Khushi Luthra
I would say I have had an incredibly international upbringing. I was born in Mumbai but moved to Hong Kong soon before my third birthday. Being in a vibrant city like Hong Kong, I was exposed to a multitude of cultures and lifestyles. I attended an American international school from the ages of four to 18, where people from all around the world came to study. Looking back, I am so glad that I was immersed into such a diverse environment from such a young age. Despite coming from a fully Indian background, my upbringing has made me feel as though I belong to a group of different cultures.
As I was nearing the end of my schooling, I realised that my passion was in the sciences, particularly, biology, and this was something I wanted to pursue fulltime. I was fortunate enough to also have the experience to go on trips throughout Southeast Asia during my schooling to volunteer at different organisations, which I found incredibly fulfilling. These two factors helped solidify my desire to pursue medicine.
I attended the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, for the former half of my medical degree. Although it is cliché, St. Andrews was the setting stone of me becoming in touch with myself. Through the years, I met countless people and had countless experiences that I have learned from. While in St. Andrews, I realised that, though Hong Kong was so diverse, I, and everyone else around me were living in a bubble. Despite St. Andrews being such a small town, it really did show me how the real world is and how to navigate it. The thing I’m most grateful for during my time in St. Andrews is how much I was able to finally connect with my Indian culture. Growing up, I wasn’t fully comfortable to do this, but now it is something I proudly embrace.
Currently, I am in Manchester finishing the clinical years of my medical degree. I am very fortunate to have two very different university experiences under one degree. It was a big shift going from a town with three streets to a metropolitan city. Although I do enjoy it in Manchester, I have realised that it doesn’t have the same balance of ‘city’ and ‘nature’ as I’ve grown up with all my life. I have a year and a half left of my degree and I hope to go back to Scotland for my first two years of working with the NHS. My dream is to specialise in paediatrics. Working with children has always resonated with me, and I'm excited to see where this journey takes me next!