Medicine requires hard work, time and patience. This is the conviction of Ramya Muralidharan Nair, a third-year student at the Faculty of General Medicine of Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi. 21-year-old Indian girl aspires to be one of the finest doctors in the world.
“Being a dancer, I try to find rhythm in everything. From the ticking sound of the clock to one's sleep-wake cycle, everything has a rhythm; a pattern to it. Even the vital organ of our body, the heart, has a rhythmic pattern in its beat irregularities which can cause serious health issues”, Ramya says.
She describes her Homeland – India, as a country rich in culture and diversity.
“My dream to become a doctor began when I was quite young. My mother's dream to see her daughter as a doctor, eventually, becomes mine. In school biology used to be my favorite subject, and that made my decision even stronger to pursue medicine. It has never been an easy path. Repeated failures and the lessons behind them encouraged me to be better each time”, Ramya remembers.
YSMU, according to her, has given an opportunity not only to their nationality students, but also to foreign students aspiring to be doctors. Ramya emphasizes that since the past 100 years YSMU has witnessed amazing and talented Indian doctors graduating.
“One enjoys studying when there is a friendly atmosphere, and YSMU assures you that. Doctors and professors here are extremely encouraging and supportive. A special mention to my mentor Dr. Rahul Sethi who puts his best efforts in teaching by conducting FMGE classes for Indian nationality students. The level of support students get from their teachers is immense”, Ramya says.
Medicine, she continues, is a field full of responsibilities. “The deeper you dive into it, the more you learn about it. The best part being in medical school is that you learn daily, not only from your teachers, but also from your fellow mates and seniors”, Ramya adds.
Her belief that experience is one’s greatest teacher has kept her doors open for the future. “At this point I am quite uncertain about the specialization I would want to take up, but I am sure that in the remaining three years of my grad school I'll find my answer”, she says.
One of the most important qualities, Ramya thinks, doctors should have, is empathy towards their patients. “Doctors relieve patient from pain, not only physical, but also mental. Having a good rapport with the patient, understanding their psychological condition is important before any treatment or therapy. Secondly, one should have the curiosity to learn more. Every doctor is a student till the day he dies. It is never about marks you gain in the university, but about the knowledge you gain. Exams should only be criteria for self evaluation, not for self criticism”, Ramya emphasizes.
Talking about the place she currently lives – Armenia, she says that it has become her home, away from home. “The beauty of this place and its people is worth appreciating. Warm and welcoming people of Armenia have definitely made a space in my heart. The craze, Armenians have towards Bollywood, Indian music and culture, is unbelievable. Having Armenian friends who know better than us about Indian culture, is surprising and moment of pride for us Indians. For all that we see is our culture crossing borders”, Ramya jokes. No doubt, she is going to miss Armenia once she graduates. “All the memories I have till now and the ones waiting, the peaceful atmosphere and the lovely locals, definitely, are gonna be missed. My plans after graduation are not yet decided, but I am sure that the amount of knowledge I'll gain in these 6 years will automatically open doors for me in future…”, Indian student concludes.
Author: Tatevik Ghazaryan