Dr. Joseph Mongone (RUSM ‘16) grew up in New Hyde Park, a town on Long Island, in New York. He never could have imagined that now, at the age of 28, he would be a physician, returning home to begin a residency in Anesthesiology at his hometown hospital, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine/ North Shore-LIJ in New Hyde Park. “I am beyond excited to have matched there,” he said. “I’m thrilled to be starting my residency so close to home and in an environment that I am so familiar and comfortable with and I know will provide me with amazing clinical training and opportunity.”

Dr. Mongone earned his undergraduate degree in Health Science from Boston University, but he said that he didn’t have a clear career path at the time. He began working in the NICU at Winthrop University Hospital in Long Island and found that he liked the environment. It inspired him to complete his pre-med requirements through a post-baccalaureate program, Sciences for the Health Professions Certificate at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, NY.

Why did he choose Ross? “I chose Ross University because after doing research into the school, interacting and working with residents who were Ross graduates, and hearing the positive experiences they had, I felt that it was the best place for a non-traditional student like myself to begin my journey to becoming a physician,” he said. 

What most attracted him to anesthesiology, he said, “is the very unique role that anesthesiologists fill every day. It is up to the anesthesiologist to understand, comfort, and reassure patients while they are about to experience one of the scariest moments of their lives in undergoing surgery. To be able to make patients feel comfortable and reassured in their greatest time of fear and need is something I look forward to doing on an every-day basis during my career as an anesthesiologist.”  

In 2020, 91% of RUSM students passed the initial step of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) on the first attempt. And in 2022-2023, results show yet another strong year for RUSM with a 97% first-time residency attainment rate* thus far. Located on the island of Barbados and with a network of more than 15,000 alumni, RUSM is one of the largest providers of doctors for the U.S. healthcare system. RUSM graduates practice in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico.

*First time residency attainment rate is the percent of students attaining a 2023-24 residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2022-23 who were active applicants in the 2023 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match.