Women News
Monali Mahedia has given the entire Dalit community a reason to celebrate: this spring, she became the first Dalit to match into an Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency program in the United States.
While all surgical residency programs are extremely competitive, Plastic Surgery is the most selective with only around 200 new plastic surgeons trained every year. The vast majority of these are offered locally, with only 1-5 international applicants (0.5%-2.5%) being accepted every year. Dr. Mahedia has not only achieved this historical milestone, but her academic excellence has resulted in her directly being offered a second-year position, allowing her to become a plastic surgeon in 5 more years.
Hailing from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, Dr. Mahedia completed her education at BJ Medical College. She is not only the first Dalit to match into an integrated plastic surgery program, but also the first graduate in the history of her college to do so, underlining her extraordinary resilience and dedication.
“As a Dalit woman and international medical graduate from India, being accepted into one of the most competitive plastic surgery residencies in the U.S. is more than a personal achievement — it’s a testament to the power of education as a tool for liberation. I stand on the shoulders of giants like Savitribai Phule, Jyotiba Phule, and Babasaheb Ambedkar, who transformed the destiny of our community through their relentless fight for justice, dignity, and equal access to knowledge. Their legacy gave me the courage to dream, the strength to persevere, and the fire to rise — even when the odds were against me.”
Dr. Mahedia shared. She also attributed her success to the extensive and selfless support from her family, mentors, friends, and broader community and hopes to inspire other Dalits to follow their dreams.
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