Future public health researcher Darshan Shingala has come to Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi from a small city called Jamnagar, located on the western coast of India.
He studied at the Faculty of General Medicine and graduated in June 2020.
26-year-old Darshan describes himself as a positive and optimistic person. “I believe that although life can be quite challenging at times, there is always something to be hopeful for, because life has many gifts to offer us. I am a quiet person, and I have a very small circle of close-knit friends. Sometimes, I find myself spending too much time in my own thoughts but then I tell myself that perhaps organizing our own thoughts is a good investment of time”, Darshan says.
He always thought that to be able to ease someone’s pain is a noble service. That is why he decided to become a doctor. “In my opinion, caring for people when they are in their most vulnerable state is a privilege. I wanted to have a devoted and altruistic career, and the ethos of medicine appealed to me. Now when I think in retrospect, I believe I chose the right profession for myself”, Darshan assures.
Concerning to the question why did he choose Armenia and YSMU for further education, foreign graduate says that rather Armenia chose him. “Perhaps, I was destined to be here. YSMU is a prestigious institute and has gifted the world with exemplary and professional doctors for almost a century”, Darshan emphasizes. He considers myself fortunate to have lived in Armenia for so many years. “Armenia is a beautiful country with a rich history and an ancient cultural heritage. I am an admirer of the Armenian culture, traditions, patriotism, architecture and landscape. I would say that my life in Yerevan has been no less than a celebration – a celebration of life! I have enjoyed and cherished each moment of my life here, and I have felt truly alive. I appreciate and thank Armenian people for their kindness, hospitality, culture and of course, delicious cuisine”, Darshan adds.
He earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Yerevan State Medical University and Master of Public Health (MPH) from American University of Armenia in 2020. “Thus, I would say that I have already started to work towards my chosen career path as a public health researcher. As a future specialist, I aim to strengthen the preventive medicine framework by contributing to the global health welfare through collaborative research in health care”, Darshan says.
At present, he is working as a medical intern at various hospitals affiliated with Yerevan State Medical University. “My job responsibilities are that of an assistant physician. After my graduation in June 2020, I was unable to plan my travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, hence, I decided to stay in Armenia for one year to gain work experience. In addition to my medical internship, I am also working as a volunteer researcher in the COBRAIN Armenia team to assess the neurological impact of coronavirus. In the past, I have also worked at the Hematology Center after Professor R. Yeolyan as a public health intern. I must say that my experience of working in Armenia has been very pleasant and rewarding”, future researcher emphasizes.
In Darshan’s opinion, to become a good doctor it is important to treat others the way you wish to be treated. “My advice to all future doctors would be to remain committed to their individual journey and cherish it. You should strive to become an empathetic, compassionate and respectful human first, and then all the success will follow”, YSMU foreign graduate concludes.
Author: Tatevik Ghazaryan