WHEN
my editor assigned me a story about a local barbershop, I felt confident. Even though I had never gotten a haircut at a barbershop, I knew that my lifetime of building trust with people in different contexts would prepare me for this moment.
Since this experience, mistrust in the medical community continues to grow.
My name is Michal Ruprecht and I am a freelance journalist helping build trust among physicians, scientists and the public. I write disruptive stories that contribute to improved scientific and medical understanding among underserved communities.
I previously interned at ABC News, MedPage Today and The Nation’s Health, a publication of the American Public Health Association. I was also a beat reporter and assistant editor for The Michigan Daily, my school's independent newspaper. I am a member of the ABC News Medical Unit and MedPage Today's Editorial Advisory Board.
I am a second-year M.D. student at Wayne State University School of Medicine broadly interested in pediatrics. I am also a member of the Youth Advisory Board at Riley’s Way Foundation. I received a B.S. in neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2022, where I leveraged community action and social change to partner with individuals affected by the Flint water crisis.
Outside of work, I am passionate about brewing kombucha, ceramics, yoga, swimming, running and traveling. I enjoy listening to “How I Built This” and reading STAT's Morning Rounds.
I am available for freelance assignments and I can be reached at mruprecht@umich.edu, on Twitter @michalruprecht or on Signal at (707) 412-8684. Find some of my favorite clips on this page.
REPORTING