A top student has said no to an offer to study medicine in Cuba because of her strong religious beliefs. The young woman, who earned high marks in school, told reporters she chose faith over a medical career after thinking deeply about what her religion teaches.…WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
She grew up wanting to be a cardiologist and was excited about studying the human heart. By Grade 10 she knew she wanted to work with heart patients.
Later she went through interviews and received an invitation to study medicine in Cuba a rare chance for many students.
But she changed her mind after she began to see a conflict between medical practice and her understanding of God’s will.
The student said she researched what doctors do and found that some medical work such as performing abortions or prescribing contraceptives goes against her belief that God wants people to be fruitful.
She told journalists that practising medicine might mean “meddling” with God’s plan.
She also said she feared people would put their trust in medicine and in her skills rather than in God. For those reasons, she declined the study offer.
She is a member of Ikhaya Labafundi, a faith-based group in Dabangu, KwaMaphumulo, which has more than 100 followers.
The group has drawn attention recently because it reportedly asks members to give up careers, property, education opportunities, and even medical treatment for religious reasons.
The student said she wants to help and heal, but only in ways that follow her faith through prayer and the name of Jesus not by using scientific medical methods.
The decision has stirred mixed reactions online. Some people praised her courage and respect her choice to follow her conscience.
Others warned that beliefs may change over time and shared examples of young people who later returned to study or to medical careers.