Skip to main content

Learn More About RUSM's COVID-19 Response

Home

Mobile navigation

  • Admissions
    • Admissions Overview
    • How To Apply
    • Admissions Requirements
    • Admissions Assessment
    • Events
    • MCAT
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Scholarships
    • Canadian Applicants
    • HBCU & HSI Partnerships
    • Career Changers
    • Transfer Applicants
    • Med School Readiness
    • Take a Campus Tour
    • Parents Guide
    • PreMed Advisors
  • MD Program
    • MD Program Overview
    • Why RUSM
    • Curriculum
    • Academic Resources & Student Support
    • MD/MPH
    • Faculty and Staff
    • Residency Appointments
  • Student Life
    • Student Life Overview
    • Housing
    • Barbados
    • Campus Services
    • White Coat Ceremony
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Safety & Security
    • Merchandise Store
  • About
    • About Overview
    • Accreditation and Approvals
    • FAQ
    • Facts and Figures
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Information By State
    • Newsroom
    • RUSM Podcast
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Ross in the Media
    • Virtual Video Tour
    • Mission and History
    • Dean
  • Request Info
  • Apply
    • Start Your Application
    • Continue Your Application
    • Submit Your AMCAS Application
    • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
    • Submit Your TMDSAS Application
  • Apply Now
    • Start Your Application
    • Continue Your Application
    • Submit your AMCAS Application
    • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
    • Submit your TMDSAS Application

Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • SnapChat

Utility Navigation

  • Apply Now
  • Request Info

Secondary Mobile Menu

  • Current Students
  • Events & Webinars
  • Information for
    • Alumni
    • Admitted Students

Secondary Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Events & Webinars
  • Information for
    • Alumni
    • Admitted Students
    • Current Students
Search
Cancel Search
Home Home

Main navigation

  • Admissions

    Admissions

    We’re ready when you are. RUSM offers three session starts in January, May, and September to allow you to start your MD journey when it’s convenient for you.

    • Admissions Overview
    • How To Apply
    • Admissions Requirements
    • Admissions Assessment
    • Events
    • MCAT
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Scholarships
    • Canadian Applicants
    • HBCU & HSI Partnerships
    • Career Changers
    • Transfer Applicants
    • Med School Readiness
    • Take a Campus Tour
    • Parents Guide
    • PreMed Advisors
  • MD Program

    MD Program

    We are committed to providing our students with a range of global medical opportunities that will enable them to develop the kinds of life and professional skills that will make them stand out in residency, and beyond.

    • MD Program Overview
    • Why RUSM
    • Curriculum
    • Academic Resources & Student Support
    • MD/MPH
    • Faculty and Staff
    • Residency Appointments
  • Student Life

    Student Life

    We understand your demanding schedule as a medical student and our campus community was designed to meet your needs.

    • Student Life Overview
    • Housing
    • Barbados
    • Campus Services
    • White Coat Ceremony
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Safety & Security
    • Merchandise Store
  • About

    about

    Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) has been providing students with the foundation they need to pursue successful careers in medicine for over 40 years.

    • About Overview
    • Accreditation and Approvals
    • FAQ
    • Facts and Figures
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Information By State
    • Newsroom
    • RUSM Podcast
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Ross in the Media
    • Virtual Video Tour
    • Mission and History
    • Dean
  • Request Info
  • Apply
    • Start Your Application
    • Continue Your Application
    • Submit Your AMCAS Application
    • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
    • Submit Your TMDSAS Application
  • Apply Now
    • Start Your Application
    • Continue Your Application
    • Submit your AMCAS Application
    • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
    • Submit your TMDSAS Application

Related News

News
group photo of students in Barbados wearing white coats and face masks
The RUSM LGBTQ+ Doctors Association makes strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion
Supporting our LGBTQIA+ students
News
Drs Woo and Jimenez
Navigating Medical School and Beyond with a Physician Mentor
RUSM graduate Dr. Daniela Jimenez and her mentor Dr. Melissa Woo agree mentorship offers immeasurable benefits
News
Jannel Lawrence
Fourth-year RUSM student Jannel Lawrence fights COVID-19 misinformation with research
Her publication exposes inaccuracies and the effect on patient health

TAGS

BROWSE ARTICLES
Alumni News
Campus News
Care for Caregivers
Chief Resident
Diversity & Inclusion
Faculty
Residency Match
Student News
BROWSE ARTICLES
Career Changers
Medical School Tips & Resources
Medical Specialties
ABOUT RUSM

In 2020, 91% of RUSM students passed the initial step of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) on the first attempt. And in 2021-2022, results show yet another strong year for RUSM with a 95% 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.

Contact Admissions

Share

  • facebook
  • tiktok
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email

Breadcrumb

  1. About Ross University Schoool of Medicine
  2. News
  3. Jalen Jones Breaks Through Racist Obstacles

Medical Student Jalen Jones Breaks Through Racist Obstacles

Wed, 16 Dec 2020, by Heather L Hurtado

The George Floyd incident catapulted the issue of racism and unfair treatment of Blacks by police. But it was not the first demeaning and horrifying situation that needs attention. In fact, Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) second-semester student Jalen Jones encountered a near identical event in the spring/summer 2019. And until George Floyd’s story was told, Jalen kept his experience under wraps.

“When the cop tackled me, I knew I had to be as passive as I could be and let everything go because I didn’t want to die. I complied and stayed respectful, saying ‘no sir’ and ‘yes sir’,” Jalen recalled about the event. While attending the Medical Education Readiness Program (MERP) before matriculating into RUSM, he and a large group of MERP classmates traveled to a Ft. Lauderdale bar to celebrate the completion of an exam. While there, Jalen headed to an ATM located inside the bar.

“All of a sudden, one guy starts pulling at me. I immediately look at him so he could see my face and know I wasn’t whoever he was looking for. He grabs me again and then bouncers tackle me to the floor and said to get outside. There was the bar cop right there and he’s not hearing anything I’m trying to say, just listening to what these guys are telling him. I walked away and they started following me.

“It seemed like they were trying to provoke an action from me when I was being compliant. I pulled out my phone to call my friends and they assumed I was trying something suspicious. They tackled me and had a knee pressed on my neck. I couldn’t breathe. No one wanted to hear me because my words didn’t mean anything. They put me in cuffs and put me in jail for a day for a non-violent resisting arrest charge.”

Afraid to Share

Jalen was released 24 hours later, and his phone was flooded with messages from his family and MERP friends. He immediately called his parents who provided full emotional support. As for friends, Jalen only confided in one fellow Black MERP student. “I was so nervous and embarrassed about it. And frustrated. I didn’t understand what had happened and why. I didn’t know if I would have gotten the benefit of the doubt from anyone. He not only understood but he calmed me down and said, ‘don’t let this derail you and stop you from achieving your goal’.”

Jalen persevered and kept his secret. Until George Floyd ravaged the headlines. That’s when Jalen knew it was time to unburden himself and share his experience, going back to the friend group who had accompanied him to the scene of the crime. “They were surprised and felt bad for me.” The friends rallied around him, providing overdue comfort and peace of mind. “In hindsight, I think they would have reacted the same way then. It made me realize I shouldn’t assume how someone will respond.”

A couple days after the initial event, Jalen’s debit card was charged $100 on the night in question for a college test fee. “I knew it was a scam.”

Growing up in southern Ohio, Jalen experienced some racism, but nothing compared to the volume he encountered during his undergraduate years in Alabama. “People judge and assume they know you, what type of person you are and your goals in life, just because of the way you look. This type of ignorance can bring you to tears.”

Staying Aware

Raised by physician parents, the youngest of three children recalled his dad’s recurrent pep talk when dealing with police officers. “Don’t be confrontational and no sudden movements. Don’t walk around stores with hands in your pockets.”

Jalen had two childhood dreams — join the National Football League or become a doctor. While he was a powerhouse defensive back, corner and safety on the high school football team, and advanced to second string in college, an extensive injury decided his fate. He then switched paths, adding a white coat to his wardrobe. While his time at RUSM has been challenging, Jalen said he’s thankful for the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and further embrace his own ancestry.

“After George Floyd’s death, I wanted to create a video to show the unity of multiple races and hopefully progress for the future.” Jalen’s powerful video paints a vivid history of African Decent — before, during and after slavery. It is supported by the RUSM organization Black Male Doctors (BMD), of which he is an active member. The video concludes with several RUSM students standing in solidarity to support Jalen, BMD and a race that desperately needs support until all are treated equally.

“We are greater than the stereotypes and obstacles we face currently,” written in a BMD statement about the video, “and we will continue to prove that. We exhibit Black Excellence.”

 

RUSM Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce 

A group of 16 RUSM students, faculty, colleagues and alumni have begun leading a holistic review of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University and will deliver a report of short- and long-term recommendations within the next few months. This is the first of many steps to sustain change at the infrastructure level.    

As RUSM prepares to engage, train, educate, advocate and invest in this process to align with the Black community at our University and in all the underrepresented and marginalized communities in which we serve, we invite others to share feedback with us because we know the fight for social justice is a community collaboration. 

Ross University School of Medicine
Apply Now
Contact Admissions
Events & Webinars

Campus Address:

Two Mile Hill St. Michael
BB11093
Barbados

Admissions Address:

1600 SW 80th Terrace,
Suite106A
Plantation, FL 33324
Phone: 754-707-5547 
Email: Admissions@Rossu.edu

Connect with Ross Medical School

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • SnapChat

RUSM Footer Sub menu

  • Information For
    • Admitted Students
    • Alumni
    • Career Seekers
    • Current Students
  • NAVIGATE
    • About RUSM
    • MD Program
    • Admissions
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Student Life
  • News & Events
    • Events & Webinars
    • Blog
    • News & Press
    • Podcast
    • Academic Calendar

Academic Catalog | Student Handbook | Student Consumer Information | Online Cookie Policy | Accessibility Statement

© 2022 Ross University School of Medicine. All rights reserved.

CAAM-HP badge

Ross University School of Medicine is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP, www.caam-hp.org).

 

CAAM-HP is the legally constituted body established in 2003 under the aegis of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), empowered to determine and prescribe standards and to accredit programs of medical, dental, veterinary and other health professions education on behalf of the contracting parties in CARICOM.

 

Accreditation by CAAM-HP is a rigorous, peer review process which examines all aspects of a medical program. The CAAM-HP board, an independent and autonomous body of professionals, only certifies medical schools which are operating at the highest levels of industry standards.

 

Through this accreditation, the CAAM-HP provides assurance to medical students, graduates, the medical profession, healthcare institutions, and the public that programs leading to qualifications in medicine meet appropriate national and international standards for educational quality, and that the graduates have a sufficiently complete and valid educational experience.

Secondary Footer Navigation

  • Call
  • Chat
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • "Chat Now"