Naikhoba Munabi, MD, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery - at CUIMC/Herbert Irving Pavilion (2025)

Dr. Naikhoba Munabi graduated from Stanford University with a B.A.in Human Biology. She then obtained her M.D. at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons where she was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. After medical school, Dr. Munabi completed her integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery residency training at the University of Southern California (USC). She went on to complete a fellowship in craniomaxillofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, one of the largest craniofacial surgery programs in the country.

In addition to learning advanced surgical techniques across 9 different clinical sites in Los Angeles, Dr. Munabi spent an additional two years during residency earning a M.P.H. from USC and working as a Global Surgery Fellow with Operation Smile. During that two-year period, she initiated programs to improve surgical education and conducted research on surgical capacity building and health systems strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa. She helped develop a landmark Women in Medicine surgical program for the non-profit, which was featured in an editorial by Forbes.

Dr. Munabi is the author of over 40 peer-reviewed publications and has presented her research at numerous national and international plastic surgery conferences. She was awarded the Peter J. Gingrass Memorial Award for the best research presentation by a trainee at the Plastic Surgery Research Council and the Warren L. Garner, MD Resident Research Award for excellence in research and scholarly activity from USC. Dr. Munabi is well trained in the full breadth of plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a particular interest in cleft lip, cleft palate, craniosynostosis, hypertelorism, frontal facial advancement, orthognathic surgery, rhinoplasty, and MEDPOR ear reconstruction for microtia. She also specializes in adult aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Her current research interests include cleft and craniofacial surgical outcomes, improving disparities in access to craniofacial surgery, and global surgical education and capacity building.

• Fellowship: Children's Hospital Los Angeles
• Medical School: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
• Residency: Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center

• Assistant Professor of Surgery at CUMC

• Aura E. Severinghaus Award, National Medical Fellowships, 2015
• Barber Scholar, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Full tuition academic scholarship, 2011-2015
• Cleft Congress Scholarship, 13th International Congress for Cleft Lip, Palate & Related Craniofacial Anomalies, 2016
• Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, Stanford University, 2008
• Department of Surgery Start-Up Grant, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2011
• Department of Surgery Start-Up Grant, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2014
• J.F. Bohmfalk Scholar, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2010-2011
• NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T35 Grant, 2011
• Nominee for Boothe Prize for Excellence in Writing, Stanford University, 2007
• Peter J. Gingrass MD Memorial Award, Plastic Surgery Research Council 59th Annual Meeting, 2014
• Stanford Scholar Athlete, Stanford University, 2006-2007
• The Robert G. Bertsch Prize, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2015
• UBS Optimus Foundation Grant, 2018
• Vice President for Undergraduate Excellence Major Research Grant, Stanford University, 2009
• Warren Louis Garner M.D. Resident Research Award, Keck School of Medicine of USC, 2023