Mohammad (Kiron) Ali is currently a faculty member at IUBAT, teaching students at the very same school where he learned to become a nurse himself. When asked how he came into nursing and about his future vocational goals, Ali shares some wonderful news with our readers.
He writes: “Greetings from Bangladesh! I am very sorry for the late reply, as you can imagine how busy we are during the semester end at IUBAT. I came into nursing in 2007, a couple of months after successfully finishing the Higher School Certificate examination. The decision I made to study nursing was against my family’s wishes. Historically, nursing is locally viewed as a poor profession and dirty job. Consequently, I faced discrimination and criticism from my family, friends, and neighbours. In my youth, I had never dreamed of becoming a nurse, nor did I know what nursing truly entailed. While I was studying in higher secondary school, I had a growing interest to enter the medical profession. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to talk with Prof. Dr. Karen Lund, former Chair, College of Nursing at IUBAT. She gave me full insight and knowledge about the nursing profession, and I applied for admission that same day.
Presently, I am working very hard for the residency permit (RP), which takes a lot of paperwork. I’m happy to share the news to all of my well-wishers, nationally and internationally, after getting RP, and a scholarship! I have been accepted to the Master’s of International Health program at Uppsala University, in Uppsala, Sweden. The program will last two years and begins on August 29th, 2016. Furthermore, the scholarship I have been awarded is called the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship (SISS), bestowed upon me by the Swedish Institute, a public agency whose commitment is to gain knowledge and understanding of different cultures, their people, and to promote Sweden and Swedish issues globally. Here is more information about the scholarship and the Swedish Institute: SISS – Application procedure and key dates: Swedish Institute.
For my accomplishments in my career thus far, I would like to thank three special people in my life. Prof. Dr. M Alimullan Miyan, Vice Chancellor of IUBAT, for giving me the opportunity to study at this university under the umbrella of the Knowledge-Based Area Development program (KBAD). Secondly, Prof. Dr. Karen Lund has been the biggest motivator in my life. Finally, Prof. Alex Berland, Senior International Adviser of College of Nursing, who has been my mentor. I will continue writing with follow-ups and updates. I deeply acknowledge the efforts of all those I mentioned and hope for a continued strong Bangla-Canadian relationship.”
We’re grateful for the update and even happier to hear the great news, Kiron. All the best to you at the end of a busy semester of instruction, and for your two-year Master’s program in Uppsala! Perhaps we will hear more about your international adventures further into your career.