A doctor for all people
Dr Alicia Guirolamach (Delano Williams photos)
Dr Alicia Guirolamach (Delano Williams photos)

Giving back to society is essential for local doctor

IT was a bit of encouragement and persuasion from her Professor Marlyn Ramjeet that caused Alicia Guirolamach to enrol for a scholarship to Cuba and become a general physician now serving her community.

Now a licensed medical practitioner, Dr Alicia Guirolamach, who came from humble beginnings, is still a humble person despite her success.

She is from a single-parent family of a sibling, a younger brother and her mother. Since her father was never in the picture, she went to school like many others and was the first to attend the University of Guyana Tain Campus, Berbice.

Dr Guirolamach told the Pepperpot Magazine that it wasn’t her intention to become a doctor, but after her professor advised her, she started to see the possibilities.

She explained that one day it all went down after Professor Ramjeet asked the entire class what their career choices were and if they were planning to further their studies, and she was unsure and was the only student who did not raise her hand.

As such, Professor Ramjeet asked her to remain after class was dismissed and she encouraged her to apply for a scholarship to Cuba to study and she even filled out the application and that was the start of her medical journey in a foreign country for six years.

The 34-year-old stated that the journey taught her a lot and she is happy she could experience a different culture and became fluent in Spanish, despite the language barrier at first.

“It was not easy being away from home, family, in a new country and everything was different, but I never gave up despite being challenged and at one point I thought I wasn’t going to be successful,” she said.

Dr Guirolamach told the Pepperpot Magazine that the food was difficult to consume at first and she had a hard time with the language too.

However, she returned to Guyana a doctor and with a Spanish husband. She is the mother of three boys, a six-year-old, an 18-month old and a one-month-old.

She revealed that two years after she came back to Guyana following her studies, she got married and settled in her home village of Adelphi Settlement, East Canje, Berbice.

When the team caught up with her, she was at her mother’s place — a common occurrence — and she was relaxing with family members, being on maternity leave.

Dr Guirolamach is attached to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and spent several months at Suddie Hospital before being posted to New Amsterdam, Berbice, in 2014.

“I like what I do for a living, more so, I like the fact I can help people and I have an open-door policy, where anybody can come here and I wouldn’t charge a cent for medical services,” she said.

Dr Guirolamach pointed out that being a doctor for her isn’t about making money but it is all about giving back to society and it feels good to be of service and the respect she has gained has really warmed her over.

“If you become a doctor to become rich quick, you will be sorely disappointed, because that is no way to life. Being a doctor is all about the serving people, the community and it brings me real joy giving my services for free,” she explained.

Dr Guirolamach noted that she would like to study internal medicine, but that is a field that would require her to be away from home and her family for some time and with small children, she is not willing to do that just yet.

She is, however, exploring other options and giving up isn’t part of her agenda as a person and career-driven individual.

Dr Guirolamach disclosed that she did not limit herself and believed in herself and that is why she is successful, even when people told her she wasn’t going to amount to anything.

“Being humble and normal is key to a good life and as a doctor, one’s success lies with their character and what they do to make a difference in the lives of others, the impact is what matters,” she said.

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