RFMF soldier fulfils childhood dream to become doctor in Cuba

When you dare to dream big and put in the work, life can take you further than you imagined.

For Dr Samuela Tanoa, 33, that journey has led him to Cuba, where he is now a first-year resident in Orthopaedic and Traumatology Surgery at the Frank País International Orthopaedic Scientific Complex in Havana.

Dr Tanoa said his humble upbringing and his father's encouragement to dream big shaped his path.

After performing well in high school, his ambition to study medicine faced an early setback when he was offered a place in the dental programme at the Fiji School of Medicine.

“Although I was grateful for the opportunity, my dream had always been to become a medical doctor,” Dr Tanoa said.

Refusing to give up, he enrolled at the University of the South Pacific, where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry between 2011 and 2013.

Dr Samuela Tanoa

“In 2014, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Biology,” he said.

After graduation, Dr Tanoa worked as a tutor for Foundation and 100-level courses. Determined to follow in his father's footsteps, he joined the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and attempted the Regular Officers Selection Board.

However, he was unsuccessful.

Despite the setback, he remained determined and was assigned kitchen duties, including preparing food and cutting sacks of potatoes.

“It was a humbling experience that taught me that service is not defined by rank, but by character and perseverance,” he said.

In 2016, he was posted to the RFMF Human Resources Department as a private soldier.

“I carried out my duties with discipline and respect while continuing to hold onto my dream,” he said.

A year later, under the leadership of then RFMF Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto, Dr Tanoa was selected to study medicine to help address the shortage of medical officers within the Force.

With support from the Cuban Government and the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS), he travelled to Havana to undertake a seven-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme.

Last year, he graduated from the Enrique Cabrera Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

“The journey was not easy. It involved adapting to a completely new culture, learning a new language and spending years away from family and home,” he said.

“However, through perseverance, faith and sacrifice, I successfully completed my medical studies and achieved the dream I had carried since childhood — becoming a doctor.”

Dr Tanoa said he remained grateful to the Cuban professors and doctors who trained foreign medical students.

“They work tirelessly to help students from developing nations achieve their dreams of becoming doctors,” he said.

“I will always remain grateful to Cuba, the Cuban people, my family, the RFMF and everyone who contributed to this journey.”