While Muno Sheekh-Nuur is in a Physician Assistant Studies graduate program on the East Coast, she spent part of her summer training at the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) in south Minneapolis.
Sheekh-Nuur first heard of CUHCC through a friend who previously trained there. She says her friend's experience helped her appreciate how meaningful and valuable CUHCC could be for her own learning.
Muno Sheekh-Nuur
"My friend spoke very highly of her experience at CUHCC, and shared how impactful it was to work with such a diverse patient population and how supportive the learning environment was," said Sheekh-Nuur. "Hearing her firsthand perspective sparked my interest and made me eager to explore the opportunity myself."
Sheekh-Nuur was also drawn to CUHCC because it serves patients of all income levels and is focused on health equity.
"The clinic's integrated care model, which combines medical, dental, and mental health services, aligns closely with my interest in holistic, patient-centered care," she said. "CUHCC's mission to transform health care and education to advance health equity also resonates with my long term goals in public health and advocacy."
Through her time at CUHCC, Sheekh-Nuur says she gained foundational knowledge in culturally-responsive care and hopes to deepen her understanding by applying it in a real world setting. She also learned how interprofessional teams collaborate within a community health context to address complex social determinants of health.
"The lessons I learn at CUHCC will shape how I approach care throughout my career," she said. "Whether I work in primary care or public health, I wish to advocate for systems that prioritize accessibility and compassion. My experience at CUHCC will provide me with tools for serving diverse populations and working effectively within multidisciplinary teams."
CUHCC CEO Roli Dwivedi, MD, says asking, "What did you learn?" is a powerful tool for unlocking student engagement and curiosity.
"It's such a joy to see the spark in their eyes as they reflect on their new knowledge," said Dwivedi, who supervised Sheekh-Nuur's clinical practice experience at CUHCC. "Muno was no exception; the transformation of understanding is at the heart of the CUHCC mission and vision."