Every morning before starting my day, I would light a diya, spend a few moments in prayer and meditate. These moments gave me a sense of calm and helped me approach challenges with gratitude, discipline and positivity.
Before I started medical school, I thought these practices were simply part of my daily routine. Looking back, I realise they were also preparing me for the uncertainty, resilience and self-reflection that would become such an important part of my medical journey.
Coping with competition
As a Hindu medical student, my faith has always been closely connected with the values that drew me to medicine. The principles of compassion, service and helping others have shaped the way I view becoming a doctor. Medicine is not only about acquiring knowledge and clinical skills; it is about understanding people, recognising their vulnerabilities and providing care with kindness and dignity.
When I began medical school, I entered with excitement and confidence. I had prepared myself, developed good habits and initially found success. However, like many medical students, I soon realised that medicine is a journey filled with challenges. There were times when my results did not reflect the effort I had put in, and I found myself questioning whether I was progressing in the way I had hoped.
One of the most difficult aspects of medical school can be the comparison. It is easy to look around and see the achievements of others – like their exam results, research opportunities or milestones – and feel you are falling behind. My faith has helped me understand every individual has their own journey and responsibilities. The concept of karma reminds me that my focus should be on my actions, my effort and my intentions, rather than only the outcome.
This does not mean ignoring ambition or avoiding improvement. Seeing others succeed can be inspiring and can motivate us to grow. I have learnt that the most meaningful comparison is not with those around me, but with the person I was yesterday.
PRAVINTH NIMALAN
Inclusivity matters
My faith has also strengthened my understanding of service. The concept of seva, or selfless service, reflects something fundamental about medicine: the privilege of using our knowledge and skills to support others. Whether it is reassuring a worried patient, listening to someone’s concerns or supporting a colleague, the small acts of compassion we show every day are what shape the doctors we become.
Being a medical student of faith does not mean those duties are always easy, however. We all find there are times when balancing commitments, managing pressure and finding moments for reflection can be difficult. These experiences strengthen my resilience and prompt me to remember why I chose medicine in the first place.
This is why faith inclusivity within medical schools matters. It is not only about providing practical accommodations for religious practices; it is about recognising the values, experiences and perspectives that students bring into medicine. Every student arrives with a unique background that influences how they understand empathy, responsibility and patient care.
When students feel supported to bring their whole selves into medical training, they are better able to develop into compassionate doctors who understand and respect the diverse communities they will serve.
My faith has not removed the challenges of medical school, but it has given me perspective when facing them. It has taught me resilience when things do not go as planned, humility when things go well, and compassion for those around me. These are qualities I hope to carry with me throughout my journey in medicine.
Ultimately, becoming a doctor is not only about the knowledge we gain or the achievements we collect. It is about the person we become and the impact we have on others. For me, faith has been one of the foundations guiding that journey.
Pravinth Nimalan is a third-year student at Aberdeen Medical School.