Gifty Kwakye, MD, MPH

 Gifty Kwakye, MD
Arthur W Fleming M.D.
Research Professor
Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery
Assistant Dean for Clinical Medical Education
Medical School
Available to mentor
Gifty Kwakye, MD, MPH
 Gifty Kwakye, MD
Assistant Dean
  • About
  • Qualifications
  • Center Memberships
  • Research Overview
  • Recent Publications
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  • About

    Gifty Kwakye, MD, MPH, is the Arthur W. Fleming, M.D. Research Professor, a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Colorectal Surgery and serves at the Assistant Dean for Clinical Medical Education. She graduated from Yale University with a BSc degree in both Biology and Psychology. She received her medical degree from Yale University in 2010 and holds a Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins. She completed her general surgery residency at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in 2017 and colorectal surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota in 2018. Dr Kwakye joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in 2018.

    Dr. Kwakye is interested in understanding the local factors that contribute to pelvic floor disorders and recto-vaginal fistulas in developing countries, and improving access to surgical care.

    Qualifications

    • MD
      Yale University Medical School, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States
      2005 - 2010
    • MPH
      Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States
      2008 - 2009
    • BS
      Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
      2001 - 2005
    • MEHP
      Johns Hopkins School of Education, Baltimore, MD, United States
      2024

    Center Memberships

    • Center Member
      Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation
    • Center Member
      Center for Global Health Equity
    • Center Member
      Global REACH

    Research Overview

    Building healthcare capacity in low-resource settings and promoting fair, inclusive teaching and assessment methods in medical education.

    Recent Publications

    See All Publications
    • Journal Article
      Compliance with the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Preoperative Checklist in Rectal Cancer Care in Ghana: Gaps and Opportunities for Improvement – A Cross-Sectional Study
      Agbedinu K, Bediako-Bowan A, Brenu SG, Akli-Nartey C, Yorke J, Huang LC, Lowry AC, Kwakye G. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, 2026 Jun 5; Publish Ahead of Print: DOI:10.1097/DCR.0000000000004261
    • Journal Article
      Myopic medical harm: a man receives free colon cancer screening in Ghana
      Obayemi JE, Agbedinu K, Kwakye G. Lancet, 2026 May 2; 407 (10540): 1676 - 1677. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00812-3
    • Journal Article
      Colorectal cancer quality improvement in a statewide surgical collaborative.
      Harbaugh C, Rosamond B, Rocker C, Bradley S, Kwakye G, Englesbe M, Hendren S. Surgery, 2026 Mar 9; 193: 110117 DOI:10.1016/j.surg.2026.110117
      PMID: 41806793
    • Journal Article
      Redefining Competence Through Holistic Ostomy Care
      Kwakye G. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, 2026 Mar 1; 69 (3): 313 - 315. DOI:10.1097/DCR.0000000000004086
      PMID: 41358679
    • Presentation
      Developing Your Elevator Pitch: Education Academic Path
      2025 Oct 7;
    • Journal Article
      Creating Sustainable Near-Peer Mentorship: A Review of the Anastomosis Program
      Hammoud M, Iqbal U, Shen M, Jacobson C, Fry B, Kwakye G. Michigan Journal of Medicine, 2025 Apr 17; 8: DOI:10.3998/mjm.5790
    • Chapter
      Chapter 158: Colonic Motility, Anorectal Physiology, Pelvic Floor Anatomy and Function
      Kwakye G, Paquette I. 2024 Mar 24; 9th edition of Shackelford’s Surgery of the Alimentary Tract,
    • Chapter
      Chapter 158: Colonic Motility, Anorectal Physiology, Pelvic Floor Anatomy and Function
      Kwakye G, Paquette I. 2024 Mar 24; 9th edition of Shackelford’s Surgery of the Alimentary Tract,

    Featured News & Stories

    Alt text: **Three people pose in front of a maize-and-blue balloon wall; the person on the left holds a bouquet, and they hold a sign reading “MATCHED! into General Surgery at HARVARD / BWH” with University of Michigan Medical School branding.
    Dose of Reality

    Pursuing Purpose: A Long, Strange, Joyful Journey to Discovering My Calling

    University of Michigan medical student Jessie Dalman shares her path to medicine, what she discovered at UMMS and what lies ahead after graduation
    Two people smiling posing for the camera
    Points of Blue

    Kate Panzer: Advancing global health efforts

    Kate Panzer started her journey on a service learning course for pediatric tuberculosis in Ghana, where she also conducted rural health research with a nonprofit organization, making lifelong connections that continue to motivate her engagement in global health efforts.
    Gifty Kwakye profile photo
    Points of Blue

    Gifty Kwakye, MD, MPH: Personifying hope

    Gifty Kwakye is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery and has been involved with medical education in many ways since coming to Michigan Medicine.
    An illustrated graphic about success
    Department News

    When COVID dealt struggling medical students another blow, the Shield Fund provided a lifeline

    A student who’d been helped stepped up along with faculty members to pay it forward.