Neurosurgery Education; Challenges overcome; Alkawthar Abdulsada; YNSS

SUMMARY: Alkawthar Abdulsada, a YNSS, as a student was not accepted into medical school in the competition for a position in Baghdad where she lived. She did not want a lessor profession which she was offered.   She was determined to become a physician.  She then went to Azerbaijan to attend medical school there, leaving her family in Baghdad. After beginning her medical training, Covid -19 resulted in the closure of the medical school and she was left to learn on her own and to use her time productively. After her third year in medical school there, she returned to Iraq  for a Summer Break and visited her family in Baghdad. She  became involved in the Hoz Mentorship program. She was stimulated intellectually by Dr. Hoz and his team and began some research work there, which she continued  after returning to Azerbaijan with Dr.Hoz and his team while she completed her medical training in Azerbaijan. While there  she searched for and found a neurosurgeon as a mentor.  Working  long distance with together with Dr. Hoz, they published a paper on a unique medical observation. It was the first publication for her and her mentor.  The  last slide in her presentation describes her "Take Home" message":   "1) Never ignore an opportunity; 2) Adaptation is necessary everywhere; 3) Mindset is flexible; 4) The journey is fun; the arrival is boring."    From Dr. Hoz, she learned, "Honesty and good intentions are the answer to "how". 

This young woman had dream to become a physician and overcame many hard times and challenges  to reach her dream goal. She is not finished. We expect much more from her in the future.  She is a model for all people.  

Speaker
  • James I. Ausman, MD, MA, PhD

    CEO SNI and SNI Digital; Emeritus Professor Neurosurgery

  • Jorge Lazareff, MD

    Emeritus Professor , UCLA Neurosurgery Los Angeles , USA; Argentina

  • Samer Hoz, MD

    Head Cerebrovascular Surgery, Neurosurgery Teaching Hospital Baghdad , Iraq

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  • A Hadi Al Khalilli, MD, FRCS, FACS, MPhil

    Former Chair, Department of Neurosurgery

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  • Alkawthar M. Abdulsada, Medical Student

    Azerbaijan Medical University

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  • Seyed Ali Khonsary, MD

    Neurosurgeon with International training, research and service in Iran, France, Sweden, USA; General neurosurgery; Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery; Expert in Neuroscience