‘What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger'
Kashmir Life|October 18-24, 2020;COVID-19:1370 DEATHS AFTER;Issue 29 Vol 12
A Specialty Registrar Doctor in Psychiatry in the hospitals of Oxford Deanery, Dr Shah Tarfarosh is an Oxford University post-graduate with an impressive track record. In a virtual interview with Hirra Azmat, he details his Kashmir outreach through various NGOs and social groups in helping Kashmir students and professionals to develop mental toughness
Hirra Azmat
‘What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger'

KASHMIR LIFE (KL): How we introduce you Dr Tarfarosh?

DR SHAH TARFAROSH (DST): I come from a middle-class Srinagar family. While growing up, I saw my parents grappling with financial difficulties. Despite that, they ensured I received the best education from two top schools– Iqbal Memorial Institute and Green Valley Educational Institute.

After completing my primary and secondary education, I decided to study medicine. I pursued my MBBS at Jammu and worked at Delhi before deciding to move out.

I had to fund my Western education and training dreams all by myself, so worked for a year in Delhi, and also did some menial online jobs here and there to pay for my Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) exams, visa and travel to England. I met amazing teachers and nicest seniors, juniors and batchmates at both the schools, medical college and IHBAS, Delhi.

I recently received the MRCPsych degree from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London after passing all their exams. I am working as a Specialty Registrar Doctor in Psychiatry in the hospitals of Oxford Deanery. Here, I have had the privilege of learning Psychiatry through the Oxford Postgraduate Psychiatry Course (OPPC) under the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford.

KL: Why you choose psychiatry?

DST: I had a short period of severe anxiety during my teens. Due to mental health stigma in Kashmir, I was taken to cardiologists instead of psychiatrists. Apparently, it looked like I had a fast heartbeat. One of the cardiologists even falsely diagnosed me with a rarest of the rare heart conditions, but I knew I was struggling with anxiety. I didn’t give up and chose to recover through self-help books, which were the only resources available to me.

Bu hikaye Kashmir Life dergisinin October 18-24, 2020;COVID-19:1370 DEATHS AFTER;Issue 29 Vol 12 sayısından alınmıştır.

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Bu hikaye Kashmir Life dergisinin October 18-24, 2020;COVID-19:1370 DEATHS AFTER;Issue 29 Vol 12 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

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