EDUCATION. Syrian refugees Sara Rizk and Atiya Alzouby have realized their dreams of becoming doctors. They have both recently graduated from the University of Gothenburg’s medical program, and now have internships in Trollhättan to look forward to.
Sara and Atiya fled the war in Syria separately during 2014–2015. Sara endured a nightmare trek across the Balkans, together with her mother and three younger siblings. Atiya faced a chaotic journey across the Mediterranean and through Italy. After a few years in Sweden, they both applied for the medical program in Gothenburg – and were accepted. By chance, they both ended up living on the island of Donsö with Henrik Sjövall, a professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, and his wife Marie.
Personal development
The medical program is intense for anyone, and this was particularly true during the pandemic. Studying in Swedish – a language they had only just learned – made things even more challenging.
“It wasn’t easy to begin with,” recalls Atiya. “Many of our classmates also spoke Arabic, but the lectures forced us to learn a lot of new words. It has also helped to talk about things other than our studies with Swedish-speaking friends. These days, I often think in Swedish.”
“The requirements are strict,” adds Sara. “Not only in terms of medical knowledge, but also when it comes to conveying that knowledge and communicating with patients. As doctors, we need to be able to both receive and convey information, and language is of course crucial in this respect.”
A bright future
When Sara began her medical studies, she didn’t realize the scale of the challenge involved:
“I needed to establish my personal life while also having to meet strict performance requirements. I had no idea how much I would grow and change over the coming years.”
During their studies, Sara and Atiya’s friendship also deepened into love.
“We’ve studied at Fysiologen and the Anatomen Café for big exams together, sometimes until two o’clock in the morning,” says Atiya. “We’ve worked together in the emergency room. We’ve also supported and cheered each other on, and have grown close. We got engaged last summer, and our future together looks very bright!”
Harrowing events
Both have had to deal with personal difficulties during their studies. Sara risked losing her residence permit, as the Swedish Migration Agency required her to be employed in order to stay. This was a difficult period, and she is grateful that she found a job in a private home, where she did cleaning and other domestic work. After a six-month break, she was able to resume her studies.
For Atiya, the major earthquake in Turkey and Syria a year ago was particularly harrowing, as his family lives in the Turkish area where the disaster struck. Thankfully none of his family were hurt, but he traveled there for a few weeks to help them through the ensuing chaos. He also has family members in Syria, near the city of Idlib, where the war is ongoing.
A fantastic teacher
They both find it a little surreal that they have now graduated as doctors, and are no longer students. They were particularly pleased that Professor Anne Uv presented their diplomas during the graduation ceremony.
“She’s an incredible teacher who has supported and inspired not only us, but many other students, too,” says Sara. “When we were studying in the basement in the evening, we could see her preparing all the microscopes for the next day’s teaching so that they would be ready for the students.”
Atiya agrees: “It was an incredible feeling to look her in the eye as I received my diploma. Professor Uv made histology interesting, and so much easier to learn. She seems to have a real passion for what she does.”
Others have made the same journey
Overall, they have felt very welcome as students at the University of Gothenburg. They are grateful and delighted that they ended up in Gothenburg. They have now both been awarded internships at Norra Älvsborg County Hospital in Trollhättan, after which Atiya hopes to specialize in either neurosurgery or vascular surgery, while Sara has her sights set on an ear, nose, and throat specialization.
Photo: Elin Lindström.
They describe their class as a very inclusive, wonderful group. Several of their classmates made exactly the same journey as they did, fleeing war and conflict in Syria and other countries. They all supported each other as they worked hard to complete their studies.
“In recent years, the discussion on immigration in Sweden has shifted,” notes Sara. “The media is now dominated by negative stories. But this isn’t reflected at all in what we’ve seen in our class. There are so many goal-oriented people from other countries who want to make a difference in society. We want to keep contributing to that image. We want to set a good example, and we represent a large group.
“I wish I could invite the politicians and everyone else to take a walk through the corridors at the University of Gothenburg, so they could see the great diversity represented among the students!”
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
