I Thought the World Was Black and White Until I Lived in the Gray

Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

When I was six, my dad asked me what I wanted to become in the future. I responded I wanted to be a physician. My dad and my mum exchanged glances. “Why on earth would anyone want to be anything else? How do other professions help humanity? They are just interested in making money. There is no nobility in that.”

When I was sixteen, my dad asked me the same question. I gave him the same answer I had given him 10 years ago. This time around, my mum spoke up: “Studying medicine is stressful. Pick something simpler.” My dad then said: if she wants to read medicine, let her read medicine.”

My mum was mostly right. To get into medical school was tough. The cut-off marks were very high. I had to do the exams repeatedly before I got in. Then, when I got in, staying put was even harder. The exams were endless. For some students, many times, resitting exams was the norm.

Ironically, when I started having real challenges in med school, it was my mum that held my hand through it all. About 15 years ago, I graduated. I wanted to work in public health so; I went and did a master's in public health.

What happened to my die-hard stance?

I started experimenting with my side business when I was in med school. My mum was an entrepreneur, and I sometimes marketed some of her goods while in school and after I took my first job.

A few times, I sold a bit of this and that on the side outside of my life as a clinician. After I had my master’s, I wasn’t so fixated on being a physician anymore. I knew my next role could take me anywhere. It did.

I worked as a team leader in a start-up wellness clinic. My employer had stated categorically that I wasn’t being employed just to see patients. There was an expectation by management that I would help to expand the business beyond offering excellent patient care. This would involve marketing.

Within 2 years, I grew exponentially and exhibited lots of skills that I sure did not learn in medicine. It was exciting. Of course, by then, I believed and saw that there was more to occupational life than a physician’s office. I lived it.

To market our services and increase awareness of our brand, my team and I had to do graphic design. Where we failed, we paid graphic artists to do the job. We became very adept at social media campaigns.

There were days when all we did was write proposals or design flyers with abridged price lists. Another week would come and that would be for business presentations or pitching or vendor bidding. The list was endless. For those who know, there’s just this thing with start-ups.

After spending two years as the team leader, I resigned to migrate to North America. By then, my mind was open. I knew I could become anything besides a physician.

In my first year, I dabbled in multi-level marketing. The next year, I took a course in health informatics. A year after that, I enrolled in a course in clinical research and mental health.

One day, my dad called me and advised me not to walk away from medicine. He reminded me that too many sacrifices had been made. I couldn’t shake that thought.

Today

I own a small business in aloe vera skincare and wellness. Monthly, I also pay a currency trading company to trade cryptocurrency for me. They pay me bonuses weekly averaging 2–3%.

This month, I started distributing new sets of health products to new distributors. In addition, I write weekly on this platform. So much for that lack of nobility in non-medical professions!

As for my 9 to 5, I work with a family physician as his assistant. A lot of my work is administrative. Other times, he rubs his mind with me on clinical issues. Why? He knows I will practice medicine soon.

When I have my kids, I won’t dissuade them from whatever path they choose. I’ll let them know, though, that life can be full of surprises.

“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” ― George Bernard Shaw