Sometimes you have to travel far from home to find your calling. That is a lesson Asha Ratteray learnt back in 2011.

Growing up, she was not entirely sure which career path to pursue. She just knew it had to involve the sciences, allow her to work for herself, serve others and not involve too much desk work.

Things became much clearer after she embarked on a medical missions trip to Liberia, in West Africa, with her church four years ago.

“That was when I had an ‘aha’ moment,” she explained. “I realised that these doctors and medical staff were making a real difference.

“The trip was led by a Jamaican physician and involved a team of people from Bermuda, the US and Jamaica.

“We worked alongside the African Fundamental Baptist Clinic providing treatment for patients that came in.

“We also worked in jungle clinics, which are basically temporary clinics constructed from palm tree branches by the communities in the rural areas that we served.”

They worked inside churches, schools and orphanages and saw many people’s lives changed. Ms Ratteray was also impacted.

“I saw love and sacrifice in action through the doctors and support staff, who aimed to meet real needs of a country that had been war-torn not so long ago,” she said.

“I heard stories from locals of God’s faithfulness to them and felt their gratitude and appreciation through our partnership with them.

“I guess you could say it opened my eyes to see the bigger picture.”

The 29-year-old is in her final year of medical school at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. To make the process go even smoother she was recently awarded the 2015 Robert and Margot Harvey Scholarship. It is enough to cover the remainder of her tuition and take some of the load off of her family.

“Medical school is a huge investment,” Ms Ratteray said. “In addition to fees and living expenses, there are costs for medical tools and board exams that are very expensive.

“When I found out I had received this award, it was such a relief. I’m very grateful.”

Her journey through medical school has been both daunting and exciting at times.

She said it took a big leap of faith for her to leave the comforts of home to go back to school.

On top of that she had applied to study in a country where she knew very few people, had to adjust to a faster pace of life, the Patois language and other cultural differences.

Still, she knew that she was making the right choice. Just months before the course was due to start, Ms Ratteray learnt she had been accepted into her programme and was also the recipient of a significant tuition subsidy from the Bermuda Government.

“So I decided very quickly not to let this opportunity pass me by,” she said.

That does not mean it was easy. Ms Ratteray had to miss out on a lot of special moments, such as watching her nieces, younger siblings and godchildren grow up.

She missed family dinners and outings and even some weddings of close friends.

By far the biggest challenge was losing her stepfather during the second year of the programme.

“This was a very difficult time for my family and I, but there was no point where I felt like giving up,” she said. “I knew this was my calling and my responsibility to complete until the end.

“My stepdad was so proud of me for entering medical school and he would have never wanted me to give up.”

It was during that time of loss that she had to rely on her personal faith.

“That tragic event happened in the midst of the exam period and as I sat at my desk to study, the Lord gave me a peace that surpassed all understanding,” she said.

“This peace allowed me to focus on the task at hand and successfully complete those exams.

“My family rallied around to help so I could continue without having to take time off due to financial constraints.

“I also have some amazing friends who are now like family to me here in Jamaica.

“They were there for me to walk with me, pray for me and supply me with notes and materials I might have missed while I was in Bermuda during this time.”

Ms Ratteray said she was looking forward to graduation day.

“I think I’m going to feel exhausted and probably sleep for a month after graduation. But once I recover, I’m sure it will feel great,” she said.

“It will be like a longing fulfilled while at the same time, the beginning of a new journey, because there is still quite a ways to go.”

Her advice to any aspiring medical student is to think long and hard about your decision to pursue a career in the profession.

“Consider all the things that may have to rest on the back burner while you commit yourself to becoming a doctor,” she said.

“Consider that your commitment to your training and your patients may have to take precedence over other important things. In my opinion, becoming a doctor is one of the noblest professions.

“It invites you into the lives of people at their point of need and calls you to use your intellect, compassion and clinical skills to facilitate their healing.

“If after all of this, it is worth it, then go for it.”