👑 What do international beauty pageants and medical school have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode of Med School Minutes, Monica Aguilar shares her remarkable journey from competing on some of the world's biggest pageant stages to becoming one of the top students in her medical school class.

Monica discusses what it really takes to compete internationally, the misconceptions surrounding pageantry, and how years of discipline, resilience, and hard work prepared her for the demands of medical school. She also reflects on balancing ambition with purpose, breaking stereotypes, and why she ultimately chose a career in medicine.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• What international pageants are really like behind the scenes
• The biggest misconceptions about beauty queens
• How pageantry helped prepare Monica for medical school
• Why discipline matters more than talent
• Advice for aspiring medical students
• Why there is no single path to becoming a physician

Whether you're considering medical school, curious about the world of international pageantry, or looking for inspiration to pursue an unconventional path, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine: https://www.sjsm.org

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with physicians, students, and medical education experts.

00:00 Introduction
00:30 Meet Monica Aguilar
02:20 Breaking Beauty Queen Stereotypes
06:18 The Reality of International Pageants
13:08 Choosing Medicine
14:23 How Pageantry Prepared Her for Medical School
18:14 Monica's Future in Medicine
23:07 Changing the Image of Beauty Queens
26:23 Does Medicine Have an Image Problem?
33:49 Rapid Fire Questions
36:20 Final Thoughts

#MedicalSchool #FutureDoctor #MedSchoolMinutes #Medicine #CaribbeanMedicalSchool #MedicalStudent #WomenInMedicine #Pageantry #MissIntercontinental #MissSupranational #FuturePhysician #SJSM

What does it take to become a doctor at 73 years old?

In this inspiring episode of Med School Minutes, host Kaushik Guha sits down with Dr. Dawn Zuidgeest Craft, a Saint James School of Medicine graduate who recently matched into a Family Medicine residency at the age of 73.

After decades of service as a neonatal nurse practitioner, educator, and professor, Dr. Dawn made the extraordinary decision to return to school and pursue her MD. She shares the experiences that shaped her career, the challenges of medical school later in life, and why her passion for learning and serving others never faded.

This conversation explores:
• Why Dr. Dawn chose to attend medical school after an accomplished healthcare career
• The value of lifelong learning and curiosity
• Lessons from decades of patient care and teaching
• Medical education, mentorship, and healthcare workforce development
• Advice for non-traditional medical students
• Matching into residency and what's next in her journey

Whether you're a future physician, a healthcare professional considering a new path, or someone pursuing a goal others might consider impossible, Dr. Dawn's story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to follow your purpose.

🎓 Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine:
https://www.sjsm.org

🎙️ Subscribe for more Med School Minutes episodes featuring physicians, students, residency experts, and healthcare leaders.

00:00 Introduction
01:08 Meet Dr. Dawn: Becoming a Doctor at 73
07:53 From Nurse Practitioner to Medical Student
11:50 Why Go to Medical School After an Entire Career?
23:57 The Future of Medical Education
32:53 Advice for Future and Non-Traditional Medical Students
43:49 Why Dr. Dawn Chose Saint James School of Medicine
50:03 Lifelong Learning, Residency, and Final Thoughts

#MedSchoolMinutes #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #MedicalSchool #ResidencyMatch #FamilyMedicine #NonTraditionalStudent #FutureDoctor #MedicalEducation #CaribbeanMedicalSchool #LifelongLearning

What if one of the earliest warning signs of cardiovascular disease had nothing to do with chest pain? 👀❤️

In this episode of Med School Minutes, Elliot Justin discusses the surprising connection between erectile health, nocturnal erections, wearable technology, and cardiovascular wellness. From emergency medicine to health tech innovation, this conversation explores how wearable devices could change the future of preventive healthcare.

Topics include:
• Erectile dysfunction & heart health
• Wearable technology in medicine
• Nocturnal erections as a health indicator
• The future of personalized healthcare

#MensHealth #CardiovascularHealth #WearableTechnology #MedicalPodcast #HealthcareInnovation #ErectileDysfunction #PreventiveMedicine #HealthTech #SexualHealth #MedSchoolMinutes #SJSM #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine

She competed on the world stage… and then chose a completely different kind of pressure.

Kelley Hurley is a 4x Olympian and Olympic medalist who didn’t just chase one dream, she built another from scratch. 🥇 From intense training and global competition to long nights in medical school, her journey is anything but typical.

In this episode of Med School Minutes, she shares how she made the transition from elite athlete to physician, what drew her to emergency medicine, and the mindset that helped her push through doubt, pressure, and everything in between.

She matched into her #1 choice. She became a doctor. And she did it on her own terms. 🎓

If you’ve ever questioned whether it’s “too late” or “too different” for you, this is the story you need to hear.

00:00 Intro
00:27 Meet Dr. Kelley Hurley
01:19 Match Results & Specialty
04:42 Why Medicine
07:36 Overcoming Doubts
09:17 Matching Her #1 Choice
13:00 Balancing Medicine & Motherhood
15:10 Support System
20:18 Future Plans
27:20 Resilience & Mindset
37:35 Final Thoughts

#SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #MedSchoolMinutes #FutureDoctor #MedicalJourney #MatchDay #EmergencyMedicine #DoctorLife #MedStudentLife #ResidencyMatch #IMGSuccess

Most medical students are trying to survive exams, rotations, and endless study hours. Dr. Jesse Oswald was doing all of that… while building a healthcare company. 🚀

In this episode of Med School Minutes, we talk with a Saint James School of Medicine student who launched and scaled a kinesiology startup serving hundreds of patients while attending medical school full-time.

Jesse shares how he started his practice, grew Hyperion into a multidisciplinary healthcare company, and managed the intense demands of medical school while running a real business.

We also discuss preventive medicine, building interdisciplinary healthcare teams, and why entrepreneurship and clinical training don’t have to be mutually exclusive. 🩺

If you’re a premed student, medical student, or someone interested in healthcare innovation, this episode offers a real look at what’s possible with focus, discipline, and determination.

00:00 Intro
01:38 Jesse’s Background and Path to Medicine
04:44 Early Career and MCAT Challenges
07:13 Founding and naming Hyperion
11:10 Growing a business during medical school
15:03 Current operations and team snapshot
22:46 Future plans for medical practice integration
26:30 Balancing clinical rotations and entrepreneurship
30:45 Residency interviews and final reflections

#MedicalSchool #MedStudent #FutureDoctor #MedSchoolLife #HealthcareEntrepreneur #DoctorJourney #Premed #HealthcareInnovation #MedSchoolPodcast #SJSM

In this episode of Med School Minutes, we sit down with Dr. Arthur Burnett, a Johns Hopkins urologist, researcher, and professor whose work helped unlock the science behind Viagra and reshape how medicine understands male sexual health.

In recognition of Black History Month, we reflect on Dr. Burnett’s groundbreaking career, his impact on men’s health research, and the importance of representation and mentorship in medicine.

From nitric oxide and vascular health to aging, prostate cancer, and longevity, this conversation explores how scientific discovery shapes both medicine and culture, and what future physicians should know.

🎙️ Topics covered:
• The science behind erectile dysfunction
• Nitric oxide and vascular health
• Aging, longevity, and prostate cancer
• Representation and mentorship in medicine
• Why there’s no shortcut to becoming an MD

00:00 Introduction & Episode Overview
00:41 Meet Dr. Arthur Burnett (Johns Hopkins, Urology & Research)
05:50 The Science Behind Viagra and Nitric Oxide
12:42 How ED Research Changed Medicine and Culture
23:05 Aging, Longevity, and Men’s Vascular Health
28:10 Prostate Cancer, Screening, and What Men Should Know
38:43 Representation, Mentorship, and Diversity in Medicine
47:44 Advice for Future Physicians and Final Thoughts

#MedSchoolMinutes #MensHealth #MedicalPodcast #Urology #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #SJSM

In this episode of Med School Minutes, we’re joined by Dr. Soenita Nannan Panday-Gopisingh, Course Director of the Tropical Medicine Program and Chief Medical Officer of one of the world’s oldest continuously operating hospitals in Suriname 🌍

Dr. Nannan Panday-Gopisingh shares her journey from medical training in the Netherlands to leading healthcare initiatives in Suriname, offering insight into tropical diseases, global health systems, and why these conditions are no longer limited to specific regions of the world 🌿

The conversation explores real-world medical training, emerging infectious diseases, and the role of tropical medicine in preparing future physicians for today’s global health challenges.

00:00 Introduction to Med School Minutes
01:27 Meet Dr. Soenita Nannan Panday-Gopisingh
03:13 From Clinical Care to Hospital Leadership
06:40 Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases in Suriname
11:17 Inside One of the World’s Oldest Hospitals
15:56 Modernizing Care and Neonatal Innovation
20:55 Why Suriname’s Healthcare System Stands Out
24:34 Why Tropical Medicine Matters Today
31:04 Emerging Diseases and Global Health Challenges
40:31 Closing Remarks

#MedSchoolMinutes #TropicalMedicine #GlobalHealth #InfectiousDiseases
#InternationalMedicalStudents #CaribbeanMedSchool #FutureDoctors #SJSM

Suriname is officially malaria-free 🇸🇷 but the story behind that achievement is even more inspiring. In this episode, Dr. Stephen Vreden shares how a small country used community trust, local health workers, and innovative public health strategies to eliminate a disease that affects millions worldwide.

We also explore how SJSM’s new Tropical Medicine Program gives future physicians hands-on experience in both city hospitals and remote jungle clinics. 🌿
A must-watch for anyone interested in global health, infectious diseases, or real-world medicine beyond the classroom.