A dream is just a dream until you decide to wake up and make it happen.
All my life I have always been certain about the things I want, and one thing I was very certain about as a kid was that I was going to be a doctor. My certainty in a career in medicine never wavered, however life brought me two kinds of obstacles that could have buried this dream and altered the course of my life. These obstacles were comfort and difficulty.
I took a detour from what should’ve been a straight path towards medicine and found myself in the tech industry. I loved it here! I had no idea how much I would love being a software engineer. I loved solving problems through technology and impacting lives while at it. I was good at my job and I excelled in this field (the money was fantastic too, not going to lie). The comfort and ease I enjoyed from tech however meant that my attention was split between that and the thing I really wanted. Every year that I didn’t get into medical school, I comforted myself by saying “it’s okay, I’ll just work for one more year in tech, make a lot of money, and try again next year”.
As much as I loved the tech field, I also knew I was there for a good time, not a long time. I actively worked towards my dream of becoming a doctor alongside maintaining my tech career. I took prep classes; studied for and wrote the MCAT; networked like crazy with other premeds, applicants, medical students, and doctors; and worked on numerous applications (which is honestly a part time job on its own). I put in the work, no one could actually fault me on this, but this did not stop the rejection letters from coming in multiple times. At some point, I was faced with a decision: stay in tech for the comfort it affords me or do the hard thing and continue pursuing medicine?
What do you do when you are at a crossroad on the path towards your dream? Answer: you sit down and make a decision. Making a life altering decision is never easy, but here are a few guidelines to help you navigate this:
Think about what you truly want for your life
When you look at yourself 10 years from now, who do you want to see? Of all the paths you can take, which one is the most important? Which will you regret not doing 10 years from now?
Stay informed
Be wise in doing research, gathering facts, and carefully assessing your options. Talk to people – experts who can guide you and loved ones who understand your emotions. Feel free to sleep on the decision too if you have the time. Take a step back and come back later with fresh eyes to really assess your options.
Choose to stand by your word
Making a decision is one thing, standing by that decision is another thing. Whatever path you choose, be mentally prepared to stick it through. People may not understand it and the journey may not get easier, but you have to choose to keep going no matter what.
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Going over these guidelines helped me solidify my decision and the path I wanted for my life, and I hope it helps you in doing the same too. With that, allow me to re-introduce myself – I’m Ebun, software engineer, writer, and future medical doctor.
