Burulai was born in the Chatkal district of the Jalal-Abad region. She is currently in her final year at Heinrich Heine University (Heinrich-Heine-Universität).
Her journey into medicine began at the "Sapat" lyceum in Osh, where she had the opportunity to participate in various international projects. One such event was a trip to The Hague, Netherlands, at the end of the 9th grade, which allowed her to see other European countries, including Germany. This inspired her to think about returning here in the future.
According to Burulai, the medical education system in Germany is well-developed. "I learned that university education can be free with a C1 level German language certificate. Although I also considered applying to the USA, it turned out to be too expensive," she noted, adding that she decided to learn German from scratch in order to enroll in a free university.
Initially, she enrolled at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy, where she studied for a year. However, she soon realized that this institution did not provide her with sufficient opportunities. In the lyceum, she studied exact sciences in English, but at KGMA, the instruction was in Russian, which created difficulties. The attitude of the teachers and the conditions for practice also had a negative impact. She decided, "Why suffer in Kyrgyzstan when there is an opportunity to study abroad?". With the support of her family, Burulai made the decision to leave KGMA.
Returning to study in a new country was a challenge for her: a new language, a different culture, and environment. Nevertheless, Burulai was determined: "I planned to study medicine in Germany." According to her, at first, many did not believe in her success, even her German language teacher. However, she quickly realized that studying in the medical field requires high discipline and excellent grades — a score of no lower than 1.3 is needed for admission.
After six months of hard language study and document preparation, Burulai successfully passed the selection for several universities.
“The start was not easy. I was also affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which complicated studying and learning the language. In difficult moments, I was supported by the words of my parents and a friend,” she admitted.
Burulai considers Germany her new home, which opens up many opportunities for her: “Gradually, I began to adopt German habits and started to feel like a part of both cultures.” She noted that Germans are cautious in new acquaintances and value trust.
In addition to her studies, Burulai works in the radiology department, performing MRIs. “We have great relationships with colleagues, but it took time to establish contact,” she added.
She noticed that the number of Kyrgyz people in Germany is growing, and new opportunities are emerging for the youth. Although at first Burulai often visited places where Kyrgyz people gathered, over time her interest in this diminished.
Currently, Burulai is preparing for the mandatory internship that takes place in the final year. After its completion, she intends to continue her career in surgery, where the residency lasts 5-6 years, after which she will become a Facharzt (specialist).
“If fate gives me a chance, I want to contribute to the development of medicine in Kyrgyzstan. We have many aspects that need improvement,” she emphasized.
As for her free time, Burulai shared: “As a medical student, there is almost no free time. But I try to travel around Europe, engage in sports, and meet friends. I also manage social media, where I provide consultations in Kyrgyz on educational issues,” she said.
