My Journey to Public Health

In the year 2014, when I was in third year of B.Sc. Human Biology, I was so much excited to see DNA of chicken as a small pellete in a epindruff tube during laboratory practical of Molecular Biology. I dreamed of studying cancer and explore drugs for treating cancer and I was so much ambitious. I passed my bachelors degress successfully.  

My story begins after successful completion of my bachelors degree. Before getting into it. I wanted to share something from my childhood. Whatever school, teachers society and and parents teaches us was all about humanity, education and patriotism. Because of which I prepared myself to become doctor and serve humanity from my early childhood. (I will share my childhood stories in upcoming blogs.) Upto my bachelors degress nobody told me about competition,  job, earning and economy. I used to believe, if I study hard i will get some job of my choice. With different fantacies, I was unfolding chapters of my life one day after another. 

I was having dinner with my parents. One of the my parent said, "You have accomplished Bacelors degree, Now where will you join job? The person who passed from kathmandu University gets job at good places easliy." They were expecting me to join job at good place at no time. I was speechless and I ignored their question. After that serious question, i feel dinner- tasteless  and like a mud. I asked myself repeatedly " What to do next ? (aaba ke garne ??) what?? what??? what????"  I could not answer myself  then how could I answer my parents. .

Days were passing, there were no changes in my life. I was feeling myself as a huge ZERO. Though nobody raised issue about my job, everytime when I stay with family members for lunch or dinner, I remember question that was raised earlier.  Everyday's dinner or lunch or brakefast were tasteless and were like mud.

After 4 months of jobless life, small sapling was seen in a desert- in the form of a vacancy published by Dhulikhel hospital. The vacancy was announced for the post of six "Research Assistant" and completion fo B.Sc. Human Biology was one of the selection criteria. The term "Research assistant" attracted me. I thought, the job is all about working in molecular Laboratory.  

I was super excited for the day of interview. I revised all my subjects of bachelors so that I can have great interview.  The day of interview came. I was in the interview hall of Dhulikhel hospital. During interview, one of the interviewer asked me "will you be able to work in the field  for the cancer research?" 

Huh....!!!! Field ??? What field ??? It is a cancer research. Ahhhh...!! Oh!  it can be  sample collection in field for cancer research. I always think positivitely.  I think they will send us to field for sample collection. So I immediately replied him. "Yes.. I can go to field for research and I'm highly excited.".  Interview went well. But problem was will I be selected for the post and start my career as a researcher. 

One day, I think after 10 days , my phone rang. It was a landline number. 

Hello !

Hello, I'm calling you from dhulikhel hospital. You are selected for the job of research assistant. Please come to Dhulikhel hospital from 16th of December 

"What ??" My happiness exploded throughout myself but could not explode outside as I was in a call. So I managed myself.

Thank you so much maam for the  information. 

The phone goes off.

With the great news, I felt restless and I feel like I should jump. I jumped. I feel like I should run. I run... I could not even sleep at night. That day I realized, with extreme happiness, one can't sleep  because one can't find best way to celebrate the happiness. 

After a extreme happiness, days were passing.  Finally, my day, first day of job , most awaited moment was there.

I wake up early in the morning. Prepare myself and my bag. I crossed check my bag for the presence of pen and note book. I looked at mirror if I look handsome or not. I polished my shoes twice.  It was all set for my first job day. I catched bus from my village at 7am and reached dhulikhel hospital at 8:30am. I had so much of time left. I waited for other staffs to come.

Finally , I met the supervisors. He was at rush so he handed over  bundle of paper to me and asked  me to read that bundle and understand all questions.  I was super-excited to learn and understand whole bundle. 

I started to explore paper. It was a printed questionnaire, designed to collect data from cancer patient. 

Omg... Omg .. my dream!... My expectations to work in the field of cancer in laboratory!.... What is happening? I rubbed my eyes if I was in a dream. But I was not in a dream. I wished this is not true.  I could not think what to do next. At first, I think I should leave this all. Later, I feel let's do it just as a job until and unless I got another in a laboratory. I planned to prepare IELTS exam and apply abroad. 

The must funny was, I had to administer questions to cancer patients.  It was all okay. With this, I got chances to understand cancer patients and how they feel. But the questionnaire was killing me. Some questions were so brutal. The questions was about willingness to pay? How much will you be able to pay for the new innovation that saves your life ? Omg... During survey I was attacked by some people's while asking those questions. 

One day... Two day... days were passing. The work that I was engaged in started to attract me.  I started to feel the beauty of "PUBLIC HEALTH". With 5 months of work in cancer research, I came to know that problem exist in macro level(population level) and I was about to go to micro-level (gene, DNA).. bla bla bla....

I came to know that "everything happens for a good reasons". The first job in dhulikhel hospital helped me a lot to understand myself and to be in right track. The Public Health is the way that I really wanted to walk in my life. 

After that, I'm struggling and working hard in the field of public health and trying to contribute peoples. If anyone needs support from me to work for the humanity and public health, Im happy to provide support from the core of my heart.