Jesus Mejia, M25
Jesus Mejia, M25, knows first-hand about inequities and disparities in health care. He recalls one family friend who refused to visit a doctor because he had an undocumented status and ended up dying from cancer that was caught too late.
“In marginalized communities that are economically, culturally, and socially complex, it’s important to build trust and get the full cultural context to understand their health-care challenges,” he said. “To provide the best personalized care, one has to go well beyond simply prescribing medication.”
Mejia found a perfect match with his aspirations in the Sam W. Ho Health Justice Scholars Program at the School of Medicine, an endowed program developing physician-leaders and scholars with the mission, vision, and ability to transform health care in partnership with communities.
“It’s a unique opportunity to learn how to be the physician I want to be,” he said. “And it’s encouraging to be surrounded by like-minded people who share a vision for supporting marginalized and underserved communities.”