Faculty of Medicine Building, FK Online News – Not many people are willing to leave the comforts of city life to spend two years in the remote interior of Papua. Even fewer do so in pursuit of a single dream: continuing their education to become a specialist doctor.

For dr. Syahdi Farqani, Sp.OT., a graduate of the first cohort of the Faculty of Medicine at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, that decision became a turning point in his life. Serving as a contract doctor (PTT) in the Mamberamo Raya regency of Papua was not merely an act of community service, but also the path that led him toward realizing his dream of becoming an orthopedic specialist.

"So if you ask how I was able to continue my studies, it's because I served in Papua," he recalled.

Mobile Hospital, Kasonaweja, Mamberamo Raya, Papua. With fellow doctors, senior doctors, nurses, and midwives. (Source: Personal)

In an area that at the time had no banking access or adequate facilities, he lived a life that was far from easy. During his service, he saved every bit of his income to fund his future education.

"In Papua, I couldn't really spend money because there was nowhere to buy anything. So I survived there, eating leaves, all kinds of fish. There were no shops. There wasn't even a bank there at the time," he said.

However, the struggle tested more than just his physical and mental endurance. There was a time when his very life was at stake.

"I nearly faced death. As it turned out, God still granted me the fortune of good health," he said. That experience only strengthened his belief that every life journey carries wisdom already determined by God.

The desire to become a doctor had actually taken root in him since high school. The environment where he lived, in the UIN Jakarta lecturers' residential complex, was the first space that shaped that dream. He personally witnessed medical students whom he regarded as disciplined, responsible, and well-mannered.

"It turned out they were medical students. Masha Allah, and so I was inspired by their struggle, their strong academic achievements, and their good attitude and manners. Without my realizing it, that became my motivation," he explained.

His desire to become a doctor grew stronger after the Aceh tsunami. As a person of Acehnese descent, he wanted to volunteer, but he was still too young at the time.

"The tsunami happened in Aceh, and that truly became a major turning point in my heart… it strengthened my resolve to become a doctor."

Not long after, that opportunity arrived. The year 2005 became a historic year, not only for him but also for UIN Jakarta. The Medical Education Study Program had just opened, and he was accepted as part of its first cohort of students.

He admitted to having felt some doubt at the time. The study program was still very new and had not yet produced any graduates. However, the presence of the founding figures of the Faculty of Medicine at UIN Jakarta convinced him that it was the right choice.

Being part of the first cohort came with its own set of challenges. In addition to attending a demanding course load, he and his classmates had to build the foundations of student organizations from scratch. Together with dr. Awab Zaki Habibi and other students, he helped pioneer the Student Executive Board (BEM) of FK UIN Jakarta, learning directly from the Student Family Senate of Universitas Indonesia.

For him, being part of the first cohort meant carrying a greater responsibility than simply graduating as a doctor. "We had to become role models and set a good example for our juniors, in terms of how to build the culture of medical education."

After completing his medical degree, dr. Syahdi did his internship in Cilegon before deciding to go to Papua as a contract doctor. That decision was not without reason. Besides serving communities in a remote region, he wanted to independently prepare the funds needed for specialist education.

During his two years of service in Papua, he saved his entire income. That sacrifice eventually opened the door for him to complete an internship at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at FKUI-RSCM.

That opportunity became his gateway into specialist medical education. During the internship period, he was even entrusted with involvement in the department's accreditation process, giving him the chance to learn directly alongside senior orthopedic professors.

Morning rounds at the Orthopedic ward of RSPAD Gatot Subroto, together with supervising doctors and colleagues. (Source: Personal)

The struggle did not end once he officially became a resident. Specialist education demanded full dedication, as residents were required to be at the hospital 24 hours a day and were not permitted to work elsewhere.

"That period of schooling was my heaviest burden, because throughout my studies I wasn't allowed to work. And as a resident, your duty is to be at the hospital 24 hours a day."

Five years later, all that struggle bore fruit. He successfully completed his education as an orthopedic and traumatology specialist.

Throughout his academic journey, his connection with his alma mater was never severed. In fact, even before beginning his specialist education, he had already been asked to join as a non-permanent lecturer by Dr. dr. Achmad Zaki.

Now, after years of practicing medicine, dr. Syahdi has come to realize that medical knowledge is not only about diagnosis and treatment. According to him, a doctor must also be capable of being a leader, a communicator, an educator, and a role model for society.

"As a doctor, it's not just about being knowledgeable in theory. We also need to be a five-star doctor," he said.

At the end of the conversation, he left a message for students of the Faculty of Medicine at UIN Jakarta: to never stop doing good and to continue nurturing empathy toward patients. "Be grateful to your patients. Because patients are our best teachers."

For dr. Syahdi Farqani, the journey to becoming a specialist doctor was never just about earning a title. Behind it lay his parents' prayers, his family's sacrifices, his service in a remote corner of the country, and even an experience where he risked his own life. All of these became life lessons that he continues to carry with him as an alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, in his ongoing dedication to serving the community.

(AAS/NIS)