Serena is already celebrated by her professors and mentors as “the living definition of a ‘go-getter’” and “a truly talented and distinguished student who has already helped move the needle in healthcare and education.”

Serena Bidwell is pursuing a joint MD and MBA with a special interest in global health and educational outreach. As an undergraduate teaching English in rural Ghana, Serena saw her young students frequently miss class due to (often treatable) health issues. Motivated to make a difference, she went on to earn a master’s degree in public health and publish a study evaluating trends in pediatric cancer rates in Thailand. Her research experience ignited her determination to improve healthcare for underserved populations and increase access to specialty treatments, and after two years as a healthcare analyst at Stanford University, she also began working toward a medical degree. Soon, Serena will pursue the next step in her training to become a surgeon.

Concurrently working towards her MBA with a focus in healthcare administration, Serena recently participated in a prestigious comparative health systems course in France, which uses the French healthcare model as a case study for an alternative approach to financing and delivering healthcare while sustaining biomedical technology and innovation. The course provided Serena with knowledge and hands-on experience to be a changemaker in her field.

Additionally, Serena is active as a Nonprofit Board Fellow working with Brilliant Detroit to improve early childhood development, and conducts ongoing research with the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons to improve training for surgeons across Africa. She ultimately hopes to have a career as both an academic surgeon and a healthcare administrator and use her experiences to help improve access to healthcare and education for all communities.

Recently recognized with the Promising Medical Student Surgery Education Research Award, Serena is already celebrated by her professors and mentors as “the living definition of a ‘go-getter’” and “a truly talented and distinguished student who has already helped move the needle in healthcare and education.”

CEW+ celebrates Serena’s exceptional drive to improve lives and names her a Simson Family Graduate Fellow.