Dr. Prashanth Senthil was driving to his internal medicine residency at Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit when he happened upon a car accident involving three vehicles. Senthil was quick to act, using his car to block off traffic, and providing first-response treatment until EMS arrived 40 minutes later.

Senthil told Fox News Detroit, “I kind of just did what I had to do. It’s part of, I think, being a good human, Good Samaritan. If I’m in an emergency situation, I’d hope somebody could be there to rescue me.” When surveying the scene, he noticed small flames and fluids dripping from one of the crashed vehicles. Despite the obvious danger, Senthil acted selflessly, ensuring all injured parties were saved from any further disaster. All victims are now expected to make a full recovery.

Senthil was in the first graduating class of UMHS, a new St. Kitts based medical school owned by Caribbean medical school pioneer Warren Ross. Since the 1970’s, Caribbean medical schools have been the most popular alternative for American and Canadian students unable to gain admission to competitive domestic schools. Unlike many of the corporate and hedge fund backed for-profit institutions, UMHS was built on the principle of providing a true alternative medical education that could compare in quality to any US school.

Each year, thousands of applicants like Senthill are denied from a US or Canadian medical school. Despite their motivation, compassion and courage, a less than perfect GPA or MCAT score can curtail a student’s dreams. Many of these students are told by their premed advisors to give up or seek other career paths. The unfortunate truth is that a large portion of educators refuse to acknowledge the value of foreign medical schools.

With the doctor shortage in the US expected to increase to 150,000 by 2025, something must be done to prevent a future health crisis. Schools like UMHS that take a more holistic approach to admissions, yet still offer a true quality education are one such solution.

Thanks to Dr. Senthil’s persistence to realize his dream, and the availability of alternative education paths, all of those involved in last Friday’s accident received the medical care they deserved.

About UMHS:

The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) is a Caribbean medical school, founded in 2007, offering a Doctor of Medicine degree program. Students begin their basic science studies in St. Kitts, West Indies, and complete their clinical training in teaching hospitals throughout the United States. UMHS prides itself on its state-of-the-art campus, small class sizes, high student retention, and excellent USMLE passing rates.

For more information about UMHS, visitors should check out the University’s website or Caribbean medical school blog: the UMHS Pulse. Prospective students, advisors and faculty can call toll free at 866-686-0380.