The daughter of Rwandan refugees, Dr. Giselle Uwera is passionate about addressing global health disparities and connecting refugee communities to resources. As a general internal medicine physician, she hopes to lead community initiatives aimed at improving health care for the underserved.

Giselle Uwera, M.D.

What this award means: I am honored to receive this award from the Department of Internal Medicine. Throughout my four years of medical school, I have been inspired by the patients I have encountered and the physicians who have guided me. This award highlights compassion, empathy, and clinical excellence, which are all qualities I hope to embody as a physician.

Mentor comment: Giselle has participated in highly productive global health research, holding multiple leadership roles on campus that include starting a Refugee Health Interest Group and volunteering for refugee services in Dallas. Giselle truly shined on the wards with advanced clinical skills, mature teamwork, and empathetic and effective communication. In residency, she is interested in deepening her clinical skills and continuing her work with global health and immigrant and refugee communities. – Stephanie Brinker, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine

Background and family: I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My parents came to the United States from Rwanda as refugees shortly before I was born, in search of a better life.

What led to your career path: Growing up as the daughter of refugees, I witnessed firsthand how structural barriers and financial limitations made it difficult for my family to access medical care. Despite this, witnessing my mother’s resilience as she worked as a registered nurse sparked my initial interest in health care. During college, I also held a work-study job where I provided office support for internal medicine physicians. I quickly developed an appreciation for their vast medical knowledge and the compassion they showed toward their patients. Collectively, these experiences motivated me to attend medical school with the goal of becoming an internist.

College: I graduated from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with degrees in biopsychology and Spanish. I also participated in public health study abroad programs in the Dominican Republic and South Africa.

UTSW activities: I co-founded the Refugee Health Interest Group and worked closely with the International Rescue Committee to organize health education workshops on chronic medical conditions for refugees. I also served as co-President of the UT Southwestern Chapter of the Student National Medical Association, participated in global oncology research, and had two international health experiences. I am graduating with an M.D. with Distinction in Global Health.

Surprising fact: I enjoy listening to many different genres of music, including rap, alternative R&B, house, and Afrobeat, to name a few! I also have a growing collection of vinyl records.

Future plans: I am excited to begin my internal medicine residency at UT Southwestern after graduation. After that, I hope to practice general internal medicine and lead community initiatives to improve health care access for the underserved.

About the award: The Dr. Richard Mays Smith Award is given annually to one or more graduating medical students who excel academically during clinical rotations and exhibit an interest in and compassion for patients.