Two Keck Graduate Institute students in the inaugural Master of Science in Community Medicine (MSCM) program received a grant from Agilent Technologies to complete summer fellowships.

Karina Quiroz, MSCM ’23, and Raquel Mobley, MSCM ’23, are working with T’ena Health, a community-centered nonprofit organization providing healthcare resources and education in Los Angeles County, Riverside County, and other underserved areas of the Inland Empire. 

Mobley’s role is to develop the foundation of T’ena Health’s newest initiative called “Unity,” which aims to close the gap of social determinants of health that community members are facing. Quiroz is responsible for forming community and corporate partnerships to obtain oral health supplies and funding for the different T’ena Health initiatives.

“Karina and Raquel have been great to work with and have helped us to continue to carry out our mission of eradicating health disparities through sharing resources, knowledge, and compassion,” said Jemal Hussein, PharmD ’23, the fellowship supervisor for both MSCM students.

Both Mobley and Quiroz have assisted T’ena Health with:

  • Distributing food, clothing, and hygiene kits to the unhoused residents of Skid Row
  • Performing literature review and market research for a new program the organization is starting called “Unity,” which is focused on connecting low-income/unhoused individuals to pre-health volunteers that can help these individuals address their social determinants of health needs
  • Developing a database of community grants to help support health fairs and Homies Care projects
  • Drafting sponsorship decks to be used for presentations with sponsors
  • Applying to grants that are worth $25,000 in total
  • Locating and connecting with 14 potential oral health organizations that could donate oral supplies for care kits

“I chose T’ena Health after being introduced to Jemal because the values aligned well with my interests,” said Mobley. ”T’ena is about health fairs, care kits, and providing compassionate care to the residents of Skid Row.”

“Considering I was in Peru earlier this year for a dental outreach internship, I thought this would be a great opportunity to not only build on that passion of mine but also apply the skills I’ve gained in my master’s program while learning new ideas.”

Mobley would like to become a dentist and is considering specializing in endodontics.

“Because of my graduate education so far and this fellowship with Agilent and T’ena Health, I’ve discovered there is so much more to dentistry and caring for my local community that has made my love for dentistry that much more personal,” Mobley stated. “T’ena Health greatly supports my future career goals because I hope to be a holistic dentist with a patient-centered, community-based philosophy. My role now informs me of how wide the medical support net can reach, and how my potential as a future healthcare provider can look.”

Quiroz also aspires to be a public health dentist and to become a leader in their community to help improve oral and overall health.

“My internship with T’ena Health has allowed me to experience the operations of a non-profit and how closely we work with foundations and community organizations,” Quiroz stated. “Throughout organizational tasks and community outreach, I see community medicine in action. My experience thus far will continue to inform my future community work.”

KGI’s groundbreaking MSCM program, which enrolled its first cohort last fall, prepares students to become qualified leaders in community medicine who pursue careers in healthcare and clinical settings. Students gain the skills to engage their communities, foster strong positive relationships, and understand health priorities.

Agilent Technologies, the grant funder, is a global leader in the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemicals markets. Agilent’s mission is to advance the quality of life, and KGI’s MSCM program aligns with that mission by helping to address disparities in health outcomes by filing a gap in medical personnel in underserved areas.

“Agilent is proud to be among the founding partners of this daring initiative and we hope to make a profound impact in improving healthcare for those who deserve better treatment,” said Sally Frank, manager of the Agilent Foundation.