How UC Davis medical students are filling a doctor shortage in the Central Valley
UC Davis Health is working to fill the physician shortage in the Central Valley. The medical school has partnered with Kaiser and now seven medical students, from the Central Valley, have returned home to complete their third year of medical school in Modesto. The students are part of a program known as “REACH,” which stands for “Reimagining Education to Advance Central California Health.” Benjamin Vincent is one of the seven students. Stanislaus County is where his dream began. “It was always a dream of mine. It was in fourth grade, I came home and told my mom I wanted to be a cardiologist. I didn’t necessarily know what that meant, but I thought that hearts were cool and I knew doctors could help people,” Vincent said. “There aren’t a lot of residency programs that allow students to come back to the Central Valley and train and learn with this population that desperately needs doctors.” Dr. Alicia Gonzalez-Flores, associate professor at UC Davis Health, said the Central Valley is in dire need of doctors, due to a lack of medical schools and residency programs in the valley. She added that studies have shown that medical students are more likely to stay in the cities where they complete their residency. “The need is great. There is a very, very great need for physicians who come from these communities and who understand what patients are going through,” said Dr. Gonzalez-Flores. “It really is a wonderful program that we hope will will carry on and truly help us address the health disparities that exist in the Central Valley.” he met, he said he was thrilled to be back home. “I’m a Central Valley kid through and through. It’s really nice to come back here and learn from the many brilliant minds and people here who work in the Central Valley,” Vincent said. “I think growing up here, everyone’s thoughts are, ‘ hey, I want to leave Modesto’ and here I am knocking on the door, trying to get back.” UC Davis started a program like REACH in 2011, when students finished their last two clinical years at Fresno. Educators say the program helped more graduates return to the Fresno area.
UC Davis Health is working to fill the physician shortage in the Central Valley. The medical school has partnered with Kaiser and now seven medical students, from the Central Valley, have returned home to complete their third year of medical school in Modesto.
The students are part of a program known as “REACH,” which stands for “Reimagining Education to Advance Central California Health.”
Benjamin Vincent is one of the seven students. Stanislaus County is where his dream began.
“It was always a dream of mine. It was in fourth grade, I came home and told my mom I wanted to be a cardiologist. I didn’t necessarily know what that meant, but I thought that hearts were cool and I knew doctors could help people,” Vincent said. “There aren’t a lot of residency programs that allow students to come back to the Central Valley and train and learn with this population that desperately needs doctors.”
Dr. Alicia Gonzalez-Flores, associate professor at UC Davis Health, said the Central Valley is in dire need of doctors, due to a lack of medical schools and residency programs in the valley. She added that studies have shown that medical students are more likely to stay in the cities where they complete their residency.
“The need is great. There is a very, very great need for physicians who come from these communities and who understand what patients are going through,” Dr. Gonzalez-Flores said. “It really is a wonderful program that we hope will continue and really help us address the health disparities that exist in the Central Valley.”
Vincent still has a year to go before he graduates. Looking back on the lessons he learned, as well as the patients he met, he said he was thrilled to be home.
“I’m a Central Valley kid through and through. It’s been really nice to come back here and learn from the many brilliant minds and people here who work in Central Valley,” Vincent said. “I think growing up here, everyone’s thoughts are, ‘Hey, I want to leave Modesto,’ and here I’m knocking on the door, trying to get in.”
UC Davis first launched a program like REACH in 2011, when students completed their final two clinical years at Fresno. Educators say the program has helped more graduates return to the Fresno area.