Student Profile: Malika Umarova
Public Policy and Management
Malika Umarova, a dentist from Uzbekistan, came to study health policy and management in the U.S. so that she might one day do more for her country by addressing shortcomings in the public health system.
Now enrolled in the Muskie School's Health Policy and Management program, Malika is one of 141 fellows accepted this year by the U.S. Department of State's Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program. Since 1991, the Muskie Fellows program has been providing opportunities for graduate students and professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to receive master's degrees from universities throughout the U.S. In 2009, there were over 3,000 applicants to the program.
"The management of an effective public health system is new for us," said Malika. "Perhaps, one day, I will develop courses for public health managers or work to reform the financial system. Being a Muskie Fellow is a big chance for me to change my life… and to change my country."
Malika—whose home is in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan—received her bachelor's and master's degrees in dentistry from Tashkent Medical Academy in 2007 and 2009. An active volunteer both at home and the U.S., Malika initiated several programs for the Center of Youth Initiatives ("Kelajak Ovozi"), including oral hygiene in primary schools and career info sessions for teenagers.
