Dear Students:

On my recent visit to St. Kitts I have met a lot of students at all levels in both MD and Premed programs. My visit to the campus was concerning many issues. I was overseeing the campus construction, meeting the contractor to start our new 2nd phase of 25 million dollar additional buildings, meeting the faculty to discuss several new programs for our students and many other issues.

Among them most important was “Motivating the students to study and work hard “and pass the school exams and USMLE exams. I know how it is being young going through medical school. I went through the same during my medical school years. I do not want you to consider me as the President of Windsor University but just a friend like any one of your friends.

I just don’t want you all to study and study, you should do everything like play sports, socialize, travel, watch movies and do many things that a growing young man should do. However it is very important to first know which direction you are heading in your life as far as career is concerned and also should know how and what it takes to accomplish your goal.

I want to help you all each one of them as a friend and not as a head of the school. What is important for me at the end of my life is not how much money I have or what assets I have but My goal is to make as many physicians as I can. It makes me feel good.

I want you all to organize yourselves in life. I want you all organize your study hours, practice tests, learn study skills, learn test taking strategies and run for the goal. I have spoken to so many students in the last 12 years motivating them to study and work hard to achieve success. I will continue to do so.

Please email me your cell phone number. If you have any questions I will call you as soon as I get a chance.

May GOD bless you all

Dr Gaddam
President
Windsor University

Dear Students:

I hope you received my last letter which addressed general issues. Today in this letter I like to communicate with you on some important issues. Let me first start by saying why Windsor is different than any other institutions. Before I express my opinion on any issues in the board meetings, faculty meetings, educational committee meetings, grievance committee meetings and any other meetings where I am a member and have to vote on a policy decision, I always place myself in the shoes of the student and a parent. This way if I were the student or if my son or daughter is attending Windsor what would I like to expect from an institution like Windsor. This helps me to express my view and vote on a policy matter in the committee meetings. I have always voted for the student. I always considered that Windsor is a big family and admin, faculty, students are all members of this big family. Family members do not hurt each other rather help each other. For me no one else other than student is important.

There will always be students with different personalities, different backgrounds, different behavior patterns, different personal problems, different academic problems and different non academic problems. Each one of us deserves a second chance. Each one of us need a shoulder to support to excel in education at Windsor. Some learn fast, some have difficulty learning fast, some study hard and do well in exams, some study hard but don’t do well in exams. Some have personal problems that block their studies, some have difficulty adapting to St. Kitts, some have economic problems and many other reasons. For me student is very important and it is a challenge to see that these students do well in their exams and keep moving in their life.

Now lets talk about the exams. I believe that in Basic Sciences students must be taught and tested the basic fundamentals of medicine. I believe that students must learn fundamentals of basic medical sciences at Windsor upon which he or she should be able to expand their knowledge through review programs and board preparation courses.

I will highlight below some of the best ways to be successful in the school and standard exams like USMLE, PLAB, Canadian and many other exams.

1. Always make a schedule, For example if you are in a semester of 4 months and have 3 subjects to read and take 3 final semester ending exams at the end of the semester, you must use the following table for organization:

I am always available to you all. I want you all to email windsoruniv@gmail.com your cell phone number and purpose of the call and I will return your call within 72 hrs.

Dr Gaddam
President
Windsor University

Dear Students:

I am taking time off my busy schedule to communicate with each one of you. I feel it is very essential as success of your school Windsor University depends on you. If you are successful we all are successful.
In this letter I am going to address some of the important points for all of you. Lets start by saying that “Hard work is extremely satisfying”. Changing your learning habits is not easy, you have to take charge and teach yourself. In medical school you must change the way you see yourself. You have to take charge and teach yourself. No school can teach you the way you learn the best,  so how much you learn and how well you do is up to you. It is always said that if there is NO PAIN THERE IS NO GAIN. It is your job to master the material so that you can do well in your exams. You have to do it and No one else can do for you.
Textbooks are the best resource from which to learn a subject. Reading once would not help, you have to repeat and the more you repeat by reading helps you better understand and apply the knowledge to do well in your exams. It is important to make a schedule and stick to it. Don’t make unrealistic schedules that you can do 6 major subjects in 30 days and pass the exams. Make a realistic schedule by assessing the amount of subject and number of pages or chapters that you have to read and not once, twice but thrice and must be able to make notes on index cards so that you can revise quick just before the exams and hit the exams.

Your marks on tests accurately reflect how well you understand the course subject matter. Your score is a good indicator of how much you have learned no matter who tests you in the subject you are learning.
I also want to tell you that you are going for a world’s standard exams like USMLE or Canadian exams and you must know that just by listening to your teachers and completing their assignments is not enough, you have to go back to your room and read the books line by line page by page.

I know that exams are frustrating, frightening but still you have to work hard, study and pass them. When you work hard and pass the exams there is nothing more rewarding and empowering.
Windsor cannot change the way you see yourself but you have to do it. I know that your attitude towards hardwork is very important and it has developed during your whole life time. It will not change overnight.

You have to see Windsor University in a new light and you will begin to feel different yourself. As usual my job is to help each one of you that is one of the reason I communicate with you frequently. Unlike many Presidents and CEO’s of schools I am always accessible and I have helped all the students and have never hurt anyone in my life and which you can judge yourself by looking at Windsor policies and comparing them with many other schools. Retake exam fees was only a reason for all the students to study hard and pass the exams on time. I have recommended for a drastic reduction in the retake exam fees as of January 2010. I will do the best I can in my life helping you all in everyway I can and rest I will leave it to ALMIGHTY GOD.
GOOD LUCK- WORK HARD -STUDY HARD-I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT

Dr Gaddam
President
Windsor University

STUDENTS WHO DO NOT DO EXAMS WELL OR HAVE TROUBLE WITH READING AND TEST TAKING SKILLS

1. Take Notes and Mark the paragraph in a chapter you are reading of that subject when studying for the exam
2. Take Notes on whatever seems important and if you own the text book you highlight which will reassure you and makes sure that you are not missing anything.
3. Just reading and highlighting is not important. You must concentrate or follow on what you are reading. Try not to deceive yourself.
4. Do not take far too many notes, Use abbreviations of your own words.
5. You read the text and take notes as you read on a Index card. Highlight anything that is important and Underline anything that is important.
6. You must reread your notes and highlighted or underlined points more than twice. As the exam is approaching in the following weeks you reread your notes as many times as possible.
7. You must build your understanding between the material that you read, highlighted, underlined, took notes on Index cards and any New Material by organizing and reorganizing the information
8. Before you begin reading you must know exactly what you’re reading so that you should know what you are looking for. You must warm up by looking at the chapter for a few minutes to figure it out as to what you already know. You go through fast to get an outline of the main subheadings and main points.
9. As you read you try to stay ahead to see what the author is about to say next. As you read you must be aware of the questions that are in doubt and arising in your mind. Write those down so that you can discuss with your fellow students or teachers.
10. As you read you need to decide what is important to take notes. Write the notes in your own words and not in text book language. Translate all your notes to abbreviations and symbols to simplify and remember in future. You must remember these for your tests. Finally Try to see how the material you already read in the chapters fits with the new information that you read in future or which you see anywhere or discuss with peers or teachers anywhere

Dear Students:

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a good holiday. For students who are coming aboard in January class of 2010 and for students who are returning from vacation, I like to welcome you all to St. Kitts.

I am happy to announce that January 2010 class of new students is the largest class Windsor University ever had with 250 students coming aboard. I like to welcome them all on behalf of our staff, faculty, admin and senor students.
I have communicated with you all in the past concerning strategies to study and take tests. This letter is in continuation of our previous communications.

I find it as very important for every student to make a conscientious effort at independent study. This means as a student you have to be dedicated to the time and effort in what you do. Independent study involves a disciplined honest critique and the ability to dig deeper than what is required.

To succeed there is no one direction you will need to know what is important to study, how much time you need to spend, who you want to study with, when you want to dedicate your time, the places and atmosphere to study and when to give yourself a break to rejuvenate.

GOALS:

Most of you when going to high schools and or college would memorize or read every chapter required. For the medical student this method would not give you enough time to absorb and understand the material before your exam. It is important that you establish parameters of learning to adjust your time for medical school. This involves identifying main ideas important concepts in breaking these down into what you need to concentrate on and what you can skim.

MASTERING THE ABILITY TO LEARN:

If you try to memorize, this will be ineffective. To learn involves several steps.
The first step of learning is to make sure that you understand what you read and what is taught. This will be from class lectures, internet sources, your required text books and other books along the same lines. Once the subject is understood it is easy to remember and to distinguish in what you know and what you do not know. Understanding brings about self confidence in your subject material.

The second step of learning is creating scenarios of what you have read and reapplying it to different ideas that are important to you. This involves doing this on a consistent basis rather than waiting till exam time to stay up several hours trying to prepare for the test. You can use bullet points as memory inciters where once you see a word or a phrase it should jog your memory to recalling the important aspects of that material.

The third step of learning is efficiency. This is how you score on your tests. When you are organized and consistent in studying you gain confidence with the material which in turn makes your apprehension towards tests less. You should be able to divide your time accordingly for all your classes.

Once these steps are achieved it makes your life easier consistent and you have a direction as to where you want to go.
To further help all students I have introduced Chapter wise exams; significantly lowered retake fees and a new Off-Campus library has opened in Birdrock with extended hours.

I will continue to work hard for you as usual.

Thank you and good luck this semester.

Dr Srinivas Gaddam
President-Windsor University