Tell Us About Your Work
Monique Mun, MD
Monique Mun M.D. is the Membership/Recruitment Chair for the AMWA Residents Division (2019-2021) and a Psychiatry resident at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. She plans to pursue a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, and has a clinical interest in cultural psychiatry. She hopes to bring awareness about mental health issues, as well as educate and treat communities in which there is still a stigma against mental health. She implemented mental health screenings at her local Asian American community center, and served as a panelist speaker to medical students about cultural issues in psychiatry. Dr. Mun’s involvement in AMWA started during medical school, where she served as the AMWA Vice-President at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She is currently part of the editorial team for Literary AMWA, a gallery of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry writing from women physicians and physicians-in-training who hope to foster healing through storytelling. Outside of AMWA, she serves as a mentor for pre-medical students through her college alumni association. Through AMWA, she hopes to encourage leadership, scholarship, and mentorship among women in medicine.
What Helped Get You There
Having the unending support from my parents encouraged me to pursue a career in medicine. They have instilled in me the values of hard work and perseverance, integrity, and kindness. Along my academic career, from college through medical school, and even now as a resident, I have met amazing mentors who recognized my potential and encouraged me to pursue my interests. That is why I am passionate about serving as a mentor because I believe mentorship can be a powerful thing. And last, but not least, my wonderful husband who encourages me, challenges me, listens to me, and supports even at the most difficult times – I could not have asked for a better partner in my career (as a fellow psychiatrist), and in life!
What Advice Do You Have for Women in Medicine
Believe in yourself. That may be the hardest thing to do, but when you start to believe in yourself, fear and insecurity are pushed aside, and you start listening to your inner voice that tells you to go for it – apply for that position, lean into that opportunity, or reach out to that person. There is no hurt in trying.
