Cyan McFarlane, MD

Cyan McFarlane, MD graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience. She first became interested in social justice issues while volunteering for the Alternative Breaks (AB) program during her undergraduate studies. This volunteer experience grew her interest in incorporating public health into her career as a physician. She thus applied to AmeriCorps following college to gain a firsthand experience of the intricacies of the US healthcare system and what her role could be in improving health access for patients. She attended The Medical School for International Health, located in Israel, because it incorporated global health courses into all four years of its curriculum – culminating in a three month global health clerkship, which she spent in Vellore, India. She completed 1.5 years of general surgery training in Asheville, NC, before realizing she wanted to commit more of her time to the public health sector than a general surgery residency allowed for. She is interested in improving health access in Western North Carolina, with a specific interest in reproductive healthcare rights for LGBTQIA+ individuals.