The day I decided surgery was for me…a long time ago.

The day I decided surgery was for me was a long time ago. I was born in a town called Salyan, close to the capital of Azerbaijan (Baku). Although we moved to Baku when I was 5 years old, I visited my grandparents each month and especially during holidays. My grandfather was one of the best surgeons in the town. If someone needed a general surgeon in Salyan, one name came to mind: Ibrahim Jafarov. He operated on dozens of people each month, giving new hope, making people smile and live without pain again. It was very interesting and thrilling to see him coming home tired after long hours of surgery, knowing that may have saved someone’s life. It was a usual thing for me to see my grandfather going to the hospital at the midnight because of emergency cases: gunshots, car crashes, stabbings etc.

Although I wanted to spend more time with my grandfather, I understood the importance of his job. Despite being a little child, I started feeling enthusiastic about surgery. I also wanted to save lives, help people, and make patients and their beloved ones happy. I still remember the day my grandfather took me to the hospital to show me the operating room and his office. I was filled with happiness and wonder. After I saw the general surgery department, I told myself that I will definitely be a surgeon in the future. That was the day when I decided to be a surgeon. Twelve years have passed, my grandfather is still a consultant in the same hospital and I am counting the days with excitement to graduate from medical school to start my residency in general surgery. Sometimes I visit him in the hospital, observe him during operations, and discuss the details of different cases. I feel proud and lucky to have this opportunity in my life and I am hope that he also feels the same way.