“I was too afraid to open my match email myself, so I had my husband do it for me,” Hana Malik RUSM, MD ‘25 said. “He was sitting beside me and saw the email first, then turned it toward me and congratulated me as I read that I matched at Central Michigan University in Family Medicine. It was an extra special moment having my partner, in every sense of the word, reveal such incredible news to me.”
As a very spiritual person, Malik felt immensely blessed in that moment. As she uttered, “Thank God,” she was overwhelmed with an extreme amount of relief, gratitude and happiness which manifested in lots and lots of happy tears.
The Book That Started It All
March 21, 2025 was the culmination of a dream that began when Malik was seven or eight years old. One of her earliest memories of being intrigued by health and science was when she was in elementary school and came across a book titled “101 Things to Know About the Human Body.”
“I definitely read that book more than a dozen times and I remember being so fascinated with its content,” she said. “It had large, detailed photos of different organ systems and explained their purpose. That is how I first learned what hair follicles are and how hair is only alive at the root! My health and science classes in middle/high school further enforced my passion for the field. After volunteering in healthcare settings, I was sure of my career path.”
Proving the Doubters Wrong
Although Malik’s goal to become a physician was established early on, the road wasn’t easy or linear. She said that she didn’t excel in school and that the academic path required for medicine was difficult. In fact, nearly every counselor or advisor Malik encountered discouraged her from pursuing this field. She often had to study twice as hard just to earn average scores on exams, but she held on to the belief that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
“A turning point came during my first attempt at organic chemistry,” Malik explained. “After doing poorly on the midterm, my professor asked to meet with me. She advised that I withdraw from the course to avoid failing and suggested I retake it over the summer. I remember leaving that meeting feeling defeated, questioning whether I was truly capable of becoming a doctor. But I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Instead of giving up, Malik retook the course over the summer, sacrificing time and comfort for the sake of a goal she believed in deeply. The smaller class size and access to additional support gave her the chance to learn in a way that worked for me. She changed how she studied, asked more questions, and fully engaged in the learning process. That summer, she earned A’s in both Organic Chemistry I and II. Malik’s determination and her ability to adjust her approach to studying served her well throughout her medical school journey.
The Blessings of a Rossie Experience
“I heard about Ross Med multiple times while in undergrad since other students in my community had chosen it for their own medical journey,” said Malik. “I knew I wanted to begin medical school as soon as possible after graduating college so I applied to Ross University School of Medicine alongside MD/DO schools in the United States. When I was asked to interview for Ross Med, I further researched the school and what the curriculum/affiliations and match rates were like.”
Malik was impressed with the school’s academic achievements and success rates, so she was thankful when Ross Med accepted her and gave her the chance to prove how much she wanted to become a doctor. She also shared that throughout basic sciences, the kindness and support of the teaching faculty and professors made all the difference for her.
“At Ross, they took the time to mentor, teach and guide us in a way that really made us feel like doctors in training from our first day of medical school,” she said. “Additionally, my core rotations during my third year of medical school at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut was very impactful. I learned so much every single day I was there in a way that made me fall in love with medicine even more than before. There aren’t enough words to adequately describe how incredible the residents, graduate education staff and attendings are at that program.”
Good Things Come to Those Who Work
Born and raised in Connecticut, Malik’s parents grew up in Pakistan before moving to the United States in the 1990s. A close family, she and her siblings were brought up to appreciate diversity and a multicultural home life.
“One of the greatest sacrifices I’ve made on my journey to becoming a physician has been time with my family. I’ve missed milestones that mattered deeply to me, including my baby sister’s middle school and high school graduations — moments I wish I could have been there to celebrate with her. Perhaps the hardest of all was not being able to attend my maternal grandmother’s funeral. We were incredibly close and not being there to honor her memory or be with my family in that moment was a heavy emotional cost,” said Malik.
“There’s a lot of pressure surrounding Match Day,” Malik explained. “I’m so grateful for the friends and family that support me, but knowing they were anticipating Match Day with me added to the pressure. My nerves allowed a lot of irrational thoughts like ‘I would be a disappointment’ or ‘I’d let the people I care about down’ if Match Day didn’t go as expected. On the other hand, visualizing the moment of actually matching and finally starting residency felt too good to be true. I was excited in a way that felt surreal. I was counting down to having my biggest dream become reality!”
Planning Ahead to Achieve Your Match Goal
In addition to Malik’s dedication and hard work throughout medical school, she also approached the matching process strategically and sincerely.
“I believe the way I interviewed played a large role in achieving my match,” said Malik. “I treated each interview as an opportunity for the program decision-makers to get to know me as a person, not just as a potential resident. It allowed the interview process to be more authentic so that the program and I could more effectively evaluate if we would be a good fit for one another. I think it’s very important for applicants to remain true to themselves and their personality when interviewing. It speaks to your integrity; residency programs definitely notice that.”
Malik feels that one aspect of her journey that aspiring physicians might relate to is the idea that you don’t have to make medicine your entire personality. “Yes, medicine demands a great deal of time, energy, and focus — and it naturally becomes a significant part of your life — but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your other passions. Holding on to your interests outside of medicine isn’t just possible; it’s essential.”
“You don’t need to fit a mold to succeed in medicine. You can be a versatile person with layered interests. In fact, I believe that’s what helps you grow into the best version of yourself — both in and outside of your white coat,” she continued. “For me, reading and writing have always been sources of inspiration and self-expression. Even while navigating the rigorous path to becoming a physician, I continued to write and have published books along the way. I’ve found that embracing different parts of myself has made me more balanced, more empathetic, and ultimately a better future physician.”
From Match Day to the Future
Ten years from now, Malik anticipates balancing a meaningful career with a fulfilling personal life. In addition to working as a family medicine physician in both inpatient and outpatient settings, she’d like to be involved in teaching and supporting others — whether that’s mentoring pre-med and medical students or providing community-based education.
She is especially interested in improving access to preventative and reproductive health education. Malik thinks that making this information more accessible and understandable can have a significant impact on patient outcomes — and she wants to be part of those efforts.
Words of Wisdom to Fellow Dreamers
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my journey, it’s that no dream is too big — as long as you’re willing to start somewhere and keep showing up for yourself. Whether you’re beginning with limited resources or have a strong support system behind you, what matters most is taking that first step. Progress doesn’t have to be perfect — it just needs to be consistent. You are capable of far more than you think, and often, the biggest obstacle standing between you and your goals is your own self-doubt. Don’t let fear or comparison hold you back.” Malik said.
“The path may not be easy, but it’s yours and that alone makes it worth pursuing,” she continued. “My path may have been unconventional, but every obstacle I faced only strengthened my resolve. Rather than being deterred, I learned to adapt, to persevere and to keep moving forward. I learned from every hardship I faced and I am proud to say the chance I took on myself was worth it — and I am now the first person in my family to become an MD!”
