#Dr_Mahlet_Tesfaye; Ethiopia’s first and only female Cardiothoracic Surgeon!
"Medicine | General Surgery | Cardiothoracic Surgery; How I reached where I am today"
…
Like most kids growing up, I wanted to become a physician. I had a fair share of visits to a hospital as a child- mostly due to accidents caused by my playfulness- nothing serious-broken bones and bruises. My mom, a nurse would stride past all those waiting in line to see the doctor in charge- that made quite an impression on me.
…
But when I joined med school - I hated it. The first three years- I was miserable. I wanted to quit. I was so sure I had made a mistake. I loved numbers, they made sense to me. I was a math & physics SCOLÉ. I didn’t know what to do with all the reading. Worse was all the memorizing of Latin and Greek names (of bacteria, drugs, body parts and the before birth embryogenesis) that had no logic to it.
…
Fourth year in med school, we were given patients to clerk. That changed my life. All the reading started to make sense to me. I was transformed. I spent all my spare time in the wards. What am I saying? I spent all my time in the wards. That did not go unnoticed by my teachers. They encouraged me, pushed me and expected more from me. I pushed myself. I tried to learn everything I can to become a good doctor. It was not about the grades. It was about becoming the best doctor I can be.
…
I was not always hailed by my classmates. Some boys would say that it was because I was a girl that I was getting attention and better treatment from my teachers. To which I would reply- “of course, he’d rather look at me than you, wouldn’t you?”
…
Lesson learned- You should & can change your track to achieve what you set out to. Don’t be put down by what people say about you. Define yourself and what you want to achieve.
________________
Postgraduate -Surgery
…
After I graduated, and had been working for some time, I wanted to pursue surgery. Everybody told me not to. Everybody except few. Their reason was simple- there are no women in the field. PERIOD! And their argument- there are no women in the field for good reason- DUH!!!!!! IT IS SO physically DEMANDING that women cannot do it.
…
“You would be working for long hours. You would be attending lengthy procedures. You will have a hectic, stressful life. You will be on duty and working most days when everyone else is on holiday. You would not be able to enjoy your life. It can be draining emotionally. You will have no social life…You will not settle and lead a normal happy family life, that is if you can find someone to marry you. Being a doctor is bad enough, for your CV in the wanting to get married field, but becoming a surgeon is a suicide… There are easier ways of making money…”
…
I listened to every argument people came up with, and weighed it against what I’d miss if I settled, if I didn’t try. I brainstormed about the pros & cons of becoming a surgeon with my brother and sister. I prayed. I prayed to God to give me the strength. I trusted in Him. I knew I was strong enough to become a surgeon, and I didn’t think it was fair for anyone to ask me to sacrifice something I love doing.
…
When I sat for the entrance exam, nobody took me seriously. Most people thought I would join for the first year and drop out, they gave me a year, & then two, then they gave me till graduation, then that I would graduate but never continue to work.
…
Why did I decide to do it? In all honesty, I didn’t know that there were forbiddingly few women in the field, there are two female surgeons in the country preceding me, who graduated a decade ago. My teachers saw my interest in surgery and encouraged me to become a surgeon. In accordance with their recommendation and my passion, I applied. Then I learned that it was a “guys” thing. Nonetheless, I was not deterred. I told myself if I gave it my best and I fail that would be okay. But I did not want to let any one define what I can or cannot do.
…
If I had not done it, if I had shied away from pursuing my dream, I believe it was only a matter of time befo
"Medicine | General Surgery | Cardiothoracic Surgery; How I reached where I am today"
…
Like most kids growing up, I wanted to become a physician. I had a fair share of visits to a hospital as a child- mostly due to accidents caused by my playfulness- nothing serious-broken bones and bruises. My mom, a nurse would stride past all those waiting in line to see the doctor in charge- that made quite an impression on me.
…
But when I joined med school - I hated it. The first three years- I was miserable. I wanted to quit. I was so sure I had made a mistake. I loved numbers, they made sense to me. I was a math & physics SCOLÉ. I didn’t know what to do with all the reading. Worse was all the memorizing of Latin and Greek names (of bacteria, drugs, body parts and the before birth embryogenesis) that had no logic to it.
…
Fourth year in med school, we were given patients to clerk. That changed my life. All the reading started to make sense to me. I was transformed. I spent all my spare time in the wards. What am I saying? I spent all my time in the wards. That did not go unnoticed by my teachers. They encouraged me, pushed me and expected more from me. I pushed myself. I tried to learn everything I can to become a good doctor. It was not about the grades. It was about becoming the best doctor I can be.
…
I was not always hailed by my classmates. Some boys would say that it was because I was a girl that I was getting attention and better treatment from my teachers. To which I would reply- “of course, he’d rather look at me than you, wouldn’t you?”
…
Lesson learned- You should & can change your track to achieve what you set out to. Don’t be put down by what people say about you. Define yourself and what you want to achieve.
________________
Postgraduate -Surgery
…
After I graduated, and had been working for some time, I wanted to pursue surgery. Everybody told me not to. Everybody except few. Their reason was simple- there are no women in the field. PERIOD! And their argument- there are no women in the field for good reason- DUH!!!!!! IT IS SO physically DEMANDING that women cannot do it.
…
“You would be working for long hours. You would be attending lengthy procedures. You will have a hectic, stressful life. You will be on duty and working most days when everyone else is on holiday. You would not be able to enjoy your life. It can be draining emotionally. You will have no social life…You will not settle and lead a normal happy family life, that is if you can find someone to marry you. Being a doctor is bad enough, for your CV in the wanting to get married field, but becoming a surgeon is a suicide… There are easier ways of making money…”
…
I listened to every argument people came up with, and weighed it against what I’d miss if I settled, if I didn’t try. I brainstormed about the pros & cons of becoming a surgeon with my brother and sister. I prayed. I prayed to God to give me the strength. I trusted in Him. I knew I was strong enough to become a surgeon, and I didn’t think it was fair for anyone to ask me to sacrifice something I love doing.
…
When I sat for the entrance exam, nobody took me seriously. Most people thought I would join for the first year and drop out, they gave me a year, & then two, then they gave me till graduation, then that I would graduate but never continue to work.
…
Why did I decide to do it? In all honesty, I didn’t know that there were forbiddingly few women in the field, there are two female surgeons in the country preceding me, who graduated a decade ago. My teachers saw my interest in surgery and encouraged me to become a surgeon. In accordance with their recommendation and my passion, I applied. Then I learned that it was a “guys” thing. Nonetheless, I was not deterred. I told myself if I gave it my best and I fail that would be okay. But I did not want to let any one define what I can or cannot do.
…
If I had not done it, if I had shied away from pursuing my dream, I believe it was only a matter of time befo