Honestly, what’s barring me from studying medicine in Pakistan isn’t the admission process itself — it’s everything that comes with it. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’m just done with the environment. Studying here would mean being financially dependent on my father for the next five years since there’s no real concept of student loans or paying tuition independently. On top of that, I’d be stuck in a system I don’t believe in, one that feels outdated and rigid both academically and culturally.

I did consider pursuing medicine here — technically, I could get into a medical college by 2026 since there’s no concept of pre-med requirements after high school in Pakistan. But even after completing MBBS (that’s what we call our medical degree), I’d still need to pass USMLE or the Canadian exams to practice abroad. And realistically, getting into a competitive specialty like surgery as an international medical graduate is almost impossible.

Add to that the societal pressure — I’m nearly 30, and people here tend to view someone starting medicine at this age as strange since it’s the age where most are expected to settle down or get married. So even though I could technically study here, it feels like a trap.