“Lygia, why did you choose to become a doctor?”
That’s a question I get asked often. And the truth is, I can’t remember ever wanting to follow a different career path. It has always been this one. After all, I grew up admiring one of the greatest doctors I’ve ever known—Dr. Maletta, my grandfather.
My grandfather was my hero! Not just because he saved lives or because he was highly respected in the medical field, but because he had this rare ability to look his patients in the eye and make them feel truly cared for, even in their most painful moments.
Ever since I was little, spending hours listening to his stories, I knew one thing for sure: “When I grow up, I want to be just like him!” That seed of admiration was planted deep within me, and over time, it grew strong—so strong that ignoring it was never an option.
A beautiful story, isn’t it? But as they say, the road isn’t always smooth…
And then came the day I truly understood the responsibility of the profession I had chosen.
My grandfather, my beloved grandfather, fell ill. And for the first time, I felt firsthand what it was like to be on the other side. At that moment, I wasn’t Dr. Lygia Perron — I was simply someone who cared deeply for a patient and wished, with all my heart, to see him well. And that’s when I finally understood why my grandfather treated his patients with such empathy.
That was the moment I realized that medicine isn’t just about diagnoses and surgeries. It’s about being there for people when they feel most vulnerable.
It’s about being someone’s anchor when their world seems to be falling apart…
And that’s when I realized, with absolute certainty, that I wanted to be a doctor. That’s when I made a promise to myself — that my career would be a continuation of my grandfather’s legacy.
For me, being a doctor isn’t just a job — it’s a calling.
And I can say, without hesitation, that I would answer that calling a thousand times over if I had to.
But what about you? If you could go back in time, would you choose your profession again? Tell me in the comments!