My Aspiration to Succeed in The Medical Profession

Montréal, January 15, 2018 To the admissions committee, Deciding to apply to medical school abroad was not a decision I took lightly. Even though studying medicine has been at the forefront of my mind since a very young age, I had to think long and hard before deciding to apply. During my teen years, being raised in Lebanon, I had the opportunity to see the work of Doctor’s without borders on the ground in the rural border lining towns. Due to political instabilities these towns were stuck in a war state long after the Lebanese civil war ended. Infrastructure was crumbling and medical services were non existing, the people relied on the the foreign volunteer doctors. Seeing the doctors in such a bare environment doing their best to keep their Hippocratic oath was a turning point. Advocacy and volunteering were an integral part in shaping the person I am today. I started as a girl guide where equality, compassion, respect of nature were all building blocks in becoming a responsible member of the community.

Later on, during my bachelor degree the core values I Picked up from guides, were translated in student societies involvement on campus, volunteering at the children cancer center of Lebanon and culminated in co-founding a food bank association in Lebanon named Stand by Me. I believe to be an effective member of the community you have to be involved, this is why when I moved to Montréal, I joined the Red cross Montréal chapter. In addition, I was part of the “Projet Montréal” (Montréal Project) electoral campaign, to help elect the first woman mayor in the history of Montréal. My motivation never wavered in trying my best to help others and standing up for what I know is right, and using my voice and actions to bring change around me. The medical profession is hard and one has to realistic in their expectations. It is not a 9 to 5 job, nor is it as glamourous as depicted in the media or as perceived by the general public as an infinite source of money. I know that the path towards a medical career is long and difficult, and the long hours as well as the responsibilities can be both physically and emotionally taxing, but the life long learning, stimulating experiences make it a fulfilling vocation. For my master’s project, I was hoping to do it in a clinical setting. I met with the chair of the department, after discussing my scientific interests, and aspirations he suggested that I do my project under the direction of Dr. Litalien, a professor in the department and a ER doctor at the Sainte Justine children’s hospital. This project was the most gratifying learning experience. Working in a hospital setting along side a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, pharmacist and laboratory technicians, highlighted the diversity and variety in the medical field, as well as the motivation and dedication in providing the best care to patients.

On the other side, I was faced with the unpleasant side of medicine: suffering and death. But seeing the medical team at Sainte Justine children hospital highlighted the importance of empathy and personalized approach while providing treatment. They truly embodied in their work the care for the emotional and physical wellbeing of their patients, a life long lesson I hope to always follow. My education path has been bumpy to say the least, I had several failures and sometimes giving up and settling seemed as the only option. In 2015 I learned the biggest lesson from my youngest sister who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She did her treatments while attending law school and her resilience and strong will lifted all of us up. She fought and never gave up, as I write this she has been on complete remission for a little over a year and is graduating from law school this summer. She inspires me everyday to work hard and I cherish every moment because life is fleeting. I didn’t take the easy way out, I didn’t give up on my dreams, I accepted that the journey might be long and maybe unconventional, but I took it on. I have learned from my failures, and I am determined on succeeding. When I think of attending school in Ireland, Crossing the Atlantic is the first thing that comes to mind, I feel like Ishmael setting sail in search of Moby dick. Trepidation and excitement fill me, leaving my safe cocoon seems like a small price to pay in order to reach my full potential. I truly believe that the curious mind, the enthusiasm, the hard working will to succeed in what I perceive as the most fulfilling vocation.