Fresh graduate doctor in Medicine teaches various basic & clinical subjects for undergraduate medical and healthcare students.

Find out more about Adnan

• When did you develop a special interest in your field and in private tutoring?

  I started developing a special interest in my field (medicine) back when I was as young as 6-7 years old. I wanted not only to help people myself but rather, help them learn how to help other people too. I started off slowly - I would help my classmates understand complex concepts during group studies. I received positive feedback from them and little by little, I gained some reputation among my classmates. They would arrange for meetings with me after classes to go over various subjects they were struggling with before tests. I remember feeling very humbled when I received "thank yous" upon the conclusion of exams. Those little thank yous were more rewarding than anything else because they had more meaning attached to them: that I am capable of helping others. And from that point on, I've decided to devote some of my time to helping other students comprehend complex concepts - and what better way to help students is there than to become a private tutor!

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  Simply speaking, I teach every subject related to medicine! I believe medicine is a holistic thing and all the subjects are interconnected. So I enjoy teaching both basic & clinical subjects especially those subjects which need deep understanding :)

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  Yes actually. My very first role model is Dr. Najeeb. He is a very inspiring teacher who helped me a lot in my medical journey and I decided to become like him by teaching others.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good teacher?

  There are many qualities that make a teacher outstanding, and the most important ones, in my opinion, are creativity, patience, and the ability to inspire/motivate the students. Not all students are the same, and not all topics are best understood the same way, and hence, a good teacher should be creative enough to tailor their lessons for each individual. Teachers are also inspirers who should be able to bring the best in students. This can be done by getting students invested in the material they're learning, by providing an enriching and stimulating environment for them to learn in, or by giving difficult concepts interesting titles so students can understand the concepts better. It is also important that a teacher have patience because it takes time to make progress. It's easy for a teacher to be impatient with students who are struggling to comprehend difficult concepts. But it can be equally frustrating for students to see their teachers frustrated with them. Displaying frustration only leads the student down the wrong path.
  
  There are many ways for teachers to improve themselves, but one of the most important things is learning how students learn best. You can't teach someone who isn't paying attention, and you can't make progress with something if you don't know where you want to go with it first.
  
  Lastly, students want to be proud of their teachers - It would be nice if every student could have a teacher who was also their mentor or exercise partner. But teachers have to show the students that they are dedicated to their work. This can be quite challenging, especially considering that they are paid to teach, not to be friends with their students.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  My first day of school as a medical student was my most memorable. I was so excited to finally be starting something I always dreamed of, but that said, I had no idea what to expect. When the day started, we were let into our study room with many textbooks on various diseases flooding its walls. We were given books on biology discussing cells and how they function (which I thought was quite complex), the anatomy of the body (which didn't make any sense at all in the beginning), and physiology (which was really complex with having no clue). None of it made sense to an 18-year-old at the time. But here I am again, 7 years later, achieving a degree in what I thought was gibberish at first glance. Those incomprehensible concepts at the time are all making sense now.
  
  In the beginning, I laughed at the absurdity of studying medicine and all of its complex definitions, but now, I can finally see the beauty in it. When I was a student, I thought being a doctor meant going to work and making money to buy things, but now I can see a bigger purpose in my studies.
  
  Medical school was a long and confusing ride of initiation, where we had to understand things that we never knew before due to the sheer amount of information we were forced to memorize. It was also an experience where we were continuously told that achieving such an education meant the culmination of all the hours spent studying and then cramming it into our heads through lectures, tests, and hands-on practice. For me though, it's more than just knowledge; It's about what you do with it afterward. I have learned that is what makes a doctor great. That is the key to being a successful medical student.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  A lot of pressure would be laid upon me to get high grades in mid-term and final exams, which was very challenging for me because I used to train several hours a day and could not sleep for several nights in a row. Not to mention that the only way to get good grades and pass these exams was through rote memorization of facts, so it eventually became a chore and I did not enjoy some of my education as much as I should. And soon enough, I became cognizant of the difficulty of medicine and the overwhelming workload that accompanies it. But nonetheless, I cannot say that I regret investing in it. Simple, this is medicine and this is how it is.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  My real passion for tutoring other students is the degree of satisfaction and enjoyment I get while teaching. Teaching the topics that I'm competent at and sharing my tips/tricks with others makes me feel very happy. Putting this together, I find myself in teaching!

• What makes you a Superprof?

  I believe that your colleagues/students' satisfaction when they enjoy the lesson with you and when they completely understand the topic with your explanation is the real indicator that you are a real Superprof! Fortunately, I see myself very much in this position and I can proudly say that all the people who deal with me closely would notice that clearly.