Speaking up from the Global South

By Dr. Prarthana Subedi

How Young Women in Neurosurgery Can Influence Global Health Conversations

Ever since I was a child, I’ve found myself in situations where I quietly questioned my place. These doubts didn’t come from lack of preparation or effort, but from something more deeply seated– an invisible weight carried by the labels that define me–A woman, A medical student from Nepal, A single child raised by a single mother. These identities shaped how I saw myself, long before I stepped into an operating theater with interest or attended a scientific conference.

During my second year of medical school, I worked relentlessly, but for me, the baggage was heavier. When I was selected to serve on the organizing committee for a “Women in Neurosurgery” conference, it felt like the door to my dreams had cracked open. Meeting women from Romania, the United States, Peru, and Spain gave me something textbooks never could: perspective. We spoke about training disparities, access to mentorship, and how ambitions are shaped differently by where we come from.

That was my first tangible experience of the training gaps often described in academic literature, the difference between global neurosurgery discussions and what is lived by students and surgeons in resource-limited settings.

One quiet Sunday afternoon, I came across “The Art of Storytelling” by John Walsh. Reading it , I realized how much of medicine, and especially surgery, is rooted in human stories. We publish, we present, and we quantify, but we rarely pause to humanize. I understood that storytelling isn’t just an art: it’s a responsibility. 

So I spoke

I started writing and documenting my experiences as a Nepali woman in medicine. I founded a podcast where we discussed topics often considered “uncomfortable” in our context: periods and ward rounds, LGBTQ+ Health, and the unspoken pressures of medical school. Slowly, I aligned these conversations with my growing passion for neurosurgery and global surgery.

I learned: every experience is different, every experience is valid, and every experience is inherently human. If you never tell your story, no one will know it; if you never ask, the answer will always be no.

In 2021, I had the privilege to speak at the UNESCO ASPNet (Associated Schools Network) event, sharing insights on neurosurgical education and global access for young learners like myself. It was humbling to stand as a representative of Nepal, a Himalayan country with big dreams, and talk about how inclusive education can spark opportunities in fields like neurosurgery that often feel out of reach in low-resource nations. The experience affirmed my belief that young voices do belong in global health conversations, not as future leaders, but as present contributors.

Building on that belief, I helped initiate “Sisterhood in Scrubs, “an alliance to create open platforms for women in surgery to share stories, experiences, and practical learning via Global Surgery Simulation Network   As per my survey, 34% of medical students in my country hadn’t seen a female surgeon – a saddening reality .

I also initiated a grassroots laparoscopic training program for high school students interested in surgery. The idea was simple: create bridges where none exist.

Baseline surgery shouldn’t be a privilege for those with connections or geography on their side; it should be a possibility for anyone with passion, precision, and persistence.

Through these experiences, I’ve come to realize that leadership in medicine doesn’t always look like a title or a post but sometimes it’s about starting small conversations that ripple outward. Whether it’s helping a high school student understand what surgery truly means or ensuring a rural medical student’s perspective is heard in a global forum, influence can begin anywhere.

As I continue my journey, still deciding on a training, still learning, I carry an unshakable hope for Nepal: a future where neurosurgery and surgical education reach beyond cities, where global health truly listens to voices from the Global South, and where young women in medicine are defined not by labels, but by their empathy, courage, and stories. For global surgery to be truly global, it must be shaped by those who live its realities. Young women in neurosurgery bring more than diversity: they bring lived insight, compassion, and perseverance. Speaking up is not about visibility; it’s about redefining excellence through empathy and action. The path forward lies in our courage to create, connect, and converse – across borders, genders, and generations. Because every time a young woman from the Global South speaks up, she doesn’t just represent herself; she helps reshape the global surgical system.

Dr. Prarthana Subedi is a medical doctor from Nepal and an aspiring neurosurgeon passionate about global equity, surgical education, and women’s leadership in medicine. She advocates for inclusive, story-driven approaches to global surgery and has spoken on international platforms, including UNESCO ASPNet, about neurosurgical education and youth empowerment. She is actively involved in grassroots initiatives, including early exposure surgical training programs for high school students, and is currently working with the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Nepal.