Can You Become Too Involved in Dominica?

Hesham Hassan, M.Sc.
Jul 17, 2017
4 min read

My advice is this: if you plan to get involved, then do so early when you start medical school. If you learn the time management during first semester with extra-curriculars and that anatomy lab, then you will be able to balance easily during second through fourth/fifth semesters. If you ever feel overwhelmed, know that you're a student first and be able to find out who you can go to for help.

On the island is a very exciting time with learning a new culture and finally starting medical school (something most of us have been looking forward to for a very long time). One question I used to hear on island was, "Is there anything here you don't do?" when other students would see me around campus or at various events. To be fair, it is not about how much you do in terms of leadership roles offered through clubs in Dominica. What I discovered is whatever you do just make sure you do it well and the work will stand out. First semester I was more focused on how to get my kids from Glanvillia to campus every morning, where I was supposed to go to buy electricity and groceries, and how the heck I was supposed to bake a decent meal with an small gas stove that had no temperature indication.

However, I did join some clubs like Salybia and the Pediatric Students Association (Peds). Because I was interested in leadership, I applied with Peds to become a PR Rep assistant where you are invited to E-board meetings to learn the role and are able to help the current e-board member in PR with the tasks they are responsible for during the semester. I had a great time, and that e-board was very fun. Because of my experience, this led me to get involved more as the semester went on and seek out opportunities like becoming an ambassador. At the end of first semester, I was appointed as the Vice President of student government for the upcoming semester as the seat was not filled with the election at the end of the semester (this is NOT a typical way to fill a political seat and did not happen easily...read the constitution and plan accordingly if interested in SGA...I strongly recommend it).

During second semester, I was also the Peds Vice President, Chair for a student committee created by administration to design and analyze a survey and provide a report to the Dominican Medical Board to continue our schools accreditation. In addition to being SGA Vice President as previously indicated, I was also on the e-board for the Ophthalmology Interest Group, and a Lead Ambassador for the Ambassador program. Wow, what a whirlwind of responsibilities. This was a very busy semester for me during the one semester where you are supposed to have the most free time...ha, nope. I was busy and my grades did suffer. I passed the semester but I was not pleased with my performance. I felt as though I let the extra-curriculars get in the way of me being a student first. Although my CV is stacked by the end of second, I still continued to try to do more than I maybe should have and I felt the strain by the end of second semester.

Luckily, the SGA advisors are some amazing people and talked me into calming down with how much I was doing. We discussed the slipping of the grades and the importance of setting boundaries. I stepped down from the ambassador program because it took up much of my time and I knew I would help answer incoming student's questions without the title or expected responsibility of coordinating what ambassador is paired with which student. I also decided to run for the SGA Secretary position for third semester instead of running for SGA President as I had intended. I did step up to be Peds president as that was the fun club, as all of you who decide to attend Date Auction will find out. Third semester showed a dramatic increase in my grade because I finally learned that the word 'no' was acceptable sometimes, and that sleeping was vital to learning but that's a different conversation...

Fourth semester was an interesting time as well. My family returned to America from the island in the beginning of fourth so that I could focus my studies for preparing for COMP, the exam you take at the end of fourth to qualify to sit for STEP 1. During this semester, I was Peds President for a second term, the SGA President, more active 'regular' member in the other clubs I was not able to fully engage in previously, and a dedicated roadie for Ross Band that showed up to study during every practice session...I even got to sing once or twice, ha!

During my time, there were also other little things I got involved with like volunteering to usher during white coat ceremonies, welcoming committee (you get paid for that one!), gave a prospective student a tour when he flew to visit the island, and various odd projects that always seemed to find their way to me... SGA was my most rewarding of my experiences because I felt that we were able to make some changes to things that could better the students who came after us. We even bought an ice machine for the Student Cafeteria so students would not have to pay local vendors for a cup of ice...although I never got to see it as it was installed shortly after I left the island.

I had a great experience. I met so many people because of leadership and feel as though it opened some opportunities that I can tap into further into my clinical training. I am well versed in how to find a certain resource or navigate the politics of RUSM. My experiences have made me confident as a leader, and have reassured me that I can put my mind to anything that I want. Although this may have been a lesson I learned originally from Harry Potter, if I modify a J.K. Rowling quote, “Help will always be given at [RUSM] to those who ask for it.”