I was born in a small village in Armenia, where I was exposed from an early age to stark healthcare disparities. I had a firsthand experience with the lack of access to basic medical care, witnessing the lasting impact of untreated illness on my father’s health and quality of life. What struck me even more was how many Armenians quietly accepted their untreated illnesses and chronic pain as a normal part of life. This deeply affected me and sparked a commitment to help those suffering in silence. These early experiences gave me a strong sense of responsibility to serve the communities that raised me, especially Armenia’s rural villages, where medical care is severely limited and chronic pain remains both widespread and overlooked.

Now, as a first-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, I am deeply interested in pursuing a career in anesthesiology, a field that aligns with my mission to reduce physical suffering through thoughtful and equitable pain management. UCLA’s position as a global leader in clinical innovation, community health and global partnerships makes it the ideal institution for students like me who are committed to service beyond borders.

I am especially passionate about obstetric anesthesiology and hope to improve pain care during labor and delivery for women in rural regions. In Armenia, access to labor pain relief is frequently withheld. In fact, many women endure mistreatment during childbirth without realizing that their rights have been violated. A recent report by the human rights organization Ket 33 documented systemic issues, including verbal abuse during labor and non-consensual medical interventions. Despite it all, there is still no official data on the prevalence of obstetric violence, leaving the problem largely invisible in both public health and policy discussions. During UCLA’s Discovery Year, a unique research period built into our medical curriculum, I plan to conduct original research quantifying the prevalence and nature of obstetric mistreatment with research funding support from the Promise Armenian Institute. This work will involve structured interviews, field observations and collaboration with local organizations like Ket 33. My goal is to generate foundational data that can inform clinical training, national guidelines and potential reforms in patient-centered labor care.

This focus on women’s health complements another deeply personal commitment of mine: supporting women affected by gender-based violence. I spent two years volunteering with a domestic violence hotline in the U.S., and I am currently working to establish a Los Angeles–based committee for the Women’s Support Center, which is a leading domestic violence organization in Armenia. This initiative will support Armenian women both locally and abroad and help expand services in Armenia, where gender-based violence remains critically neglected. Empowering women physically, emotionally and socially is central to the kind of physician-advocate I aspire to become.

Over the years, I have also partnered with Vardanants Medical Center in Armenia, where I volunteered during my summer breaks. The appreciation I received for even the smallest efforts reaffirmed the impact of support through volunteering. Now living in Los Angeles, home to a large and engaged Armenian diaspora, I hope to deepen this relationship by organizing sustainable and recurring medical missions in collaboration with Operation Armenia. With the help of other young professionals from organizations like ASA and AAMS, we can develop a recurring annual program that brings students to Armenia to support local clinics through services such as patient documentation, blood draws, ultrasound assistance and more.

My journey has taken me from a small village in Armenia to Yerevan, then to an international school in Norway, and now to medical school in the United States. Each stage has prepared me not only to grow academically, but also to lead with empathy, resilience and purpose. This scholarship will not only support my education at UCLA but also help me scale the efforts to empower women, improve obstetric and chronic pain care and contribute to a healthier future for Armenia.

I am aware that Huys Foundation is granting the Huys Scholarship to me with the anticipation of my good faith pursuit and implementation of the projects and undertakings described in this letter, to which I hereby commit.