This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eeman Farooqui, a 24-year-old clinical coordinator based in Buffalo. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was a pre-med student specializing in neuroscience and psychology at university, planning to pursue a research career.
My path changed abruptly last year when my grandmother, whom I was very close to, died from a stroke. She had traveled from Pakistan to visit me in the US and come to my wedding.
I stayed with her in the hospital. I thought that if I’d been a doctor, I could’ve known better or done something to help — even if it may not have changed the outcome.
I realized that I…
