A global reflection on America’s founding ideals from leading voices living outside the United States in just 250 words.
Dr. Myo Myint Aung is a dedicated healthcare leader, currently serving as the director of quality and patient safety for CommonSpirit Health, CHI Health Immanuel Medical Center. Having relocated to the United States in 2021 as a political asylee following the military coup in Myanmar, he has over 17 years of expertise in spearheading quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
Previously, Dr. Aung served as the country representative for PATH’s Mekong Regional Program, where he expanded vital health initiatives in Myanmar. He also served as the executive director of Open Society Myanmar, where he championed democratic values and transformative change. He was also a distinguished Fulbright Scholar and Liberty and Leadership Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute.
My journey from Myanmar to the United States offers a vivid lens through which to examine America’s complex symbolism.
Witnessing human rights abuses under military control in my homeland instilled in me a deep yearning for freedom – a yearning that America, with its democratic ideals, profoundly symbolizes.
As a Fulbright Scholar (2012-2015), I learned how public health, politics, and democracy intertwine, reinforcing my belief in America’s potential to champion these ideals globally.
My participation in the Bush Institute’s Liberty and Leadership program (2016-2017) further deepened this understanding, exposing me to the intricate connections between good governance and societal well-being. This experience became critical when, as Executive Director of Open Society Myanmar, I was targeted after the military coup in February 2021 for promoting democratic values.
Seeking asylum in the United States, I experienced firsthand America’s role as a refuge – a place where human dignity can be preserved and rebuilt.
Now, as a Quality and Patient Safety Director at CHI Health Immanuel hospital, I observe America’s ideals and contradictions daily.
The pursuit of opportunity and dignity, while often challenged by systemic inequalities, remains deeply embedded in the healthcare system. My professional work is now dedicated to ensuring equitable, high-quality care, a testament to the opportunities afforded to political asylees.
This personal trajectory – from an aspiring changemaker in Myanmar to an American professional – underscores that while America’s ideals are consistently tested, its capacity to inspire and reshape lives in the pursuit of freedom, opportunity, and human dignity remains formidable.
