For Shazreh Bukhari, the decision to pursue medicine was deeply personal. Born and raised in Pakistan, she spent years struggling with undiagnosed endometriosis, enduring pain that was often dismissed as “just part of life.” But when she moved to Canada at 17, everything changed.
“I was diagnosed almost immediately and received the treatment I needed,” she recalled. “It made me realize just how different health care access can be depending on where you live.”
That was life-changing--not only because it provided answers she desperately needed but also because it was a defining moment for her. It was the point when she knew she wanted to become a physician. She wanted to stand in the gap for patients who, like her younger self, had been overlooked.
Now a third-year Global Medicine Honors Track student at Kansas City University (KCU), Bukhari has embraced every opportunity to expand her training beyond the classroom. Her first introduction to global medicine took her to the Dominican Republic. That trip only deepened her passion for health equity.
In fall 2024, Bukhari had the chance to travel to Kenya, thanks to a generous scholarship funded by KCU alumna Megan Ottomeyer, DO who graduated in 2017. Having worked alongside the students in Kenya, Ottomeyer was moved by what she saw. “There were a lot of great candidates for the scholarship to choose from, but Shazreh stood out to me as someone with a big heart and as a person who really understands how advocacy is such a vital role in caring for children, especially when resources are limited. My goal when creating the scholarship was to nurture that, and allow an educational experience in global health to contribute to the growth of that mindset,” Ottomeyer said. “It was great to see Shazreh in action and working with her in Kenya!”
For Bukhari, the financial burden that often weighs on medical students was lifted.
“The Kenya trip is an incredible experience, but it’s expensive, especially for medical students already managing loans,” she said. The scholarship covered half the cost of her trip, making it possible for her to take part without the financial strain. “It made such a difference,” she said. “Because of that support, I could fully immerse myself in the experience and focus on learning and giving back.”
Bukhari and the global health team served at Mama Pilista Bonyo Health Centre in Wanjaya, Kenya, where they treated conditions rarely seen in the U.S., like malaria and typhoid.
“Malaria was everywhere. Almost every patient we saw had it,” she said. “It was eye-opening to see how common these illnesses are and how they’re managed in a resource-limited setting.”
One of the biggest surprises? How much the smallest gestures meant to the local children. “They absolutely loved stickers,” she laughed. “When we pulled out a sticker book, we’d be surrounded by kids, singing and laughing. Those interactions were so special.”
But beyond the lighter moments, the trip provided invaluable hands-on training. Under the guidance of faculty physicians, the students performed knee and shoulder injections, wound care and osteopathic manipulative treatments (OMT) for chronic pain.
She remembers a local farmer who came in with severe lower back pain, a common issue among rice farmers there who spend long hours bent over in the fields. After an OMT session, he returned the next day—not for another treatment, but to express his gratitude.
“He said, ‘Whatever you did, I want you to do it again!’” Bukhari recalled. “It reminded me why I chose this path—to help people.”
In addition to clinical skills, the trip offered something equally important: cultural awareness.
Every student worked with a translator, making it easier to connect with patients and understand their daily lives. Those conversations, she says, were just as valuable as the medical training. “When you understand a patient’s background—their culture, their beliefs, their daily struggles—you become a better physician,” she explained. “Even if you’re practicing in the U.S., that cultural awareness helps you connect with patients in a way that builds trust.”
As she moves forward in her medical training, Bukhari is bringing these global health lessons with her. She’s preparing to present her research on diabetes awareness at a medical conference at Creighton University—a project inspired by the health trends she observed abroad.
Though she plans to stay in the U.S. for her residency, she knows her work in global health isn’t finished. “These experiences have shaped me, and they’ll always be part of my journey,” she said. “Wherever I practice, I want to bring that perspective with me.”
For now, she’s encouraging other medical students to take the leap and explore global health firsthand.
“You’ll never forget it,” she said. “It challenges you, it changes you and it makes you a better doctor.”
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