L.A. Care's Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program provides eight students up to $375,000 each in full medical school scholarships. This program takes away a huge debt for community-minded physicians that can force them to choose high-profit positions over service in low-income areas.
Now in its sixth year, the program awarded four scholarships to Alexander Afewerki, Lule DeShields, Berenice Elizarraraz, and Sigry Ortiz Flores, who are attending Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. The other four scholarships went to Victor Arechiga, Daisy Hernandez-Casas, Itzel Melgoza and Rick Rios, who are attending David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Watch the 2023 Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program videos to hear what these inspiring individuals had to say.
About the 2023 Scholars
Alexander Afewerki
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Alexander was born and raised in Eritrea. He moved to the US when he was 13 years old, and is the first in his family to attend a four-year university. He majored in Human Biology and Society at UCLA and received a Master’s degree in Applied Life Science from the Keck Graduate Institute. Alexander is passionate about addressing education and health disparities. He serves as a mentor to first and second generation immigrant students, helping them navigate the higher education system.
Victor Arechiga
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Victor was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles. In high school, he served as school chapter president for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. After majoring in Biology at Williams College, he conducted research for a hospitality worker’s union in Boston, and was involved in HIV/AIDS policy advocacy for a foundation in Washington, DC. He returned to California as a clinical research coordinator for UC San Francisco and Stanford University, where he oversaw multiple clinical trials related to HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and cancer genomics.
Lule DeShields
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Lule was born and raised in Los Angeles County. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Nutritional Science, followed by a post-baccalaureate at San Francisco State University. While at Berkeley, Lule interned for the university’s Black Recruitment and Retention Center, and hosted campus tours for parents and prospective students ranging from 5th to 12th grade. Lule also interned with the USC Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science, where she conducted interviews with the Los Angeles homeless population on Skid Row, social workers, and community organizers.
Berenice Elizarraraz
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Berenice was born and raised in Whittier. Having a daughter at an early age pushed her to stay focused and determined to pursue a medical career. A first-generation college graduate, she received a degree in Anthropology from UCLA, and earned a Masters in Biomedical Science from the California University of Science and Medicine. She wants to represent her LatinX community, using her proficiency in medical Spanish to provide culturally competent care and increase access for patients who may not otherwise seek the medical attention they need.
Daisy Hernandez-Casas
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Daisy grew up in Glassell Park, where her family faced challenges trying to retain a consistent primary care physician, inspiring her to work to improve primary care access. Daisy graduated with a degree in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics from UCLA. While there, she volunteered as a Spanish interpreter at the Venice Family Clinic. She also mentored students from underserved communities as a member of the student group Hermanas Unidas. She is now a Research Associate and Health Coach at UCLA Health, focusing on substance use prevention.
Itzel Melgoza
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Itzel grew up in East Los Angeles. She attended Columbia University, graduating with a degree in Neuroscience. Itzel’s interest in medicine was confirmed when she volunteered with the Mount Sinai Hospital Delirium Program. That work involved primarily underserved and Spanish-speaking patients, which inspired her to advocate for health equity and culturally competent care. After graduating, Itzel moved back home to Los Angeles and conducted clinical research with the Keck School of Medicine’s Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Center.
Sigry Ortiz Flores
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Sigry was raised by her mother in South Los Angeles. As the first one in her family to attend college, Sigry obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology from UC Merced and completed post-baccalaureate work at UC Irvine. She worked with Trust, Research, Access, and Prevention (T.R.A.P.) Medicine, a community-based non-profit that works to eliminate health disparities among Black men and boys. She wants to provide culturally competent care to families in low-income, underserved communities while working to improve social determinants of health.
Rick Rios
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Rick grew up in La Puente, raised with three siblings by a single mother. Finding it difficult to access health care growing up, Rick dedicated his undergraduate career at UC Davis to improving health care resources for underserved communities, conducting research on disparities in developmental screenings. He volunteered at a student-run primary care clinic that worked to meet the healthcare needs of the uninsured Latino population in Sacramento. He also traveled to Peru to provide aid in a mobile clinic, solidifying his passion for improving healthcare systems.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
Meet last year's L.A. Care medical school scholars - the fifth class of the Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program.
2021 Scholarship Recipients
Meet 2021's L.A. Care medical school scholars - the fourth class of the Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program.
2020 Scholarship Recipients
Meet 2020's L.A. Care medical school scholars - the third class of the Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program.
2019 Scholarship Recipients
Meet more inspiring young health professionals. Learn about the second class of the Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program.
2018 Scholarship Recipients
It began with these eight dedicated individuals who want to make a difference for their communities. Learn about the first class of the Elevating the Safety Net Scholarship Program.