In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, Montana WWAMI is honored to feature first-year medical student Brianna Merchant Bull Shows from the the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation. Her path to medicine is deeply rooted in identity, family, and community.
Growing up in Pryor, Montana, Brianna saw firsthand the challenges her community faces in accessing healthcare—and the difference strong advocacy can make. Inspired by her mother, a nurse practitioner, she hopes to return home to provide care, strengthen health education, and advocate for better local infrastructure.
At the UW School of Medicine, Brianna found mentors and faculty who supported her journey, including balancing medical school and motherhood.
She continues her long-standing work with Messengers for Health, an Indigenous nonprofit on the Crow Reservation that provides culturally grounded health programming. Brianna hopes to return to Pryor to practice primary care at the IHS clinic and to develop an Apsáalooke Cultural Competency Course for healthcare providers working in her community.
“Education is your greatest weapon… Study, learn, help one another always.”