We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ward Alsaeed a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Ward thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
All of my past successes were certainly not solely the result of my own hard work. I can’t deny the huge role my parents have played in shaping the person I am today. Since I was young, they raised me to be independent, confident, and passionate. They’ve stood by me through every challenge, constantly encouraging me to push through any obstacles in my way.
Whenever I felt discouraged, they were the ones who reminded me of my potential, helping me stay optimistic and ambitious. My father has been a hardworking person from a young age, and to this day, he continues to face life’s challenges with unwavering determination. My mother has always been the most caring and loving presence in my life, and I truly believe that without her unconditional love, I wouldn’t have come this far.
Being raised by parents who dedicated their lives to their children has taught me the true meaning of dedication, as well as many valuable life lessons. I will always be grateful to be their daughter, and I hope to keep making them proud for the rest of my life.
Ward, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a 20-year-old medical student with a strong passion for both medicine and community service. Since high school, I’ve been actively involved in voluntary work. One of the earliest and most meaningful experiences for me was through school-organized visits to a disability services center. We worked with children with conditions like Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and various learning difficulties, we organized activities and engaged with them on a personal level. That’s really where my love for volunteering began.
In university, I joined the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), where I’ve been actively involved not just as a volunteer, but also as an organizer. I’ve contributed to numerous projects where some focused on charity and outreach, and others more educational in nature. I even led a project that taught basic clinical skills to fellow medical students.
Currently, I serve as the Internals Officer for the Surgery and Radiology Interest Group Jordan (SRIG-JO), and I also lead an annual initiative called the “Give Back project”. This project focuses on offering Basic Life Support (BLS) training to people living in underserved areas, something I’m very proud to be part of indeed.
Balancing all of this with medical school hasn’t been easy. The workload is intense and time-consuming, and I’ve had to learn how to manage my time really well. Of course, there were moments when the balance between academics, volunteering, and personal life was far from perfect, but those challenges taught me resilience, teamwork, and problem-solving.
I chose medicine because it’s something I’ve been deeply passionate about for as long as I can remember. Now that I’m on this path, I’m committed to making the most of every opportunity. Given how competitive the field is becoming, I’ve recently taken a step toward research and have started working on my very first project. It’s exciting, and I’m eager to keep growing in all aspects—academically, clinically, and personally.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
Yes, absolutely. As I mentioned earlier, becoming a doctor has always been my first choice and lifelong goal. For me, medicine is the perfect bridge between my passion for helping people and my deep curiosity about the human body. The more I learn and experience in this field, the more my passion grows, and I’m genuinely excited about everything that lies ahead!
Of course, the journey can be tough at times, but even during the hardest moments, I feel confident that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
If I had the chance to go back, I would still choose this path without hesitation. Every challenge, every late night, and every lesson along the way has shaped me into who I am today. It’s a demanding profession, but the impact we can have on people’s lives makes it incredibly meaningful. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Other than training and knowledge, I think one of the most important factors for success in medicine is emotional resilience and strong interpersonal skills. Medicine can be emotionally and physically demanding, and having the ability to stay calm under pressure, manage stress, and keep a compassionate attitude is key.
Also, being able to communicate clearly, with both patients and colleagues, is incredibly important. It helps build trust, ensures patient safety, and strengthens teamwork, which is essential in any clinical setting.
At the same time, I believe having a mindset of continuous growth, being open to feedback, learning from mistakes, and always striving to improve is just as crucial as medical knowledge itself. The field is constantly evolving, and so we have to evolve with it.
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