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December 2010
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ValedictorianCultivate compassionPriya Sahadeo
“I see people come in every day, distraught with their pain, and even after having sought medical care, they still feel as though there is nowhere to turn to – they still feel dissatisfied. These are the people who have interacted with every one of us, and my colleagues, they have expectations. People want us to listen; people want us to pay attention to them, to treat them as priority. We are professionals and we must accept the responsibilities that come with the path we have chosen.” As she reminded them of the nobility of the medical profession, she urged them to keep a balance of “heart and mind.” “We must cultivate compassion and empathy within ourselves, and endeavour to maintain those virtues throughout our lives, for far too often, the trials of our daily routines makes us immune to human suffering. We are all members of what I like to call the ‘Compassions Sector.’ We care, yes, but what exactly does it mean to care?” Priya, who was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy with First Class Honours, had earlier described her passion for clinical pharmacy in an institutional setting. “I aspire to be part of the healthcare team alongside doctors, offering professional advice, and tailoring therapy and medication regimens based on each patient’s specific medical conditions and needs, in order to effect the best possible outcome. To best equip myself, I would like to pursue a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) which is a professional doctorate degree and then do my PhD in a specialized field.” Priya has always been fascinated with pharmacology, “I would read every bit of information available to me about a drug before its administration. Then, I would marvel at the ‘magic’ of that pill I just took and its elusive mystery would only fuel my inquisitive nature.” Whether it was her passion for reading (“My mother always told me that since I was a very small child I liked books...she even has a picture of me at the age of two walking around ever so proudly in the yard with a book that I obviously could not read.”) or a specific fascination with the magic of medicine, Priya found herself increasingly enamoured of the world of pharmacy studies. Despite this, she believes that it is people and building good relationships that make sense of all we do. “University for me was more than just a forum for academia. I devoted my time and energy to student organizations, committing myself to the Trinidad and Tobago Organisation of Pharmacy Students as the Public Relations Officer. With this experience came the opportunity to work alongside various noble charities. I have also taken an active role in my community via the Las Lomas #2 Women’s Group which seeks to foster the development of individuals within the community via various projects and events.” At The UWI, she also did a Certificate in Interior Decorating and a Leadership and Service extra-curricular course. “I have found that when you love what you do, the word ‘work’ just does not seem right,” she says. Photography by PIPS |
Priya Sahadeo, valedictorian for the Faculty of Medical Sciences, had been working for two months by the time she addressed her graduating class and brought her new experiences and insights to offer her comrades.