Finding My Voice in Medicine

By Ayanda Chantelle Mkhize, OMS II, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine

One of my goals in medical school has been to find my voice. I have always believed that my quiet presence allows me to listen deeply, observe carefully and form genuine connections, but I also know that the best advocate for my abilities must be me. During my first year of medical school, I attended an event surrounded by female physicians and was amazed as they shared their trials and triumphs in medicine. They spoke with confidence and generosity while offering mentorship, but I couldn’t help but compare myself. I raised my hand and asked a question that had been on my heart the entire evening: “How did you find your voice?”

The anesthesiologist who had been leading the discussion paused and reflected on my question and looked directly at me. She said, “You cannot be afraid. You earned the right to be there, and you must speak what you know.” Her encouraging words reminded me that presence is not only about being in the room, but reminding others, and myself, that I belong there too.

I often reflect on the medical student I am today and the journey that brought me to the rooms I sit in now. It was not luck but the inspiration of the women in my family who shaped me. My very essence exists because I walk in the footsteps of my mother, a registered nurse, and my grandmother, a nurse midwife. Their resilience, grit and care continue to guide me.

My grandmother, who lived in South Africa during the apartheid era, pursued her education and became a nurse midwife despite enormous obstacles. Each morning, I look at photos of her with her cohort and smile at the faces of women who dared to claim space in a field that had little room for them. Each day she biked to work, embodying a determination that defied her circumstances. In a country where opportunities for women were restricted, she persisted. Her perseverance made her a quiet but powerful trailblazer, and her influence reached far beyond her patients.

Years later, after immigrating to the United States, my mother carried forward that same spirit. Inspired by her mother-in-law, she returned to school as a non-traditional student, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from San Francisco State University (SFSU). I often tagged along to her clinical rotations in San Francisco, proudly wearing SFSU shirts and smiling in photos with her patients. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those experiences were planting seeds. Watching my mother balance school, work and family showed me that women in medicine are not only caregivers, but leaders, innovators and role models.

My grandmother’s and mother’s passion for clinical care showed me firsthand the value of healthcare and the powerful presence women hold within it. As I embark on my second year of medical school, I am excited to continue to lay a strong foundation in sciences and physiology while exploring specialties, particularly anesthesiology and pain medicine. I am drawn to the opportunity to relieve suffering and address conditions that disproportionately affect women. I see pain management as a way to restore dignity and quality of life, and I want my career to reflect both compassion and innovation.

To me, Women in Medicine Month means honoring trailblazers while also finding my own voice in medicine. It is about representation and ensuring that young women from all walks of life see themselves reflected in this profession. It is about recognizing that setbacks are not the end of the story, but part of the path forward. Finally, it is about showing up as ourselves, whether extroverted or introverted and knowing there is space for all of us in the house of medicine. I am following in the footsteps of my mother and grandmother, but I am also forging my own path and my own voice.

Contributor Bio

Ayanda Chantelle Mkhize, OMS II at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, serves as secretary of the Anesthesia Interest Group and is actively involved in research on synthetic opioids.