Mentor Spotlight: Dr. Youmna Sherif
About the Mentor
Dr. Youmna Sherif is an Independent Plastic Surgery Resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Sherif completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University where she designed her own major exploring the impact of biopsychosocial factors on healthcare. Her passion for global health began during this time as she worked with Non-Governmental Organizations in Both Honduras and Turkey. After graduating with honors, she went to Singapore to complete a Medical Education, Research and Evaluation fellowship at Duke-NUS School of Medicine.
She subsequently matriculated into the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine where she completed her Medical Doctorate Degree. During medical school she continued to pursue global health efforts and explored the impact of biopolitics on the hepatitis C endemic in Egypt.
In 2017 she entered the Global Surgery Track at Baylor College of Medicine. Since starting at Baylor, Dr. Sherif has continued to develop her global surgery efforts and has engaged in community centered projects in Egypt, Uganda, and Malawi. Additionally, she has served as a member of the Ethics Committee at Texas Children's Hospital and the Ethics Committee of the Academic Association of Global Surgery. During this time she was also inducted into the Gold Humanism Society, inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, selected as the 2023 Raliegh Ross Scholar, and received the ACS/Pfizer Resident Volunteerism Award. She has also completed a fellowship with the Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance) and started an AMA Journal of Ethics Editorial Fellowship. Her interests include the ethics of global surgery education, enhancement of global surgery infrastructure, surgical capacity building, and humanism in medicine.
Interview
1. What role has mentorship played in your career, and how do you approach mentoring the next generation of female surgeons?
During my general surgery residency, I had many phenomenal mentors that invested in my personal and professional growth. These individuals took the time to help me cultivate a nuanced understanding of global surgery, develop my technical skillset, and enhance my academic interests. They guided my research, promoted my academic work, and introduced me to cutting edge concepts. To this day, they still provide me with clinical and professional advice and support. As a result of these experiences, I came to understand mentorship as a practice in patient encouragement and steadfast support. I try to incorporate these elements into my mentorship of young medical professionals.
2. You have had extensive experience in global surgery, are there any particular experiences that significantly impacted your perspective on medicine or life?
In 2013 I went to Alexandria, Egypt to better understand the effects of the 2011 revolution on population health. I found an absence of medical resources, infrastructure, and capacity. I realized then that if I was going to participate in any form of global clinical care or research, I had to take a more nuanced approach. One that tailored to community needs, the region’s history, and the existent medical capacity. That month spent in Egypt made me realize that global health interventions required methodical, thoughtful, community-centered, well-researched, and infrastructure-based approaches.
3. What is one piece of advice you would give to your medical school self?
Do not let the fear of failure hold you back. Too often as young trainees we worry about rejection, when reality is rejection is the gateway to growth
4. How has your perspective on plastic and reconstructive surgery evolved over the course of your career?
My understanding of plastic surgery changed significantly during my global surgery activities in Egypt and Malawi. As a general surgeon, I was able to keep patients alive, but it often came with the price of significant disability and deformation. Plastic surgery could mitigate these complications through reconstructive care and wound management. Additionally, plastic surgery provides the critical training necessary for the management of common surgical pathologies prevalent in resource-limited settings, including burns, crush injuries, upper extremity wounds, and congenital malformations. And while general surgery keeps individuals alive, it is apparent that plastic surgery can make life worth living again.
5. What is something that brings you joy outside of surgery?
I enjoy spending time with my family, baking, and bouldering.
About the Interviewer
Sarah Abdellah is a third-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, where she double-majored in Neuroscience and Public Health Studies. Her interest in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was sparked during her rotation at Shock Trauma, where she worked alongside leaders in the field, including Dr. Sherif, and gained hands-on experience in the management of complex traumatic injuries. Through this experience, she developed a strong interest in addressing the wide spectrum of reconstructive needs and in conducting research to improve functional and aesthetic outcomes.
For the past two years, Sarah has been part of the Association of Women Surgeons National Medical Student Committee. She first served as Associate Mentorship Coordinator (2024–2025) and now works as Research Coordinator (2025–2026). Through these roles, she has built strong relationships with other committee members and helped support female medical students across the country by creating more opportunities for mentorship and research.
One of Sarah’s most meaningful experiences in medical school has been working as a forensic evaluator at the HEAL Refugee and Asylum Clinic. In this role, she interviews patients, writes medical affidavits for asylum cases, and helps connect people with important resources like legal aid, housing, transportation, and healthcare. This work has given her a deeper understanding of how medicine and law can work together, and she is dedicated to supporting immigrant health and human rights with compassionate, trauma-informed care.