The AUA Alumni Association’s mission is to establish a lifelong link between members of the alumni community, and between the alumni and student communities. The Association will address the needs of its members by offering opportunities to help advance their medical careers, and by attempting to connect them with other medical professionals, political leaders, and speakers bureaus.
Listen to what our Alumni have to say about their journey towards becoming successful doctors. Inspiring stories of students who strived and succeeded with AUA.
Dr. Peter N. Sayegh is a dedicated cardiologist currently serving the Hudson Valley region. As the owner and president of Cardiology of Hudson Valley in New City, NY, and an attending physician at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers, NY, he provides comprehensive cardiac care to his patients. Dr. Sayegh completed his Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital, following his Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship and Internal Medicine Residency at the same institution in New York City. Board-certified in Cardiovascular Disease and board-eligible in Interventional Cardiology, he is affiliated with multiple hospitals including Montefiore Medical Center, Montefiore Nyack Hospital, and Saint John’s Riverside Hospital, demonstrating his commitment to serving diverse patient populations.
Dr. Nicklaus Bradley may wear a few different hats at his current job, but nothing beats getting to know patients in order to better help them.
SAVOY, IL, February 18, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ — Dr. Frantz E. Felix, MD, FAAFP has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected based on current reference value.
Dr. Devineni was originally born in India and moved to The United States at a young age. He spent most part of his childhood years in Chicago, IL.
I am profoundly grateful to the American University of Antigua (AUA) for providing me the esteemed opportunity to be part of the medical school experience. Furthermore, I extend my sincere gratitude to my residency program, the distinguished faculty, and my esteemed colleagues, all of whom have been remarkably helpful and supportive in equipping me for my future and in becoming a more competent physician.
I wish to take this moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for the journey I have undertaken in the medical field. Devoid of any guiding presence, I have diligently maximized the utilization of my training during my time as a Pre-Med student, Medical student, and Resident physician. I have had the privilege of witnessing patients recover and return to their normal lives, as well as those who have succumbed to their ailments without hope of recovery.
Amidst these profound experiences, I have been compelled to ponder the meaning of life and how one can optimize its potential, even if it necessitates going the extra mile to be of service to others. While I extend due credit to all those who have played a pivotal role in my life, I must also acknowledge the unwavering support of a more significant entity – my faith in God, the steadfast backing of my family (my mother, sister, and daughter), and the invaluable friendship of my peers.
If I were to offer a single piece of advice, it would be to embrace humility and demonstrate respect for all individuals. Although the notion of “Competitiveness” may appear promising for the future, it is the cultivation of these two traits that will propel one to greater heights. Furthermore, the keys to becoming a successful physician, aside from the acquisition of knowledge, lie in the realms of hard work, discipline, and the nurturing of meaningful relationships.
In summary, I firmly believe that there is no greater good than the service to one’s fellow human beings, and the medical profession is fundamentally about this selfless dedication, where a physician willingly sacrifices much each day to witness positive outcomes.
When I thought about starting my medical career I was nervous with the idea of going to AUA, but in hindsight it was one of the best decisions I ever made. In addition to a great medical education, I got to live on a beautiful island for 2 years, then rotate in different hospital systems in the United States for another 2 years. I got a lot of exposure and comfortable working with all types of people from different parts of the world. Learning different cultures, styles, and approaches to patient care let me become the best version of myself. I took what I had learned into residency, and then fellowship. I am now board certified in Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases with additional board certifications pending in both Critical Care and Critical Care Echocardiography. Although being a physician is a long process, it is one I thoroughly enjoyed. I met a lot of differences during my time in medical school, many of whom I stayed in touch with, and was fortunate to meet my now wife at AUA. I was able to complete my licensing to go back to my home province of Ontario to practice in my specialties and serve my community. I am grateful that not only did I meet my goal of becoming a physician in Canada, but I did so while having many enriching experiences and meeting amazing people along this journey. I will always be appreciative about taking that bold step to go to AUA.
Graduated AUA, applied to both USA and Canadian Residency Cycles but decided to stay in the running for Canadian residency, where at the time, you could not stay in both application cycles. I was offered jobs in the USA but I wanted to ultimately be home in Canada. I matched into my program of choice in Manitoba, Canada, as a Family Medicine Northern Remote Residency Program in July of 2023. Rural and remote training has given me the opportunity to hone on my procedural skills that I had the opportunity to learn while in my clerkship years at AUA. I’ve learned to adapt to a variety of clinical environments with large volume of patients, but with limited resources and staff.
As a current PGY-2, and upcoming graduate in 2025, I would like to continue my teaching work with the Undergraduate Medical Education for medical students, continue my mentorship and to execute plans for quality improvements in primary care. Current graduation plans include continuing my work with Indigenous and vulnerable minority populations in Northern Manitoba. Finally, my five-year goal is to open a multi-disciplinary clinic within Ontario, while also servicing Northern communities.
I am grateful for the quality education and experiences I had as a student at AUA. I can still remember the long days and nights in cold but quiet cubicles at the library, and the late night buses to get me home safely. I will forever be thankful for all the ups and the downs because without them, I would not be where I am today. This is something I’ve dreamed and prayed for every single time I was ready to give up. Being a doctor means that you have the power to change the world, and if you care enough, you can. I aim to make change by integrating my knowledge, power, and heart. This also means lessening the stigma surrounding international medical graduates and guiding future students towards success!
During my time at AUA, I have come to learn that nature and nurture are equally important. Ones drive to succeed is enhanced by ones nurturing environment. I found that nurturing environment in AUA. Thanks to that, I only seek out opportunities that allow me to flourish and improve not only my own skills, but to impact my surroundings in the best way possible.
Throughout my medical career from day one until today, patience has been a virtue I continue to try to master. I always have to remind myself that reality and book learning are different but equally important. Treat the patient as a person, apply the medical knowledge and don’t be hasty. Take your time to figure out things and your patients will appreciate you and your effort.
Patience for patients and self is key!
AUA helped me develop the skills to become a competent physician as well as having a rapport with my patients. AUA also helped me find my emergency medicine rotations which led me to where I am today. “
I was drawn to AUA after not achieving academic success with the MCAT. It was inspiring to see that a medical school valued my potential as an aspiring doctor despite my mcat score. I came to AUA shortly after graduating with a degree in Microbiology. I was exposed to the staff and fellow students who encouraged me to follow my passion of medicine.
I went onto a residency in primary care in the Beaumont Health system as I wanted to make a difference in my community. In residency, I was drawn to vulnerable and aging populations. The elderly is our fastest growing population in great need of care and attention. I completed a fellowship in geriatrics and started working exclusively with the underserved elderly. It’s amazing to see what spirit and lessons we can take back from our older population. It’s an honor to serve them and keep them healthy.
I’m now the medical director of a managed care geriatric practice in Houston, TX. Success in your career is easily achievable when you are passionate about what you do.
It’s never too late to start pursuing your passions you had to put a pause on during the rigours medical training and busy lives we create. Balance is the key! In the last few years I have finally got back into training mixed martial arts and specifically competing in Jiu Jitsu. The stress relief and mindfulness has unmeasurable positive effects on our day-to-day work life balance and with patients day to day. Get out there and do something that makes you happy!
I’m a PGY3 Internal Medicine Resident at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, New Jersey. I applied for a Cardiology Fellowship this year and I’m awaiting some good news. I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, attended high school, before emigrating to the US. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry and Mathematics from Texas A&M University-Commerce and taught High School AP Chemistry for five years. Medicine is my second career, AUA gave me an opportunity of a lifetime and I am forever grateful. I avidly engage in Community Outreach, fighting voraciously for Health equity and against Health Disparities while promoting Cardiac Health.
I graduated from AUA in 2013. Since my graduation, my career has taken me on a journey across the country where I have had the opportunity to train and work with several mentors who have guided me to my current path today. I knew early on that I wanted to work with children, especially children with cancer. My experiences in residency and fellowship provided me with the opportunity to gain an understanding about the pediatric oncology field and provide a hands-on approach to working with children and their families to ultimately cure them of their disease. I currently have a hybrid role where I work with children with leukemia while also taking care of patients undergoing bone marrow transplant. This dual role allows me to work with children with high risk disease and follow them from diagnosis to hopefully cure, while also being able to incorporate various immunotherapies for those patients who do not respond to conventional therapy. While this field presents many challenges, I find that the chance to work with my patients and their families is rewarding in being able to help them through this difficult process while also using the knowledge and experience from these situations as a platform to help future patients and their families.
AUA was instrumental in helping me achieve my goals, they cared about the students performing well and pushed us to be the best version of our selves, the faculty understood our pathway to success and helped guide us in right direction.
I would not be where I am today without the support of AUA and their professors. The foundation I developed in Antigua for thinking critically has shaped me for who I am today. I am forever grateful for the experiences AUA has taught me, and will always carry it with me during my medical career.
I wholeheartedly encourage all AUA students to persevere and maintain their diligent efforts, as there is undoubtedly a promising future awaiting them at the end of this challenging journey. Additionally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to AUA for granting me the invaluable opportunity to embark on this transformative path.
“AUA helped pave the way for my success. It set high standards, and ensured that students met rigorous challenges head on. Through a comprehensive network of clinical sites, students are afforded the opportunity to work with a plethora of specialists, and build an invaluable fund of knowledge. The critical thinking, and skills, that my time at AUA helped me to develop, continue to aid me in my care of patients to this day.”
Srikant Sivaraman, is a board certified General, and Vascular Surgeon. He graduated from AUA in 2012. He completed his General Surgery training at the University to Maryland, and Vascular Surgery training at Wayne State University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the Society of Vascular Surgery. He is passionate about Vascular Surgery, and Trauma.
It has definitely been a long journey! I am however grateful and humble to start the next chapter in my career in Internal Medicine! I am thankful and forever in debt for my family and loved ones who’s helped and supported me along the way. I thank the AUA family for preparing me for this rewarding career. My childhood dream is finally here!
I came to Antigua in 2009 and lived in Jolly Harbor, which was tucked away from most places and a great place to unwind. During free time, I definitely enjoyed what the island had to offer. In particular, I remember going to La Bussola for amazing food, followed by Connor’s to play pool (not sure if it is still around). I chose AUA because of the milestones it achieved in such a short period of time. They also finished construction of the new campus while I was there, which was impressive; though our class never got to fully enjoy it. Basic science and clinical rotations geared me towards board preparation, but it was the extended hours of self-study and staying disciplined that put things into perspective. Developing these traits at AUA really helped me achieve each milestone during medical school, residency and beyond. It has been 6 years since graduation, and I am working on a second fellowship sub-specializing in interventional neuroradiology. Best of all, I continue training in my home state of Texas, as a board certified neurologist. In retrospect, AUA was the initial “stepping stone” I needed to jumpstart my journey into medicine. And for that I am truly grateful.
I want to start off by saying that I am very thankful to AUA for these last 10 years. I started with premed in 2011 at AICASA, followed by AUA from there. I had one of the best experiences in residency at UIUC at Carle Foundation Hospital, which allowed me to continue following my dreams and currently be at University of Miami for Critical Care Fellowship. I have been both privileged and humbled with taking care and watching the progression of COVID-19 since March 2020 and currently working in strictly COVID MICU.
AUA is dedicated to the success and well-being of their students and will provide you all the tools you need to become successful and establish your career, just as they have provided me. I am grateful to AUA for giving me a chance when nobody else would.
