Maryam Alqayem

Choosing medicine wasn’t a decision I made overnight. I’ve always been curious about how the human body works and why people experience illness in such different ways. More than that, I’ve always wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. I realized early on that sometimes the smallest acts, listening, reassuring someone, or simply being present, can have a real impact. Medicine felt like the only career that allowed me to combine that with my love for science.

When I was choosing a medical school, I wanted somewhere that would push me to grow while also supporting me through the journey. That’s what I found at RCSI Bahrain. From my first year, I was challenged academically, but I also found a community that encouraged me to keep improving. The course isn’t easy, but that’s exactly what prepares you for the responsibility of becoming a doctor.

Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned haven’t come from lectures or textbooks. They’ve come from the people around me, my lecturers, classmates, and especially the patients I’ve met throughout my clinical rotations. Every patient has a story, and every rotation has taught me something different about medicine and about myself. Those experiences helped me understand that medicine is about much more than diagnosing and treating illness. It’s about earning trust, communicating with empathy, and seeing the person behind the condition.

Outside of academics, I wanted to contribute to student life as well. I started as a Class Representative during my preclinical years, later served as Chief Representative Officer, and now as Medical Academic Officer. Each role has taught me something different about leadership. More importantly, they taught me how important it is to listen, communicate, and work with people who have different perspectives. Along the way, I also became involved in research and community initiatives, which reminded me that medicine extends far beyond the hospital.

If I had to describe the hardest part of medical school, it wouldn’t be one particular exam or one difficult rotation. It was the feeling that no matter how much I studied, there was always more to know. I remember leaving the hospital after a long day and replaying conversations with patients or questions my consultants had asked, thinking about all the things I wished I had answered differently. Even after hours of studying, I’d still walk into exams wondering if I had done enough.

The fear of not being good enough was something I carried with me for a long time. Medicine is one of those careers where the stakes are high, and that can be intimidating. I knew that one day the decisions I make would directly affect another person’s life, and I wanted to be ready for that responsibility.

Over time, though, I realised that no doctor knows everything. The best doctors are the ones who stay curious, ask questions, admit when they don’t know something, and never stop learning. Once I accepted that, I became less focused on being perfect and more focused on improving every day. Looking back now, those moments of self doubt probably taught me as much as any lecture ever did.

As graduation gets closer, I’m excited for what’s ahead. I know there is still so much to learn, and that’s one of the things I love most about medicine. I’m looking forward to working in different healthcare settings, learning from experienced clinicians, and continuing to grow into the kind of doctor I hope to become.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone thinking about studying medicine, it would be this. Choose it because you genuinely care about people and because you’re willing to keep learning for the rest of your life. There will be difficult days, moments when you doubt yourself, and times when you feel overwhelmed. That’s normal. What matters is remembering why you started.

Looking back, RCSI Bahrain has given me much more than a medical degree. It has challenged me, supported me, and helped me grow in ways I never expected. It’s where I’ve built lifelong friendships, learned lessons I’ll carry throughout my career, and gained the confidence to take the next step. More than anything, it’s where I began becoming the doctor and the person I hope to be.