Name: Samrad Ghavimi
Hometown: Born in Iran, but moved to Coquitlam at the age of 8.
Undergrad University and major:
I actually completed my undergraduate right here at the University of British Columbia. I completed my major in general sciences and actually enjoyed it very much. The flexibility the degree offered me allowed me to take many diverse courses (both in the sciences and the non-sciences).
Why do you want to become a doctor?
This is the easiest and yet the most challenging question to answer. When I was in high school, I became very fascinated with the human body. I loved everything we learned with respect to the anatomy and physiology of the body (albeit it was at a very basic level). As I commenced my undergraduate studies, I decided to volunteer in hospital settings, while taking the courses that previously fascinated me. Sure enough, I could not think of a better career. The human interaction aspect of medicine along with my passion for the material made medicine the easy choice for me.
Are there any individuals who you look up to or aspire to be like in the medical field?
My family physician. I had the privilege of shadowing her a few years ago and in that time, I learned so much from her just from observing her. She taught me so many important lessons with respect to treating patients with care and compassion. I will especially never forget one thing she told me, which was “there will be some days where you will be very tired or frustrated, and miss the days where you had 8 hours of sleep. But always remember, however crappy your morning has been, pales in comparison to the patient you’re about to go and see. That individual is coming to see you scared, anxious and perhaps looking for a glimmer of hope from the visit. So put your problems aside, and give all your attention and care to that patient, and make sure to enter that room with the biggest smile you can, because it can go a long way.”
What kind of medicine do you hope to practice?
I think it’s far too early to tell. Everyone seems to have a sense of what they enjoy, but I know that in the next 4 years, we will all change our minds about 100 times regarding ‘what we want to be when we grow up.’ I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to go into every situation with an open mind. There is no sense in saying “I definitely don’t want to be a so and so,” because frankly, I have no clue what so and so really does. I just want to make sure I enjoy the ride and see as much as I can before making the ultimate decision.
What excites you the most about the next four years?
To be quite honest, for the first time in my life I can say that there hasn’t been a single day that has passed where I wasn’t excited to go to school. In my short time, I have met so many incredible people from such diverse backgrounds, which has made the journey that much better. I’m very excited about the level of knowledge that will be crammed into my brain over the next 4 years, while developing strong relationships with the people around me. Most of all, I’m excited for where the journey takes me. I’d love to look into a crystal ball and know what kind of doctor I will be. But until then, I’ll make sure to enjoy the ride!