Hard work pays off for aspiring orthopaedic surgeon

An aspiring orthopaedic surgeon is the nation’s top performing male student in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Shane Cadogan, the son of dentist Dr Simone France and banker Andre Cadogan, secured 13 subjects this year and one in 2016, as a student of the St Vincent Grammar School (SVGS).

In 2016, he wrote Mathematics and secured a grade one pass and this year, he also returned grade one passes in English Literature, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Information Technology, Physical Education, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, French, Spanish and Additional Mathematics. He is the only local student to have secured a grade one pass in Additional Mathematics.

“It was a lot of pressure and hard work and now that it’s finally done and I see the results, I am happy that I did what I was supposed to do,” Shane told SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday.

He now moves on to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC), after which he is hoping to proceed to a university in the United States to pursue studies in medicine.

Shane, giving his recipe for success, spoke about always being focussed and working hard.

“…It’s going to be hard at some points when the pressure will be on, but put down the phones and focus on the exams. It is only one set of exams; it’s just one thing, so try to do your best,” Shane offered during an interview at the Anglican Pastoral Centre.

Shane, a national swimmer and a member of the Black Sands Swim Club, is also a former head boy at the SVGS and the school’s 2017 valedictorian.

In 2012, Shane placed second overall and first for boys in the Common Entrance Examinations.

“I thank God for all that I have achieved so far, because without him, nothing is possible. I also thank my parents for motivating and keeping pressure on me and I thank my teachers and grandparents,” commented Shane, who noted that his swimming helped him by giving him an outlet when the pressure was too high.

Two other SVGS students recorded passes in 13 subjects, with one student gaining 12 passes. Six recorded 11 passes.

Overall, the school recorded a pass rate of 87.64 per cent in 2017. This represents a 6.9 per cent decline from the 2016 figure of 94.54 per cent. Some 132 fifth form students sat the examinations. The school had the third highest pass rate on the island.

There were 100 per cent passes in eight subjects; four subjects recorded passes in the 90s; five recorded pass rates in the 80s and six in the 70s. There were two subjects which recorded a pass rate of less than 50 per cent.   

The school entered students for Additional Math for the first time this year, while for the second year in succession, 30 fourth form students sat Mathematics under an accelerated programme.(LC)