Damane Zehra is a radiation oncology resident in Pakistan.
I have worked in clinical oncology in Pakistan. As an oncology physician, I was not supposed to interact with patients in the ER. Recently, I had the opportunity to work with recent medical graduates in an emergency medicine setting. This experience was new for me, as I have been focused on oncology for a long time.
However, that’s the beauty of life—it pushes us to do things we never thought we …
I have an eye for finding beautiful clothes. Though I find jeans and shirts/kurtas comfortable, I’m not sure why I adore the shalwar kameez so much! Perhaps it’s because it’s my national dress, and I adore everything that connects me to my homeland. Secondly, I’ve been wearing it since I was a child. My mother was an expert at sewing clothes, and she made all of my dresses.
Jeans and shirts/sweaters/kurtas/tops …
I believe in forgiveness and not hating anyone, no matter what. But, ultimately, we are all human. I believe in karma, and we should not hurt or push people to their limits so much that they become damaged beyond repair. I’ve seen cruel people end up in miserable lives. Some people excel at concealing their sorrows, while others struggle. But we indeed reap what we sow. Those who are cruel …
I visited my school after many years. I enrolled in first grade in 1998 at age five and graduated from FSc Pre-Medical (12th grade) in 2011. After that, I started medical school in 2012, and since then, I haven’t returned to my school.
It was one of those schools where skipping classes was simply not an option. The teachers were professional, dedicated, and sincere. Although it was a government school with …
In today’s medical world, cancer treatment guidelines are constantly evolving. CME events are held worldwide to help health care professionals become more familiar with new treatments. They can be live events held at specific locations or online activities. I will not go into further detail about the CMEs or industry-sponsored CMEs because that is not the focus of this story.
The best thing about being a physician is the opportunity to …
I enjoy buying gifts for people I adore. It’s my love language. I enjoy seeing the smile, joy, or surprise in the eyes of those who receive my gifts. I live for these moments.
There were times when people did not express how much they appreciated my gift, but I could see it in their eyes. It’s not just my wild imagination; it’s because I’m always confident that what I buy …
Almost three years ago, I was the chief resident of our training program. The chief resident was primarily responsible for designing curricular activities in collaboration with the faculty, attending and representing the department and the residency program at the majority of hospital and administrative meetings, providing regular updates on resident performance, designing the on-call schedule and rotations, and supervising juniors.
It was the most difficult job for me. I found it …
Sometimes in life, we experience feelings of desperation, uncertainty, confusion, or curiosity.
I was desperate and wanted to explore my options regarding employment after completing two fellowships, one in oncology and the second one in palliative care.
I don’t have many opportunities in my city due to the limited number of oncology centers. So I started considering other centers, especially in the surrounding cities.
I was thinking about the nearest city, which is …
Since I was a child, I have despised the words “May you live long.”
I felt like it was a curse.
My younger brother, who knows my thoughts, used to joke, “Allah kre tumhari itni lambi umar ho, tum marne ko tarso!” (May Allah bless you with such a long life that you will pray for your death.)
He still wishes the same for me. (He wants me to suffer.)
I used to say …
I am 31, and my dad turned 54 this year. He had me when he was just 23 years old. I was born in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, and he came from a small village in Punjab.
He is a self-made man who struggled all his life to give his children a better future. No one from our village ever went to school. He was the first to get …
He is 75 years old, and I am 30. Wondering how we met? It was a very casual meeting in a park.
I live in a four-story building with numerous flats. There is a long walking and jogging track and a playground in front of my building.
On the opposite side of this ground, there are huge bungalows and fancy houses.
People from both sides of the road come here to walk and …
I’m at a loss for words—how can someone give something so beautiful to a complete stranger who is nothing more than a doctor?
I first met him a year ago when he was referred to us by the neurosurgery department following his brain tumor surgery.
I was the first doctor to meet him in the radiation oncology clinic. He was 40 years old, a laborer from the lower middle class, and accompanied …
It had been a busy day. He was the last patient of the day.
In the oncology outpatient department, we have forms for documenting a patient’s medical history. The form has specific sections that need to be filled out in a set order. First, we start with the presenting complaint, followed by the history of presenting illness. Next, we document the patient’s past medical and surgical history, followed by sections for …
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He was only 31 years old. He had a beard and was a very tall and incredibly handsome man. He was a teacher who used to teach the Holy Quran to young children in a faraway village in Punjab. He used to offer his prayers regularly. He did not go to school or college but was a productive member of society. He worked at a tailor shop and used to …
Pakistan, classified as a lower-middle-income nation, is experiencing a massive increase in the number of cancer cases. Our health expenditure as a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP) is worryingly small in contrast to that of more developed nations.
We are fighting with illiteracy, poverty, limited resources, lack of awareness regarding screening and early presentation of tumors, and an inadequate number of trained oncologists. There are very few centers with …
Writing is something I enjoy. I take pleasure in writing, especially because of my beautiful handwriting. When I started school, we had to write with a lead pencil until fifth grade. I was so excited to write with a pen when I started sixth grade. After I learned how to write with a pen, I have been writing nonstop. I found my writing mesmerizing. My friends used to cram notes …
Writing is something I really enjoy. I take pleasure in writing, especially because of my beautiful handwriting. When I started school, we had to write with a lead pencil until fifth grade. I was so excited to write with a pen when I started sixth grade. After I learned how to write with a pen, I have been writing nonstop since that day. I found my writing mesmerizing. While my …
Working as a resident in medicine can be tiring. You are expected to study, pass exams, take care of your patients without making any mistakes, keep your seniors happy, have friendly ties with your co-workers, work extremely long hours, and avoid conflict at all times. No one will ever think of your well-being or happiness. You’ll be blamed and criticized even when your work is exceptional. You have to deal …
I think the greatest quality in humans that makes them far superior to other creatures is the ability to think and act on their own free will. But there is another ability that makes us unique: the gift of feeling emotions and the capacity to love.
Unconditional love makes you a kid. I feel as if it deprives you of your cognitive ability to judge someone. It clouds your vision to …
Oncology is a kind of specialty in medicine that involves seeing the same patients for many years. This can be beneficial when your patient is cured in cases of limited-stage disease or if the disease is stable on treatment for a long period of time in cases of advanced disease. In both scenarios, you follow the patient closely regularly and form a strong bond with them, even if you don’t …
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