While Mout-Maine Moustapha grew up in Indianapolis and considers himself a Hoosier, his worldview has been shaped by many cultures. He was born in France, spent two years of his childhood with family in Benin, Africa, and is fluent in five languages. Now, as he begins his journey as a student at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Moustapha brings a global perspective and a passion for cultural inclusion in health care.
“I’m excited to finally start medical school — I’ve been trying to reach that goal forever,” he said. “I’m most looking forward to meeting my classmates and learning about their different backgrounds and about why they chose medicine.”
Moustapha is among 365 medical students beginning their academic experience at the IU School of Medicine this month. With an applicant pool numbering 6,356, IU admitted just 5.7% of those hoping for a spot.
“Beyond traditional academic metrics and test scores, the Admissions Committee utilizes holistic review factors to select applicants with desirable characteristics such as altruism, compassion, commitment to serve others, and demographic composition that parallels the patient population they will serve,” explained Karen Smartt, EdD, MA, assistant dean and director of admissions at IU School of Medicine.
Moustapha’s background includes multilingual expertise and graduate school experience. For as long as he can remember, he’s been mesmerized by how the human body works.
“Starting my medical school journey feels incredibly exciting and a bit overwhelming — it still feels surreal to me,” he said. “It’s a mix of anticipation and determination as I embark on this lifelong dream of becoming a physician.”
Moustapha was born in Paris to a French mother and a Beninese father who was working for a tech company in France.
“My mom passed away when I was young due to health complications,” he said. “I remember how she was treated, and I looked up to the doctors who took care of her before she passed.”
Moustapha said his dad taught him that “seeking knowledge is an important part of being human.” When his father’s work took him to the United States, Moustapha and his siblings lived with their grandmother in Benin while awaiting visas. That’s where Moustapha became fluent in the indigenous languages of Fon and Yoruba.
As a premed student at Indiana University, Moustapha added Spanish to his cache of languages, graduating with a double major in Spanish and biology. For a time, he worked as a multilingual consultant for Indianapolis Public Schools, helping non-English speaking families navigate enrollment and become engaged in the school. Currently, he’s studying Arabic.
While Moustapha’s intellectual curiosity has led him to interesting pursuits — and several scholarships along the way — his path to medical school hasn’t been easy. His family experienced financial hardships, and he worked as a forklift operator to help pay for college. In the fall of 2021, Moustapha lost his grandmother and a cousin to COVID. And he was ill with COVID during finals week that year, contributing to his first ever “C” in a class.
“It was the hardest semester academically and mentally,” Moustapha said. “I was able to bounce back and not focus on the past.”
He lives by the wisdom of author and motivational speaker Eric Thomas: “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful.”
“It might seem cliché or corny, but it makes sense — if you want that badly to succeed, you will be successful,” Moustapha said. “I acknowledge some things are out of your control, but try to be the captain of your decisions.”
Technology, mentorship and medical school
Although his goal was always medical school, Moustapha took a year following his graduation from IU to study information systems first.
“I learned that the machine-learning algorithm is actually used in DNA coding in medicine,” he said.
As part of his master’s program at the IU Kelley School of Business, Moustapha traveled to India to learn about its world-leading businesses and diverse culture.
“I’m very interested in that intersection between technology and medicine, especially during this revolutionary stage of AI advancements,” he said.
Moustapha keeps up with the latest tech innovations and follows the Worldwide Developers Conference hosted each year by Apple. At his home in Indianapolis, Moustapha developed a quick way to share Wi-Fi access with his guests using NFC tag technology: a tap of their phone to his “Welcome to Mout-Maine’s Place” sign provides instant connection to his Wi-Fi network.
Although Moustapha is a tech and language whiz — as well as a former Spell Bowl champ — his broad interests extend beyond academics to include soccer, cooking, weightlifting, student government and Greek life.
In 2023, Moustapha was named “College Brother of the Year” by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established by and for African American men, founded at Cornell University in 1906. Alpha Phi Alpha has a long history of civil rights advocacy; Martin Luther King, Jr. is listed among its many prominent members.
“One day at IU, I saw these Alpha Phi Alpha brothers giving a presentation on career development,” Moustapha said. “I wasn’t used to seeing a group of Black guys leading by example on campus, and I was curious.”
Moustapha was named president of IU’s National Pan-Hellenic Council, which represents the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities at the university. He was also among a small cabinet of student leaders who met regularly with IU President Pamela Whitten to discuss student issues.
Moustapha also served his hometown community by mentoring students at Ben Davis High School, from which he graduated in 2019 as class president, and he was a mentor with the Indianapolis Muslim Community Association.
At IU School of Medicine, Moustapha anticipates serving in student government and joining the Student National Medical Association, which works to increase the number of physicians coming from and practicing in marginalized communities.
“SNMA aligns with my commitment to addressing health disparities and supporting underrepresented communities in medicine,” he said. “I’ve always been someone who wants to put myself in a position to advocate.”
The activity Moustapha most enjoyed during orientation week was the community engagement project. He and other incoming medical students served at Down Syndrome Indiana and learned about its mission to make Indiana a more inclusive place for individuals with Down syndrome to work, live and thrive.
“We also heard two physicians testify on the life of being a parent of a child with Down syndrome — it was empowering,” Moustapha said. “Not only did I learn a lot, but it was a fulfilling experience getting to work with and learn more about my classmates.”
Next steps toward ‘success’
During orientation, Moustapha signed up for student interest groups exploring the medical specialties of surgery, emergency medicine and otolaryngology (ENT). During “specialty speed rounds,” he heard directly from faculty physicians practicing in these fields and gained insights about potential career paths.
“The atmosphere on the IU School of Medicine campus is welcoming and supportive,” Moustapha said. “There is a strong sense of community, and everyone, from faculty to fellow students, seems genuinely invested in helping each other succeed.”
His assigned Professional Learning Community (PLC) includes 12 incoming medical students and is facilitated by physician mentors committed to helping these students navigate medical school and explore their individual interests.
“Having a small, consistent group fosters deeper connections and mutual support, which is crucial for navigating the rigors of medical school,” Moustapha said.
The highlight of his orientation experience was receiving his first white coat.
“This moment was incredibly significant as it symbolized the beginning of my journey as a medical professional,” he said. “It was an emotional experience, standing alongside my peers, all of us united by a shared commitment to medicine. This event marked a pivotal milestone, reinforcing my dedication to serving patients with compassion, integrity and excellence.”
About this series:
Journey to MD will follow two Indiana University School of Medicine students throughout their four-year academic journeys as medical students, chronicling their experiences from orientation week through graduation. Moustapha is a student on the Indianapolis campus and is among 365 medical students beginning their academic experience at IU School of Medicine this fall. Meet Sarah Vaught, a student on the IU School of Medicine—West Lafayette campus.
