Mikhai Sillpat’s life took a dramatic turn when his father suffered a posterior-circulatory stroke. But, instead of giving in to despair, the St George’s College graduate said he drew strength from the setback using it as motivation to pursue medicine and fulfil his dream of uplifting Jamaica’s health-care sector.

Sillpat, who is one of two recipients of the Burger King Rodwell Lake Tertiary Scholarship valued at $1.5 million over three years, noted that for him, the award eases financial strain while giving him the opportunity to continue working towards his ambition of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon.

“I feel slightly relieved. It’s a great opportunity provided by Mr Lake himself and I see it as a great opportunity to, as the slogan says there, blaze my trail to success. So, getting that opportunity and being granted this scholarship is a great opportunity,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Monday after collecting his bursary at the Burger King Scholarship Programme award ceremony from Restaurant Associates Limited Chairman Richard Lake at Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew.

Recalling the personal experience that spawned his decision to study medicine, Sillpat said that after his father, Morris Sillpat, became immobile following the stroke, he saw first-hand the gaps in the public health system.

“One of the things I’ve seen in Jamaica currently… is that Jamaica lacks a good public health-care sector,” he claimed.

“So, I believe that getting this opportunity to pursue the degree… once I am within that field, as well as many others, I will not be doing this for the money. I am doing this for the grand opportunity for people to get the proper health care that they want at an affordable cost,” he said.

Sillpat achieved top grades in his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), earning seven grade ones and two grade twos in CSEC, including distinctions in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and information technology.

At CAPE unit one, he secured three grade ones in all three sciences, one grade two and a grade three. As he prepares to study for his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), he credited his teachers at St George’s College for guiding him through his academic journey.

“I must give credit to my fellow teachers at St George’s College for their proper motivation and proper dedication. They all saw the true potential in me and continued to give me the proper motivation to achieve my success story today,” he said.

Financial challenges, however, have been a constant reality. Sillpat noted that growing up in a household of eight, with his father now unable to work, meant careful planning was necessary.

“From fifth form I realised that my father was going through a lot of financial stress pertaining to health care and I thought to myself, ‘You know, I can’t make my life more of a financial burden on to my parents’. So I worked very hard, received… numerous scholarships at graduation. I didn’t have to fund my education for sixth form and currently, I don’t have to fund my education for tertiary education,” he said.

Beyond his own journey, Sillpat said he hopes that in the future his story can motivate other young Jamaicans facing similar struggles.

“My dream goal is for a young person, especially under the same situation as I am, considering the financial constraints, to look at my story whenever I make it as a doctor and to look at me and know that there is hope… and to know that whatever your challenges in life, God always will make something purposeful out of it,” he said.