Zahra Hussaini witnessed the fall of Kabul firsthand, losing friends and classmates along the way. These experiences, alongside limited access to basic healthcare in her home country, inspired her to pursue medicine as both a rewarding career and a profound life purpose.
The fall of Kabul in 2021 took place in the same year I graduated from high school. In the midst of all this change, I chose to study medicine. For me, the ability to touch lives and make a difference as a doctor was the most rewarding path I could follow. I see this as more than a profession. I consider it my life’s purpose to serve humanity in this way.
Whilst in this modern age, health concerns can be efficiently addressed with technology and qualified professionals, in countries such as Afghanistan, providing basic health support is still a challenge. A recent example is the shortage of healthcare support in the earthquake zone, resulting in preventable deaths.
I chose medicine not only to practice as a doctor but also to contribute to strengthening my country’s health system and to pass on knowledge to future generations of doctors. My motivation deepened during school, where I witnessed classmates and friends lose their lives in attacks on educational institutions. Many of them shared the same dreams and ambitions as mine—to one day serve as doctors. To honour their memory, I feel a personal responsibility to pursue what they were unable to complete.
With this purpose guiding me, I sat the medical university entrance exam and applied for the Linda Norgrove Foundation scholarship. Through my exam results, essays, interviews, and English proficiency, I was awarded both admission to medical school and the scholarship that enabled me to begin my studies.
Studying during that first and final year after the Taliban’s takeover, constantly reminded me that education was reserved for boys and that my presence at the university was wrong. Access to facilities such as the library, sports, and recreational activities was exclusively allocated to boys. Additionally, increased brain drains due to the change of the regime significantly contributed to the quality of education.
Despite these rapid new changes, girls could adapt well, and so could I. However, that final chance at education was cut short in less than a year, and in December 2022, there has been a complete ban on formal education for girls. Faced with this unimaginable crisis, the Foundation launched a programme that gave 20 of its 90 medical students the chance to continue their studies in Scotland.
To seize this opportunity, I had to overcome every obstacle – sitting the IELTS exam, passing university and visa interviews, obtaining my family’s consent, securing university admission, and preparing myself psychologically to abandon everything I knew for a long time.
The Foundation organised the logistics and ensured that eligible students met the criteria, and on 19 August, 19 of us departed from Pakistan International Airport to commence a pre-med course at the University of Glasgow.
I had previously been informed about the differences in the education system, culture and language, which helped med to settle in. My main difficulties however were being a perfectionist, aiming for perfect grades, not balancing studies and life, and trying to fit into groups I did not belong to. What saved me was seeking help at the right time from the right people, my advisor and my family. Shifting my mindset from perfectionism to progression, balancing studies and life, and realising that establishing friendships in a new country requires time and patience, enabled me to academically perform better and secure admission for the MBChB. To broaden my experience, I transferred to the University of Edinburgh, where I am now officially a medical student.
Reflecting on what I have gone through, my message to medical students would be to prioritise your studies while keeping a balanced life. And to appreciate the opportunity, facilities, freedom, and time you have to learn the skills to save lives. Many people wish to access only a quarter of the facilities you have. To international students, don’t consider English as a standard to prove how smart you are. It is a tool enabling you to communicate. So, speak English to get used to it by joining societies and making friends with the right people.
To my country’s girls in Afghanistan, your success and happiness do not have to be dependent on flying and studying abroad as the ultimate goal, because at the end of the day, what you will be truly proud of, as I am, is your commitment to the process for daily progression. So, trust the process and rise to the level of your goals.
