My initial reaction on learning of my parents’ decision to move to the United States as permanent citizens was that of great ecstasy. This was understandable because it was a move to the land of opportunities that many around the world crave for. The year was 2008. However, nothing would have prepared me for the experience that awaited me in my would-be new country. In all honesty, I can say that navigating the adaptation or acclimatization process in the US has been my most challenging experience.
Getting to learn new cultures, new communities, and new languages of my country has been as challenging as it has been interesting to me. Try to fit in has had significant psychological, educational, and even health consequences on my person. As a young stranger in a new sophisticated community, my first test was to become connected and accepted among my native-born peers both in the neighbourhood and at school. I knew I would not succeed with the acculturation process without help, so I made the best of my interpersonal skills in seeking advice or explanation from lots of people – both old and young. While I sometimes faced rejection and alienation on cultural and racist grounds, I did my best to keep my calm and resolve. Overtime I have come that the ability to remain focused and collected under pressure or in stressful conditions is a necessary trait of a successful physician.
Similarly, I read wide about dealing with immigrating to such a unique and multicultural society as America. It has also come to my understanding that having the thirst for knowledge or being studious is a culture of any successful physician. From a young age, I have always taken interest in studying scientific and biological complexities especially those related to medicine. It also took much dialogue and convincing with my traditional parents who soon became concerned that I was fast drifting from the family own ethnic culture in favour of the new mainstream way of life of the Americans.
Having left a familiar socio-economic context together with an extended family network in my home country, I experienced the harsh side of culture shock. Moving with only my nuclear family to the US had meant forfeiting the comfort and support of strong kinship and friendship systems I was used to in my home country. As such, I had to redefine my roles within the family in the individualistic US society by taking on the role of helping fend for my not well-to-do family. I worked during summers and winters to help my family provide basic needs, but made sure to focus on my studies at the same time. Health problems have been a major issue to my family for the better part of the time we have been here in the US. The responsibility of taking care of sickly parents has always been mine, but the good health programs in this country have come in handy for such a poor family like ours.
To this end, I confidently attribute my immigration experience to the US as the main inspiration for my pursuit of a career in medicine. As a person originally from a country with poor healthcare systems, I am keen on acquiring skills in medicine so that I can help improve the health care systems there besides helping people around the world to lead healthy lives. I have been involved in a number of community service programs back in my home country, learning to be compassionate and helpful towards others. Most recently, I have been volunteering at the Strong Memorial Hospital’s patient discharge unit where I have gained valuable experience to help me pursue a course and eventual practice in the field of medicine.
