Isobel Merrie
They/ Them
Izzie Merrie is a final year medical student at the University of Manchester, having completed a BSc (Hons) in Medicine at the University of St Andrews. Izzie has had a keen passion for health equity since a young age, and it is this passion that lead them to join, and become president of, Students for Global Health, St Andrews. Highlights of their roles in this society (from 2020-2023) included organising and hosting a panel on Climate change, food security and health equity, as well as a book talk with Dr Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women.
Having grown up in Aotearoa, New Zealand, Izzie is also passionate about health equity in this context and has undertaken research related to Māori health inequity in Aotearoa. Izzie is also a member of Ora Taiao (Aotearoa New Zealand Climate and Health Council) and has attended a conference on climate change and healthcare with this group. Linking to this, Izzie has also conducted research in the area of climate change and health equity with regards to changes in malaria transmission globally.
This passion for a holistic view of health and healthcare is intersectional, however has always been informed in part by lived experiences. Izzie identifies as non-binary and is passionate about transgender health equity with lived experience as a non-binary person, both as a medical student and as a patient. This interest led to them choosing to conduct research in the methods of transgender equity promotion globally under the supervision of Dr Rachelle Donn. Dr Rachelle Donn is an Associate Programme Director of the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Manchester. Dr Donn has been instrumental in developing the LGBTQ+ curriculum within Medicine at Manchester, introducing the first transgender case and facilitating teaching alongside Dr Luke Wookey.