Building More Than Hospitals: How a Boyhood Dream of Medicine Became a Lifetime of Teaching
- Ayo Olufade
- May 7
- 5 min read
Authored by Dr. Ayo Olufade
Today, I was reflecting on my career journey and how I ended up being a teacher. I see how dreams can change but stay meaningful, inspiring educators and students to persevere and find purpose by sharing my own struggles and triumphs.
Growing up in Africa, I knew from an early age that I wanted to become a doctor. By the time I was in tenth grade, that dream was already deeply rooted in me. I still remember one particular summer holiday. I was on a date with my girlfriend, walking through the botanical gardens and zoo. I loved places like that. There was something about being surrounded by nature, by life, by beauty, by peace. Even then, I was drawn to science, to living systems, to understanding how life works.
That day, as two teenagers talked about the future, I told her what I wanted to become.
A doctor.
Looking back now, I realize many things shaped that dream.
Part of it came from being a sickly child. When you spend time around illness, you begin to see healing differently.
Part of it came from the stories my elders told about one of my ancestors, a healer, a medicine man. In my mind, healing was never just a profession. It was a service. It was a responsibility. It was a legacy.
And perhaps part of it came from my love for science fiction, from watching Space: 1999 and imagining what science, medicine, and discovery could make possible.
Even at that age, I understood that where you are born should never determine whether you live, suffer, or die because of a lack of access. This is a call for educators and students to stay committed to community impact.
Then life changed.
Leaving Africa was one of the hardest decisions of my life.
What made it even harder was leaving my father. I loved my father deeply. Leaving him, leaving home, leaving the familiar, stepping into a country I had never known, was frightening.
When I arrived in the United States, the culture shock was real.
I was suddenly in environments where, for the first time in my life, I found myself surrounded mostly by White populations, especially when I started community college. The education system was different. The communication was different. My accent was different.
And sometimes, people made sure I felt different.
Being mocked because of how you speak leaves a mark.
Being misunderstood because of where you come from leaves a mark.
Those difficult experiences did not break me; they strengthened my resolve, inspiring educators and students to grow through adversity and build strength and confidence.
I continued pursuing science. I worked hard. I pursued research. I had the privilege of working as a contract biologist at the National Institutes of Health, believing I was still moving toward the life I had envisioned.
But somewhere along the way, reality began to set in.
I started experiencing barriers in research. Access to permanent positions felt limited. Mentorship was lacking.
Bias was real. The pay did not match the sacrifice. And eventually, my contract ended.
I found myself at a crossroads.
At one point, I was seriously considering joining the military.
At another point, I thought about going back to school to become a nurse.
At the time, I was driving a school bus while trying to figure out what my next move would be.
And then life did something unexpected.
My mother, who was an educator herself, called me.
She told me that a science teacher at her middle school had relocated, and the principal urgently needed someone to step in.
She said, “Why don’t you come and substitute?”
I laughed.
I told my mother, “Me? Teach middle school students?
Those students will test my patience.”
And if I am being honest, I remembered what I was like at that age. Some of my teachers would probably tell you I was not always the easiest student to manage.
But I thought to myself, what do I have to lose?
So I said yes.
What I thought would be temporary became transformational.
I was fortunate.
I had my mother as a mentor.
I had a principal who believed in me.
And slowly, classroom by classroom, student by student, something began to happen.
I fell in love with teaching.
Not because it was easy.
Because it wasn’t.
There were days I questioned myself.
The days when students tested every ounce of my patience.
Days I was cursed at.
Days when the administration was unsupportive.
Days when I thought about walking away.
But education teaches you something.
Education teaches us that perseverance through tough seasons creates lasting impact, encouraging educators and students to keep going.
Students grow.
Leadership changes.
Difficult moments pass.
And what remains is impact.
Looking back now, I realize I did not become a medical doctor.
That dream slowly faded into the background.
But I do not see that as a failure.
Because over the past twenty-three years, I have had the privilege of teaching thousands of students across middle school, high school, adult education, and college classrooms.
And now and then, one of those students reminds me why I stayed.
I still remember receiving an email from a former student who had gone on to medical school.
That moment hit me deeply.
Because I realized something.
Maybe I never wore the white coat I once dreamed of wearing.
But perhaps through teaching, mentoring, writing, speaking, and believing in young people, I have helped inspire some who now do.
And if there is one thing I would say to new teachers, it is this:
Persevere.
There will be days when you feel stretched beyond your limits.
There will be days when you question your purpose.
There will be days when you wonder if any of it matters.
Stay.
Because if you stay long enough, you will fall in love with your students.
You will celebrate their victories as if they were your own.
And one day, maybe years later, one of them will reach back.
An email.
A message.
A thank you.
And in that moment, you will realize that what felt like ordinary days in the classroom were never ordinary at all.
They were legacy in motion.
And when I look back now, I realize something powerful.
I left Africa dreaming of building one hospital.
Instead, life allowed me to help shape the minds of students who may one day build many.
"Life is about purposeful living. Those who live with purpose and surround themselves with the right people and resources succeed." ~ Dr. Ayo Olufade
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