We, the SGU term-5 medical students, are all trying to succeed, and we need the Dean of Students, the Vice-Chancellor, and other administrative staff to hear our voices. We want to extend our gratitude to the faculty members and administrators for their hard work over the past year. On January 31, 2022, St. George’s University Vice-Chancellor announced the full return of SGU students for the August 2022 term. While we respect the work put into this decision, we strongly believe term-5 students should retain the option for hybrid learning for the following reasons.

SGU prides itself on being student-centric. However, abruptly shifting term-5 students to in-person learning just for 4-months can negatively impact their social, financial, and mental wellbeing, affecting their academic capabilities.

During an unpredicted rising NEW COVID cases on the campus, the rising expenses for flights, rentals, and cost of living in the US and Grenada, many students of all ages are going through hardships to move to Grenada, or it could be almost impossible for them without a remote option for this short period (4 months). A remote option could protect our family from these hardships and help us to be able to focus on our medical school dreams.

Because of medical issues or other conditions, some family members and kids didn't fully vaccinate or vaccinate at all. Still, they should come with their parents/caregivers to the island. How do school administrators guarantee that no COVID-19 concerns are there for these people? Through mandatory in-person moves, SGU directly accepts the responsibility for any health issues for those people. Please confirm that your welcoming schedule is included to get the safety issues for all the students and their families. Please clarify all the school administrators confirm and guarantee that the school campus and island resources are capable to create a completely safe environment for "all the students and their families" regarding the new COVID outbreak by this mandatory in-person decision.

In addition to the COVID outbreak in St. George, families cannot afford to pay the rental in the US and Grenada simultaneously due to the significant cost rise. They also cannot quit their jobs to join us without a job opportunity and stay for four months in Grenada. They will lose all savings, creating emotional and mental health issues for the kids and ruin their education, moving them from this school to school and then back again just because of a 4-months mandatory trip. If moving to the island was for living for a long time (at least a year), that was ok, but it is not moving to the island. It is not affordable for many families to pay two separate living costs and trip expenses. It is just an additional financial burden for a 4-month trip, not moving and living in Grenada.

If that was for a long time, like a year or more, that was possible for all of us and was pleasant for our family and kids. In that case, that was not a 4-months trip, but living on a beautiful island with the family and kids. Our family could work there, and our kids could also raise there. We wanted to live there when we applied, but because of the pandemic, that was not possible, unfortunately. Now, the whole family can’t move there just for 4 months, and it’s not affordable to pay for two separate family expenses. For example, an average expenditure for a one-way flight from the USA to Grenada was about US$250 during the peak season between January and May. For travel outside those dates, you could find flights for under US$200. You know better the flight situation now, so there is no need to go into details, the same for apartment and car rentals and the increased cost of living in St. George.

These are permanent concerns for the term-5 students regarding this mandatory trip to Grenada; delaying term-5 or taking a leave of absence cannot resolve the issues under any circumstances for the remaining 4-month of our term before the clinical rotations. Our spouses cannot quit their jobs for 4-months to come with us just because they cannot pay for two rentals and accommodation expenditures. They must keep their current position to survive, which is not affordable to pay double the cost of living, one for us for 4-months on the island and one for the rest of the family and kids somewhere else, and the first month and the last month rent upfront. Without a secured career for the family, it will be detrimental to many of the term-5 students to survive.

That “mandatory trip “to the island will also consume all our precious time for step1 preparation for moving from somewhere to the island and back in a short period. If the family and kids want to come with us, that is the same, seeking a new job, going back to a new school in December.

For these reasons and many more, we humbly request St. Georges University reconsider the in-person mandate and continue allowing hybrid/online learning for the term-5 students.