Zahra, one of the Afghan medical students supported by the Foundation in Scotland, reflects on managing the ups and downs of university life at the end of her second year.
Gaining admission to the MBChB programme at the University of Edinburgh, after four years of uncertainty since the universities closed in Afghanistan, was a personal victory for me over the challenges and people who tried to hold me back.
This achievement has given me a sense of stability and prompted me to reflect on the valuable aspects of university life, such as exploring my interests, enhancing my CV, building my academic network, and forming meaningful friendships.
As it was my second year living independently, I felt more confident in managing the ups and downs of uni life. Ice skating and strength workouts, eating a balanced diet, taking better financial decisions, choosing supportive friends, and prioritising my workload, have all helped me manage my time and energy more effectively.
This year, I especially enjoyed engaging with the real world of medicine by discussing clinical scenarios, interpreting medical images and tests, and interviewing patients. I was also proud to become an ATLAS (anatomy teaching laboratory additive scanning) ambassador, which allowed me to co-deliver an anatomy workshop at a school and volunteer at various events.
Another highlight of the year was joining Malala Yousafzia, while visiting a school in Edinburgh. Visiting the school took me back to my school days, when security threats were constant, and facilities so limited that my classroom was a tent for many years.
It is vital that children and young people have access to good teaching and educational facilities. Even though there are significant barriers in Afghanistan, our desire to learn and thrive cannot be silenced.