Her Story
About Maryam
Maryam K serves as a nurse in the labor and delivery unit of a hospital in Saint Albans, West Virginia. With a career spanning more than 17 years, she previously worked as a midwife for 14 years in Iran before transitioning to nursing in the United States three and a half years ago. Her path into healthcare was shaped by her upbringing in a family deeply involved in medical care, particularly her mother who was a midwife, fostering a passion for patient care from a young age. Maryam holds a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery and a master's degree in biology and biochemistry from Iran. After relocating to the US, she earned a Master's in Public Health in 2019, followed by an associate degree and bachelor's degree in nursing. She is currently enrolled in a Master's program for nurse practitioner, with an anticipated graduation in 2028. She attributes her success to her childhood environment and family values emphasizing care for patients and making a difference in society. Maryam values honesty, discipline, empathy, and effective communication in both her professional and personal life. She advises aspiring professionals in the medical field to carefully assess their emotional readiness and commitment, noting the demanding nature of the work that influences one's entire lifestyle.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Maryam
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my childhood, growing up in a family that all care about patients. Also having different perspective toward society, that each person should make a difference. Also seeing how successful people can help growing others, helping others, so I feel like my success is really connected to my past, my childhood, the environment that I raised. I think that's the most important thing that made me to be who I am now.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My first advice came from my mother, who was a midwife, and she always told me that treat people how you want to be treated in a hospital setting anywhere. Because not everybody is born in a privileged educated family, but they are still human beings, and you need to treat them as good as you can, and just have passion about them, because that is the only thing that remains when you get older.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say really check on their emotions and goals regarding how they want to care about people. Medical setting is very seductive regarding making money, but their life is completely influenced by their job. They don't get all the holidays off, they don't get all the parties, and all the relaxation that other people maybe in other career can get. They need to check on themselves first before enter this, because this is not something that is for everybody. You are basically giving your lifetime, your body, your physics, because nurses pull and push, and it's a heavy job.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Communication is a big thing, because residents and doctors are so busy, and nurses are busy, and sometimes we need to inform them about something that is happening, and they are busy doing something. And it's a very, very timely, time-sensitive job, so communication is a big challenge.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The first thing that is very important to me is being honest to myself, to other people as well. Also being disciplined. Because if I wanna be a good mother, good wife, good family member and a good nurse, I should be very disciplined. I cannot just do whatever, whenever. Being on time, and to myself and others, and being disciplined in my time, taking care of my health, my mental health, my physics. And also, I have other stuff that it's valuable, like how I communicate with people, how I empathize with people, how I put myself in people's shoes, and if something happened, I solve the conflicts.
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