At our program, advocacy is built into every patient interaction. Our faculty have experience in regional, national, and international advocacy work leading to programs that have been modeled in other parts of the country. Residents learn to advocate for their patients in their everyday work through the care of many special populations. There are also several optional avenues for exploring advocacy interests. Our dedication to advocacy also motivates many patient safety and quality improvement projects institutionally.
Advocacy in our Everyday Work:
Violence Intervention Program: Provides a dedicated inpatient child abuse consult service, elective opportunities for residents, and is a 24/7 resource for our patients and their families. This includes everything from housing to mental health programs. https://violenceinterventionprogram.org/
Caring for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants: as a safety-net hospital we often encounter migrants who have just arrived in the US
The ACT & Alexis Project (LGBTQIA+) clinics: comprehensive medical homes for high-risk teens and children with chronic medical illnesses transitioning into adult care. Providers are board-certified in both pediatrics and internal medicine, and work closely with a team of social workers, case managers, and mental health specialists. Included as a part of the required adolescent medicine rotation with opportunities for additional electives.
Caring for incarcerated minors: as a county facility, our institution is where children from local juvenile halls come for their well-child and emergency healthcare. We take pride in caring for this special population with the help of our VIP colleagues (above) and social work.
Other Advocacy Opportunities
Breathmobile: delivers specialty asthma care directly to underserved children with asthma who reside in Los Angeles County. Since the program's inception in 1995, low-income and uninsured families have benefited from asthma and allergy care in over 100 elementary, middle, and high schools, and several comprehensive health clinics in Los Angeles County.
Homeboy industries: a gang rehabilitation program that you will visit as a part of your outpatient pediatrics rotation https://homeboyindustries.or
In the People's Corner: an organization that provides healthcare to unhoused patients that you can visit as an optional extracurricular activity https://inthepeoplescorner.org/mission/
American Academy of Pediatrics leadership opportunities
Quality Improvement Projects
Example: "Assessing Need for Increased Care Coordination Support"
