Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-06-12

A 20 year old Muslim woman has become the youngest person in the world to qualify as a medical doctor.

Eqbal Asa’d a Palestinian refugee who lives in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, enrolled at Weil Cornell Medical Collage in Qatar when she was just 14 years old.

At age of 20, she got the bachelor degree in medicine with honors and was set by the Guinness World Records as the youngest doctor in the World.

Speaking to Mohammed Yahia from The Muslim Guy, Asa’d said she made the decision to be a doctor when she was just 12 years old. “Growing up as a Palestinian living in Lebanon, I saw much suffering among my people since the Palestinians in Lebanon did not have health insurance.”

“My family and I visited the camps and saw how harsh the conditions there were. I saw many parents who see their children suffering but they can’t help them because they don’t have the money to do that.”

“These visits to the camps made me feel that it is my responsibility to study medicine and try to help these people. Many of them cannot even afford the medication they need,” said Asa’d

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has honored Asa’d for being the youngest doctor in the world and congratulated her for her excellence.

Future Plans

Asa’d will be leaving soon for a three-year residency at the Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. “After that I want to apply for a fellowship in pediatric cardiology, which will take three more years. “

“I then want to come back to the Middle East and work between Qatar and Lebanon – to pay Qatar back, they have been sponsoring me for the past six years.”

“I also want to go back to Lebanon to help my Palestinian people because they are the main inspiration for me to be a doctor and I would like to fulfil my childhood dream to make a difference to their lives,” she added.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)