"Chasing Passion" by MSIH first year blogger Yoni Abres


In my first blog I spoke about what draws me to Israeli culture, and in my second I hoped to show you through pictures what my experience has been like. Since starting medical school, I have missed many hours of sleep, outings with family and friends, many perfect surfing days, and the list goes on. The hardest part has been leaving my family and friends in Canada. As a result, I learned over one hundred pathogens, all the biochemical pathways, and subjects I did not know existed a few months ago. The question then is why?
In our first physiology class, our teacher came in late. When he got to class, he looked like a zombie. He had just finished a 36-hour shift as a resident. He lectured us for three hours that day. He was patient, thorough, and taught us the endocrine system to perfection. He did it because he loves teaching.
When we went to visit Holot Detention Center, a center for asylum seekers, we met with some of the asylum seekers who are at the risk of being either detained or sent elsewhere. The people, uncertain of their future, told us their stories with hope and compassion. When we were crying at their sorrows, they showed us endearment. They did this because they love life.
This past Sukkot, I went camping in the dessert. We met a family of Bedouins, who took us into their home. They gave us food, offered shelter, and introduced us to some of the secrets of the desert. They wanted no compensation, despite being a tour company. They did this because of their love for the desert and people.
We have a global health class that includes lectures, discussions, and student presentations. The information will not appear on the board exams nor will we be examined on it. Yet, each week we spend time reading articles, working on our presentations, and presenting the topic we are passionate about. We also find the time to volunteer, research, and immerse ourselves in anything global health related. We do this because we came here for a love of global health.
These stories are endless: people doing otherwise irrational things because they love what they do. Coming back to the why, it seems self-evident. No one has cracked the med school code. It was and will continue to be challenging physically and mentally. I love what I study, so I do not call it sacrifices. We are simply chasing passion.

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