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Ardenne old girl tops class in Ukraine medical school
Published: Friday | July 26, 2013 4 Comments
Smith
Smith
Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter
two years ago, on the advice of a close friend, at the age of 19, Tashae Amanda Smith, despite her mother's reservations, made the decision to travel 6,000 miles from Jamaica to the Ukraine in pursuit of her dream.
Now 21, Smith is blazing the trail on her path towards becoming a medical doctor and possibly finding the cure for cancer in the near future.
She has managed the difficult feat of topping her medical science class at one of Ukraine's most prestigious and oldest higher medical institutions, Kharkiv National Medical University.
A former head girl of Ardenne High School, Smith said her friend who left Ardenne before her told her about his experience attending the same school in the Ukraine, and that sparked her interest.
"He was telling me that he was going to this college and about the opportunities - in terms of the equipment in comparison to what we have here in Jamaica and the other vast opportunities over there - so he said I should apply because I had the ability to get through," Smith recalled.
Taking her friend's advice, Smith said she began to do her research on the university and found out that the fees for international students attending schools in the Ukraine were heavily subsidised, and this further compelled her to apply.
She said in total, she pays approximately US$5,000 (J$500,000) for school fees and living expenses for the year.
With her stellar grades in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination, Smith secured a place at Kharkiv and left Jamaica in November 2011.
However, Smith, an only child, said it took her several days to convince her mom, Sharon Haughton, to allow her to go. She said after much prayer, her mother relented - with reservations.
Smith said maintaining her number-one status in her class is not easy but she was up to the task as she not only wanted to make her family proud, but her mission was to carry the Jamaican flag high on her journey.
She added: "When I go home in the evenings, I grab a bite and it's just straight to the books 'til sometimes one in the morning, and sometimes you get a maximum of three to four hours sleep."
Smith said she has now mastered Russian and is learning to adapt to the Ukrainian culture, but in her words, "Nuh weh no better than yard."
She plans to return to work in Jamaica after she completes her studies.
jermaine.francis@gleanerjm.com
Published: Friday | July 26, 2013 4 Comments
Smith
Smith
Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter
two years ago, on the advice of a close friend, at the age of 19, Tashae Amanda Smith, despite her mother's reservations, made the decision to travel 6,000 miles from Jamaica to the Ukraine in pursuit of her dream.
Now 21, Smith is blazing the trail on her path towards becoming a medical doctor and possibly finding the cure for cancer in the near future.
She has managed the difficult feat of topping her medical science class at one of Ukraine's most prestigious and oldest higher medical institutions, Kharkiv National Medical University.
A former head girl of Ardenne High School, Smith said her friend who left Ardenne before her told her about his experience attending the same school in the Ukraine, and that sparked her interest.
"He was telling me that he was going to this college and about the opportunities - in terms of the equipment in comparison to what we have here in Jamaica and the other vast opportunities over there - so he said I should apply because I had the ability to get through," Smith recalled.
Taking her friend's advice, Smith said she began to do her research on the university and found out that the fees for international students attending schools in the Ukraine were heavily subsidised, and this further compelled her to apply.
She said in total, she pays approximately US$5,000 (J$500,000) for school fees and living expenses for the year.
With her stellar grades in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination, Smith secured a place at Kharkiv and left Jamaica in November 2011.
However, Smith, an only child, said it took her several days to convince her mom, Sharon Haughton, to allow her to go. She said after much prayer, her mother relented - with reservations.
Smith said maintaining her number-one status in her class is not easy but she was up to the task as she not only wanted to make her family proud, but her mission was to carry the Jamaican flag high on her journey.
She added: "When I go home in the evenings, I grab a bite and it's just straight to the books 'til sometimes one in the morning, and sometimes you get a maximum of three to four hours sleep."
Smith said she has now mastered Russian and is learning to adapt to the Ukrainian culture, but in her words, "Nuh weh no better than yard."
She plans to return to work in Jamaica after she completes her studies.
jermaine.francis@gleanerjm.com
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