UCLA Medical Student
They say life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. I like to think of myself as a living testimony that your circumstance does not determine your outcome. Though at times the odds may be against you don’t have to be the outcome society predicts of you. My name is Festus Ohan an emancipated foster youth in medical school on my way to becoming a Medical Doctor.
A Foster Child
I was removed from the care of my mother at age 5 due to her sudden onset of schizophrenia. At a much later date at the age of 13, my father abandoned my sister and me, resulting in our placement in foster care.
Like most children, raised in the foster-care system, I lived in multiple foster homes and attended multiple high schools due to constantly having to move around. There were many instances when I felt unwanted and inadequate. A lot of my foster brothers and sisters had goals of going to college and finding their dream job, but somewhere along the way, they gave up. There were plenty of instances where I had almost let go of my goals of becoming a doctor due to everyone’s doubts towards my ability to accomplish my aspirations. However, I was determined to attend college and earned the grades necessary for admission to the University of California.
College was a dream I was determined to make a reality.
At UCR, I was introduced to the Guardian Scholars Program, a program that provides resources to students transitioning from foster care to adulthood. Friendships developed with other students and mentors. I’ll be honest I came in with a Political Science major fearful of not doing well in the science field. After a difficult first year, I pushed forward and eventually began to find success in my courses. By earning a 4.0 grade-point-average in several quarters I was placed on the Chancellor’s Honors List. I graduated with Honors with a Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience and received nine medical school acceptance letters. These schools included: Cornell, Columbia, USC, UCLA, UC San Francisco, Northwestern, University of Pittsburgh, UC Davis, and UC Riverside.
Medical School Fully Paid
My first goal of getting accepted into medical school was accomplished. UCLA medical school was the school I decided to go to, due to the financial support they offered. As a recipient of a David Geffen Medical Scholarship, I was provided full financial support including a living stipend, tuition, room and board, books and supplies. I was truly grateful for the opportunity to attend school in my top choice without carrying such a large financial burden.
Now I find myself in my 3rd year of medical school and I am truly grateful for this opportunity. As I start my clinical rotation and meet patients and youth that are from disadvantaged circumstances if the situation permits, I try to encourage them to pursue their goals wholeheartedly and to never let anyone cause them to doubt whether or not they can accomplish it.
Defying all odds
They say only 3% of foster youth graduate college. I could have taken that statistic and let it determine my future, but I chose not to. The only thing standing between you and your dream is yourself. With faith, hard work, and persistence anything is possible.
