Hyderabad: War dashes aspiring doctors' dreams

Hyderabad: The ongoing turmoil between Russia and Ukraine has pushed the students who have been evacuated from Ukraine into a piquant situation.

These students, who have enrolled in the medical courses in Ukrainian universities and colleges, are worried over their future as there is no sign of peace returning soon. More than others, it is the final year students who are expressing their concern as they were to have finished their education in the next three months if there was no war. They are hoping against the hope that the colleges and universities would start online classes from the second or third week of March. "The conflict has shaken us. I went to Ukraine in 2016 to pursue MBBS. With Russia continuing its invasion, there is no information from the universities as to whether or not online classes will begin or not," said Priyanka, a final year student of the Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi- Ukraine, and a resident of Alwal.

"I am happy that I could reach India safely after a horrifying experience and at the same time I am worried about my future.

I have already spent four years on the course," she said. "The last information that we got from our university is that our classes are suspended and once the situation gets better online classes would resume. We are hopeful that it happens soon," said P Sowmya, a fifth-year MBBS student of Bukovinian State Medical University, and a resident of Meerpet. Shylaja Bairam, a first-year MBBS student of Ukraine, and a resident of Erragadda said, "Our university was offering online classes but as the attack intensified, they were cancelled.

The university officials informed us that classes will remain cancelled until further notice."

Shylaja had already paid the first-year fee. If she cannot go back, it would be a major problem for her as she cannot take admission here afresh. She feels that it may take a couple of months before the situation turns normal.

"I went to Ukraine to fulfill my dreams to become a doctor but the war has played a spoilsport. This year is very crucial for me. I am scheduled to complete the course next year.

I don't know when the classes will resume, as universities have not issued any notification on conducting online or offline classes and just hoping that it would start very soon," said Rupashree, a second-year MBBS student, Bukovinian State Medical University, and a resident of Wanaparthy.