Doctors Without Borders at WashU Presents: Justine Michel
On March 3-4, 2025, the French Connexions Center of Excellence at WashU had the privilege of hosting Justine Michel, microbiology advisor at Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Her visit was made possible through a prestigious grant received by Prof. Lionel Cuillé from French for Higher Education (FHE), an initiative launched by President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen international collaboration in higher education.
Justine Michel’s time on campus provided undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to engage directly with a representative from MSF, gaining invaluable insights into humanitarian medicine, microbiology, and global health challenges.
During her stay, Justine met with Prof. Julie Singer’s “Contagions” class, where students explored the historical and contemporary impact of infectious diseases. She also joined a session of the French for Health Professionals (FPS) class, taught by Prof. Lionel Cuillé, where students examined medical French in the context of humanitarian work.
The highlight of her visit was her public lecture, "Humanitarian Medicine with MSF," held in Hurst Lounge. Dr. Michel shared compelling experiences from her work on acute trauma care, reconstructive surgery in conflict zones, and pediatric sepsis in West Africa. Her talk drew a diverse audience, including students from pre-med tracks, global health studies, and French studies, reflecting the growing interest in humanitarian medicine at WashU.
In addition to her academic engagements, Dr. Michel met with WashU School of Medicine faculty, including specialists in infectious diseases, pathology, and microbiology, further reinforcing interdisciplinary collaboration between the humanities and medical sciences.
Building on this success, the French Connexions Center is committed to continuing its collaboration with MSF. Given the enthusiasm of our students for humanitarian medicine, Prof. Lionel Cuillé will work to facilitate future internships at MSF’s New York office, offering hands-on experiences in global health initiatives.
Dr. Michel’s visit marks an important milestone in our efforts to bridge French studies and global medical engagement, highlighting how language and culture play a crucial role in international humanitarian work.
