When Dr. Marga del Mundo began as a Clinic Manager at Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, she became so committed to the student-run free clinic there that she helped start a new women’s clinic. She eventually became Executive Director, striving to expand health care access in underserved communities. As a new Ob/Gyn, she aspires to continue such community outreach projects to advance women’s health.

Marga del Mundo, M.D.

What this award means: Receiving this award is an incredible honor. I am inspired by Dr. Ahmed’s story and strive to continue her legacy of compassionate care and community involvement. This award is particularly meaningful for me as my own aunt also passed away at a young age from breast cancer.

Mentor comment: Marga was selected for this award due to her exceptional dedication to women’s health, her leadership in underserved care, and her commitment to medical education and research. She has played a pivotal role in expanding access to women’s health services at Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, where she progressed from Clinic Manager to women’s clinic Director and most recently Executive Director. Marga embodies the values of this award through her leadership, advocacy, research, and unwavering commitment to advancing women’s health. – Ingy Khattaby, M.D., Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background and family: I was born in Davao City, Philippines, and moved to the U.S. with my parents at the age of 9, ultimately settling in Dallas. My mother is a dentist, and my father is a nurse. They always emphasized the importance of hard work and compassion, values I strive to embody in my career and daily life.

What led to your career path: Growing up in the Philippines made me acutely aware of health care disparities, inspiring me to improve access in my own community. While exploring different specialties, I found that Ob/Gyn perfectly aligned with my interests in women’s health, advocacy, and community service.

College: I majored in health care studies and minored in gender studies at UT Dallas. During my time there, I was a teaching assistant for anatomy and physiology. I also volunteered as an ESL teacher for Literacy Achieves, an organization dedicated to promoting English language skills among the immigrant and refugee population in Dallas. During the summers, I volunteered for local medical nonprofits in Davao City.

UTSW activities: I served as a manager and director for the Brother Bill’s Helping Hand student-run free clinic, where I helped found the women’s clinic. I also participated in gynecologic pathology research focusing on biomarker panels to improve the characterization and diagnosis of endometrioid ovarian lesions. I participated in quality improvement and patient safety projects by developing a preeclampsia risk factor checklist for UTSW obstetric clinics and creating a trauma-informed care curriculum for the Ob/Gyn clerkship.

Surprising fact: I love houseplants and have nearly 100 of them, along with two greenhouse cabinets in my apartment! It started as a COVID lockdown hyperfixation that evolved into a long-standing hobby.

Future plans: I am incredibly excited to start my Ob/Gyn residency at UT Southwestern! I also hope to continue participating in community outreach and quality improvement projects throughout my career.

About the award: The award honors Dr. Ahmed, an Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty member who died of breast cancer at age 39. The recipient demonstrates exemplary women’s health care and epitomizes the clinician that Dr. Ahmed was – caring, intelligent, and involved in her community.