Stories of Struggle

I must admit that as a young academic, receiving a decision from a journal stirs up some strong emotions. With trembling hands I read the editor’s decision: Major revisions! Not a rejection, yay!…

Patient management was near to breaking point as residents started demanding necessary PPEs and that COVID019 patients be admitted and accommodated separately, away from non-COVID019 patients. One…

But then my way of life was disrupted abruptly and terribly — I suffered a stroke while I was at home, eagerly waiting to start my PhD in the US.

It shouldn’t be worse than last year’s two-month-long strike. Our students stood by us back then to defend our rights. Now we should do the same...

For a while, I felt demotivated thinking about my previous academic accomplishments. But I also knew that getting a PhD degree would help alleviate the sense of failure I associated with my…

My advice to anybody who is feeling depressed in their research journey is to try as much as possible to look for a mentor, even among friends…

I spend a few seconds sinking into this emotion, shuddering from the reality that the life of a black man/woman/child is not valued the same as my white friends and coworkers. I feel guilty about…

I always wanted to be sure I would always have something to fall back on. With my structures of certainty, I could do anything. That was, until I lost just about everything.

I was self-sponsoring and even without the equipment, my research would have dug deep into my pockets. How I wish I had the money to carry out my research!

I had to cancel my wedding because of COVID-19. My PI and institution’s unrealistic expectations only added to my troubles. I now keep myself motivated by thinking about my wedding next year —…