Connor Mamikunian, MD

I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, the oldest of six siblings. We climbed the Chugach Mountains from our backyard and spent summers on the Kenai River catching trout and salmon.

Resident

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Surgery

Classification:

Resident

• MD, University of Washington, 2020
• BA, University of California-San Diego, 2015
• MD, University of Washington - Preliminary Surgery, 2022

Bio:  I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, the oldest of six siblings.  We climbed the Chugach Mountains from our backyard and spent summers on the Kenai River catching trout and salmon.  My favorite memory of growing up was my brother looking up at the Northern Lights, asking "Is this what heaven looks like?" 

After college at the University of California, I returned to Alaska on a medical school scholarship to the University of Washington's- WWAMI program which promotes the training of students from rural areas in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. This wide region is also served by Seattle's trauma center Harborview, where I fell in love with surgery and caring for injured patients.

What attracted you to WVU surgery for residency?

 After meeting Dr. Borgstrom at a trauma conference in Seattle, I knew WVU would be a great place to finish my training in general surgery. So much about this place is a good fit as I want to practice acute care and trauma surgery in a similar setting to WVU, either in my home state of Alaska or a more rural area in the Northwest United States (Montana, Washington, or Oregon).

What makes our program unique?

 The high volume of patients with delayed presentation and complex pathology. The sincere appreciation I have felt from the patients here is remarkable, truly a safety net hospital in every sense of the word. 

What do you like about living in Morgantown?

Being close to nature. A few favorites so far have been the Big Bear Lake mountain bike park, Blackwater Falls, and the Core Arboretum. 

Personal Interests:

I love doing adventure sports: snowboarding, mountain biking, whitewater, anyway I can get into the back country. I enjoy listening to and writing music. I have been in a lot of bands playing jazz, folk, and rock. 

Awards: 

• Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America 2010