Medicine, mountains and meaning: My first summer in Armenia

This summer, I was accepted to participate in the AYF Internship Program, which allowed me to visit Armenia for the first time in my life. Currently, I am enrolled as a pre-med student, and my internship was assigned at the Wigmore Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Yerevan, where I shadowed the Pediatric Department of Surgery. 

Not only did I have the burning desire to work in the medical field, but I was also eager to interact with and connect to my homeland—a place I had only heard about in stories and family conversations.

As an intern, I witnessed more than 20 surgeries, gaining insight into hospital life and surgical operations I had only read about in books or seen in videos. One of the most recurring surgeries I witnessed was a patella stabilization procedure—a careful, three-hour-long operation that repositions the kneecap using a tendon taken from the patient’s shin. The complexity and precision were so astounding that I was impressed by the hospital’s advanced technological capabilities. 

My experience at the hospital exceeded my expectations. Through this internship, I realized that Armenia is not behind in medicine, but is pushing forward with skill and innovation. I owe a lot to the hospital staff for taking the time to mentor and teach me this summer. Their patience and discipline helped shape my understanding of what it is like to be in the medical profession. 

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When people ask what my favorite part of the summer was, I usually smile and say, “the food.” It is true. Whether it was savory mante with madzoon in a cozy Yerevan restaurant or khorovats cooked by our tour guide in a treehouse lodge in Dilijan—each meal felt like a celebration of Armenian hospitality and culture. Some of the most meaningful moments were simple ones, like sharing meals, telling stories and laughing late into the evening with my fellow interns. Around the dinner table, I felt a genuine sense of belonging.

One unforgettable day took us to Khor Virap Monastery, nestled near the Armenian-Turkish border. It was a scorching hot day, and the smell of lavash baking on hot stones greeted us, along with street vendors selling doves and handmade crafts. Despite the heat, the climb to the monastery was filled with anticipation. 

When we reached the top, our group stood on the stone terrace and took a group photo with Mount Ararat as our backdrop.

Inside the monastery, I visited the pit where St. Gregory the Illuminator had been banished for over 13 years. I had read about him as a child in Sunday School, but standing in the very spot where he was cast out was different. It was an emotional mix of something eerie yet very spiritual. 

I felt a bit tense going down the spiral, narrow and claustrophobic tunnel, but once down in the pit, it seemed very formidable. There was almost a deafening silence at the bottom. Without light, I can only imagine the difficulty St. Gregory faced living in absolute darkness for over a decade, and how his perseverance ultimately paved the way for Armenia to become the first Christian nation. Being there, I felt more committed to my identity than ever before.  

Before leaving, I decided to climb a small hill adjacent to the monastery. At the top, an Armenian flag streamed proudly and defiantly in the wind, right alongside the Turkish border. Beside it towered Mount Ararat. Overcome with emotion, I began to cry. 

I have never climbed Mount Ararat, but I feel it is a part of me. I do not see it as a tourist destination but as an aspiration of hope. A dream that, one day, I might stand on its peak, not as a visitor, but as an Armenian, on Armenian soil.

This summer gave me more than professional insight into the world; it gave me a greater appreciation of my culture, my people and my motherland. The AYF Internship Program did not just show me what kind of doctor I want to become—it reminded me of who I already am.