Meet Distinguished Alumni Marvesh Mendhi

Marvesh Mendhi, Ph.D., CRNA, Master of Nurse Anesthesia Class of 1993, and Ph.D. in Nursing Class of 2017, was recently awarded the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for the College of Health Professions. Each year, the MUSC Alumni Association selects two alumni from each college who are recognized and honored for their dedication to their field, their communities and MUSC. Mendhi was nominated for her contributions to global health education and capacity building for anesthesia providers.

“Being acknowledged by the institution where you built your foundation … I was very, very happy,” Mendhi said. She says she’s inspired to continue giving back as a role model by acknowledging the accomplishments of others dedicated to their practice and their community.

Mendhi has been a nurse anesthetist at Mayo Clinic Florida for 24 years now, with a specialty in neuroanesthesia, a specialized area of practice providing care to patients undergoing surgery for conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. There she received the Mae Berry Service Excellence award in recognition of her patient-centered care.

“When you transition from your academic institution, and your career institution, that transition is key,” she said. “Because I had such a good foundation at MUSC, I was able to transition into my career with a solid background at Mayo Clinic.”

Her passion for global health education has led her to lecture at several medical and nursing schools as well as hospitals in Tanzania, Kenya, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Myanmar and Slovenia. While working on her Ph.D. dissertation, Mendhi’s passion brought her back to her birth country, Uganda, where she explored the traditional birth attendants, also known as community or lay midwives, knowledge of neonatal airway management. Since earning her doctorate, her research interests are focused on global capacity building for anesthesia providers in low resource areas within Honduras and Vietnam.

Mendhi has used her professional experience to serve in many leadership roles with the Aga Khan Health Board USA, under the Aga Khan Development Network.

She continues to grow her legacy and further global health care research through the endowment of the Marvesh Mendhi Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship provides opportunities for an MUSC Anesthesia for Nurses student with an interest in making a tangible difference in global health initiatives.

“As a health care professional, you are not just working, you are giving your knowledge and helping other people,” Mendhi said. “It will never be just a job.”

Samantha Pasternoster
Contributing Writer