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A medical student whose name was verified by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a speech yesterday, said it was “a total surprise” and was very grateful and honored, adding that her parents were delighted.
Suaad Alshleh said she didn’t know until she received a phone call and email from the Royal College of Surgeons, where she is studying medicine.
Suaad came to Ireland with his mother at age 14, seeking refuge from the war in Syria. Their father joined them shortly after.
He spent his first year here living at Direct Provision with his mother.
Last year, while Suaad was a freshman at RCSI, he received the Professor William C Campbell fellowship.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Suaad said she doesn’t know how Ms Von der Leyden discovered her story.
The president of the European Commission mentioned Suaad by name when speaking of the need to harness the skills of refugees during her State of the European Union address.
“I think of Suaad, the teenage Syrian refugee who came to Europe dreaming of being a doctor,” he said.
“In three years he received a prestigious scholarship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.”
Suaad said the time he spent at Direct Provision was the hardest of his life, but he came out of it in the most positive way anyone could.
He said it was a period of tremendous change: he was away from his father and spent a year living with his mother in a room while taking his Junior Cert exams.
She said she’s not sure when the seed was planted, but for as long as she can remember she wanted to be a doctor.
Suaad described his first year at RCSI as “an incredible year.”
He said things are going “brilliantly” now and that he can’t wait to see what happens in the next four years.
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