I am an African-born, first-generation student who came to the United States four years ago to pursue what once seemed unimaginable: A higher education at Yale.
Growing up in Tanzania, I noticed patients would repeatedly contract the same diseases. While shadowing doctors at a rural clinic, I watched physicians simply prescribe drugs without addressing any of the larger systemic issues surrounding the individual’s health. These experiences taught me my most valuable lesson—one that still guides me today—physicians working in global health needed to possess the knowledge and skills to not only diagnose and treat patients but also provide them with preventive public health information to thwart the spread of the disease.
After graduating from Yale College with a degree in molecular, cellular and developmental biology and with a certificate in global health, I applied to the Yale School of Public Health to strengthen my knowledge of infectious agents, specifically malaria and neglected tropical diseases, that have plagued my country for centuries. Over the last year, I have learned how to conduct research on parasites and gained an understanding of how pathogens spread and infect. I am currently working on a study that assesses the sensitivity of new rapid malaria diagnostic tests.
But my journey at Yale has also been challenging. From the initial culture shock to the constant conflict between my multiple identities, getting to where I am today and to where I want to go remains an uphill battle. With limited financial assistance, I’m working almost 20 hours a week as a teaching fellow to help cover tuition while also balancing research, academics and a social life. Oftentimes, this is mentally and physically draining. Despite this, I draw strength and courage from my background and upbringing that keeps me focused. For poor Tanzanians, their inability to afford medical care is coupled with a lack of access to hospitals, education and clean water. I am determined to help break the poverty cycle and to help the many people I grew up with.
For poor Tanzanians, their inability to afford medical care is coupled with a lack of access to hospitals, education and clean water. I am determined to help break the poverty cycle and to help the many people i grew up with.
Azan Virji
As I look to the future and apply to medical schools, I remain keen on returning to Tanzania as a physician to make a difference in the community that nurtured me and made me who I am today. I know that working as a physician in global health is a multidisciplinary endeavor and requires a wide set of skills that blend medicine with public health. My trajectory is focused on attaining the tools that I will need, both on the micro and macro levels, to make a measurable difference in Tanzania’s health.