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| Dr. Michelle Munyikwa |
When Michelle Munyikwa was exploring her undergraduate options she knew what she wanted: she wanted a school where she felt like she belonged and where she could explore her academic interests fully. When she visited the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, she believed she found everything she was looking for and more. She moved from Delaware to the university and began her studies as a Murray 1693 Scholar. She ended up pursuing two different majors: one was an interdisciplinary major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the other was in Anthropology. By pursuing a degree in Anthropology she was able to satisfy her interest in people and cultures, particularly as it concerned gender, languages, public health, and literature.
While at the College of William and Mary Munyikwa dedicated herself to her various interests. She worked closely with faculty in the Biology program, conducting independent research under their supervision, but she also was a fierce advocate of social justice causes. She was a leader for Students for Stop Hunger Now, an organization dedicated to ending domestic and international poverty and food insecurity; Vice President for Vox: Voices for Planned Parenthoods, which provided various educational programs and resources to students, as well as took piano and belly dancing lessons.
Upon graduating from the College of William and Mary in 2011 she enrolled in a joint M.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Pennsylvania. This unique program enabled her to continue to pursue both of her interests: medicine and anthropology. She self-identifies as a medical and political anthropologist who is concerned with studying and resolving matters related to political economy, history, and practices of care. Her doctoral research focused on issues concerning access to health care among refugee populations in Philadelphia. She earned her doctorate in 2019, and her dissertation is currently in press, meaning in the process of being published.
In 2021 she completed her medical degree. In her clinical practice she is most concerned with patients’ rights and the law, and she has worked closely with several lawyers to advocate for her patients. Her passion for equitable treatment of all patients, regardless of race, gender, cultural background, etc., has led to working closely with various medical specialists, and she has prolifically published on these topics. Her publications can be found in Synapsis: A Health Humanities Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, and Harvard Public Health Review. She also served as the co-chair of the Physicians for Human Rights Student Advisory Board in 2021, as well as worked with the Social Needs Response Team for the Center for Health Equity Advancement at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School.
Currently, Munyikwa is a Resident of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania. She continues to utilize her anthropological knowledge in her practice as she serves her patients. Furthermore, she is already an inspiration to others given what she has already accomplished, and there is no doubt that she will continue to fight for better and more equitable health care options to all.
Works Cited
Arts & Sciences. "Michelle Munyikwa: Murray 1693 Scholar." n.d. College of William and Mary. Electronic. 5 July 2023.
Center for Health Equity Advancement. "CHEA Spotlight: Michelle Munyikwa." 2 May 2022. Penn Medicine: Center for Health Equity Advancement. Electronic. 5 July 2023.
Munyikwa, Michelle. About Me. n.d. Electronic. 5 July 2023.
5 comments:
What stood out most to me in Dr. Munyikwa's profile was her engagement in personal pursuits such as piano and belly dancing, demonstrating a versatile personality with a wide array of talents and passions beyond the academic system.
Reading this blog made me realize that change is possible if you just apply yourself. I glad that there are people like Dr.Munyikwa that are fighting for equal rights in the medical area. She is also sharing her research and opinions on to specialists and other people who have the capacity to make change which is a hug step into creating a better system. - Serenity Henderson
Before reading this article, I would have not thought that Biology and Anthropology would be things that could be pursued at the same time. Dr. Munyikwa was able to connect both of her interests to be able to reach many different people. She seems like an incredible person that loves to help others.
Michelle Munyikwa’s involvement in advocacy organizations and her research on access to healthcare among refugee populations demonstrates her passion for addressing societal issues.
-Ahmesha Johnson.
Munyikwa's scholastic path, encompassing anthropology, biochemistry, and molecular biology degrees, exemplifies her multidisciplinary comprehension of intricate problems. She can likely approach healthcare inequities from numerous sides thanks to her multidisciplinary viewpoint, which also improves her advocacy efforts and research.
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