L.A. Care Health Plan Awards Full Medical School Scholarships for 4 CDU Students
L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, proudly announced the recipients of its Elevating the Safety Net medical school scholarships during a special ceremony held at their headquarters in Los Angeles.
Eight exceptional students from underrepresented communities, including four from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU), have been granted full-ride scholarships. This generous support will enable these future physicians to pursue their medical education without the burden of financial debt.
The four scholars from CDU who have been awarded the L.A. Care Elevating the Safety Net scholarships are Alexander Afewerk, Lule DeShields, Berenice Elizarraraz and Sigry Ortiz Flores. All four are part of the inaugural cohort of the brand new CDU Four-Year MD program.
In fact, the award event was held on the program’s second day of classes, with the four students returning to the CDU campus in South Los Angeles following the event to resume instruction. L.A. Care Health Plan also announced scholarships for four students who will attend the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
“Through L.A. Care’s Elevating the Safety Net initiative, we are empowering these scholars to pursue their aspirations of serving underserved communities without the burden of overwhelming debt,” explained Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Dean of the CDU’s College of Medicine and Founding Dean of the new program. “These scholarships provide invaluable support, enabling our future physicians to remain focused on promoting social justice, health equity, and access to care for all.”
The Elevating the Safety Net program, launched in 2018 with a budget of $155 million, aims to address the pressing physician shortage in low-income communities of color. Research has shown that increasing the racial and ethnic diversity among physicians leads to improved patient outcomes within these communities. However, the representation of Black and Hispanic physicians in the United States remains disproportionately low.
“I am proud to announce that L.A. Care Health Plan has selected these remarkable individuals as the recipients of our Elevating the Safety Net medical school scholarships,” stated John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care. “By investing in their education and futures, we are taking a significant step towards building a diverse healthcare workforce that will deliver better outcomes for our members. These scholarships reflect our commitment to supporting underserved communities and fostering health equity.”