When Julianne Y. Ip ’75 MD’78 RES’81, P’18, associate dean of medicine for the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) and International Medical Exchange Programs, announced her retirement from Brown after 50 years on campus, many in the community wanted to honor her extraordinary service.
First in line was her friend and classmate Alan M. Muney ’75 MD’78, P’04. Muney and Ip became fast friends during freshman week in 1971 when they were dormmates on Pembroke campus. He describes her as a serious student who always paid attention and took excellent notes. “All those traits were great for me,” jokes Muney, “since I was bad at all of them.”
As Ip advanced through her career, Muney recognized certain qualities about her approach to medicine, like her love of building relationships with her patients and students, and how they trusted her—especially when she helped them navigate through difficult times.
“It was really satisfying for her to be able to help so many people,” Muney says. “Juli never saw her work as just a job, but much more as a mission to help nurture students to find their own paths.”
Ip is well known by students and families for her tireless leadership of the PLME and International Medical Exchange Programs. According to Muney, these were roles she was born to play. “Juli’s superpower is her laser-like ability to hone right down to the true cause of an issue,” he says.
“It allowed her to see what was troubling someone or what was or wasn’t motivating them—often before the person could see it for themselves.”
To honor Ip and continue her “generosity of wisdom,” Muney established the Julianne Y. Ip ’75 MD’78 RES’81 Medical Scholarship to support students in the PLME.
“Juli’s influences have shaped the PLME for decades, and will continue to do so for years to come,” Muney says. “She deserves to be remembered by every student who receives this scholarship in the hope they also can be a physician who provides comfort to many over their own careers.”
For Muney, this is clearly a gift from the heart. “Although it seems impossible that so much time has passed,” he says, “I’m lucky to have been able to rely on Juli for 50 years. I think of it as an unconditional friendship.”
In addition to being thankful for Ip’s friendship, Muney shared another reason for establishing this fund: “I was given the opportunity to receive an incredible undergraduate and medical education at Brown, and I always felt lucky to have been chosen to experience it.”
With this fund, Muney invites others to join him in celebrating Juli Ip’s extraordinary career and legacy at Brown. To make a gift, please visit brown.edu/go/PLME-Ip.
