I I Escaped Iran, Crossed a Warzone, and Made It to Med School in London, AMA!

Hi

I'm a Persian and I was born the capital of Iran.

When I was 17 I lost my parents in a car accident and became very depressed.

So I failed the medical uni exam and frustrated I sold everything and went to Moscow and got accepted for biology major in Lomonosov Moscow State University.

I lived there until 2023, after the the February offensive of stalled I found a guy on telegram named Ivan, I went to Belgorod and he smuggle me and dozen other through Kursk to Sumi.

There I surrendered myself to Ukrainian soldiers.

They treated me remarkably well, partly because I learned some intermediate Ukrainian and it helped a lot.

I explained to them that I come from Iran and how I crossed border, they understandably were suspicious that I may be a spy but luckily I had a distent relative who immigrated there many year ago, he was a dentist and he lived in Boryspil (near Kyiv), so after some time they gave me a temporarily stay status, I stayed in Kiev for 16 months.

I loved my stay there, despite occasional air raids, it's a gorgeous city with remarkably resilient people.

Then on the suggestion of my relative I applied for asylum in Poland and I think because of biology degree I got through!

I crossed Hrebenne border on May 10 2024. In Lublin, i applies for asylum, citing displacement and fear of return to Iran.

Polish authorities issued me a temporary residence permit (pink slip), allowing me to stay legally while my claim was processed.

On July 20, At St. Anna’s Church, i got baptized as a Catholic, it was personal choice really.

I changed my name (not legally yet) to Reymond.

With my Polish temporary permit, i traveled legally within the Schengen Area, though i kept a low profile to avoid scrutiny.

On August 1, i taked a FlixBus from Lublin to Warsaw, then hitched a ride through Berlin and Cologne to Paris!

I can't believe I was in freaking Paris! But my final destination wasn't there.

On September 4, i joined a group of asylum seekers in Calais, I paid €2,000 for a spot on an overcrowded rubber dinghy crossing the English Channel.

After a very scary 6 hour journey, i landed in Folkestone, UK!

Then I got processed by the UK Home Office at Dover.

They grant me temporary protection status as an asylum seeker.

I used the Refugee Council scheme right after Dover processing.

By October 15, I got matched to a vetted shared flat in nearby Kilbur, It's was a basic double room in a 4 person house, damp walls, bunk beds, but it was clean.

Then I legally adopted the name Reymond post-asylum approval!

On November 6, i seat PLAB(UCAT) exam at a London test center.

I studied night and day in Kilburn’s library, fueled by a lot coffee and my experience in Kyiv clinic.

mid December I passed the first go!

Largely thanks to my biology background.

With that in hand, i submited my UCAS application for UCL's MBBS by the extended deadline for refugees (around December 4), including my PLAB(UCAT) scores, personal statement on my journey, and references from the Kyiv clinic I worked at.

In January 2025 UCL calls me for an MMI interview on January 15, i nail it!

By late February, the acceptance letter arrived: conditional offer for the 2025 intake, with a refugee scholarship covering fees!

Finally I got into UCL halls on August 24, orientation hits the 25th, and classes begin Tuesday, August 26.

First lecture was anatomy in the Cruciform Building.

My journey from Tehran's despair to cold Moscow then in beautiful kive and lupin and gourgus Paris to London's lecture halls, was complete!

I just wanted to share to anyone that feels there world is at its end, it's always gonna get better!

I was very lucky I could have died in a smuggy day In Tehran or got drafted in Moscow or get killed in Kursk or get caught in Paris.

But I endured and although I don't know what future holds, I'm happy today.

Thanks for reading, I would answer whatever question you may have.

Edit: I goofed saying PLAB in my story. I Meant UCAT took it Nov 13, 2024, to boost my UCL med school app with my biology degree. In forums and refugee chats, folks just say “PLAB” for any UK med test, so I mixed up the name, not the exam. My bad.

Edit 2: thank you very much for your attention and questions, I appreciate all of you, both the kind or harsh ones, I made this post to get it off my chest and maybe help some people who may be in a low place, I understand your skepticism and respect it, but can't do anything about it, I hope I added some value to the time you spend reading this! Take care everyone.