Their parents wore the badge, they chose the stethoscope
Ashli McCarthy moved from Montego Bay to Guyana four years ago to study medicine. She arrived with very little money and only a bank card. She is now in her final year at the University of Guyana. Throughout her studies, she dealt with financial struggles and homesickness. She received support from her parents and other Jamaican students.
WESTERN BUREAU: When 24-year-old Ashli McCarthy arrived in Guyana four years ago, she knew almost nobody, had no local currency, and carried little more than her ambition to become a doctor. “All I had was my Scotiabank card and a dream,” she recalled. Today, the Montego Bay native is in her fifth and final year at the University of Guyana, having navigated homesickness, financial challenges and the demands of medical school with the support of her parents and a close-knit community of Jamaican students.