Alejandra Rivas is a third-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, enrolled in the PRIME Leadership and Advocacy (PRIME-LA) program—a concurrent degree program that awards both an M.D. and a master’s degree. The program is designed to cultivate physician-leaders committed to addressing healthcare disparities in underserved communities through leadership, advocacy, and policy reform.

Originally from Los Angeles, Alejandra earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently contributing to Dr. Everett’s lab by assisting in participant screening for the STAR-T1D study, which focuses on type 1 diabetes research.

Alejandra aspires to specialize in either Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, or Reproductive Endocrinology and serve under-resourced populations in Los Angeles. She is also pursuing a public health master’s degree in health policy and management to deepen her understanding of healthcare systems and policies. Her goal is to one day engage in the design, execution, and quality improvement of health interventions that meet patients where they are—culturally, socio-politically, and economically.

Outside of her academic and professional commitments, Alejandra enjoys spending quality time with her family, exploring national parks through hiking, and experimenting with new cooking recipes alongside her partner.