A new era for medical education

The KGI School of Community Medicine (SOCM) has built an innovative, integrated program that prepares future physicians and other healthcare professionals to care for underserved and underrepresented communities. We provide students with the skills to reduce disease burden, improve health, and prepare students for the significant scientific and technological changes already underway in healthcare itself. Our program is also a radically different approach to the education of healthcare professionals and physicians.

Partnering with L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated health plan in the country, has long recognized the critical need for more health care professionals in Los Angeles County. In 2018, a shortage of primary care physicians working in the safety net led the health plan to launch Elevating the Safety Net.

The five-year, $155 million initiative is designed to help address the physician shortage through provider recruitment grants, a physician loan repayment program, and medical school scholarships. Since the launch, the initiative has grown to include support for new residency positions and various training programs. Through Elevating the Safety Net, L.A. Care is proud to offer financial support for KGI and is excited about the new Master of Science in Community Medicine program.

KGI recruits students from underserved communities, which will ultimately lead to more physicians and other healthcare professionals practicing in similar underserved communities all across L.A. County. These scholars will become culturally competent physicians who will one day provide high-quality health care to the communities where L.A. Care members live.