This diminutive damsel, Dr Freweyni Fissihatsion Yihdego, hails from Debrekal village, Axum town of Tigray, successfully stood tall among 24 female graduates as she grabbed 3.43 CGPA in the 4th batch of Doctors of Medicine. She is contented with score as her dream came true.
Her farmer father, Mr Fissihatsion Yihdego, cultivates grains and vegetables on his own farm; mother housewife and of six sisters, Dr Freweyni is the second child. Her eldest sibling, Ms Metkelawit, has completed Electrical Engineering course from Mekelle University and employed by government in Addis Ababa; younger sister is 4th year mechanical engineering student at Mekelle university; another one is pursuing computational science at Axum University.
As she feels satisfied with her achievement yet admitted about inherent challenges; topics were vast and time available at times wasn’t adequate to go through everything, she quips. Practically speaking, she adds, gynecology was bit challenging, but internal medicine and pediatrics had been interesting.
And if at all, she would go for Master, she prefers internal medicine. On future course of action, she added, ‘‘Initially, I will prefer to go for employment and wherever government will assign me the job, I would go love to serve people.’’
Having passed Grade 12 with flying colors from Axum Preparatory School, she aspired to be a physician. She adds, ‘‘Being clever during elementary schools, I was pressed by parents to be a doctor; and once down with malaria, I was admitted in the hospital where I was observing doctors very keenly and it was there, I decided to be one like them.’’
Revealing study plan, she admits, ‘‘I used to study 14-hour a day, sometime in a library and even at dormitory. But, I attribute entire credit of my success to my parents. Though, it wasn’t a cakewalk, yet she faced difficulties which were certainly surmountable.’’
Opening up her inner core about next course of action, she said, she might go for a job for time being and then abroad to pursue Master study. Giving a piece of advice to upcoming graduates, she said, ‘‘Planned efforts with hard work always pay as there is no short-cut for success.’’
On hobby, she said, ‘‘I love to upgrade my clinical knowledge and in future will continue to read various medical journals.’’ Since everything has been fine except mercurial climate of Arba Minch that often caused her some sort of discomfort; otherwise everything was hunky-dory!
(Corporate Communication Directorate)