Carl Reyes is a third-year pathology trainee in the NHS. He’s also an actor, a former top debater, and one of my closest friends from med school.

In this episode, Carl shares his layered journey of self-discovery; from a structured and competitive childhood in the Philippines, to navigating law school dreams, excelling in debate, and eventually shifting toward medicine… and later, the stage.

We talk about the long, nonlinear road of becoming, the quiet grief of timelines that didn’t work out, the joy of rediscovering performance, and the surprising overlap between medicine and acting.

Carl opens up about family expectations, burnout, and the courage it takes to pivot when no one else understands why.

f you've ever held a quiet dream, questioned your path, or wondered if it's too late to begin again, this one is for you.