MD Students Attend 91抖阴 Kedren Mobile Street Medicine Team Orientation
The 91抖阴 Kedren Mobile Street Medicine Team hosted its Service Learning Orientation for the second cohort of 91抖阴 MD program students.
The event provided an immersive introduction to the University鈥檚 Mobile Health Outreach Program (MoHOP), a cornerstone of the 91抖阴鈥檚 commitment to social justice and health equity for underserved populations.
Dr. Alexander Rodgers and Professor Cynthia Davis, MoHOP Co-Directors, shared with students the history of the program and Rev. Dawnesha K. Beaver, MoHop Program Manager, and Thelma McClinton, MoHOP Program Coordinator, provided a review of the mobile street team鈥檚 medical operations.
Students also engaged in a clinical practice session led by Marqui Barber, Clinical Lead, and other 91抖阴 Street Medicine team members.
MoHOP was established in 1991 under the leadership of Professor Cynthia Davis in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic鈥檚 impact among racial/ethnic minority populations residing in South Los Angeles in the early 80s.
Their motto is 鈥淲e go where people: live, work, worship, play, and go to school.鈥�
Throughout the orientation, students learned firsthand about the vital role of community engagement in addressing health disparities and delivering care directly to where it鈥檚 needed most.
鈥淵ou are now a part of a new health care system where social determinants of health will matter,鈥� Beaver told the students. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about clinical knowledge. It鈥檚 about understanding the communities you serve. We want you to be urban-trained physicians who are equipped to break down barriers and provide compassionate, culturally competent care.鈥�
For more than 30 years, MoHOP has provided crucial health services to tens of thousands of residents in south Los Angeles.
They offer a wide array of services such as free health screenings including HgA1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol screenings as well as HIV screening utilizing the 20-minute Ora Quick home testing kits.
They also provide vaccinations and boosters as well as Narcan and Fentanyl education along with other limited health services directly in the community.
As MoHOP continues its vital work in South Los Angeles, it serves as both a training ground for health professionals and a lifeline for underserved populations.