Listen to Your Heart: Medical Student's Journey from Rural Kazakhstan to Heart Surgery

Shyryn Orazhanova, from the small village of Urzhar in eastern Kazakhstan, is on track to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

As one of 2,000 graduates of IQanat, an educational project for rural students, she's now pursuing her medical degree at Kazakh-Russian Medical University in Almaty.

Shyryn is one of 2,000 graduates of IQanat, an educational project helping rural students transform their lives. 

Future Surgeon 

Though initially drawn to dentistry, Shyryn realized her calling was broader:

It felt too restricted. I want to help a person entirely.

Now a third-year medical student at the Kazakh-Russian Medical University in Almaty on full scholarship, she aims to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

The heart is life itself. Today, heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases affect Kazakhs as young as 30. This isn't normal – these should be conditions coming at an older age. Fighting young heart attacks is my primary mission,she says.

Shyryn aspires to practice in South Korea, known for its advanced medicine, particularly cardiac surgery.

I chose surgery because I love decisive victories. Problems that troubled patients for years can be resolved in hours. While I considered diagnostic roles like cardiology or endocrinology, only surgery offers such immediate results, she explains.

Though surgery is often labeled a "man's profession," Shyryn dismisses this notion, envisioning herself at the operating table, restoring heartbeats after hours of precise work. 

Tackling Alzheimer's

Currently, Shyryn works on two research projects, including one covering Alzheimer's disease. 

It's a major challenge. Alzheimer's remains mysterious. Its origins and treatment are global medical puzzles. For me, it's like detective work. Complex challenges are exciting, she notes.

Supporting Children with Disabilities and MedTalks

Beyond medicine, Shyryn volunteers at a center for children with autism and cerebral palsy.

Autism isn't an illness but a condition. We must learn to interact with these children, she believes.

This conviction led her to speak at MedTalks, similar to TedTalks, about respect and understanding for children with disabilities.

Shyryn's story exemplifies how projects like IQanat help children believe in themselves.

Through intensive programming, over 90% of graduates receive scholarships to top universities in Kazakhstan and abroad. 

Original Author: Ilya Astakhov