Flapping My Wings Across Borders: A Surgeon’s Journey of Resilience

By: Busra Ozkaya, MD

Every migration is a form of rebirth and a gentle reminder that courage begins the moment we choose to step into the unknown. When I left my home in Turkey to begin a new chapter in the United States, I carried not just a suitcase but a heart full of determination and dreams that refused to be grounded — dreams strong enough to flap their wings.

I was born and raised in Cappadocia, a region where strength and patience are part of the landscape itself. The people there taught me that true resilience is quiet, steady, and often unseen. My journey into obstetrics and gynecology began with a deep sense of purpose: empowering women means nurturing the foundation of society. Each delivery and each patient encounter reminded me that medicine is not only about healing the body, but also about listening patiently, showing compassion, and restoring hope.

After completing my obstetrics and gynecology residency in Turkey, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life: to start over in a new country, far from everything familiar. I knew the path ahead would be filled with uncertainty. Still, the desire to grow beyond borders and to see how women’s health was practiced in another part of the world outweighed my fear. Leaving behind everything I had accomplished and the comfort of my old world felt like shedding an old layer of certainty. Yet, with each unfamiliar day, I discovered a new part of myself — one that was flexible, humble, and fiercely determined.

In the United States, my journey began again from the ground up. I joined various clinics as a clinical volunteer assistant and participated in academic projects as a volunteer research fellow, where I learned the rhythm of a new healthcare system and the subtle art of communication in another language. There were moments of silence where I once had words, and moments of reflection where I once had confidence. Yet through these pauses, I discovered the quiet power of observation: listening deeply can sometimes teach more than speaking ever could.

Over time, I came to realize that medicine truly speaks a universal language. Compassion needs no translation. The connection between doctor and patient transcends geography and culture. Above all, these experiences taught me that being a physician is not defined by where you practice, but by how you touch lives. There were times when doubt whispered louder than hope, when progress felt painfully slow, and the weight of starting over felt heavy. Yet each time, I reminded myself that even small steps forward are still progress and remembered why I began this journey. Resilience, I’ve learned, is not about never falling; it’s about rising every single time with a heart that still believes.

Today, as I continue to grow within the U.S. healthcare system, I carry both the roots of my earlier training in Turkey and the experiences I have gained in America as essential parts of who I am. They do not compete with each other; they complete each other. They are two wings on the same journey, one shaped by tradition and the other by transformation. I am still on my way, learning and growing every day. Yet through the lessons carved by my own journey, I’ve come to believe that every woman surgeon carries within her the strength to rise. The path may be uncertain, the skies may seem distant, but they open to those who keep believing. Every challenge, every small victory, adds lift to our wings, and in that flight, we begin to see who we are becoming.

Busra Ozkaya, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist originally trained in Turkey and currently gaining clinical and research experience in the United States. Her interests include women’s health, surgical innovation, and global collaboration in medicine. She is passionate about resilience, empathy, and empowering women through patient-centered care.