IN the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamaican Orbin Barnes boldly decided to travel to China to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, enduring several quarantines and a language barrier to graduate as valedictorian at the Jinzhou Medical University.

The 24-year-old Westmoreland native and Munro College old boy said the dream to study overseas came from a desire to explore different cultures as he advanced his education to become a more rounded individual. But, never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would graduate at the top of his class.

“It feels good to be valedictorian. I must credit the Jamaican educational system because it really prepares us to be more of a critical thinker, and I think that’s what actually helped me to persevere throughout my studies. I did not just study to swat the information to just put on paper for the exam. I ensure that I understood the concept, and in that way I’m able to, whenever an exam question is thrown at me, answer it if it came in any form, and I feel like maybe that’s the little edge point,” Barnes told the Jamaica Observer.

As he stood amongst his peers, family members, and professors to deliver his valedictory speech, he proudly displayed the Jamaican flag on his graduation sash, a moment that went viral on social media.

“It was a moment to motivate young individuals or upcoming persons who are interested in medicine, that even though you’re from that small, little island that you’re barely able to see on a map, you are able to reach the top…That moment on that stage is a testament to show that you can’t let fear make the decision for you, because every journey will come with challenges, and studying medicine abroad is definitely no exception.

“That moment, when I was on the stage, was a symbol to show that you can achieve anything you put your mind to,” Barnes said.

As he recounted the moments leading up to his graduation, Barnes said the journey was not easy, but the reward is sweet.

He shared that after leaving high school in 2019, he applied to study at universities in Cuba, Russia, Jamaica, and China. He received acceptance letters from all universities but said he eventually chose China in December of 2019 because it was the most affordable option. However, that decision, while affordable, posed one of the greatest risks to his health because that same month, the World Health Organization declared an outbreak of coronavirus in the Asian country. Still, he pressed forward with the mission.

“At that time, there were border restrictions, and people were unable to go to China, and also several countries were pretty much on lockdown, so I started out my medical journey in online classes. I decided to continue with online classes because around that time everyone was transitioning to the online medium, so it wouldn’t be like you were missing the in-person experience,” he reasoned.

Orbin Barnes (second right) poses for a photo with his mother Maxine Barnes (left) and brother Orville Barnes (right). The family is joined by a professor at the Jinzhou Medical University in China.

He said he eventually made it to China in 2022, an experience that saw him being quarantined and tested more times than he could count. He added that the language barrier made it even more difficult, because he had to rely on translation apps and his assigned advisor to manoeuvre.

“While I was in Hong Kong, I actually had to quarantine there for three days. For those three days, every day I was doing COVID testing and they all, of course, had to be negative…When I arrived on the mainland of China, I had to quarantine there for another seven days, and every single day we had to do COVID testing again. They would come in their hazmat suits, and then we also had an app, so when they did the testing, we also got the results from the app as well.

“From that seven-day period, I was able to move to my city where my school is, and then when I came to my school, I also had to quarantine for another two weeks. They had like a dormitory specific to those who came from overseas, so we stayed in that dorm for two weeks, and every single day for those two weeks, again, I had to do coronavirus testing, and they would upload those results in the app,” he recalled.

He said those earlier days were some of the most depressing, as he longed for human connection and the ability to explore and immerse himself in Chinese culture. However, he never gave up. Barnes said he continued his classes online, often video-calling family members and friends to fill the silence.

“I grew up in a family where once I start something, I feel like I should finish it. I’m a person who is never a quitter and so, of course, during every journey, there are going to be challenges and obstacles, and at some point it’s the way you overcome them and how you go about manoeuvring those obstacles that really kind of defines your character and speaks to your success story. I would have never imagined that I would be graduating as a valedictorian, especially if I had not pursued or continued,” he told the Sunday Observer.

After almost a month of testing, he said he was finally free to explore China and interact with his schoolmates, making memories he will forever cherish. He said these interactions significantly improved his Mandarin, making it possible for him to deliver his valedictory speech in the native tongue.

While the road was rough, Barnes said he believes the experience was worth the sacrifice and the wait. As he looks to start his career as a medical professional in Jamaica, he encourages other youth looking to study abroad to fight the fear and take a chance.

“Prepare well, stay disciplined, and remain open to learning from every experience because I believe that success is really not about being like the smartest person in the room; it’s more about being consistent, being resilient, and willing to keep going when things become difficult,” said Barnes.