Santosh Shrestha
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached as by the obstacles which have been overcome while trying to succeed."
- Booker T. Washington
On a cold winter morning in Texas, as I was half asleep, dreaming and thinking what I would do next, I heard a voice say, "Congratulations!" Still lying in the same position, I replied, "Thank you, but what for?" Realizing the lack of excitement in my tone, the other voice said, "You have become a doctor!" It was my husband, expressing his excitement, as soon as he had found out that the much awaited results of my final year of dentistry had been published, on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) website that very morning.
My happiness knew no bounds. I called my parents immediately, as they have been my permanent source of encouragement and inspiration. The feeling of pride and happiness in their voices overwhelmed me. It was probably the happiest day of my life!
I wouldn't have been so thrilled for merely passing an exam, had it not taken so many challenges and obstacles during the entire process. Success is a vague term, and I believe it is absolutely critical to have a personal definition of success, if one wants to achieve it. To me, success is not a specific achievement but an orientation. I had a clear picture of what I wanted to accomplish in my life, and that is a balanced, integrated success in harmony with who I am.
I now flip back to my past and realize how hectic those days were. The first two years of my dentistry course, consisting of basic science and anatomy, was not very different from that of the Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL). Life was not only books but also basketball and pizza. But the second two years of the clinical course had a different story. Nothing could possibly have prepared me for what was ahead in those two years – theory classes, practical, presentations – all together. No wonder, 24 hours never seemed that long!
One of the biggest challenges then was to search for patients for clinical practice. In spite of continuous effort to make people understand how I could help with their dental health conditions, they were unwilling to undergo any treatment. Some looked convinced, but they wouldn't turn up, even when I said they wouldn't have to pay a single rupee; they would say they didn't have time, as they had to work hard every day to earn a living. In an economically poor country like ours, where many citizens are illiterate, it is hard to make people understand what dentistry means and to make them realize how important their dental cavity is. The awareness on dental health is lacking, and I think it comes to play only when one has got a serious dental problem.
I got married to a very understanding and supportive man of my choice during my third year. But he had to go back to the USA just after two weeks of our wedding. That tragedy was more difficult to bear than I had ever imagined. I had to balance between my two families and my studies. Fortunately, everyone was of very understanding nature, which always helped me to be stronger and to focus in my study.
Skipping meals to having sleepless nights, nothing seemed enough. But then, when the going gets tough the tough gets going. By the end of my third year, the hustle-bustle and everything was a routing, and even though life seemed like a big chaos, knowing I wasn't alone in the run did help.
In retrospection, when I think of those hectic years, it doesn't seem such a bad nightmare anymore. It even makes me smile sometimes to think how desperate I used to be, wandering around the streets, searching for a patient, talking to strangers! I am now doing my internship in the same college where I studied before. I feel so lucky, and have more confidence in myself now; I have a better self-image, and am happy to know that few lives have breathed easier because of me.
In spite of having a hard time managing my studies, I was willing to move out of my comfort zone to serve PAHAD, taking an active role as one of its board members. I have always felt better doing this and have enjoyed the experience.
I would like to make sure that the sweetest fruit of my hard earned success does not lose its ability to add zest and flavor to my life. For this, I always finish today having improved on yesterday and will do the same tomorrow. Learning has always been a passion for me. I read, listen and interact a lot. I learnt to develop life goals and keep track of them. Besides the hard work and determination, I believe that goal-setting and positive thinking were what made my dreams come true.
Having said that, this is not the end of my dreams yet. I still have bigger dreams to fulfill and hence bigger challenges to face. To keep my success afresh, I need to move into a new territory. I would like to peruse Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) and Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) in the US, even though the foreign dental graduates there face several challenges pursuing higher studies in dentistry. First, the number of dental schools is very small compared to applicants, so it's very competitive. Second and more importantly, the cost is exorbitant – runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, I believe where there is a will, there is a way; so I have not given up on my dream to move on further and do more for myself, for my families, for my organization and for my country.
It certainly took a lot of hard work, focus and commitment on my part to achieve my goals, but if it hadn't been for Pestalozzi Overseas Children's Trust (POCT)'s generous scholarship, a little girl from that small village in the country could never have made her dreams come true. I sincerely would like to thank POCT who supported me all the way, my parents who always led me to the right path, and now my husband who always encourages me, showing me my capabilities and helping me realize that I can do more in life.
(POCT alumnus Santosh is a board member of PAHAD)
