usedthe $2,860 grant to fund free healthscreenings for children who are underin-sured, not insured or who are insuredthough have no primary care doctor.

“I feel the project has helped me fig-

ure out why I wanted to go to medicalschool,” she said. “I think that it’s impor-tant to find ways to keep the idealism tohelp others.”

From the beginning of her CATCHproject, coined Stepping Stones toColumbia’s Medical Home, Nguyen want-ed the children to feel they were safe andthe parents confident the visit was at nocost to them. With its inception last sum-mer, Nguyen and her team of 10 doctors,10 medical students and two nurses pro-vided the screenings, physical exams andmedical guidance free of charge to allpatients. The project also allowedpatients who qualified to receive medica-tion for free or at a reduced rate, as wellas vital information on Medicaid. Thoughthe team primarily examined children,Nguyen would also examine parents whodid not have a primary care physician.

Nguyen knew that convincing inner cityparents to bring their children to thescreenings would be a difficult challenge. Tohelp spread the word, she hosted communi-ty forum meetings at the Boys and GirlsClubs and after-school programs. Whilesnacking on a light dinner that includedpizzas and sodas provided by Nguyen’steam, Nguyen used the opportunity to pushaway any skepticism about the project.

“For me I had an advantage of grow-ing up in a big family in what people call‘the projects,’” she explained. “I under-stand why health care is not a priority [tosome]. We were dealing with a patientpopulation whose objectives are different.You have individuals who are afraid ofbeing evicted or don’t know how to gettheir kids to school the next day.”

Nguyen admitted the CATCH grantwas one of the many factors in heracceptance as a pediatric GI fellow atSUNY.

“The grant distinguished me fromothers,” she said, carefully noting thatbeing chief resident and having a strongresearch background in both undergradu-ate, medical and postgraduate studieswere also strong contributors.

Though her three-year fellowshipbegins in July, Nguyen has already plant-

ed the seeds for the project to continue inColumbia without her presence.

“I got teachers involved in getting theword out,” she explained. “I got theminvolved because they are the ones whoare staying here. And when I’m gone,they will carry on and bring the kids intothe CATCH program.”

Nila Do

A grant gives Dr. Katrina Nguyen the fighting powerto help the underprivileged.

“I feel the project has helped me figure outwhy I wanted to go to medical school.”

Waiting outthe storm

Dr. Michael Garbee’s (’98) secondyear as a neurology resident atNew Orleans’ Charity Hospital

last August began the same way his firstyear did — being on call nights and week-ends, seeing dozens of patients a day andgetting very little sleep. The main differ-ence, though, is that it ended on a muchdifferent note.

Garbee is one of several displaceddoctors left searching for a hospital tocomplete his residency training afterHurricane Katrina hit and destroyedCharity Hospital last August. Charity, oneof New Orlean’s oldest and most treasuredhospitals, and its sister facility, UniversityHospital, housed hundreds of LouisianaState University and Tulane medical stu-dents and residents, all of whom foundthemselves needing to relocate after thestorm.

Garbee remains hopeful about hischances of transferring to another hospitaland is currently interviewing with otherneurology residency programs throughoutthe nation.

“I’m just trying to salvage my educa-tion and be the best neurologist I can be,”Garbee, a 38-year-old Virginia native,said. “I’ve found my niche in a specialty Ilove and will stick with it.”

He began his search in January, at atime when most other residents hadalready transferred to their new residency

program. When asked why he began hissearch later than most, Garbee’s responsewas simple and heartfelt:

“I tried to be a loyal trooper and keepthe job going in New Orleans.”

In the meantime, LSU has madeaccommodations for Garbee and others tofulfill their residency work at differenthospitals in New Orleans. Garbee has

been working in satellite hospitalsincluding Children’s Hospital forPediatrics, Kenner Regional and Earl K.Long Hospital while seeking permanenttransfer.

For doctors in Garbee’s neurology res-idency program, the uncertainty surround-ing New Orleans and its rebuilding efforts,coupled with losing two major hospitals,has prompted many to leave the city.Before the storm hit, LSU’s neurology resi-dents totaled nine. After the storm, onlyfour remain.

“Residents are dropping like flies,”said Garbee, who was trapped for fivedays at Charity after the hurricane. “I’velost my two best friends and lost a fewprofessors.

“There’s just a vibe overall. There’sjust a zombie-fied feeling because thingsare up in the air.”

Always known as a training groundfor the future’s brightest doctors, Charitysaw Louisiana through epidemics, warsand politics since the original building waserected in 1736. One of the oldest facilities

in New Orleans, Charity was a public hos-pital and Level 1 trauma center thataccepted indigent cases and those withoutmedical insurance.

“[Charity Hospital] was completelyuprooted and everything changed in 24hours,” Garbee said. “It just shows you thefragility of a physical life and yourlifestyle.”

Charity received interior and exteriordamage from heavy winds and high flood-waters, damaging beyond repair a build-ing built in 1939. As of March, there areno plans to reconstruct the hospital, onlyto build a new structure in nearby BatonRouge.

“You lose a major metropolitan citywith two huge medical schools and it’sgoing to affect us,” Garbee said of the peo-ple still living in New Orleans.

As for Charity Hospital, Garbeehopes its doors will not stay closed forever.

“Its treated the poorest of the poorand seen a tremendous amount of activity,trained a tremendous amount of physi-cians,” he said. “It’s hard for me to explainto people. It’s such a shame that some-thing so historical will be no more.”

Nila Do

Displaced physician Dr. Michael Garbee is still lookingfor a new residency almost a year after Katrina.

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“I tried to be a loyal trooper and keep the jobgoing in New Orleans.”

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Gettin’ downfor the

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Wanting to help otherscomes naturally to Dr.Patrick Mularoni (’01). He

has volunteered his time to organiza-tions such as Kids Kicking Cancer,American Diabetes AssociationPediatric Diabetes Camp and theAmerican Red Cross. However, it ishis work with a Detriot-area fund-raiser that is helping thousands of

children.Toast for Tykes, a charitable organization started in 1999 by

two of Mularoni’s friends, businessmen Ajay Chawla and MichaelRushwin, has grown from a small gathering of family and friendsto a social event that raises money for charities in Detroit and itssurrounding areas.

“The first year they raised $600, and after I attended theparty I knew it was something I wanted to get involved with.”

Coming on board a year later as the only doctor, the fund-raiser benefited from Mularoni’s networks within the medicalfield. Having worked previously with charities in the area, he

knew which organizations were in need of funds to continue theirwork.

As acting medical staffs volunteer for Kids Kicking Cancer,an organization that teaches children to use meditation and visu-al imagery to decrease pain associated with the procedures theyendure, Mularoni knew the importance of the organization for thechildren in the area. With a donation from Toast for Tykes, theorganization was able to expand to other hospitals in the MotorCity.

Toast for Tykes, now in its eighth year, raised $100,000 at itslast gala December 17, with proceeds going to Leukemia researchat the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. Money raised has previ-ously gone toward CHM’s Hematology and Oncology Unit, HugsFor Hannah, the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Centerand Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan.

Up from the original 50 attendees, the annual gala nowhosts more than 200 guests. The event takes an entire year toplan and requires a staff of 20 volunteers to make it happen.Mularoni said what makes this event unique is that it is not theusual philanthropic gala.

“Sixty to 70 percent of our patrons are under the age of 30,”

Drs. Patrick and Kimberly Mularoni (’01)

Annual gala spearheaded by Dr. Patrick Mularoniand his friends is helping children all around theMotor City.

Mularoni said. “Some of Detriot’s finest DJscome out to the event. This is not your par-ents’ charity event.”

In addition to the gala, the organiza-tion collects donations online athttp://www.toastfortykes.org and maintainsrelationships with corporate sponsors whodonate items to be raffled and put up forsilent auctions. In 2004, more than 5,000raffle tickets were sold to individuals whocould not attend, Mularoni said. That year,one of the big-ticket items was a car donat-ed in part by the Ford Motor Co.

Now at age 31, Mularoni and his wife,University graduate Dr. Kimberly Mularoni(’01), reside in Atlanta, where he is a pedi-atric fellow at Emory University. However,he often travels back to Detriot to handlebusiness for Toast for Tykes.

For now Mularoni has no plans toexpand the organization to Atlanta, prefer-ring to focus all his energy into makingToast for Tykes a stronger event in Detriot.

“The goal for this event is to growevery year and to raise funds to help chil-dren in the Greater Detroit area.”

J. Daniel Duran

Co-Founders, Michael Rushwin, Ajay Chawla and Dr. Patrick Mularoni

Toast for Tykesat a Glance

Started in 1999, when fourclose friends decided theywanted to have a holidayparty that would not onlybring together friends andfamily, but most importantlywould support local pediatriccharities.

In 2005, TFT raised $100Kfor Leukemia research.

In 2003, Toast for Tykesbecame a 501(c)(3) founda-tion, the Federal code for anon-profit organization.

Over the last six years, TFThas donated a significant sumof money to the followingcharities: Children’s Hospitalof Michigan Hematology andOncology Unit, Hugs ForHannah, The University ofMichigan Trauma Burn Centerand Kids Kicking Cancer.

The organization also helpswith Epilepsy Foundation ofMichigan’s Camp Discovery.

TFT looks to the communityfor help in furthering the caus-es that it supports. Ways tocontribute include: corporatetable sponsorships, donationof silent auction items, dona-tion of raffle prizes, purchaseof event program advertise-ment, and purchase of raffletickets.

The organization also wel-comes any donation of moneyand services that will help tosupport Toast for Tykes.

Profiles

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“The first year theyraised $600, andafter I attended theparty I knew it wassomething I wantedto get involvedwith.”

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Alumniconnection Honors

Dr. Stephen Verb (’04) received the Flo Dickey Funk Research Fellowship in ophthalmologyat the prestigious Mason Eye Institute at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Verb, cur-rently an ophthalmology resident at Wayne State University, called his experience at

Columbia “enriching.”One of the premier ophthalmology and visual sciences institutes, the Mason Eye Institute

selects one to two motivated medical students each summer to work under the mentorship of onefaculty member. The summer between his third and fourth year of medical school, Verb received thestipend fellowship and “invaluable experience.” During the fellowship, he explored methods of fluo-rescein angiography in small animals and studied the retinal degeneration seen in mice geneticallyaltered to have the same genotype of the human genetic disease known as Batten Disease.

Working closely with Dr. Dean Hainsworth, a professor in the department of vitreoretinal sur-gery, Verb also attended an international conference on Batten Disease.

“I was also able to … meet so many of the kids who are afflicted with this blinding disease,” hesaid. “It was a truly inspirational experience, and it further cemented my dream of becoming an

ophthalmologist.”While honored about receiving the fellowship, Verb is quick to note he is looking for more than awards in his pursuit of becoming

a surgical ophthalmologist.“It’s not the award that makes it worth it, but the experience and work and the learning process that becomes developed along the

way,” he said. “You can’t always win an award, but a positive attitude and strong work ethic will take you far.”

St. John Health’s Providence Hospital recognized Dr. Eric Basmaji (’98) for two distinguishedhonors in 2005 — the Nursing Staff Physician Excellence Award and Teaching ExcellenceAward.

Basmaji, who works nearly 90 hours a week and also holds a private practice, received bothawards in part to his dedication to medicine and attentiveness to patient care as an internist.Known for going the extra mile with patients, such as staying at their bedsides and taking into con-sideration patients’ wishes when making decisions in discharging them, Basmaji was overwhelm-ingly a strong choice for the Nursing Staff Physician Excellence Award.

The nursing staff recognized him not only for the above attributes, but also for his teamworkwith the nursing staff.

“He acts as an expert clinical and educational resource to the experienced nursing staff whilealso mentoring the novice nurses,” said Karen R. Peper, a registered nurse at Providence. “He com-municates updates directly to the nursing staff taking care of his patients.

“He demonstrates dependability, honesty and sound medical practice,” Peper said. “One specificcase comes to mind when there was a [Korean] patient … who spoke very little English. The patient had

an abscess in [her] spine, and Dr. Basmaji spent a great deal of time explaining the specifics of the medical care to the patient and herfamily.”

Basmaji’s work instructing others was also highlighted with the Teaching Excellence Award. His efforts in teaching residents, aswell as several AUC students, were recognized as he was selected by the department of medicine to receive the award.

As the recipient of the award, he received a stipend, plaque and recognition in the Providence and St. John Health publications. “It was a great honor and it was a privilege that not only the staff notices,” Basmaji said, “but that people actually recognize the

compassion that you have for your patients.”

Dr.Verb earns prestigious fellowship atMissouri-Columbia

Dr. Basmaji receives dual honors in 2005

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Alumni Connection

Publications

Communicating the causes of complicated disordersand illnesses to patients proves difficult enoughfor most physicians. Getting the patients tounderstand the causes is even more difficult. Buthow else can a physician explain that a myocar-

dial infarction can cause ischemia?Dr. Thomas “Woodie” Smith (’89) makes it his mission to

build “a bridge between the tribe and the medicine man.” Byexplaining disorders in layman’s terms, Smith believes peoplewill understand why they should strive for a healthy lifestyle.

His book “I’ve Got News For You!” breaks down what hap-pens when the human body is on the brink of self-destruction.Instead of using complicated medical terminology, Smith mapsout the human body for average Americans and takes them on avoyage of what happens to the body when it’s neglected.

The book’s prologue, reminiscent of the 1966 science fictionmovie “Fantastic Voyage,” takes readers on the journey of amonocyte in the blood stream of average 47-year-old AmericanPaul Lloyd. The cinematic portrayal of Paul’s heart attack is justan introduction to Smith’s simple explanation of what happens tothe human body when it is not cared for in a healthy manner.More than just a self-help book, it explains effectively what hap-pens when things like hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetescome into play.

Subsequent chapters focus on healthy eating, exercise,lifestyle changes and balancing one’s life. The standout chapteron “Medical Language for Ordinary People” makes this book asuccessful tool in explaining things clearly to patients. Conceivedmainly for the ordinary American, the book can help doctorscommunicate complex medical terms or test results in a way forpatients to better understand their situation.

I’ve Got News For You!: A Bridge Betweenthe Tribe and the Medicine ManPeanut Publications

AnAmericanDoctor

in Rural Africa

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Looking to practice somewhere out of the ordinary, Dr. James Turner (‘86) tooka risk by moving to South Africa — a nation where political turmoil, the

Apartheid and HIV has rendered it almost unlivable — to find his calling.

by Desireé Terblanche

“T his can cure cancer,” was Dr.James Turner’s (’86) first thought as he stepped off theplane 15 years ago inJohannesburg, South Africa.

Turner was overwhelmed by the smell of Jacarandatrees in full blossom as he took his first lungful ofAfrican air.

“The smell was overpowering and distinct. Ibreathed it in and knew there was opportunity inAfrica.”

The sublime smell of Jacarandas and a posting ata government hospital in KwaZulu-Natal duringSouth Africa’s tumultuous apartheid years is a farcry from Knoxville and the University of Tennessee.

“I just wanted a chanceto practice medicineand make a difference inpeople’s lives. At thattime I wasn’t interestedin practicing in theStates, one of the rea-sons being the litigationprone environment.”

But Turner had the optimism andimpatience of youth to propel him for-ward. And forward he went.

“After graduation, I joined DirectRelief, which placed foreign doctors inAfrican countries,” Turner says.“Following a stint in Ghana, which endedup being a dead end, I moved back toKnoxville and began to read up on SouthAfrica, which was receiving a lot of badpress at the time.

“It took me two years to get here,but when I did I was ecstatic about theenvironment,” says Turner.

Turner’s first South African hospitalwas located in Pietermaritzburg, also inKwaZulu-Natal and about a three-hourdrive from his present place of work.

“The hospital had about 1,800 beds,”says Turner, adding that he thought itwas one of the worst medical facilities hehad ever seen. “The elevators were bat-tered and scratched, there were bulletholes in the walls near the ICU, and theER department stank of beer and bloodon Friday and Saturday nights. But Iwasn’t expecting American hospitals orAmerican paychecks. I just wanted achance to practice medicine and make adifference in people’s lives. At that time Iwasn’t interested in practicing in theStates, one of the reasons being the liti-gation prone environment.”

Despite the conditions of the hospi-tal, Turner ranks his young colleagues atthe time as great. “There were 39 of us,all from different countries and culturesincluding English, German, Australianand American interns. I really looked for-ward to the camaraderie we shared, withbarbecues being held almost everymonth.”

Turner’s next move was to Durban, asurfer’s paradise. Here he was stationedin the obstetrics and gynecology depart-ment of a big provincial hospital.

“I had never seen anything like thisbefore,” he gushes. “I was a simple guyfrom Tennessee, and I had never experi-enced a hospital right on the beachfront.Not even Chicago, with its beautiful LakeMichigan, is comparable. The hospitalwas 15 stories high, and while I wasdoing my rounds I looked out at theamazing Indian Ocean. It was awesome.”

Turner’s third and final move was tohis present location, the Empangeni WarMemorial Hospital in Zululand,KwaZulu-Natal, where he has been prac-ticing as a principal medical officer in theobstetrics and gynecology departmentsince 1998.

“The hospital caters to pregnantwomen from rural areas. On a weekly

basis we deliver around 200 babies. Ihave personally performed 3,000 caesare-ans since I have been here,” Turner says.And while he rates the work as “incredi-bly rewarding,” he is not averse to thefrustration felt by practitioners in third-world countries and South Africaparticularly.

“We have been instructed by govern-ment officials not to speak to the SouthAfrican media on statistics relating toHIV/AIDS, which makes it impossible toformulate an accurate database on theseverity of the pandemic or motivate thepopulation into practicing serious preven-tative measures.

“In our area, the maternal mortalityrate stands at 450 per 100,000 deliveries.The pre-natal mortality rate is at 40 per1,000 babies, and HIV rates in womentested at ante-natal clinics stand at 40percent,” explains Turner, who believesthat these statistics highlight the needfor more foreign doctors in South Africa –Zululand specifically, which holds thechilling title as the country’s “AIDS belt.”

Besides the HIV/AIDS pandemic,Turner cites the utilization of traditionalhealers as one of the more obscureaspects he has learned to respectamongst the rural population.

“This is a beautiful country with avariety of cultures, which makes forinteresting contrasts. Many of the ruralpopulation, who use the hospital, are alsofollowers of traditional healers[Sangomas]. The Sangoma uses a varietyof herbal, animal and other products tomix medicine [muti]. In most cases, ablessing or a curse will accompany themuti. Belief in the power of the Sangomaand his or her muti is strong and oftentraditional healing at a medical institutewill only be sought if the muti fails.

“What is so interesting,” Turner con-

tinues, “is that many of the people whomake use of Sangomas in South Africaare successful business people. Theseinclude CEOs and government officials;they truly believe that the power of themuti is stronger and more reliable thanconventional medicine. There is also amovement here to have Sangomas regis-tered as conventional doctors would be,meaning medical aid would have to payfor their services. Nothing has been clari-fied on this point though.”

As he moves toward two decades inSouth Africa, Turner has no plans toleave the country he now calls home.

“My work is fulfilling beyond belief,and while the pay is nowhere nearAmerican earnings [approximately$60,000 per annum], there is a need herethat I cannot ignore.”

And if the relatively low salary hasleft you shuddering, consider thatTurner’s malpractice insurance premiumsfor the year were only $720 and he hasnever been threatened with a lawsuit.

Litigation quips aside, Turner has“fallen in love” with the environment.Zululand, so called because it was onceruled over by the formidable Zulu tribeunder King Shaka, is surrounded bygame reserves, forests and the centralcity, Richards Bay, which rests on thebeachfront. St. Lucia, which is an hour’sdrive from Turner’s home, is a world her-itage site and incredibly popular withlocals and tourists alike for its excellentscuba diving and game sighting.

“When I have finished a shift it iseasy to pack a bag and head off to one ofthe beach areas for a little diving. On theway back, I may stop off at a gamereserve and see how many [lions, leop-ards, elephants, rhinoceroses and buffa-los] I can spot.”

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CelebratingTHE PAST

Finally, after 28 years, alumni gotthe chance to come together andcommemorate being an AUC grad-uate. For those who attended itwas an opportunity to becomepart of University history.

Drs. Birute Pumputis ('81) and Andrea Zotovas ('89)

Asteel drum lightly hammered a soft melody as orange and redhues engulf the ocean sky. It’s a scene reminiscent for many wholived and studied on either Montserrat or St. Maarten. But thepeople gathering around the large, lagoon-style pool for cocktailsand hors d’oeuvres are far way from the warm waters of the

Caribbean Sea. Their lives have changed, and they have moved on to meet newchallenges. But they have not forgotten about their experience on the islands,and now have descended upon south Florida to remember, reconnect and cele-brate AUC’s first-ever Alumni Weekend.

After more than two decades, the event was the first of its kind designed tobring alumni, faculty and friends of the University back together again. Held atthe Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort in Bal Harbour, Fla., on April 29,Alumni Weekend 2006 proved to be an emotional evening as graduates rejoicedin the opportunity to see former classmates and faculty.

“People were coming in and hugging and embracing. People, who obviouslyhaven’t seen each other in 20 years … had that chance to reconnect. I justthought that was really awesome,” admitted Alumni Association Treasurer RonSchneider, M.D. (’02).

Undoubtedly, there was something magical floating on the breeze.Friendships and memories that lay dormant for so many years came rushingback in a moment; the thoughts and feelings that people were experiencing rap-idly started to emerge.

“I think it’s an incredibly charged evening, and I think all of us here aresort of in a state of grace realizing what a great school they came from,”explained Director of Community Services and Professor of Immunology SusanAtchley, Ph.D.

Atchley’s feeling was not uncommon. More than 150 alumni ranging all theway back from 1979 until the most recent class echoed similar sentiments

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Dr. Lawrence Zottoli ('84), his wife, Nelia Fe Zottoli, Dr. Judy Rivenbark ('85) andDr. William Rodgers enjoying the atmosphere at the poolside cocktail reception.

Dr. Stephen Nelson ('85)and his wife, Sue Nelson

Dr. Jerrey Ferrell ('86), Barbara Hardoonand Dr. Abe Hardoon ('86)

WelcomingTHE FUTURE

by David F. Jones

Drs. Theodore Igwebe (‘89) and GarySchwartz (‘89)

From left to right: Sara Stivelman, Dr. Michael Stivelman ('88),Dr. Bliga Attar ('87), Dr. Barry Kaplowitz ('87) and Dr. RichardCampbell ('87)

Faculty member Dr. Susan Atchleyand Dr. William Walker ('00)

Dr. Ladona Schmidt ('90)

Chief Operating Officer Yife Tienreceives a plaque honoring hissupport for the Alumni Association.

Dr. Rizwana Fareeduddin ('01), introducesgraduates to their Alumni Association officers.

Dr. Faith Dillard ('99), master of ceremonies forthe evening, welcomes the alumni to the event.

Laura Long, Dr. Deborah Peabody ('98) andDr. Melissa Ramsden ('97)

Executive Dean Dr.Paul Schnatz addressesthe State of the School.

Drs. Gary Schwartzand Jim Diesfeld (‘89)

Drs. Laura Rogers ('01),Nisha Bunke ('04)

and Norma Will ('01)

about the event and the University. After cocktails, alumni and guests

made their way to the Sheraton’sAtlantic Ballroom. Centerpiecesadorned with ornate, exotic orchidsrested on white linen tablecloths aseveryone prepared for the main event.Master of Ceremonies and AlumniAssociation Vice President FaithDillard, M.D. (’99) took the stage andwelcomed all to the joyous occasion.

Dillard spoke about her experi-ences as a student on St. Maarten andher work on Montserrat. From study-ing on the beach to the smell of volca-noes, Dillard helped alumni and spous-es remember the day-to-day intricacies

of island life. Her poise, charisma anddevotion to AUC set a lively tone forthe evening.

For the plated dinner, the hotelprepared an elegant four-course feast.The entrée featured a duo plate ofchili-glazed chicken breast and tropicalfruit chutney alongside grilled mahi-mahi. Dessert consisted of alternatingslices of white and dark chocolate ter-rine with raspberry coulis and KeyWest key lime pie with mint rum glaze.

The island-themed presentationand dishes were complemented with anamazing slideshow featuring picturesof Montserrat and St. Maarten. Allimages were submitted by alumni and

were deeply moving for most in atten-dance. For some it was the first oppor-tunity to see the new campus on St.Maarten, while others were able toreminisce about their time onMontserrat.

“[The slideshow] brought back alot of good memories, and it was a lotof fun watching it,” commented RichardCampbell, M.D. (’87). “My wife said,‘That little boy in the picture is righthere,’” referring to their teen-age sonwho was in attendance and just a childduring their time on Montserrat.

U.S. Clinical Dean Bruce Kaplan,D.O., administered the openingremarks and presented a video that

Class of 1981, from left to right: Dr. Frederick Parker, Chief Operating Officer Yife Tien,Dr. Birute Pumputis, Dr. Nicholas Sholty, Dr. Mark Tessler and Dr. Judy Anderson (seated)

AUC markets to prospective students. Alumni and guests were ableto see how a new generation of medical students views theUniversity. A dedicated supporter for the school, Kaplan was instru-mental in making the weekend event a huge success.

“It was a great gathering of past alumni with strong emotionalovertones. [Alumni Weekend 2006] was really anew starting point for AUC,” deemed Kaplan.

Alumni were also given the chance to meetthe new Dean of Basic Medical Sciences Bernard“Buz” Salafsky, Ph.D. Salafsky recently retired asDean of the University of Illinois, College ofMedicine at Rockford in June of 2004, after some22 years in that position.

In his “School Vision” presentation, Salafskyoutlined things to come for AUC. He spoke aboutthe hiring of quality faculty and exposure to publichealth through coursework and community proj-ects. He also unveiled new projects such as inte-grating the basic science curriculum with decom-pression, the development of inter-island consortia and enhancingthe school’s international image.

Aside from future plans for the University, a big part of theevening focused on the Alumni Association. Rizwana Fareeduddin,M.D. (’01), secretary for the association, explained its role and someof the new programs available.

Just over two years old, the Alumni Association aims to informgraduates on how they can continue to support the school throughdonations and a variety of new projects, such as the RegionalAmbassador Program and a brand new mentoringprogram, which is still in the developmentalphase.

“I never thought an AUC alumni reunionevent would be a reality, but it was amazing to seethe hard work and efforts of so many people final-ly come to fruition. I think this is a very excitingtime for the Alumni Association and it’s only thebeginning,” said Fareeduddin.

The weekend also featured a special pin pres-entation, where all returning graduates receivedan alumni pin demonstrating their status as anAUC alumnus, as well as their dedication towardupholding the principles of the institution. In agreat show of solidarity, alumni rose from their seats and attachedthe pins together.

To honor outstanding achievements by AUC graduates, threedoctors were recognized for their successes professionally and withintheir communities. U.S. Clinical Dean Bruce Kaplan, D.O., andChief Operating Officer Yife Tien presented Faith Dillard, M.D.,with the Distinguished Service Award, and Stephen Nelson, M.A.,M.D., F.C.A.P. (’85) and Shukri David, M.D., F.A.C.C. (’83) took homethe Professional Achievement Award.

Every year AUC graduates are making huge strides within themedical field and community. The award ceremony is an officialrecognition of these accomplishments, and a tradition that theUniversity plans to continue in the future. It’s a great reflectionupon the institution and the faculty when AUC graduates demon-

Drs. Angelina Bhandari ('94)and Vijay Pallekonda ('95)

Dr. Sean Nikravan ('99)

Dr. Richard Watkins('01) and his guest,Dr. Tracy Lemonovich

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Drs. Prashant Patel('83), Sadhana Patel('84), Kenneth Redlin('83) and Lily Liu ('84).

Dr. Frederick Parker ('81) wins thecomplimentary spa package at theSheraton Bal Harbour.

strate their achievements and contribu-tions in the medical arena.

“Some of these alumni now are inreal positions of natural leadership inmedical programs that wouldn’t neces-sarily take them in the beginning; sothey’re good enough to teach medicalstudents now in the mainstream sys-tem, and that means we’ve done our

job,” boasted Atchley.Alumni Weekend 2006 was a

groundbreaking event for AUC and theAlumni Association. For all thoseinvolved, it was an important step inthe progression of the University. AUCbelieves the large number of graduateswho participated in this year’s event isa great sign of things to come.

“I think [Alumni Weekend 2006is] a major step in the evolution of theschool,” stated Robert Frost, M.D (’00).“It started off very small without a lotof publicity or a lot of network onceyou got to the island; and it shows thatthe school is developing into an insti-tution of significance for people.”

Kicking off the University’s first-ever Alumni Weekend was theContinuing Medical Education program jointly sponsored by theUniversity of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. The

event, held at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort’s AtlanticBallroom, started at 7:30 a.m. Over 60 alumni attended the 5-hour pro-gram, in which they could earn up to 3.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

Dr. Bruce Kaplan, U.S. clinical dean and CME course director, wel-comed attendees and spoke of the University’s growth since its humblebeginnings. “As part of the continued commitment to the advancement ofthe medical education of our alumni,” explained Kaplan, “we sponsored aCME seminar in concert with the University of Miami School ofMedicine. We had three excellent speakers with broad topics of interests.”

Attendees were able to sit-in on lectures by nationally recognizedphysicians from the Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Patricia Byers startedthe lecture series speaking about obesity, diets and bariatric surgery.Alumni carefully listened as Byers stated that she usually refuses to dogastric bypass surgery on children and teenagers, placing the blame onpoor diet habits that parents pass down to their children.

Other speakers included Dr. Gene Burkett, professor of perinatol-ogy, and Dr. Eduardo de Marchena, director of the cardiology departmentat the Miller School of Medicine. Burkett spoke about diabetes in preg-nancy, while de Marchena focused on new advancements in cardiovascu-lar diseases. “This first seminar was a great stepping stone to not only provide aneducational format, but to also provide a social alumni function for theUniversity,” Kaplan explained.

The University hopes to continue making CME’s available to itsgraduates through events such as Alumni Weekend, on-campus seminarsand smaller regional events that might be held around the UnitedStates.

J. Daniel Duran

CME Highlights

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NotesClass

1980sRobert Carabelli, M.D.(’81) is board certified in painmanagement, physical medicineand rehabilitation. He has pub-lished extensively in profession-al journals such as Archives ofPhysical Medicine andRehabilitation, Back PainMonitor and Physical Therapy.He is currently the director ofrehab medicine for St. FrancisMedical Center.

Willard Dean, M.D. (’81)was a founding member of theAmerican Board of HolisticMedicine. He has been in pri-vate practice in and aroundSanta Fe, N.M., for the past 21years. He has written, lecturedand taught on holistic medicineat acupuncture, massage andnaturopathic schools, as well asbeing a preceptor for medicalschool students.

William Stineman, M.D.(’81) enjoys his family practicein Franklin, Wis., which hasbeen in existence for 20 years.Recently, he visited Californiaand spent time with hisUniversity roommate WWesCetnarowski, M.D. (’81).

Judy (Millspaugh)Anderson, M.D. (’82) saysher marriage is going strongbut her body is not. In July2005, she was diagnosed withesophageal cancer. She wentthrough chemotherapy andradiation, and had anesophagectomy in February2006. Despite this, her prac-tice, which consists of onlyhouse calls, is proceeding withthe help of three doctors andthree nurse practitioners.

Kjartan Armann, M.D.(’82) has one of the busiestpediatric practices in SantaClara County, Calif. He haseight children who range fromages 6 to 23. He is currentlywriting a book about how arelationship changes from dat-ing to the empty nest.

Eileen V. Kelly-Gredone,M.D. (’82) married Robert L.Gredone in July 1990. Sheresides in New Jersey and cur-rently has five grandchildren.

Dennis S. Buonafede,M.D. (’83) is board certifiedin anesthesiology and forensicmedicine. He is director of

obstetric anesthesia and med-ical director of the nurse anes-thesia program at BridgeportHospital in Connecticut. He isalso president of the BridgeportAnesthesia Associates, P.C.

Raymond Nino, M.D.(’83) has been in private prac-tice for 21 years, seeingapproximately 40 patients aday. He is a clinical faculty ofSeton Hill University inGreensburg, Penn., and teach-es physician assistants in theirclinical rotations at his officeand at Monongahela ValleyHospital.

Marc Rappaport, M.D.(’83) and his spouse, MerrillRappaport, recently celebratedthe second anniversary of theadoption of their daughter,Anastasia, from Russia. Theyhave two other daughters,Stephanie and Stacy.

Gary Bush, M.D. (’84) iscurrently an associated chief ofstaff for expanded care andgeriatrics at Veterans AffairsMedical Center MountainHome in Johnson City, Tenn.

Muhammad Chowdhry,M.D. (’84) is currently direc-tor of adolescent children unitsat Mental Health InstituteIndependence, Iowa.

William Cravens, M.D.(’84) does family practice inFulton, Mo. He is a medicalreview officer for AmerenUnion Electric and a clinicalinstructor for the University ofMissouri-Columbia Departmentof Family and CommunityMedicine.

George Leidel, M.D. (’84)has had a private practice in

Florida since 1990. He is also adiplomat for the AmericanBoard of Pathology.

Lt. Col. James P. Lynch,M.D. (’84) is an AmericanAcademy of Family Practice fel-low, board certified in under-sea and hyperbaric medicineand a flight surgeon for theU.S. Air Force.

Kevin Weikart, M.D. (’84)is chief of medicine at the St.Joseph Health Center and St.Joseph Hospital West. He isalso a fellow of the AmericanCollege of Physicians and apart-time clinical instructor atWashington University Schoolof Medicine in St. Louis.

Anju Sawni, M.D. (’85)has done research on comple-mentary/alternative therapies.His area of interest is to inte-grate CAM and conventionalmedicine.

Maj. JosephSciammarella, M.D.,F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E.P. (’85) iscurrently in the Medical Corpsof the U.S. Army Reserve. Hewas activated for deploymentto Afghanistan in April as partof Operation EnduringFreedom.

William T. Alward, M.D.,F.C.C.P. (’86) has lived inUtah with his spouse, Sue, andtheir two children for the past12 years. He is the director ofrespiratory care withIntermountain Healthcare.

David Beyer, M.D. (’86),along with 10 other surgeons,developed, own and operatethe Laurel Surgical Center, anambulatory surgical center inGreensburg, Penn. He is the

Adolphus A.Anekwe, M.D.M.P.H., F.A.C.P.,F.A.C.U.C.M. (’83)is a fellow of theAmerican College ofPhysicians, a healthcommissioner for thecity of Gary, Ind.,Health Department, aneditorial consultant forthe Journal of GeriatricCardiology, and presi-dent of the Associationof African Physicians inNorthwest Indiana. Themarried, father-of-four,is finishing his first booktitled HLAB66.

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Class Notes

medical director and anesthesi-ologist for the center.

Dennis Douglas, M.D.(’86) advanced to full partnerwith California EmergencyPhysicians Inc., an emergencymedicine group servingCalifornia, Oregon, Georgiaand Arizona. He is married toSShirley Contreras, M.D. (’86),who practices internal medicineat the University of CaliforniaIrvine. They have two children,Amanda, 10, and Samantha, 5.

Joseph R. Ferrari, M.D.(’86) has a private practice ininternal medicine. He is marriedand has one son.

William Gregory Berkley,M.D., F.A.C.P. (’87) is thevice president of the MedicalAssociates of North Georgia inCanton, Ga. He is also a mem-ber of the American College ofPhysicians, American Society ofNuclear Cardiology, AmericanSociety of Echocardiographyand American Society ofInternal Medicine. Married for16 years, he has two children,Ryan and Holly.

Chaitanya V. Dave, M.D.(’87) is chief of hematologyand oncology at BeckleyVeteran’s Affairs MedicalCenter in West Virginia sinceJune 2003. He has been mar-ried for 16 years and has twosons, ages 6 and 11.

John DeSio, M.D.,D.A.B.A., D.A.B.P.M. (’87)completed his fellowship in painmanagement at HarvardMedical School Beth IsraelHospital in Boston. His solopractice, the DeSio PainInstitute, is located in TomsRiver, N.J. He has a 1-year-olddaughter named JillianMichelle.

George Overly, M.D. (’87)has a private practice inMuskegon, Mich., and is cur-rently building a new familymedicine practice. He met hisspouse, Chris, while in residen-cy in Michigan. Between thetwo of them, they have five chil-dren and four granddaughters.

Martin A. Pasqualone,M.D. (’87) currently lives andworks full-time in an emergencyroom in the Philadelphia area.He met his spouse of 16 years,Sarah, when doing his clinicalsin England, and together theyhave a 13-year-old son.Longing for warmer tempera-tures, they plan to move toFlorida, Arizona or Californiawithin the next two years.

Douglas Savino, M.D.(’87) has had his own prac-tice in pediatrics for the last 15years. He is married and hastwo boys named Brian andGuy.

Obtaining a M.D. is a proud achievement. However,for Dr. James E. Szalados (’86), a medical degree was notenough. After graduating from the University, he trained forsurgery at the Brooklyn-Caledonian Hospitals, completed aresidency in anesthesiology, a fellowship in critical caremedicine at the University of Rochester, and an anesthesiol-ogy research fellowship at McGill University. He obtainedhis M.B.A. and M.H.A. degrees at Pfeiffer University in1998 and his J.D. at the State University of New York atBuffalo in 2005.

This is only the start of Szalados’ exhaustive list ofachievements. In addition to having a dual board certifica-tion in anesthesiology and critical care medicine, he hasbeen elected to a fellowship in the American College ofCritical Care Medicine. He is a co-author of a 2005 criticalcare textbook, has written numerous scientific papers andbook chapters, and regularly lectures at local, national and

international symposia.The former executive vice chair of anesthesiology at

the University of Rochester currently practices with theWestside Anesthesiology Associates of Rochester L.L.P.,where he is medical director for respiratory care. He is alsoa legal consultant with the law firm of Brown and TarantinoL.L.C.

Luckily, he finds the time to be a member of theAmerican Medical Association, the Medical Society of theState of New York, the American Society ofAnesthesiologists, the American College of Chest Physiciansand the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Putting his lawdegree to use, he is a member of the American BarAssociation, health law section; New York State BarAssociation, health law section; the American College ofLegal Medicine; and the Association of Trial Lawyers ofAmerica.

Spotlight

Dr. James E. Szalados (‘86)

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It’s never too late to chase a dream. At least that’strue for Dr. Holvor “Hal” W. Ashley (’86).

When Ashley decided to pursue a career in medi-cine, he faced many of the same dilemmas as anyoneconsidering this elite field — is this something he reallywants to do, what are the chances of acceptance andwhere would he attend school?

Ashley pondered these questions in 1984 whileworking as a top biochemist for a vitamin researchgroup in California. After the company’s products werephased into manufacturing, he was forced to travel fre-quently to production facilities in Texas and Oklahoma.

“Living in motels and having constant jetlag got oldvery fast. I decided to change my life and regain controlof my destiny, but had not decided how to do this,” saidAshley.

After visiting San Francisco State University andinquiring about possible admission, Ashley was met withdiscouraging news.

“‘We consider you a little old to be a medical stu-dent and since you are already a seasoned professional,you might want to consider giving this up,’” said Ashleyabout the school’s response. “‘If you take your MCATscore and multiply this by your GPA, then divide this byyour age, you have a factor that can be compared toother applicants.’”

In other words, he might have had a chance if hewere 15 years younger. Ashley, however, was not aboutto give up so easily.

So when he spied an AUC booklet on a secretary’sdesk at one of the offices, Ashley decided to investigate

the school. He was tired of fighting city traffic and coldweather. He longed for a better place where he couldconcentrate on his passion.

“Needless to say, the idea of studying medicine ona nice tropical island became more and more appeal-ing,” said Ashley.

And after he was accepted to the University, Ashleyknew he had made the right choice.

“I didn’t have to fight freezing rain, sleet and snow.I simply had to fight myself to stay on track and remem-ber my objectives … I made a decision to pass eachmajor hurdle the first time,” said Ashley.

And he did. Ashley passed the board exams inpathology with certificate number 11 out of more than400 (ranking by score).

During a licensure interview in Virginia in 1988, aboard member asked Ashley to describe his time at theUniversity.

“We used the same textbooks as most schools in theUnited States, and many professors were from theStates. We didn’t have to fight the traffic, the crime andthe adverse weather of many American cities,” saidAshley.

Every board member voted for him. Ashley turned 71 this year and still continues his

practice in Tennessee. The confidence and motivationthat led him to the University remains evident today.

“It was definitely the right move for me. I neverlooked back to question my choice,” said Ashley.

Spotlight

Dr. Holvor “Hal” Ashley(‘86)

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Sonia Velez, M.D., J.D.(’87) is a faculty member andcoordinator of inpatient servic-es for New York MedicalCollege’s St. Joseph MedicalResidency Program in Yonkers,N.Y. She is also assistant pro-fessor of family medicine atNYMC in Valhalla, N.Y. Sheearned her juris doctor degreeat Boston University Law Schoolin 1991. She is married and hasone son.

Nancy J. Wilson, M.D.(‘87) is board certified in psy-chiatry and currently living onthe shore of a north-woods lakein Wisconsin. She lives 20 min-utes from work and can watchthe bald eagles and deer whenshe is on-call.

Jeffrey Kagan, M.D. (’88)became a certified medicaldirector in 2005 by theAmerican Medical DirectorAssociation and is the localmedical director for VitasHospice, in addition to his pri-vate practice in internal medi-cine. He is also an assistant

clinical professor of medicine atthe University of Connecticut. In2006, he became part of theeditorial board for MedicalEconomics.

Sean Rivard, M.D. (’88) isa board certified anesthesiolo-gist living in Northern Michiganwith his spouse of 20 years,Kristen, and his two children,Justin, 17, and Allyson, 16. Hispassion outside of medicine isflying. He is an instrument-ratedprivate pilot who donates hisskills to Wings of Mercy, anorganization that provides freetransportation to those in needof treatment in distant medicalfacilities.

Doreen Luis, M.D. (’89)works in a busy hospital inAugusta, Ga., practicing emer-gency medicine. She spends alot of time of time travelingwhen she is not at home withher partner and family, whichconsists of two cats and a dog.

James Rocco, M.D. (‘89)has a private practice calledthe Rocco Medical Clinic inMichigan. He married the localpharmacist, Kathy. They havetwo children, 5-year-old Joeyand 2-year-old Bobby.

1990sCarol Banyas, M.D. (’90)completed her fellowship ingeriatric psychiatry atUniversity of California, LosAngeles NeuropsychiatricInstitute. She has written numer-ous papers, including anabstract titled “BehavioralDisturbances in Alzheimer’sDisease A Correlation of Right-sided Hypo-perfusion andSPECT,” newsletter articles suchas “Spirituality and Aging” forGeriatric Psychiatry News andcountless book chapters.

Ibo Nater, M.D. (’91) hashad his own home-care busi-ness since 2000.

Enid Klauber-Choephel,M.D. (’93) has settled inTampa, Fla., with a verydiverse infectious diseasespractice. She is married andhas two children.

Paul Alley, M.D., F.A.C.S.,F.A.A.O.S. (’94) is boardcertified in orthopedic sur-gery and a fellow for theAmerican College ofSurgeons and AmericanAcademy of OrthopedicSurgeons. He is a partner atOrthopedic Associates Inc. inEvansville, Ind. He is marriedwith 3 children.

Charles Roesel, M.D. (‘94)is in family practice in MyrthePoint, Ore. He also joinedNorth Bend Medical Center, alarge multi-specialty clinic, in2005.

Scott Faulkner, M.D. (‘95)is chief of staff at ColoradoPlains Medical Center in Ft.Morgan, Colo.

Blaine K. Jackson (’95)has his own solo private prac-tice in Solana Beach, Calif. Heis board certified in internalmedicine. He is married to hiswife, Leigh, since September1998. They currently reside inEscondido, Calif.

Lisa D’Silva, M.D. (’97) isthe medical director of childand adolescent psychiatry in-patient unit at North ShoreMedical Center in Banners,Mass.

Charles Gaillard, M.D.(’97) and his spouse, Eva,had their first child, CharlesBlaine, on December 12.

Stephen Soloway,M.D. (‘88) is a nation-al opinion leader fornumerous pharmaceuti-cal companies. Hisresearch has also beenpublished in the NewEngland Journal ofMedicine. He was alsonamed one of the TopDoctors in his field byPhiladelphia magazine.

Cheryl A. Kennedy,M.D. (‘87) was nomi-nated by the NewJersey PsychiatricAssociation for the 2006Bruno Lima Award foroutstanding work in dis-aster psychiatry. Joseph Hastie, M.D.

(’94) received the2005 AMA PhysiciansRecognition Award. Heand his spouse, Jan,have two children,Jason and Dru.

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Peter Marzano III, M.D.(‘97), in addition to having asuccessful group practice, hasbecome one of the physiciansassociated with the WashingtonNationals Major LeagueBaseball team. He is one of thephysicians performing pre-par-ticipation exams and occasion-ally covers spring games.

Theodore W. Nicholas,M.D. (’97) has established asuccessful pain managementpractice with two offices innortheastern North Carolina.

Gregory Pinnell, M.D.(’97) works as a flight sur-geon for the U.S. Air ForceReserve and is a space shuttlerescue physician.

Nehal Patel, M.D. (’98)works for Kaiser Permanente inFontana, Calif., as an assistantclinical chief. He is board certi-fied in family practice and geri-atrics. He recently married hisspouse, Urvi-Branch, in LosAngeles, in August.

Claudine Frederiks, M.D.(’98) married Robert ElliotBurroughs on April 30, 2005,in New Hope, Penn.

Anthony Inzerello, M.D.(’98) is a partner in FamilyMedicine Associates inEvansville, Ind. He and hisspouse, Jennifer, have two chil-dren, 3-year-old Jullian and 2-year-old Zac.

Faiz Mansuri, M.D. (’98)finished his residency in internalmedicine in 2005. He works asan emergency room physicianin Pennsylvania. He and hisspouse, Tarannum, have a 1-year-old son named Armann.

David Stein, M.D. (’98) isa partner with Red MountainAnesthesia in Mesa, Ariz. He ismarried to Tinna Stein, andthey have two children, Daniel,7, and Anika, 3.

Douglas Budde, M.D.(’99) practices in a purely out-patient multi-specialty group inLas Vegas. He is married withtwo children.

Rutu Ezhuthachan, M.D.(’99) practices in Las Vegasand is chief of pediatrics in amulti-specialty group. She isalso an adjunct clinical profes-sor of pediatrics at TouroUniversity College ofOsteopathic Medicine inNevada.

Joel Garcia, M.D. (’99) is athird year fellow in cardiovascu-lar diseases at the PennsylvaniaState University Milton S.Hershey Medical Center inHershey, Penn. After graduat-ing in June 2006, he will bejoining a large single-specialtycardiology practice in Orlando,Fla. He and his spouse, Beth,have two sons, Nicholas andAlexander.

Robert F. Poirier, M.D.(’99) was recently promotedto assistant chief of the depart-ment of emergency medicine atthe Washington UniversitySchool of Medicine in St. Louis.

2000sAngela S. Camfield, M.D.(’00) is currently a solo con-tractor with a private practice inIndianapolis. She will join TejasAnesthesia in San Antonio thissummer to practice pediatricanesthesia in a private setting.

Paul D. Dasari, M.D. (’00)and his spouse, Jennifer, recent-ly had a baby girl, RachaelMary Dasari. She was bornMarch 25, 2005.

David Hartfiel, M.D. (’00)is in a multi-specialty partner-ship in Pierre, S.D., practicingOB/GYN. He and his spouse,Susan, have one daughter.

Maj. David Moore, M.D.(’00) went to Maxwell AirForce Base in Montgomery,Ala., directly after finishing hisresidency program in June2004. He completed fourweeks of commissioned officers’training and upon graduation,

he and his spouse, Pamela,moved to Barksdale Air ForceBase in Louisiana. In January,he was deployed to an EMEDSunit in Iraq and was tentativelyscheduled to return in late May2006.

Iram (Khoja) Ahmed,M.D. (‘01) is the medicaldirector of St. ElizabethMedical Center’s mobile out-reach services. She is marriedto GGhazanfar Ahmed, M.D.(’02) who she met while attend-ing the University. He will grad-uate from his residency in June

Aditya Sukhwal,M.D., M.S.,F.A.A.F.P. (’95)received the 2006 AMAPhysicians RecognitionAward. The ConsumersResearch Council alsonamed him one ofAmerica’s Top FamilyDoctors. He is currentlychief of staff and direc-tor of cardiac rehabilita-tion at Southwest HealthCenter in Platteville,Wis.

Te-ie I. Lee, M.D.(‘01) was co-chiefresident from 2004-2005, at the CharlesR. Drew University pro-gram. He alsoreceived theOutstanding PGY-IIand III Award as a res-ident in the program.Lee was board certi-fied in internal medi-cine in August. Nowas an attending physi-cian and part of theprogram director teamat King-Drew MedicalCenter, he is interestedin pursuing a cardiolo-gy fellowship. He ishappily married with ason and newborndaughter.

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and will join a communityaction agency as a staff physi-cian. They recently celebratedthe birth of their son, Zain, whowas born in December.

Rizwana Fareeduddin,M.D. (’01) will be completingher residency in OB/GYN atProvidence Hospital inMichigan this year. In July, shewill be starting a fellowship inmaternal-fetal medicine atCedars-Sinai Hospital in LosAngeles.

Kimberly (Deuchar)Mularoni, M.D. (’01) wasnamed as a pediatric clinicalprofessor for the MedicalCollege of Georgia. She andher spouse, PPatrick Mularoni,M.D. (’01), had their first child

in April. She is presently work-ing full-time as a pediatrician inMarietta, Ga.

Amesh Adalja, M.D. (‘02)is currently a fourth-year resi-dent in a combined internalmedicine/emergency medicineprogram at Allegheny GeneralHospital in Pittsburgh.

Walter Klimkowski, M.D.(’02) completed his familymedicine residency at WayneState University. He is boardcertified and is a full-time emer-gency room physician at St.John Conner Creek VillageHealth Center. In December, hepublished the case report“Rapid Expanding AbdominalAortic Aneurysm in a SystemicLupus Erythematosus Patient.”

Douglas Prisco, M.D. (’02)was named the 2005 Residentof the Year at DanburyHospital in Connecticut. He iscurrently pursuing a fellowshipin pulmonary and critical caremedicine at North ShoreUniversity and Long IslandJewish Hospital. He is doingresearch in pulmonary rehabili-tation and sleep medicine andis board certified in internalmedicine.

John M. Ventrudo, M.D.(‘02) will be completing hisresidency at MontefioreMedical Center in New York asa chief resident in physical med-icine and rehabilitation July 7.

Michelle L. Bisutti (’03) iscurrently in the last few monthsof a family medicine residencyat the University of Maryland.She has a sports medicine fel-lowship lined up for next yearat Wright State University inOhio.

Tiffany (Brotherton) Hanf(’04) married Michael Hanfthree months after leaving St.Maarten. She completed herclinicals in Washington,California, Arizona andMichigan. She is finishing upher second year of residencyfor internal medicine and is inthe process of interviewing forgastroenterology fellowshippositions.

Obituary

Dr. Theodore Ivanchak, M.D., J.D. (’81)(1952 - 2006)

Dr. Theodore Ivanchak died April 22, 2006, in Louisville, Ky., at the age of53. Ivanchak was a 1974 graduate of the University of Cincinnati and a 1976 grad-uate of Michigan State University, where he earned a Master of Science degree.He attended AUC where he graduated with his medical doctorate degree in 1981,and in 1999, he received his juris doctorate degree from the University ofKentucky.

Ivanchak was an emergency room physician at Baptist East Hospital inLouisville and was current president of NIKORB Corp.

He is survived by his mother, Sadie Ivanchak; his wife of 27 years, JudithBollinger Ivanchak; son, Brandon Ivanchak; and two daughters, Nicole and KoriIvanchak.

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Visitors and residents of Montserrat will witness the first Montserrat CalabashFestival from July 21-24, 2006. The event will be marked with an opening cere-mony and exhibition at the Montserrat National Trust, followed by a Calabash

Cultural Explosion at Festival Village.The celebration continues the following day, July 22, with a Calabash fun run

from Blake’s yard to Tropical Mansion Suites where breakfast will be served. In theevening, a grand food fair will wrap up the day’s activity.

On Sunday, all churches on the island will hold a special service to mark theoccasion, and later in the afternoon persons are invited to meet at Woodland’sBeach for a beach splash and barbecue.

The festival is expected to conclude with a round-the-island bus tour andadventurous forest hike and the closure of the Exhibition at National Trust.

Florence Griffith of Montserrat Moments is one of the organizers ofthe Calabash festival. She sees the event as a summertime festival toattract tourists and to create activities for locals on island. “This is thefirst such festival for small cottage industries and to bring in touristswhen there is no organized program. We want to make it excitingand fun for everyone,” she said.

According to Griffith, the festival was named after thecalabash since the fruit has long been identified as one ofMontserrat’s cultural items. The calabash tree, whichsometimes grows to 30 feet, produces the fruit that hastraditionally been used to produce an eating uten-sil, musical instruments and decorative items.

Tomeika Jeffrey

When is the best time of the year to come to St. Maarten?Well, anytime of course, though it will be hard to top theweekend of the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, an

event whose motto of “Serious Fun” symbolizes both the intensity ofthe event’s racing and its party atmosphere.

Each year, the regatta beckons thousands of boaters and non-boaters alike to SXM, all looking to take part in the crown jewel ofCaribbean races. This year marked the 26th year for the event, whichwas held on the weekend of March 3-5, and was organized by the St.Maarten Yacht Club.

Though nothing could top the turnout from last year’s SilverAnniversary celebration, which included over 250 yachts and 2,500participants from 32 different countries, the 2006 event expected andreceived another solid turnout, including a record number of big-boatentrants. Each regatta features competitors from numerous boatclasses, including the Spinnaker, non-Spinnaker, Bareboat,Multihull, Beach Cats and the Open Class, with prizes given away toeach day’s top performers.

Friday morning marked the first day of racing with easterlywinds at 15 knots, a slight swell and clear skies. It was the best racingweather of the three-day event. While fast times were posted in thefirst race, the winds later betrayed competitors in the afternoon, as

several boats failed to finish their course.By 9 a.m. Saturday, the winds blew in from the southeast at an

acceptable 10-12 knots. The course was set to leave from the Dutchcapital of Philipsburg and finish near the French capital of Marigot,where the evening’s festivities featured Trinidadian singer Destra. Forspectators, chartered boats offered an opportunity to witness theexcitement of the Caribbean’s grandest racing action.

After two solid days of racing, Sunday morning brought a com-plete absence of wind, which forced race officials to cancel the event’sfinale. The final day’s festivities began at 2 p.m. and featured the St.Maarten Police Band and reggae singerPercy Rankin. After a long weekendof racing and partying, the eventclosed with a performance bythree-time Grammy winnerOzomatli, a group that infusesreggae, hip-hop and Latinmusic.

Brian McIntyre

A Cala-Bashto remember

HeinekenSt. Maarten sizzles with annual Regatta

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