"The Community That Sustains Us," by MSIH blogger Wentiirim Annankra


Being in medical school can be challenging sometimes; however, studying in a foreign country and knowing no one around you can be more challenging. I love community; maybe because I have always grown up surrounded with a strong and vibrant one since I was little. “How will MSIH be like?” was a question I always asked myself before coming here. But being here for 11 months now, I am enjoying the community I found here. Some aspects of it came looking for me, I didn’t have to find them and for others I needed to go searching …

My classmates, my amazing, talented and serious classmates were my first community. A bunch of 26 Americans, Canadians, a Korean, a Chinese, an Australian, a British, an Israeli and a Ghanaian chose to come to a medical school in a Negev desert somewhere in the Middle East. And for most of us, being novices at this thing called a ‘coupled medical student and foreigner’, we bonded and supported each other quite well. I was impressed at how my class was so supportive when we first arrived here. But thankfully, it was not just my classmates, the second, third and later fourth years were so caring. They shared their resources, time especially precious knowledge on how to survive in the ‘desert.’ The MSIH student community is something I believe will be so hard to find in other medical schools, and I am so grateful for the student community here.

Then, having been inducted into the first line MSIH family, many of us began to branch out to find other communities based on our interests and preferences. I know a few of my classmates that are actively into sports – rugby, weightlifting or maybe just leisure sports – some found some community there. Others are dancers, others play for a music ensemble of some sort, some are actively involved in teaching English to some refugees weekly, or helping at an Ethiopian center – some found community through engaging in these.

For me personally, as a believer in Jesus, I found a lot of community through the Kehila (or congregation) and Bible Study group here.  Joining this community opened doors for me to find someone-an Israeli who could braid African hair (this is a big deal especially when it comes to dealing with African hair).  Interestingly, I also met someone at the Bible study who offered to teach me the violin once a week for free. Amazing! This offers me a space to engage in learning something I have always wanted to learn—who thought that I will have the opportunity to learn this in medical school of all places??? The Bible study group also enabled me to explore more of Israel—going on five day hikes over Succoth, staying with friends in different parts of Israel and camping during breaks. I am so grateful for such opportunities.

Finally, but not the least, the small size of MSIH allows students to get to know some faculty well, and even do some research with them. There are so many opportunities, you just need to find something that interests you here or go searching for them.

This is just a little peek of the community that sustains me here in MSIH and in the Negev desert. Community is important, and thankfully it is possible to find it here. It may come easily for others and it may be a little bit more difficult for others, but with a little searching I think it is possible.

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