The School of Medicine and Public Health and Department of Surgery is committed to being a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist learning environment and workplace. The Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) Visiting Student Scholarship Program, sponsored by the Department of Surgery, supports qualified 4th year medical students from underrepresented backgrounds in medicine in developing their clinical skills, abilities, and potential through a visiting rotation, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
Jane Ewing’s interest in plastic surgery was ultimately strengthened after her father’s immediate passing from metastatic cancer during her second year in medical school. After facing this experience that not many people could relate to, Ewing briefly became disconnected from medicine. However, finding an interest in plastic surgery made her realize that she could give back what was lost.
“Plastic surgery revived my passion, as it gave me back my connection to people,” Ewing said.
Ewing’s motivation to give back and help people can also be seen in The Mental Health Community Engagement Program (MHCEP), a program she founded to identify gaps and barriers faced by community members attempting to receive mental health care, share their experiences, and implement solutions.
“Giving back to the community through MHCEP fueled my passion and commitment to advocacy, service, education, leadership, and research,” Ewing said.
In this experience, Ewing was forced to navigate unfamiliar territories as an inexperienced principal investigator to address complex challenges. The long hours of hard work and commitment resulted in impactful change to medical students and to individuals facing similar challenges as her family. This experience gave Ewing an appreciation for high-quality, impactful research and ultimately led her to take a gap year to pursue research.
“It taught me that meaningful, impactful change requires courage to venture into uncharted territory, persistence to overcome barriers, and humility to learn from failures,” Ewing said.
Ewing was attracted to the URiM program because she believes it will provide a well-rounded training experience. The comprehensive clinical experiences offered in the Department of Surgery was a key point for Ewing, as she believes this will be an ideal setting for the development of her career. She was especially impressed by the fact that residents frequently obtain their No. 1 fellowship.
“The commitment to research and innovation, mentorship, and community are some of the largest reasons why I was drawn to UW SMPH,” Ewing said.
During this rotation, Ewing is looking forward to the mentorship and guidance that she will receive from those at the Department of Surgery. She is excited to work closely with individuals who will support her journey. Ewing is also looking forward to being a part of Wisconsin Surgery, where she can push the boundaries of innovation and contribute to the field of plastic surgery.
Lastly, Ewing seeks to be a plastic surgeon who balances surgical proficiency with a deep understanding of mental health, shaped by her caregiving role for her twin sister with schizophrenia.