"«Our People Abroad»: 27-Year-Old Burulai Zhusupbek Kyzy from Jalal-Abad Prepares to Become a Surgeon in Germany"

Ирина Орлонская • 04.01.2026, 06:38 • Society

Burulai Zhusupbek kyzy, 27 years old, is studying at the medical faculty in Düsseldorf, Germany.

She was born in the Chatkal district of the Jalal-Abad region and is currently studying at Heinrich Heine University.

After graduating from the "Sapat" lyceum in Osh, she had the opportunity to participate in international projects. In the ninth grade, she visited The Hague and other countries in Europe, which sparked her desire to return to Germany.

According to her, medicine in Germany is of a high standard.

“I learned that university education is free if you have a C1 level certificate in German. I also considered applying to the USA, but it turned out to be too expensive. So, I decided to learn the language from scratch and apply to a free university,” she explained.

She started her studies at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy, but after a year, she realized that this institution did not offer her sufficient prospects. “I studied in English at the lyceum, and it was difficult because all the education at the academy was in Russian. Moreover, I was not satisfied with the attitude of the teachers and the routine tasks,” Burulai added.

“I decided that I didn’t want to suffer in Kyrgyzstan trying to speak Russian, and I left KGMA with my family's support,” she said.

Starting everything from scratch at 21 was hard: a new language and a new culture. But she had a goal — to study medicine in Germany. “At first, no one believed in my plans, not even my German teacher,” she noted. “Studying medicine requires enormous effort even from Germans, and high grades are critically important for admission.” She passed the exam and obtained a C1 certificate in six months, which allowed her to apply to several universities.

“The first months were challenging. The coronavirus pandemic worsened the situation. During difficult times, my mother, father, and friend supported me,” she added.

Burulai noted that Germany has become her new home and a source of many opportunities: “I started adopting German discipline, and what used to seem familiar became unfamiliar.”

“Germans are cautious in new acquaintances and value trust. I work in radiology from 4 PM to 8 PM, doing MRIs. I have good relationships with my colleagues, although it took time to establish contact at the beginning,” she said.

Burulai noted that the number of Kyrgyz people in Germany is growing. “New programs and opportunities for youth are being created. I used to often visit places where Kyrgyz people gather, but now I do it less often,” she added.

She is now preparing for the mandatory internship that completes her education. “After that, I plan a career in surgery. The residency will take 5–6 years, after which I will become a Facharzt,” she noted.

“I would like to contribute to the development of medicine in Kyrgyzstan. We have a lot to change,” she said.

Burulai talked about her hobbies: “Student life and work leave almost no time for rest. But I try to travel around Europe, engage in sports, and meet friends. I also run a social media page where I provide advice on studying in the Kyrgyz language,” she added.

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