Success is not final ,failure is not fatal, It is the courage to continue that counts.”
I ,Tehzeeb Zahra ,MBBS student of Sargodha Medical College, am penning this down at 9:50 pm,15 Janaury 2020.
I had been a really dull student till my school life . A back-bencher with no passion.
I still remember dozens of zeros I used to get in my exams till 7th . So this kind of student could never have even thought of entertaining the idea of being an MBBS Doctor.
Whenever ma’am asked “who wants to become a doctor?”
One out of 44 girls used to reply that she didn’t want to be and that was I.
Whenever maan said” tehzeeb parh lo, entry test kese karo gi”
I used to say “mene to dena hi nahi”😂
Yes, I had never wanted to become a doctor neither prayed for it but my elder sister did want me to take up this profession and I used to say “itna shouk hai to khud ban jao”
That was my response to entry test till after 2nd year. After being done with fsc, I was free for about three to four months. During which I joined KIPS JHANG CAMPUS, because it was what my sister wanted me to do.
I was on low spirits from the very first day.
Because I knew that mbbs wasn’t my passion neither I thought myself eligible enough to be getting through this successfully. While I was at KIPS, I saw people striving and crying and praying for success in MDCAT.
I used to say “yar white coat mein akhir rakha kiya hai, log is ke peeche itne pagal ku hain,kiya sirf mbbs hi hai is duniya mein, is se aage zindagi khatam hai?”
Each day that I spent at kips nurtured the idea of being a Doctor and made it very appealing . However it was too late and that resulted in me not getting the required percentage in MDCAT for the first time I appeared for it on 23rd of Sep,2018.
I do remember that on 24th september, The first thought that came into my mind when I woke up was “Allah ji please time ko reverse kr do, main boht mehnat karoon gi, Allah ji please ye mera khawab ho sirf or jaldi khatam ho jaye”
But
گیا وقت ہاتھ آتا نہیں.
When my sister made me think of giving mbbs another try, the thought of repeating a year distressed me to immeasurable lengths. Still, instead of going for any other field, I decided to repeat and give MDCAT with my full energy because by then it had become my passion and not just my family’s.
اٹھ باندھ کمر کیا ڈرتا ہے
پھر دیکھ خدا کیا کرتا ہے
I decided to work hard for letting sister’s dream come to life . I joined mdcat preparation groups on fb and whatsapp. Motivational stories bucked me up all the time, Everytime I saw such post, it gave me a new horizon to look for.
I found fb a platform from where I could find all sorts of tests of every academy and right directions.
Because your hardwork is of no use if you don’t know the right directions.
Well, Till december, I studied light and sorted out my stress. From January, I started proper preparation for entry test without enrolling myself into any MDCAT repeaters program because I had realized that the primary concern of academies was money and not their students.
Moreover, I realized that their mcqs pattern was distracting us from the actual course we should have been giving our efforts to in the first place.
Like myelin sheath is made up of oligosaccharides , heart has purkinje fibres (just an example)
Academies give this type of questions to build up our so called deep concepts which are never going to be asked in entry test anyways.
I started self study, and decided to improve my fsc marks because these marks can make a large difference.
I made a strategy like 1st ch of bio + 1st ch phy which I applied to both MDCAT and FSC.
For fsc, i read these chapters thoroughly and did the exercises. and for mdcat I solved all the tests related to the course and applied the same strategy for chemistry and english as well.
I completed my whole syllabus in one month and solved kips 2017 A+ series.
In feb, I again completed my preparation once again with same strategy and solved kips 2018 A+ series.
In march, I solved kips repeater session tests again with same strategy.
I solved MDCAT PAST PAPERS each time i completed my syllabus
I kept on my FSC preparation side by side.
From april to may, I gave my whole time to fsc exams.
My routine was hectic and I was fed up by this lifestyle but I had to keep it up to live upto the dream of my sister which was now mine too.
Now, the actual time of JUNE,JULY and AUGUST had come
Again started self-study which was bestttt than any other academy.
For bio, I read each and every line, saw diagrams and read descriptions under diagrams like “Jack O Lantern(omphalus ostealus something) gills glow in dark”
For chemistry, again I read each and every line. And read short questions too.
For physics, I solved fsc text books ,did the exercises and solved numericals and prepared short questions as well.
Like they can ask “In Silicon when an electron and hole combines,a Photon of 1770nm emits. ” This example is taken from short questions.
For english, I read highlightened lines from FSC english books done by Salman ul waheed.
On 15th july, I joined academy for test session. These tests were soo tough. 60% was not the part of syllabus specially in bio.
I couldn’t do well in exams, they stressed me up. Because I prepared only from fsc books . While on the other hand, my friends got 90% marks because they were preparing from academy’s additional notes.
I still remember when i asked my friend that how much did she gain in test. She said only 2,3 mcqs were wrong and I said mine were 15-20 and started crying.
In short, these tests weren’t upto the standard. These were extra difficult.
However for physics and english ,the tests were somehow ok. But the tests made from the course of Bio weren’t upto the mark. and Bio holds the major of MDCAT. I decided to left but realized that these tests would not determine my success.
So, I could have continued my self study but I kept on my session to challenge my limits.
One thing I actually liked about test session was that it prepared us well in managing our time which is actually one of the most significant factors that determines our success in MDCAT.
My every “present” had a competition with my “yesterday”.
Everyday, I used to evaluate my performance.
There was no day when I didn’t calculate my aggregate with my estimated marks.
At last ,the most awaited day of 25th August 2019 came. I woke up at 5:00 am.
Offered prayers ,cried,closed my eyes, went into sajood and all I said was” Ya Allah mbbs agr mere haq mein behtar nahi to tu behtar bana de”
I started my journey at 6:45 am and was at my MDCAT centre at almost 8:30.
I entered the centre and recited
“نصرمن اللہ و فتحً قریب”
And started test after saying
“رب زدنی علما”
At the end ,all that I could utter was
“الحمدللہ”
I worked and put my maximum. I was satisfied. In the evening when key came, I checked and secured 186/200.
It was the best feeling I could ever sense.
I offered نفل شکرانہ
Official result came on 2nd of september and my marks were increased to 187 from 186.
On 4th of sep, my fsc result came and marks improved from 979 to 992.
My Aggregate was 91.8409.
I had finally secured a seat in uhs.
And classes started on 21st Nov , 2019.
I didn’t know when my sister’s dream turned into my dream.
I didn’t know when “MBBS is not everything” turned into “MBBS is my passion.”
I didn’t know when ” I dont want to become a doctor” turned into “I want to become a doctor”
I didnt know when all of this happened but this was the best journey of my life.
This hardwork was for time being but I will relish now my fulfilled dream for my whole life.
Those 43 others girls in my class who wanted to become a doctor unfortunately couldn’t secure public seat and that one girl who was not very sure of her success is a Doctor now, Alhamdulilah.
Feel bad to say, my friends who were all dependant upon academy’s notes couldnt do well, whereas one who gave her all to fsc course did it.
I am very thankful to all those who shared their mdcat notes, academy tests on fb and other sites. They might dont know that somebody ,sonewhere is getting privilege of their Efforts.
Now after wearing the white coat, I have realized its worth. And why people wants it so much.
So my dearest juniors to be In Sha Allah.
Mdcat is not a tough game. Trust me. All you need to have is the right direction and a selfless Mentor who is none other than your own self.
Make your strategy and follow it.
My best wishes are always with you.
-Tehzeeb.
