I'm IZUVATH ISMAIL and this is My Medical Student Life

By Nabeel Ibrahim Published on 26/02/2019

I'm IZUVATH ISMAIL and this is My Medical Student Life

Aminath Izuvath Ismail (Izz) was a member of the Maldives Under 21 National Netball Team. She was also among the best 7 players in the Inter-school Netball Tournament during her Higher Secondary education. The 22-year-old left for Medical School after working in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) for nearly 3 years. She has already won 2nd place in her batch after her 1st semester in Grodno State Medical University. It was a pleasure for me to interview Izuvath for My Medical Student Life.

Nabeel Ibrahim

Published on: 26/02/2019

Belarus First Year Grodno State Medical University Aminath Izuvath Ismail

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University
Grodno State Medical University

Current Year
First

Medical Specialty Interested in
Cardiothoracic surgery/Psychiatry

One Word that Describes You
Determined

Most Intriguing subject in Medical School
Anatomy

What was your path to Medical School like?

I studied O’ Levels in Aminiya School and joined CHSE for my A’ levels. I did a combination of Physics, Chemistry and Mechanics along with CPE. At the time, I chose not to do Biology, because I was not interested in pursuing Medicine as a career.

Right after graduation, I worked in Excel Pre-School as an Assistant Teacher for 2 months and later worked in IGMH as a receptionist/clinical assistant for nearly 3 years where I got both clinical and administrative experience.

During the time I worked in IGMH, I took private tuition in A’ level Biology from Shabeena Miss and sat for exams. As soon as I got my results, I found out that student loans were discontinued for studying Medicine abroad. There was a huge financial pressure on my parents and due to this, I had to reconsider my initial choices.

Medicine in this region was comparatively affordable than in Asian countries. At the time I had heard about GrSMU from several friends and some were already studying here. So, I applied and was set to start my first year of Med school in September 2018.

What was the biggest difference between your expectations of entering Med School when you were doing A'level, and the actual experience of being there?

No one told me that it was going to be an easy path. In fact, some of the doctors I had worked with discouraged seeking Medicine. So, I prepared myself for the biggest challenge of my life. However, only after coming here did I realize that I had to change my entire study routine because unlike in A’ levels everything is not spoon-fed.

How is your daily routine like?

I usually wake up around 7:30 am to get ready for classes which start at 8:30 am. Every weekday I have around 2-3 classes and one lecture almost every weekday. I have lunch from a nearby cafe’ or bring my own lunch if I get a short break in between classes to save time. I finish classes around 5 pm and I head home.

Every other day I try to go to gym for an hour because it is a great way to relieve stress. By evening, I have my dinner whilst watching series on Netflix.

I have two routines. I either study for the next day and sleep around 12 pm or sleep and then wake up around 3 am and study and try to squeeze a small nap after Fajr.

Discuss your decision to pursue Medicine. When did you decide to become a physician and why?

I decided to study Medicine only after I joined IGMH. Working with inspiring doctors like Dr. Mohamed Shafiu, Dr. Ali Shafeeq, Dr. Nasra Shareef, Dr. Shooga Moosa, to name a few, guided me to make this decision. I built up a keen interest in Medicine after the exceptional amount of experience in the field.

Which qualities do you look for in a Doctor?

Compassion, because patients would prefer someone empathetic to their needs when they are vulnerable.

Name your favorite medical text book.

Atlas of Human Anatomy by Frank H. Netters, MD

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now in the Medical field?

Hopefully doing my Post-Graduate, in sha allah.

What is the most effective way to study in Medical School?

Be organized and prepare for the lesson before hand. I found it effective to make notes for the classes every day. Writing by hand improves your ability to remember things. I also try to find related videos on YouTube and make notes accordingly.

Do you need High grades to become a decent doctor?

While high grades indicate good knowledge on the subject, it is not the only quality which defines a decent doctor. You should not just study to get good grades but also to keep the knowledge in your long term memory and prepare yourself for the future.

Moreover, you should have a combination of compassion, empathy, humility, and emotional intelligence, that simply cannot be graded on a piece of paper.

Finally, what is the one tip/advice you want to give to our readers?

I am just going to give you one piece of advice.

Do not compete with others, compete with yourself.

The My Medical Student Life series was created for the sole purpose of helping medical students and aspiring doctors on their journey to become a successful Maldivian Healthcare Professional. Have a suggestion, idea or question? Email us.