Vanessa Mora Molina, a native of Fowler, California, has overcome challenges in accessing basic medical care growing up in a small farming town in the San Joaquin Valley. Despite limited resources and long wait times for appointments, Mora will be graduating this June with an M.D. from one of UC’s six medical schools, alongside over 700 other medical students.
The majority of these new doctors, 73%, are expected to remain in California for their residency training. This trend is consistent with the UC PRIME program’s mission to train physicians to serve underserved communities in the state. Through specialized classwork and training, doctors are equipped to address healthcare disparities and language and cultural barriers that hinder effective care delivery in regions known as “health care deserts.”
Dr. Katherine Flores, a family medicine physician who mentored Mora at a clinic in Fresno, emphasized the importance of having doctors who not only practice in a community but also understand its unique needs and challenges. By recruiting medical students from the Valley who can relate to the culture and circumstances of the residents they serve, physicians can better address healthcare disparities and provide more effective care.
To learn more about Mora’s journey and how UC’s medical programs are making a difference in underserved communities across California, visit the UC Newsroom website.