returned to Bakersfield to work in a cancer center where I received my first fulfilling experience in valley health. What are you plans after completing the program? Maricela: I am very interested in OB/GYN, particularly working with women with high-risk pregnancies. I want to be a culturally competent and humble physician for women and families. I have seen humility play a critical role in healthcare while increasing the quality of life, and care, for families. Kelly: I would like to return to the valley and work mainly with the older adult population. Geriatrics is certainly a possibility, but I am keeping an open mind, as physicians practicing in almost every medical discipline work with the older adult population. Christina: I would love to match into a residency program within the valley. I see myself as a committed community member who strives to rewrite the script of poor health in my hometown. Eventually, I’d like to work in public health and/or public policy to make systemwide changes to improve health outcomes. Tell us why you chose this program. Maricela: The SJV PRIME program will help me to become an effective physician for valley populations. My faculty mentors are familiar with valley challenges and help me to learn how to advocate for patients. I also participate in enriching extracurricular clinical experiences focused on the health of medically vulnerable communities. I could not pass up the opportunity to obtain a medical education crafted by three University of California campuses! Christina: I’m excited to participate in a unique third-year clerkship at UCSF Fresno called the Longitudinal Integrated Fresno Experience (LIFE) program. LIFE emphasizes continuity of care and patient-centered care by integrating psychiatry, internal medicine, and family medicine into a six-month longitudinal clerkship in which we will follow patients throughout Fresno’s health care system. This innovative program allows students to build
relationships with patients and better reinforce clinical knowledge. Having the opportunity to work at UCSF Fresno greatly influenced my decision to join SJV PRIME. Is there anything else you would like to share with us? Christina: I was lucky to have great mentors on my path to medicine. However, the pipeline to medical education in the valley is sorely compromised by having no medical school within its boundaries. Many cities experience a “brain drain” phenomenon in which motivated youth obtain degrees, then never return home because they don’t see opportunities in the valley. I hope that SJV PRIME students serve as an example for youth who cannot yet see themselves as professional students. I hope that we can convince them that they are valuable and can join a neighboring university to eventually serve their hometowns. We would like to acknowledge UC Merced, UCSF, UCSF Fresno, UC Davis and the people of the great Central Valley for creating SJV PRIME. We are particularly grateful to Dr. Tonya Fancher, Dr. Fred Meyers, Dr. Kenny Bahn, Dr. Jose Morfin and Patricia Gonzalez for helping us to attain our dreams.
Left to Right: Christina Thabit, Maricela RangelGarcia, Kelly Fujikawa
cthabit@gmail.com
March/April 2013
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