As a child, the situations around me made me very curious about the human body, human needs, and how to help others. As I grew older, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. For me, the road was not always so easy.
I grew up in Nigeria but had the dream of pursuing a career in medicine in The United States. It seemed unrealistic at first, but I soon realized that—even though it’s scary!—dreaming big is powerful. I worked hard in high school to possibly get a scholarship to study abroad, but things didn’t go as planned.
Life does not always go as planned
At this point, I started searching for alternatives to serve others without going to medical school. I came across the field of social work, and I was so sure that was my calling. After volunteering and working as a clinical social worker before and after college, I still felt like I had not started fulfilling my purpose.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to emigrate from Nigeria to The United States. My hopes were to move here, start medical school in the fall, albeit a little naive about how the system works. I stayed home for about a year, trying to figure out the educational system and deciding what to do next.
I knew I had a dream but was unsure if I was strong enough to attain it. I was broken-hearted when I heard I had to go back to college. To top it all, I had to start in natural sciences to meet the requirements, even with a social science background from my previous college. I knew it was going to be challenging, but I pushed on, focused on my dream.
I was fortunate to have my faith in God and to be surrounded by the best faculty members, family members, and friends who helped me throughout this transition. It was not an easy road, and there were days when I wanted to give up, but the memories of those who motivated me to pursue a career in medicine kept me going.
Don’t give up: Your dream is still attainable
In my junior year of college, I finally applied to medical school and was determined to keep applying until I got in. I was fortunate enough to get in on the first attempt, and I give God all the praise for that.
Now it was finally time that the medical school journey began. I thought, “Well, I’m in. Things will be smooth from here. This is what I dreamt of.” Well, things just got more difficult because it was a different lifestyle, different academic approach, different environment, and I had to figure out what worked best for me. Sincerely, there were days when I wanted to give up, there were days I broke down, and there were days I didn’t feel worthy, but I kept pushing, and somehow, I’m in my third year of medical school.
I will say it is not an easy road. Yes, I failed my first medical school exams, but I did not give up.
My advice to those reading this, don’t give up. The road might be rough, it might look impossible sometimes, but keep your eyes on the prize and keep pushing. Plans might change along the way, just keep your eye set on the end goal. The journey might be longer or shorter than planned, believe in yourself, and your hard work will pay off.
About Oluwatoyin
Oluwatoyin Ibironke is a third-year medical student at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. She is currently keeping her mind open regarding her choice of specialization but is leaning towards internal medicine, surgery, or pediatrics. During her free time, she learns Korean, watches K-drama, and sleeps.
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