– She stood up to every challenge of becoming a doctor

THE loneliness that resulted from being away from her family whom she dearly loved, especially her siblings, is still etched on the mind of Mikhaila ‘Vidya’ Puran, a beautiful and dedicated young woman who went after her dream of becoming a doctor despite other mountainous challenges.

She was just 17 years old when she started living in a different country – Trinidad – and thus had to fend for herself in every way.
To top it off, she was still studying when she heard of the death of her beloved dad – prominent lawyer, Vickramaditya ‘Vic’ Puran, whom police said died due to a vehicular accident, but whose family remains convinced that he was cold-bloodedly murdered.

Today, despite it all, Mikhaila, 29, has succeeded in making her dream a reality and is now a doctor at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mount Hope, Trinidad and Tobago, in the Internal Medicine Department. Furthermore, she has also managed to open her own private medical practice at 105 Eastern Main Road, St Augustine.

Born in St Augustine and raised in Georgetown, Guyana, to parents Sharon Boatswain and well-known criminal lawyer Vic Puran, Mikhaila knew from a very young age that she wanted to become a doctor.

“ I love helping people. I used to give my family pretend checkups and prescriptions. There wasn’t much consideration for any other field as, according to my dad, I could either be a lawyer or a doctor. I had no interest in law,” Mikhaila told the Pepperpot Magazine in an online interview.

She attended Stella Maris Primary, Bishops’ High School and Queen’s College, before pressing on to the University of the West Indies (St Augustine Campus).
“To begin with, I had to live on my own since I was 17 years old. If that wasn’t enough, I was in a different country from my family. I had to learn to cook and do everything on my own on a limited student’s budget,” she recalled.

“I was extremely shy and many times I was depressed being alone. I was always accustomed to being around my siblings [Mishka, Maqsood and Mikel]. Because of this, oftentimes, I felt like giving up and returning to Guyana. I was constantly pressuring my parents and siblings to come to Trinidad and visit me,” she added.

In the midst of it all, Mikhaila learned about the tragic death of her father and again felt like she couldn’t go on. “My dad passed when I was still in medical school and that was an extremely difficult time for me. At the time, I didn’t see how I could go on but I knew that he would not have wanted me to be a quitter. So I persevered and soon thereafter, I became a doctor.”

Although having to endure many sleepless nights while in medical school and not being able to pay much attention to a social life, Mikhaila is happy that she did not give up and she is now advising others to do the same.

“Don’t give up on your dreams. Keep working hard and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Surround yourself with positive people who are genuinely happy for your successes and don’t hesitate to cut out toxic people out of your life. Know your worth. And last but not least, always do good and never compromise your integrity for anyone or anything.”

Mikhaila especially likes the biblical passage at Ecclesiastes 9:10: “ Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, where you are going.” She said this is a quote that has stuck with her since her school days and one which she lives by.

Today, there isn’t anything that Mikhaila believes she cannot accomplish. “The road to where I am now was very bumpy and there were many obstacles trying their best to prevent me from achieving my objectives. I have learnt that no matter how dim a situation seems, you can always shine the light that lives within you to overcome any difficulty.

That’s why when I see so many people committing suicide, it hits home and I think to myself had they waited one more day, they might have been able to see the sun come up.”
Mikhaila is married to Michael Xavier, an attorney-at-law who eventually wants to move back home. “We’re not sure as yet, although it’s what my husband wants. We’ll see.”
She also hopes to eventually conduct her family medicine practice on a full-time basis.