Mother-of-two Amne Osseyran was busy pursuing a joint degree in medicine and surgery at the University of West Indies, when she got a call out of the blue saying she had been awarded a scholarship.

She hadn’t applied for it and had no idea it was coming, but her story caught the eye of Dr Margot Harvey, a family doctor at Island Health Services.

Three years ago Dr Harvey set up a scholarship for final year medical students in her parents, Margaret and Robert Harvey’s honour.

Ms Osseyran was selected not only because she’s an excellent student, but also because of her many other achievements as well.

In addition to being published in the West Indian Medical Journal, Ms Osseyran’s Masters research at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital proved it was possible to detect Human Papillomavirus in urine samples from asymptomatic males in Bermuda.

The findings led to her being invited to attend the 2008 World Cancer Congress in Geneva. While there she met Nobel Medicine Laureate Professor Harold zur Hausen, who discovered HPV, and was able to facilitate his visit and lecture in Bermuda.

Ms Osseyran is currently working towards becoming a forensic physician or forensic pathologist.

She said the $6,000 cash boost came as a “huge blessing” and gave her an extra push to reach that goal.

“I was so grateful for that because being in your final year of medical school it’s hectic and the application process for scholarships is tedious,” she explained.

“You have to write personal statements and gather transcripts and it’s a lot of work to try and get that done in your final year, so when Dr Harvey reached out to me and said ‘You got the scholarship’, I was ecstatic.”

The medical student was also impressed that there were no conditions attached to the award.

“All Dr Harvey wants is for you to finish your degree because she understands it’s a struggle to be in medical school,” Mrs Osseyran continued.

“I believe this is her way of giving back and I feel like she really upheld the oath you take when you become a doctor, which includes taking other medical students under your wing.”

Ms Osseyran has always thrived in her studies. Not only did she graduate at the top of her class at Berkeley Institute, she also completed her first degree, a Bachelor in Forensic Science (Honours) from University of East London, within the top five percent of her year group.

She said getting good grades came quite naturally for her in high school, but she had to work hard in university to get the same results.

“When I was in high school I studied when I had a test but I started to understand the value of lifelong learning in university,” she told The Royal Gazette.

“Back when I was a teenager teachers would tell you what to learn or read for the exam and they gave you practice tests and homework. Not to say you don’t get that in university, but you don’t have a teacher there, you have a lecturer and it’s your responsibility to go and learn and research the topic and elaborate on what you were taught in class.”

She said being in university was her first time living alone and “something clicked” that if she didn’t give it her all she wouldn’t get through this degree. She is currently working towards her forth and fifth degrees; after already obtaining a Bachelor and Masters in Forensic Medical Science and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Science.

She said: “No one babysits you in university because it’s your grade, your degree and your future.”

In addition to the challenging coursework, Mrs Osseyran also had to balance being a mother to Ayr and Ari, now age eight and 11 respectively.

“My sons were with me when I completed the first three degrees,” she said. “But my final medical degree is more challenging because you are constantly working.

“You have 24 hour duty some nights at the hospital and having them at school with me wasn’t conducive, but I am grateful they have a really excellent support system in Bermuda and their dad takes really good care of them.”

She said her children were her inspiration for doing well in school.

“Every exam I have ever written was with their pencils that they gave me when I left,” she said. “I never go without those.

“I had one exam last month and had left the pencils at home. I actually went back just to get them, so at the end of school I can literally say my sons got me through.

“They are always telling people ‘My mom is going to be a doctor’ so that’s another motivator for me. Who could fail with their sons bragging to people about them like that?”

Ms Osseyran is looking to finish her degree in 2015.

She said she was “really excited” to graduate and wants to serve the community and put her degrees to good use.

“There’s no use in having five degrees unless you utilise those in your career,” she said. “I think with the first three, I felt like I had three degrees and no job which was frustrating, but I’m hoping that I can find a really good job and make a difference in Bermuda.”