Journey From a Small Town in Sindh to the Best Resident Award at AKU
Dr. Siraj Muneer
Best Resident Pathology and Laboratory Medicine - 2022
My journey to becoming a best resident did not start with a plan. I grew up in the small town of Tando Muhammad Khan. I studied in a Sindhi-medium school, spent my teens just like any other boy in my class, and even after I secured my admission in LUMHS Jamshoro, I was unsure of what I wanted to be. When you're a student, you think you can make up your mind by rotating in different departments, but for me, my interests never hit the mark. It wasn't until the last two months of my house job that fate handed me a lucky card; my final rotation in Pathology clicked everything into place.
For the first time, I found that I was being driven by my interests, and trusting these instincts, I joined an M. Phil program in Chemical Pathology at SZAB Medical University Islamabad. While I loved the program, I realized I wasn't getting the clinical exposure I needed, and once more, my instincts told me to pursue the same program in a better institution.
I chose AKU, and luckily, AKU chose me back.
On the orientation day of my residency, I looked at the sea of residents buzzing with a vibe of positivity. I knew we saw ourselves on the edge of greatness, but I had no idea just how much AKU would be a part of that. From day 1, I was taken under the wing of my supportive faculty who swore to groom me into a different man. Multitasking was a challenge that residency came with, but during these five years I was taught how to lead, how to teach, how to conduct research, and simply, how to be a better doctor. During COVID, I learned how to singlehandedly manage the department as one of the only residents on duty. Slowly but surely, my interests turned into my acumen.
Residency also allowed me to make unforgettable memories for a lifetime. Lifelong friends, endless travel memories (who knew I would get to present my findings at a world class conference in Seoul), and more professional satisfaction than I could ever dream of. Ending my residency with the Best Resident award in my hands, a small part of me feels like nothing can top this achievement. But my instincts tell me there is a world out there for me to see. I think it's safe to say- I'll decide to listen to them again.
