I'M BECOMING A DOCTOR, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE NUMB.

Before I took this path, I was a girl with a passion for science and interests in other things like music, writing and sports. Now, being privileged to chase my passion, I have become too greedy to leave those interests completely behind.

Make no mistake, I prioritize my academics—sometimes over my mental health—and I understand the place of sacrifice, especially for the things you really need. However, my interests and the way I enjoy them are things I am convinced differentiate me from the next person.

My voice is amplified when I write. I am happier when I sing with my friends. And a match of badminton on Saturday prepares me for the week ahead, besides the obvious health benefits.

These are not things I can completely look away from. They're part of my personality. They're my home.

Medical education can be so exam-focused that sometimes, you lose yourself without even realising it.

But what about the heart? The soul?

What do you do to keep them alive?

I never want to lose who I am outside my school curriculum—a writer, a music lover, a sports enthusiast.

There is a mother behind the newborn we are trying to keep alive. There is a family behind the diagnosis. There is fear behind some symptoms, and sometimes shame behind others. And there is often a story we may never hear if we are too focused on treating the disease to see the person.

I want to be able to give my heart to these people when my career demands it, and I believe I can only do that by keeping my soul alive.

This is why I value opportunities to learn outside my curriculum. Every new perspective reminds me that becoming a doctor is not just about becoming more knowledgeable. It is also about becoming more observant, more compassionate and more willing to keep learning.

I am still a medical student. I am still figuring out the kind of doctor I want to become. But I know I don't want to stop at being competent.

I want to remain human.

Side note: I recently attended a workshop on Nutrition in Preterm Infants, held in Istanbul from September 9–11 under the Nestlé Nutrition Institute, and received a Certificate of Participation. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more about an area of medicine that reminds us just how much the earliest stages of life matter.

Here’s to learning—not just to pass the next examination, but to become better at caring for people.