MD Students Attend CDU Kedren Mobile Street Medicine Team Orientation
The CDU Kedren Mobile Street Medicine Team hosted its Service Learning Orientation for the second cohort of CDU MD program students.
The event provided an immersive introduction to the University’s Mobile Health Outreach Program (MoHOP), a cornerstone of the CDU’s commitment to social justice and health equity for underserved populations.
Dr. Alexander Rodgers and Professor Cynthia Davis, MoHOP Co-Directors, shared with students the history of the program and Rev. Dawnesha K. Beaver, MoHop Program Manager, and Thelma McClinton, MoHOP Program Coordinator, provided a review of the mobile street team’s medical operations.
Students also engaged in a clinical practice session led by Marqui Barber, Clinical Lead, and other CDU Street Medicine team members.
MoHOP was established in 1991 under the leadership of Professor Cynthia Davis in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic’s impact among racial/ethnic minority populations residing in South Los Angeles in the early 80s.
Their motto is “We go where people: live, work, worship, play, and go to school.”
Throughout the orientation, students learned firsthand about the vital role of community engagement in addressing health disparities and delivering care directly to where it’s needed most.
“You are now a part of a new health care system where social determinants of health will matter,” Beaver told the students. “It’s not just about clinical knowledge. It’s about understanding the communities you serve. We want you to be urban-trained physicians who are equipped to break down barriers and provide compassionate, culturally competent care.”
For more than 30 years, MoHOP has provided crucial health services to tens of thousands of residents in south Los Angeles.
They offer a wide array of services such as free health screenings including HgA1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol screenings as well as HIV screening utilizing the 20-minute Ora Quick home testing kits.
They also provide vaccinations and boosters as well as Narcan and Fentanyl education along with other limited health services directly in the community.
As MoHOP continues its vital work in South Los Angeles, it serves as both a training ground for health professionals and a lifeline for underserved populations.