April 1, 2016

Mary Shen

Mary Shen

Mary Shen, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health alumna and currently a medical student in the UNC School of Medicine, has received the UNC General Alumni Association’s University Award for the Advancement of Women.

Shen, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree in nutrition at the Gillings School in 2013, was acknowledged for advocating personal and professional development opportunities for women, both as an undergraduate and in her medical studies.

“Receiving this award is truly an honor,” Shen said, “but what has been most meaningful to me is being part of a University that seeks to promote opportunities and equality for all members of the community. I feel incredibly proud and grateful to attend UNC and to be able to contribute to its mission.”

A limb-saving operation led Shen to medical school with a plan to become a surgeon. Daunted by the small number of women specializing in surgery, she became acutely aware of the importance of mentorship in the male-dominated field. As president of the UNC chapter of the Association of Women Surgeons, she expanded the surgeon-medical student mentoring program and initiated a mentoring program for medical and pre-med students interested in surgery.

“I wanted to create a space for honest conversation about work-life balance, mental health and gender discrimination,” Shen said. “Doing this work has been one of the most fulfilling and inspiring experiences I have been part of. While I feel passionate about promoting women in surgery, this experience has solidified my dedication to addressing the unique obstacles that women face in pursuing any specialty.”


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Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: David Pesci, director of communications, (919) 962-2600 or dpesci@unc.edu

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