I wish when I said 'I want to be a doctor' someone had handed me this viewpoint. I wish that a mentor would have discussed with me that health is more than medical services. https://ja.ma/2OORLGZ  via @JAMA_current part of @JAMANetwork

I wish a mentor would have discussed with me if I wanted to learn about health I should focus on history, capitalism, racism, policy implementation, and people's environment. But I was a biochemistry major and was taught chemistry and biology are the fundamentals of health.

I wish I had a mentor who would have encouraged me to question all our institutions. I did not read about wealth inequity and health until my final undergrad semester. I am finally reading about the abolishment of prison and restorative justice.

It took me enrolling in a PhD program (after MSII year) in Population Health Sciences before being confronted with how health is shaped by our society. Sure, medical school gives a little attention to social determinants of health and racism, BUT it needs to go deeper.

It is time we start advocating for human centered policy and investments that encourage human flourishing. It is time that we use our voices to advocate for policy that reduces health inequity, and eliminates insecurity in housing, food, other resources.

We should start pushing for policy that aims to eliminate spending on prisons and instead help develop programs that are truly rehabilitative. It is immoral that we lock children and adults in cages and claim we are helping them.

I understand that my role as a MD-PhD student should be to learn more about the society I live in and use my voice to raise policy that seeks to eliminate injustice and inequity.