Sergio Virgil expected to spend this summer working on a construction site to pay for medical school ? but instead he is volunteering his hours at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor.

That?s because the president of A-Tec Contracting Services Ltd., where 23-year-old Mr. Virgil worked last summer, decided to pay him a salary for the hours that he volunteers at KEMH.

A-Tec president Raheem Shakir said: ?Sergio was a good employee. He is in school and I thought this was the best way I could help him so that he is working in his field as opposed to doing construction.

?He?s a good, likeable and well-mannered person,? added Mr. Shakir, who has given similar support to other students.

?I felt worthy that someone would look at me in that light,? said a grateful Mr. Virgil. ?To know that he would be willing to put me in an area to help me as opposed to putting me on a construction site where I?ll be helping him ... to be so selfless and see potential in me inspires me even more to do what I have to do.?

Mr. Virgil is studying medicine at St. George?s University in Grenada and hopes to become an orthopaedic surgeon.

?I just find surgery fascinating because you have the power to heal and extend someone?s life or extend happiness?, he said. ?It?s the art of healing, helping others ? the selflessness.?

He has recently had the ?phenomenal? opportunity of shadowing an orthopaedic surgeon at KEMH.

?The last surgery I was in involved loosening a tendon? he said.

Mr. Virgil has also worked in the pharmacy and has done diagnostic imaging, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and ultrasound.

But his first taste of medicine came around the age of seven when he cared for his sick aunt.

?That consisted mainly of: ?Auntie are you all right? Do you need anything? Where does it hurt?? ?, Mr. Virgil said. ?I didn?t have an idea of what to do, if anything happened but at that age it was just the idea of caring for someone and feeling like you could help them.?

Mr. Virgil said he has never had a problem with blood or wounds.

?You know, surprisingly, the only time I get a little knee buckling is when someone in my family or close to me goes under the knife or has to deal with a little post-operationOther than that, I?m fine.?

With four and a half years of school remaining at St. George?s University in Grenada, followed by rotations and his speciality, one obviously has to have the drive.

?I don?t like to look at that. I just want to stay focused in the now, because if I look at where I have to go .... it?s a long road ahead.?

?Of course? the years aren?t so enticing, he said. ?But that comes with it. You have to take it with a grain of salt.

?Nothing comes easy. If you look at anything successful that you?ve done in your life, it comes with a trial and a tribulation and it wouldn?t be worth doing it if it wasn?t a trial or a tribulation.?

He advises young people to gain as much experience as possible in the career field they are interested in.

??Put yourself in an area where you might see yourself basing your career. Try to get around those people so you can start networking.

?There are so many advantages by doing that.?

Mr. Virgil, who admires the character and history of paediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carsonsaid his immediate goal is ?to finish medical school, pass all my exams and be a positive role model to somebody else?.