Left Australia for MBBS. A story of Passion. A complete journey to get into MBBS. My name is Ehtesham Zahoor. The purpose of this storytelling is to share my emotions and struggles with you guys because I thought, during Fsc or Mdcat we need the motivation to enhance of passion to make our dreams true as I did the same when I was preparing my Mdcat in 2021. You guys are thinking about why did I mention Mdcat in 2021 so let me clarify first it’s a long journey to make things okay. Well, during Mdcat 2021, I got motivation from two things; first from the success stories that were published by the Saeed Mdcat group and second was a Bollywood movie, Kabir Singh :).
During my Mdcat last year, I was reading a success story and it came to my mind that if I get in MBBS this year I will write my complete story to share it with the newcomers that’s why I’m writing it to boost up your passion. Before the story begins, I want to share my passion for MBBS, it means how I was passionate for MBBS. In 2014, I did my Matriculation and at that time I was a below-average student. My family forced me to join a private academy because I was studying in a Govt school and you guys know well how the Govt teachers teach us now and I am talking about 2013/2014. So, I didn’t join the academy in 2013 when I was in 9th grade and I got three supplies.
My family decided and forced me to repeat 9th again instead of continuing 10th grade because at that time I was joining a private academy and studying well. As they want me to be a doctor in future and they knew well if he gets good grades in Matric, he will surely perform well in Intermediate and Mdcat but if he didn’t score good marks in Matric he will show the same progress in the next classes and they were right! I got good marks in 10th grade but I just passed my 9th class and cleared the three supplies.
I was depressed at that time, as my parents indulge me a lot and they were having a desire to see me in a white coat with a stethoscope around my neck. They knew well if we insult him he would have been distracted from his route but they appreciated me on my result day. As I was well aware of my exams I started to wait till results it means I didn’t join any academy for the first year and when the results were announced, many of us share their view to forward me towards simple FA or ICs because they knew that I will not perform well in Fsc but apart from their perspectives my parents were agreed for me to join Fsc pre medical without knowing it I am good in maths.
Well, I joined the first-year late section with pre-medical subjects. My teachers tried well to cover the syllabus and prepare us well but in vain. I was looking for the exams the same way an untrained mountaineer looks at the summit without any experience. That was a challenging moment for me because I was not well prepared for the exams that were heading the same way as I was in 9th but the difference was that I didn’t join the academy in 9th but in the first year I joined but with late section. During the exams, I didn’t perform well as we believe “as you sow shall you reap”. So, on the result day, I had to reap the crop the same that I was sowing since a months ago like the same way I was in 9th class but that time the story was a little bit different I passed the first year but not with good grades.
However, I was a little bit satisfied not about my grades because I knew that, I have a chance to repeat Fsc. Before the part 1 results, I was studying well in part 2 in a good academy the same way as I had joined an academy in 10th before the announcement of the 9th results. Here is my turning point, before joining the second year, I was unaware of MBBS. Even I didn’t know how much should I have to struggle for MBBS what would be the challenges that a student has to face for getting in MBBS as my brothers were well settled in Australia and in our family, no one is a doctor so that moment I didn’t have any guidance for admission to MBBS.
I was running like a horse that do not aware of the competition but is just looking at the winning flag but in my case, I was looking at MBBS (my winning flag). When I joined the Fsc part 2, I started to work day and night from the first day because I was looking at my winning flag and imagining winning the race but without knowing the competition. I had very good company, I learned a lot from them. They taught me about routes to MBBS. In the meantime, My passion for MBBS rose day by day, and as I started to study nights, my parent’s desires boosted up as well. I studied from the first day, so I performed well in the exams and when the results were announced I was shocked to see I got very good marks in all those subjects except English just 38/100. I was cried a lot but that was the biggest bad luck of my 17 year age.
I’ll never forget till my last breath. I applied for rechecking but it’s just recounting not rechecking so they handed me my paper but there were cross-check everywhere. As I was decided to improve Fsc part 1 if I get good marks in part 2 but the story was totally changed that time. I was stumbling on my own words. Because there was roughly margin of 50 numbers if I decide to improve just English because in 2nd-year subjects I got almost 98% other than English but in part 1 I had very fewer marks in all subjects except English and Urdu. I concerned with my friends and teachers they were all agreed for me to improve just part 1 complete subjects because there was a margin of about 100 marks. I am narrating about 2016 when I was completed my Fsc. After Fsc I appeared in Mdcat first time without entertaining any coaching classes.
I decided to take the Mdcat attempt just to bear the examination pressure and to know the paper pattern for future Mdcat after improvement. I started my improvement with the same passion as in Fsc part 2 and improved 92 marks but due to part 2 English, I was still in the back row. I admitted the tragedy and started my Mdcat preparation with coaching classes. I had also admitted that I cannot get into public medical college because I had a very low percentage in Fsc even after the improvement year (2017). I was appeared in both Mdcat tests 2017 and reconduct but only got 60% that was not even enough for getting into other degrees. My family agreed for choosing Private Medical College if they give us a seat without donation because my father is against the bribe but at that time it was kind of impossible.
I was depressed because at that time, my passion for becoming a doctor was at its peak and it was like doing MBBS or die no other option. I decided to choose MBBS in China. My brothers were agreed too and I applied for a Passport but my parents weren’t agreed because I was the kind of child who didn’t even bring a glass of water by myself. I was stuck between my dream and my parent’s decision because there was no hope in Pakistan. In the meantime, some of our relatives took advantage of the opportunity and started to involve and divert my mind from MBBS from China.
As they knew well, he is not getting admission here and now he is going to China. He will become a doctor. He will be the one in our family with Dr title. Still, I don’t know why they did. Instead of appreciating me, they degraded me and they succeeded in their mission I was not mature enough to take decisions and I changed my mind as they said China is not a good option. We know a lot of families whose children were wasted their money and time but can’t able to pass the license exam. You will be one of them so step back from it. I can’t express my feelings of that time in words, even I can feel and imagine those days and literally my eyes are still having tearing water.
My parents were in Sydney with my brothers and I was living with one of my brothers here. He was depressed to see me in that condition. I was having few lines in my mind “I cannot be a doctor now, I have messed up everything, why didn’t I work hard in Matric in Fsc even in Mdcat, I have ruined my parent’s dream” I was alone that time as you know Parents are another form of peace, no one can replace them I realized it and missed them a lot because I used to cry on every night by regretting myself because I couldn’t do something else except regression. My brother motivated me a lot but my passion didn’t allow me to move on and he told the parents about my condition so they can motivate me as well.
You guys know well, our parents always left their expectations for the sake of our happiness. My parents did the same, they tried hard to get me out of this dilemma but in vain. Because my passion didn’t allow me to look somewhere else except MBBS. At the same time, they offered me to come here to Australia to work here to build my future and instead of China, you can become a doctor here as well. I was completely unaware of MBBS routes in Australia but this way console me a little bit. Unintentionally, I thought about it and I changed my mind to choose Australia but I decided I’ll be a doctor even if I had to choose other degrees to get into Medicine.
However, I discussed it with my elder brother and I still remember his words, he said I’m agreed in China but in Australia, it’s quite hard for International Students to complete a normal degree but you are interested in MBBS which is very hard and expensive here. Further, he added that choose MBBS from China and once you complete your degree, you can pass Australia’s license exam to work here as a doctor which is an easy way but I said, I just have to study MBBS and I researched that, after bachelors of Nursing it would be easy to get into the Medicine so I want to study in Australia.
He agreed with my decision and allowed me to start working on Australia’s Visa. Whenever I remember his words, I just think if I wouldn’t have valued my relative’s views and I had obeyed my brother’s plan, Where would I be today? But I just thank ALLAH! I took the first step for Australia which is IELTS preparation. I joined IELTS coaching classes and in a few months I attempted the IELTS exam and the same back luck happened to me that was happened in 2nd year’s English. I passed all those modules except ‘reading’ I just got below the required band score. My depressing period started one more time.
But that time I was motivated myself on my own and decided to attempt IELTS one more time without joining any coaching classes and I believe, If you decide something on your behalf and by looking at the blessings of ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA), HE will surely give it to you. So, I worked on my own and cleared the IELTS exam with a very good band score and I applied for a visa for two years diploma in dental technology and got Australian Student Visa in 2018. When I reached Australia with the old MBBS passion, I left the Diploma of dental technology because I had to go for MBBS which was my target before travelling to Australia. To secure my visa and to get some time to search for MBBS, I joined the Diploma of Leadership and Management in a low standard college.
Following that, I started to do research on pathways for MBBS. I visited some universities, student advisors, visa consultants and career counsellors and I had the same question to them, How can I complete MBBS here in Australia? I got different answers and I wrote down everything in my diary. Then I figured out and got a pathway to complete graduation in Australia and on this basis, you can get into the Medical doctor (MD) degree which is equivalent to Masters. So, I joined a one-year diploma of science (necessary for International students) in 2019 which leads to the Bachelor of Medical Science (two years course) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
I was happy to get in the Medical degree but I was still unaware of the circumstances that I have to face during my degree. I had to manage my job and five days of classes. It was a quite hard time for me but I managed it because I chose this pathway to become a doctor and I was satisfied but I knew it becoming a doctor is a very hard and long route here. Apart from that, I finished my diploma in 2020 during COVID-19. I came here to Pakistan on 14 June 2020 for a vacation. During my vacations, I briefed everything about Australia’s MBBS pathways to my Dad and we decided to try one more time here in Pakistan. My father requested to many people if they could do something for his child but believe me! No one can do anything for you! The people just enjoy our tensions but a few can honestly try to overcome them.
In 2020, I attempted Mdcat for the fourth time but I failed it just by five marks. I attempted it without any preparation as someone consoled us if you pass it I’ll surely struggle for you and you are just one step behind your dream but I lost the chance. When I failed Mdcat fourth time, I decided to leave my passion and will never ever consider MBBS anymore it was not for me. I decided to go back to Sydney to complete my degree I’ll work there and will never think about MBBS anymore. But, because of border restrictions due to COVID-19, I wasn’t able to go back to Sydney and applied for deferment of my course at UTS because I hate online classes. I was free and waiting for Australian borders to be open. I spent that time sleeping, reading books, watching movies or spending time with friends.
Time passed at its own pace. I completely left the MBBS desire. one day three months before Mdcat 2021 when I was offering the Friday prayer in the masjid. it came to my mind, as I was just wasting my time by spending it on different useless hobbies but if I spend the same time on Mdcat one more time by leaving everything (family, sleep, friends etc). It was the blessing of ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA). because we can’t even think without HIS will. I came to my room after finishing my prayer and I was thinking, there are two ways either I do Mdcat one more time on my own but this time leaving everything or keep wasting my time but if I pass it I will become a doctor but if I failed one more time then I have an option to go Australia as I already decided to go Australia. I just lost hope and didn’t agree to go for Mdcat because I didn’t have any stamina and at that time, I had four years gap.
To be honest, I was tired of Mdcat. But the hidden passion started to boost up again. I discussed it with my father who was disappointed by people’s behaviour motivated me and repeated the same words that I was already thought. Further, he patted me on the shoulder by saying May ALLAH create easiness for you his eyes were blushing with one last hope. When I was leaving his room, I was thinking I have only the last chance to make my dreams true. If I get a failure like before, I will never ever think of it but at that time don’t know I trusted myself that I will pass it even I had four years gap. It’s true, if we decide something with good intentions then ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA) says ‘KUN’ and shows us possible ways to reach the destination if we are having solid FAITH and TRUST in ALLAH because, everything depends on our intentions and no doubt, ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA) aware of everything.
After taking the decision, I required material for preparation, I went to one of my friends name Majid who was trying for MBBS for consecutive years from 2016 to 2021 but didn’t get in. I’m sure ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA) has already decided something better for him. I visited him and discussed what I had decided. I said, I am going to prepare Mdcat 2021 and I said I need all the material that a student needs to prepare for Mdcat plus I need guidance. He was agreed to share his personal material with me and said I will guide you everything and even I have some lectures. I’ll give them to you as well. He motivated me a lot by saying only this year we have a golden chance because we have fewer numbers in Fsc but good marks in elective subjects and just this year PMC is going to count elective subjects for making an aggregate due to COVID-19. Further, they are taking Mdcat by online first time and reduced their syllabus for Mdcat I have everything and I will be happy to share it with you. We can prepare it together or if you need anything else, I will be there for you anytime.
I collected all the material and started to prepare, Majid broke down the syllabus into the scheduler form and send it to me. I followed it strictly, and sometimes, he came to me to deliver lectures about my problems. He helped me a lot, the guidance that I didn’t have during Fsc. I got it from my friend. During the preparation, I left everything as I planned. I reduced my sleeping cycle from 11/12hours to just three hours. I left my family and friend gatherings even I didn’t join my family the nights. I spent all the time in Mdcat I just took breaks during prayer time. I was given food in my room which I ate while studying. No breaks! No leisure time, Just studying! For three months, I didn’t even get my hair cut or beard shaved because I decided not to waste my time anymore and I thought it was waste of time. No one can die without taking a haircut or beard shave.
During preparation, Mdcat getting close day by day with a huge number of rumours about the online system. I with my friend discussed together and we motivated each other. But we didn’t pay much attention and continued our preparation with the same potential. He was updated with the books but I had four gap years. The concepts that were at my fingertips during Fsc, I was getting forget and I had to pay more attention to a single topic. Majid taught me a lot plus the lectures that I got from him helped me a lot. I didn’t lose hope and on the day of Mdcat I was nervous the same way as I was on the first attempt but that time I was going to attempt the test the fifth time. My main task was to pass the Mdcat to get into a Private Medical College without donation and on open merit seat because I didn’t have enough stamina to get into Public Medical College. As per the test attempters’ views, passing Mdcat was not an easy task in 2021 because many of the students with top marks were getting failed. On the contrary, I was below an average student. I thought, how can I pass?
I was thinking when I was on my way to the test centre. It was Friday, I was praying for my test because I didn’t even struggle like that before. I applied Majid’s instructions and I did my test. When I left the test centre, I was waiting for the next 30 minutes to get my results ahead. Right after 30 minutes, I log in to my account and click on ‘Results statistics’. My hands were trembling and my heartbeat shot up. I put my mobile phone aside and with one eye I saw an expensive blue flower which confirmed to me that you have passed the test. My happiness was on fire! I shared it with my brother and a cousin who were with me. We offer Friday prayer and I offered two Nafl-e-Shukrana. I scored 156/210 without joining any academy, I learned a lot from Saeed Mdcat and Kips material after four gap years and cleared my Mdcat 2021.
I was moved to the next step which was the submission of applications to Medical Colleges. I had applied in many colleges and after interviews displaying merit lists. My name was at low rank. One day, in a Facebook group, someone asked which medical college is still open for online applications. I didn’t apply to the college which was replied to by a group member. I checked the college website and applied there on the last day because in already applied colleges I had a very low rank. Which means no hope! With time, A time finally came when ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA) gave me three choices of the colleges. That time, the past reminded me of those days when my father even requested to those to whom we don’t even want to call them. He requested the peons of the medical colleges if they can do something for his child. A man tries according to his reach. My father tried his best. Due to ALLAH’s blessing and his struggle and prayers, three colleges were calling me to get admission. I chose one of them which is under UHS (Rahbar Medical and Dental College Lahore).
When I got admission confirmed, I was leaving the college with my father whose son is going to become a doctor. I cannot forget and I’ll never ever forget his emotions. As his eyes were having tearing water of happiness or don’t know why did he get emotional. His happiness was at its peak. my father didn’t even click a single photo in the family and on that day, he was capturing the photos by standing me before the college. now he can proudly say that my son is going to become a doctor. To sum up, I would say that, I faced a lot of challenges in my life. The result I got is, to become a doctor is from the selection of ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA). Life cannot be stopped at one step; time is not steady.
Things can be changed if we have good intentions and we trust ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA). How I left Pakistan, my passion, my family for MBBS and now I got what was already decided but the routes were different. In 2016/2017, ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA) doesn’t write it for me, He had to send me to Australia, to complete a diploma and during COVID-19 how came and failed Mdcat then HE reminds me of it again and ALHAMDULILLAH! I’m here because of my parents. At that moment, I have frozen my UTS degree for a few years because of MBBS. I have all those options, Australia, MBBS, My parents, My country and the most important is the desire of my parents and mine.
So, It’s all from ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA-ALA). I need more prayers in the future. Best of luck to all readers! And remember me in prayers. JAZAKALLAH!