From Dreams to purpose

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I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and like most kids, I had big dreams. At first, I thought I'd make it to the NBA. I was up at 5 AM every morning, training hard. Well, the NBA didn’t quite work out, but that discipline? I still carry it with me today.

Now, let’s talk about my childhood. It was… well, let’s just say “chaotic.” I grew up in an environment where police sirens were the norm, and I could feel my heart beating in my mouth every time I saw one. My dad—who I love dearly—struggled with substance misuse and schizophrenia. He tried his best, and I’m grateful for the love he was able to give. He taught me that there was more than one way to love. 

And my mom... I don’t even know where to begin. She’s the definition of resilience. Raising us on her own, she showed me what grit really looks like. Every day, she worked tirelessly, pushing through challenges with a determination that still amazes me. If I ever learned what it means to overcome the odds, it’s because I watched her do it every single day. My parents, though they never finished high school, were superbly brilliant in their own ways. My dad, especially, had a creative genius that inspired me to explore and innovate. I credit him with sparking my passion for using creativity in both tech and medicine.

With everything going on around me, I began to find peace in academics. It was the one thing I could control, and believe me, I clung to it. I knew that no matter what, hard work could level the playing field. When I got to university in Boston, I really started to find my footing. I became fascinated by the brain, which led me to study neuroscience. My experiences growing up made me keenly aware of how the brain adapts and responds to different challenges. That curiosity drove me to explore neuroscience, as it felt like the key to understanding many of the complexities I had seen in life. And that’s where my love for research was born. Around the same time, I co-founded a nonprofit to help Boston’s unhoused population—something close to my heart because my dad spent much of his life in shelters.

Now, let me tell you—undergrad wasn’t easy. I spent countless hours studying in the basement of the classroom building (my own little hideaway). Strange place I know, but it worked for me.  And all those hours paid off. I took the MCAT, and eventually made my way to Stanford Medical School.

But life sure has a way of throwing challenges at you when you least expect them. Just when I thought I really had life figured out, my dad was diagnosed with metastatic cancer and passed away shortly after. The pain of that loss is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but even then, I knew I had to keep moving forward. Balancing my medical training with flying back and forth to help care for him in hospice wasn’t easy, but juggling challenges has always been part of my journey.

Even through the hardest moments, I kept moving forward, knowing that each challenge shaped who I was becoming. Now, here I am—a young man on the cusp of becoming a doctor from one of the best academic institutions in the world. I’m excited about what’s next and even more excited about potentially inspiring others along the way. It’s probably why motivational quotes have always resonated with me. Some people think they’re cheesy, I know, but for me, they’re a daily reminder that only you can stop you. 

So, if you’ll allow me one quote to wrap this up: “You have to believe in yourself. Even if no one else does.”