“If I had been born 100 times, I would have been a pediatrician 100 times,” says Dr. Dragana Emel-Markoska, who does not hide her love for her child-patients, by the fact that after they come to the office, she first hugs them, then they hug her and tell her about the day and show her the toys, and only then can the examination begin.

For the past two years, Dr. Emel-Markoska has been a specialist pediatrician at the PZU “STARS Medika”, and at the same time she is a consultant at the Center for Mothers “Zdravo Bebe”, where she lectures, promotes breastfeeding and other activities that are of great help to young mothers.

In the column “When I was a student”, which we create in cooperation with Pivara Skopje, we returned to the university lectures, social gatherings, challenges.

I always wanted to be a doctor

As an excellent student in primary and secondary medical school, Dr. Emel-Markoska says her only affinity outside of studies was her desire to become a basketball player. She does not come from a family of doctors, so the decision to enroll in the Faculty of Medicine was entirely her own and she did not even think about anything else, saying that she was destined to become a doctor from the very beginning.

– I finished primary school in my neighborhood Topansko Pole in Skopje. My school was literally in the courtyard of the building where we lived. I graduated from secondary medical school in Skopje. I was an excellent student in both. To be honest, I think medicine chose me, I didn’t choose it. I always wanted to be a doctor. That is exactly why I enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine. That love is not from home. Neither of my parents or close relatives are doctors –says Dr. Emel-Markoska.

The entrance exam was an experience

About the admission to the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Emel-Markoska says that it was a story in itself. She prepared for three months and took the entrance exam in the crowded Universal Hall with students who were also fighting for the desired place at this most prestigious faculty in our country, preferably in the state quota.

– The entrance exam itself was an experience in its own way. We passed the exam in the Universal Hall. Imagine, the whole hall was full of students who wanted to enroll in college. We took the exam in two parts. The excitement was at its peak. I entered the state quota, I was 96th on the list, but the difference in points from 1 to 100 was only 3 points – recalls Dr. Emel-Markoska.

People wished to live in a student dormitory, the friendship was great

Since she was born and raised in Skopje, Dr. Emel-Markoska stayed to live in her home during her studies, but according to her, the real friendship and magic happened in the student dormitories, and even at certain moments she herself wished to live there so as not to miss part of the fun.

– At that time, the conditions in the student dormitories were not exactly the best, however, the friendship in them was excellent. It made a person want to wish to live in a dormitory. Although I lived in my home in Skopje, I often went there because we socialized with other students and those days are simply not forgotten. Most of the time, our socializing was with our colleagues, we went to parties, congresses and the like. We still hang out with the college group. According to all of us (at least I think so), it is our other family. During that period, my parents had a shop, so when I could, or they needed help, I worked there – adds Dr. Emel-Markoska.

I mostly studied alone, preparing for exams used to be very tedious

From the very beginning of her studies, pediatrics as a subject had a special place in the heart of Dr. Emel-Markoska. At the expense of her private life, she dived into her studies with full steam and flawlessly finished college, which for many is a rather difficult educational challenge. She prepared the exams most successfully by studying alone, often focusing on a certain subject for several months.

– When you are at the Faculty of Medicine, every subject can be interesting, but at the same time difficult to master. However, my favorite subject was pediatrics. It has a special place in my heart. I want everything to be completed flawlessly, including the faculty. My grades correlated with my efforts. To that end, my private life suffered. Not completely, but it suffered greatly. I mostly studied alone, preparing for exams used to be very tedious. It used to last for days, sometimes even months – says Dr. Emel-Markoska.

Pediatrics is the most beautiful part of medicine

Dr. Emel-Markoska completed the Faculty of Medicine in 6.5 years. During her studies, she and her practical teaching group became close as a family. She graduated from the faculty with the title of doctor in general medicine, but she herself knew that this was not the end of her medical education. She tells current medical students:
– Every direction in medicine is fascinating, wonderful, but difficult at the same time. Be persistent in what you want to do and always do what you love.

– At the time when we were studying, and I think it is still the case now, you are grouped into a group for easier implementation of practical teaching. We already chose a group in the second semester and stayed like that until the end of our studies. Throughout that period, we organized birthday parties for each member of the group, organized weekends in which we were the main characters. We also struggled with some injustices that occurred throughout the course of study. All in all, there were fun days. After graduating from university, I became a doctor, but I knew right away that this was not the end of my journey. Pediatrics, for me, is the most beautiful part of medicine. The most beautiful thing after treating small people is the privilege they give us – to watch them grow into big people – concludes Dr. Emel-Markoska.