When I faced a career challenge, I mined the resilience I developed growing up in Lebanon

From ScienceMag:

Early mornings in my family’s home in Lebanon had grown quiet. With my parents working abroad and my siblings studying elsewhere, I often found myself alone, walking through empty rooms that once buzzed with life. I had stayed behind to attend medical school despite the economic hardships that had pushed family and friends to leave, seeking opportunities far from home. Yet, for all its challenges, Lebanon taught me to find strength in adversity and pride in my heritage. That foundation sustained me as I embarked on a new journey: transitioning from clinical medicine to the uncharted territory of research, a leap that tested my resilience in unexpected ways.

Growing up, I learned about Lebanese scientists, artists, and poets who made lasting contributions to the world—figures like Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah, whose work in solar cell technology predated their widespread adoption. Lebanon’s educational system instills a strong appreciation for intellectual pursuits, and my schooling there inspired me to work toward a better world.

So, too, did my parents. My mother, a doctor, completed her medical training in the early 1990s under the constant threat of bombings during the armed conflict that rocked Lebanon in those days. My father, an engineer, was passionate about learning, often immersing himself in engineering books to stay up to date on the latest technology. He taught me that the pursuit of science and taking care of loved ones were the most important commitments I could make. Inspired by their example, and captivated by the intricacies of the human body, I decided to become a physician.

While I was a medical student, the resilience I learned from my parents was tested by the chaos of the Lebanese Revolution of 2019—when citizens took to the streets to protest government corruption—followed by the pandemic and an economic crisis rooted in a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Lebanon’s banking system. Many people, including my parents, lost their life savings as the economy spiraled into collapse. Despite all that, I remained focused and completed my degree.

My memories of Lebanon and the resilience of its people strengthened my resolve.

• Peter Kfoury
• University of Utah

Finally, it was my turn to leave home in search of a brighter future. I arrived in Utah as a postdoctoral fellow, hoping to gain research experience to bolster my application to U.S. medical residency programs. However, research proved far more challenging than I anticipated. In medicine, I was trained to diagnose and treat patients, with clear and often immediate outcomes. The lab was a different world—experiments took time to set up, data had to be carefully analyzed, and results often didn’t come out as expected. One set of experiments failed entirely at first—then took months of diligently controlling one variable after another to get running. And while I was grappling with the complexities of research, I faced new challenges, including leading projects and mentoring students.

The transition to life in the United States was also difficult, and, at times, lonely. On quiet evenings, I would find myself doom-scrolling on social media, yearning for good news about Lebanon as the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel widened. To me, Lebanon remained a place of inspiration, but the world saw it primarily through the lens of war and bombs. This disconnect deepened my sense of isolation.

Yet some people around me provided vital support. A postdoc taught me the importance of meticulous note taking and strict protocols, technicians helped me design robust experiments, and my advisers expressed faith in my ability to complete projects. Sharing meals and laughter with colleagues as we explored Salt Lake City created a sense of belonging that enriched both my work and life. And my memories of Lebanon and the resilience of its people strengthened my resolve.

Initially, I viewed my postdoctoral position as a steppingstone to my medical career. But now, 2 years into it, I am seriously considering becoming a physician-scientist. This transition will bridge my past and future, enabling me to stay grounded in the values that shaped me while embracing the potential and complexities of research. I don’t know whether or when I’ll return to Lebanon, but the lessons I learned there will be with me for life.

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