By ETT 
A Doctor’s Resolve Forged in Displacement
Umaymah Mohammad’s aspiration to become a doctor is deeply rooted in her mother’s story. Her mother, a Palestinian displaced during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, contracted polio but overcame immense medical challenges to raise five children and earn a graduate degree. This narrative instilled in Mohammad a profound understanding of health’s sociological determinants, recognizing how displacement and inadequate sanitation contributed to her mother’s illness. Now, at 28, Mohammad’s unwavering commitment to addressing social injustices within healthcare led her to Emory University, where she pursued a dual medical degree and a sociology PhD, driven by a desire to advocate for those affected by violence and inequality. But this journey will not be easy for her as she navigates the obstacles that present itself in her journey becoming a doctor.
From a young age, Umaymah knew that she wanted to be a doctor. She learned empathy and compassion from many people but her mother was her biggest role model. She learned about persevering through adversity. However, it wasn’t a conventional start. It was the tale of her mother, one of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians uprooted from their homes during the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, who contracted polio as a young child that gave her a sense of direction in life. This taught the aspiring doctor from Palestine about the sociology that determines health, as Umaymah believes displacement contributed to her mother catching the disease.
Despite living with the debilitating disease, Mohammad’s mother went on to raise five children and obtain a graduate degree in the US. It’s the story of a woman who “overcame unbearable medical circumstances”, Mohammad said. It also taught the Palestinian American about “the sociological determinants of health”, she said, as Mohammad believes displacement contributed to her mother catching the disease, due to the poor sanitary conditions entire communities of Palestinian refugees faced at the time. With this experience, Umaymah Mohammad knew that she wanted to dedicate her life to improving the lives of others and to make sure that others have the opportunity in America to pursue medical attention. She sought to work hard so she could be in a position to improve the lives of Palestinians and Americans alike.
The Email That Sparked Controversy
The events of October 7th, 2023, served as a breaking point after watching the devastating retaliation from Israel, Umaymah Mohammad emailed the medical school with her raw thoughts which in turn led to her suspension. Her words, which were, “Palestinian blood stains your hands, Emory University and School of Medicine”, were a call out to not only the students but faculty, expressing how she felt regarding what she believed was the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and overall silence. While her message reflects her strong beliefs, it’s a reflection of the moral dilemma she faced for not just her, but the healthcare community when it comes to injustices she sees against the Palestinian community. It was not something that was meant to be used against anyone, it was a sincere, raw venting of what she thought the temperature in the room was.
It was difficult and hard because it was already something that she was passionate for but was very sad to see it ignored by the medical community. People in her position had to speak up for those who couldn’t. This is how she was able to give strength to her voice and provide clear messages for all people to hear. With what she saw happening in Israel with the war, this was only going to push her harder to pursue medicine in order to make change. What she didn’t see was the backlash that was on the way, nor did she think she would regret sending out the email, because it was a feeling she needed to get out.
The response to Mohammad’s email was swift, and its impact profound. While her intention was to ignite dialogue and draw attention to the plight of Palestinians, her message was met with mixed reactions, further intensifying the debate surrounding the conflict and its implications for academic and medical institutions. It came at a heavy risk and it was not surprising to see the ramifications that would soon show its face. It was something that she needed to get off her chest because she cared deeply for the cause. It was an action that she hopes would bring change as she pushes for the injustice that she sees in the world for the Palestinian people.
Campus Protests and the Price of Activism
As tensions grew, Emory’s campus became a hotbed for protests advocating divestment from Israel. Mohammad found herself at the forefront of these demonstrations, organizing and amplifying voices calling for an end to what they saw as complicity in human rights violations. However, the university’s response was swift and severe, with police intervention leading to arrests and further polarization of the campus community. All this was to create pressure to create change but those who stood in charge did not want campus to turn into a riot. They wanted a peaceful resolution, but the only way to get things done was to ensure voices were heard. The university has not seen protest of this magnitude for quite some time.
Mohammad was in the middle of it as an organizer for the Palestinian community. She was then later interviewed on Democracy Now! discussing her thoughts on the protest. One of the things she said was about one of Emory’s medical school professor who had recently returned from volunteering as a medic in the Israeli military. It was this interview that would eventually lead to her suspension for a year after she was found to have violated the school’s rules which included “professional conduct.” This situation mirrors the conflict playing out in institutions across the U.S regarding Israel’s assault in Gaza.
The protests against the war in Gaza at Emory University in Atlanta were a way for students to show their support for Palestine and express their concerns about the conflict. The students and faculty argued that Emory was too silent about what was happening by seeking divestment from Israel. With this in mind, the university was forced to call in the Atlanta police with Mohammad at the center of the movement to get more people aware. The police quickly showed up with the purpose of ending the protest with action such as tasers on the students, a first for the school. Despite the risk, Mohammad continued to use her platform as she went to Democracy Now! where she talked about the environment on campus for the protesters in depth.
The Clash Over Free Speech and Professionalism
The University’s decision would have major implications for the student’s future trajectory. Her future in being in the medical field was up in the air and would need to put in jeopardy whether she could see action in practicing medicine. However, she believed that she would be able to overcome this situation because she knew her work was valid and that she stood for something. Something that meant a lot to her more than being in the medical field, that’s to stand up for justice in an unjust society that turns a blind eye to social injustice. Mohammad felt she was doing the right thing even if she faces heavy repercussions in the near future.
She and her lawyer went back and forth as they were fighting for her freedom. It was going to be a long and arduous journey but they were ready for the challenge. Mohammad was already upset about what she saw as an immoral double standard in which an Emory medical school professor, Abeer N AbouYabis, was fired after posting on Facebook in support of Palestinians after October 7. It was seen as “glorifying” the group while Mohammad had to go to face the consequences for her words. The moral of what was right and wrong was convoluted and questioned by what Mohammad has stood by.
Mohammad’s case ignited a broader debate about the boundaries of free speech, academic freedom, and the responsibilities of medical professionals in addressing social and political issues. As institutions grapple with these complex questions, the stakes are high for students and faculty seeking to engage in critical dialogue and advocate for change. It was a learning experience to what she should do and what she shouldn’t do moving forward.
Conflicting Interpretations and a Contentious Hearing
The situation intensified as Emory’s committee for open expression became involved, leading to conflicting interpretations of the university’s policies on free speech and professional conduct. Despite the committee’s findings that Mohammad’s interview was protected, the school of medicine proceeded with disciplinary action, setting the stage for a contentious hearing that would ultimately determine her fate. It was all that she had hoped for since she had poured all her life’s work into her career. All she knew was she needed to focus and make sure that the people in charge knew her intentions as a Palestinian and as a future doctor.
The hearing, described as dehumanizing, pitted Mohammad against faculty members who sought her expulsion, accusing her of spreading misinformation and creating a hostile environment. Despite her attempts to defend her statements and contextualize them within the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, she felt unheard and unsupported. It further made her believe that her words held no weight, even with what she had to say as a medical student. All this had consequences and it had to be taken with a grain of salt. It was a tough and heavy situation and it was up to Mohammad how she was going to take care of this.
Seven days after the hearing was when Mohammad received her letter about her suspension for one year. She decided to go public and wrote about her case for Mondoweiss and held a press conference, hoping that she could reverse what had happened. With her name and photo posted online after sending her January 2024 email, it became a dangerous situation and even decided to leave her Atlanta house for a week out of safety. While her appeal of the suspension was denied, she said that she was proud to be standing up for the Palestinian community and would continue working towards the ultimate victory the Palestinian people are searching for.
Healthcare Under Fire: A Global Perspective
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has far-reaching implications for healthcare access and delivery, particularly in Gaza, where years of conflict have fragmented and weakened the healthcare system. Recent reports detail a concerted effort to destroy Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, with accusations of war crimes targeting medical personnel and facilities. In fact, healthcare has been more of a detriment and obstacle than a viable option. With many killed, there is a major shortage of doctors and this has in turn caused many deaths in consequence due to what many describe has happened from the Israeli’s. Mohammad’s advocacy is rooted not only in her personal experiences but also in a broader understanding of the systemic challenges facing Palestinian healthcare.
Since the 1967 war that displaced Mohammad’s mother and thousands of others, healthcare for Palestinians in Gaza has been fragmented and weakened. It is in this context that Mohammad and some in the medical field in the U.S have grown increasingly frustrated at the lack of outcry from members of their profession. This has become personal, feeding tensions between students and faculty protesting Israel and Israelis on campus who have served in the IDF since October 7. Mohammad has asked what kind of patients are receiving from doctors who believe in the legitimacy of apartheid and that some human lives are important over others.
What has happened is a travesty for human rights, it is what she needs to fight for. Mohammad believes that the cause is much more than herself which is why she feels she needs to work harder for. She hopes that her efforts will allow for more awareness in the world. While she has come at a cost, it will be worth it. She is doing what she is supposed to do and is holding her field accountable to its stated ideals. This is how she will be Dr Mohammad, one way or another.