Iraq Refugee to PharmD | How My Past Helps Me Connect to Patients

Iraq Refugee to PharmD

How My Past Helps Me Connect to Patients

By Inas Mahdi

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In my time living in the United States, I have learned two things: opportunities are endless, and there is a holiday where people dress up and show up to your house demanding candy. On that particular holiday, the costume I chose to wear embodied bravery and breaking generational trauma. I come from the land of two rivers, rich with culture and thoughtful people, Iraq. Of course, that is not the image that pops in anyone's head when they think of Iraq. They think of war and violence. There is some truth to that, which is why at seven years old, I worried less about my favorite doll and more about whether my school will be there the next day and would not be burned to pieces. Actually, it did burn while my classmates and I were in the middle of math class. Thankfully everyone left in time to escape physical harm, but theincident had taken its emotional toll. Parents stopped sending their children to school out of

PAGE 15 fear, and even then, the school was in not in good enough condition to attend.

One thing all children of immigrant parents can agree on is that their parents are hard workers. My parents pushed through many obstacles to bring us to the United States. I am many things, but I am not someone who fails to seize an opportunity. Coming to the United States opened up a whole new world to me; I suddenly had more options in everything. I had fewer worries, and I could choose to pursue pharmacy with a clear mind. As a first-generation student, beginning a doctorate degree is a significant breakthrough for my family and me. My parents saw in me what they wanted for themselves and felt pride knowing I had a choice in my future. Freedom to choose their future is something they never had; they were forced into most decisions. My dad dropped out of college to take care of his two disabled brothers. My mom left school because everyone kept telling her that education was not worth it and that her husband would provide for the family. Now, my mom could not stop gushing about how "I am the doctor of the family" for weeks. In a way, starting my Pharm D. at twenty years old is an accomplishment in itself, but making my parents happy is the real deal.

Viewing the world from two different perspectives makes me a better student pharmacist. I understand others and relate to them because, in essence, we are not aware of what someone is going through unless they can express their concerns. A patient will only reveal their true feelings if the provider can be attentive and caring to create an environment where the patient is comfortable enough to share. There is a relationship to be built between a pharmacist and their patient. Cultivating this relationship with empathy and compassion significantly improves the patient's point of care. I urge all pharmacy students and pharmacists to find that spot in their hearts where they can express empathy and genuine concern for their patients and their patients' health.

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